Otoskwin-Attawapiskat Adventure

So here, in reverse order (annoying to read, I know) are any posts I can muster of my explorer trip before I head back up to camp. It feels very strange to be in the city.

Background:

The camp I work at in the summer runs canoe trips, and I am one of the guides there. This year I had the opportunity to go on a 25 day explorer trip, something I did not do as a camper. It was a legendary trip and a milestone in my life. I led the trip with my 2 good friends Bill and Mackie. 9 boys aged 15-16 accompanied us. We left on the first of July, Canada day, by train from Washago station in Orillia. We were on the train for over 24 hours by the time we got off in Pickle Lake, ON. From there we took Ontario’s most northern road to the put in on the Otoskwin river. Below is a google earth capture over which I painstakingly traced our route. The river was easily wide enough to show up in a similar resolution to the sat photos we used for navigation. Every time I look at the shot I have a hard time believing we made it. Click the picture for a closer look. We paddled about 250 k of the Lower Otoskwin before it drained into Lake Attawapiskat, at which point we followed what is known as the South Channel of the Attawapiskat river until its confluence with the North Channel. From this point it is about 500 km to James Bay. 22 Maps over 750 km, and we paddled every inch of it. Here is the story: