Presentation: Paddling Down the Mackenzie River
By Contributor
Could you paddle Canada’s longest waterway ?
In the summer of 2014, twelve adventurers drove north from the Okanagan and the Hinton, Alberta area to meet in Canada’s Arctic. From there, in two “Voyageur” canoes, they began an epic canoe journey down Canada’s longest waterway – the MacKenzie River. Draining fully one fifth of Canada’s landmass, the sheer size of the river combined with its remoteness brought a sense of awe to every day of the expedition.
The route took them 1500 km from Great Slave Lake at Fort Providence to Inuvik in the high Arctic, and at every bend of the river they faced not only new challenges and magnificent landscapes, but weather and isolation that was both dangerous and majestic. How did they do it?
“The fact that Wayne and their team survived this journey says something about the power of positive thinking, combined with true teamwork and sheer guts”, says Christina Neale, Programming Coordinator of Kelowna Museums Society. “As to precisely how they did it…come hear them and find out! Theirs is classic storytelling; the kind that inspires.”
It’s good to treat life as an adventure. Never be afraid to paddle your own canoe! Come hear some ordinary people who took a most extraordinary canoe trip…and came back from it with a new appreciation for life and our country.
Wayne Wilson, one of the paddlers, will share the story of the journey and show pictures from it, at the Rossland Miners Hall on Wednesday, May 27. The presentation starts at 6:30; admission is by donation, and proceeds go to the Museum Renewal Project.
