Images from the Quetico Adventure!

I apologise not sending photos by sat phone, but as you can see even the text was a challenge!  So here below are nine quite different photos taken from our trip that hopefully give you some further feel of what the experience was all about!

This photo was taken at the point where we started the adventure. Sorry about the quality, but it was taken by a weary canoeist who had just returned from his trip, so his thoughts were probably elsewhere!

Butterflies:  I forgot to mention the huge amount of very diversely coloured butterflies we saw every day along the trip. Other than mosquitoes, who were considered military/airforce, these butterflies were the most populous ‘bird’ we saw! 

Terrapins or Turtles:  This was our most friendly one, I even had him in my hand a while, but we saw a huge amount of them along the way too. Clearly unaware that humans could harm them! 

Solitude in the Wilderness:  End of day, view of the empty canoe looking from our campsite just after sunset on one of the good evenings, around 9pm.

Imi, ‘The Man’, focused on the steps ahead, complete with the big, heavy, ’green bag’, on an easy portage section, before he stepped off the cliff and injured his knee. (This was a rare case when the portage was relatively clear, with fairly uniform light for a photo.)

Huckleberry Finn / Robinson Crusoe day: This was the day Imi stepped, fully clothed, off the unexpected rock edge, into the water. I rigged up a washing line to help dry off all his ‘only dry’ gear. The scenery is typical of the many islands we camped on.

We had some truly special sunsets next to the lakes. No mosquitoes, no rain, warm and just the sound of loons around.

This was the morning (5am) of the longest day of the year. It was very impressive in its vivid colours.

Victorious Imi, outside Canadian Canoe Outfitters, after we had showered and dropped off all the gear!

Read Imi's wrap-up blog post - in which the professor speaks from the heart.
Read Howard's wrap-up - including the missing day of drama
 

Why we ought not to make a big deal of handicaps like mine.

Imi's final wrap-up...

I have Howard to thank for giving me this wonderful and memorable experience in Quetico Wilderness Area.   Given my severe visual impairment, all of Howard’s toughness and abilities had to be made use of to make this trip a success.  Now here is a question I wish to address: would it be right of me, and fair to Howard, if I were to declare to him that all my incapacities ought to be simply overlooked (despite the problems they present), and that in the end they just do not matter much at all?  Suppose if I were to tell him this: let us both regard my handicap no more than one other challenge, of the many that we (jointly) encountered in Quetico, and I neither have to feel too grateful for your extra efforts, nor be especially depressed about having it.  Would this be the right attitude?  It sounds rather callous, but I believe it is indeed the right attitude.  And Howard is in complete agreement with this; and it was precisely in this spirit that the trip was undertaken.

The danger of making too big a fuss about handicaps is, we tend to overlook the positive contributions persons with handicaps make.  First of all, I was not a passive passenger in this journey. I carried my stuff, I pitched my own tent, worked my way alone through the arduous and primitive portages, and washed the dishes whenever I could.  And I am a strong paddler, given my years of canoeing experience.  Secondly, handicaps are but mere externalities; what counts is who we are as persons. And I, like all persons, are an asset simply by showing good will, and being themselves.

 

While Howard put in far more into this trip than I did, I hope in my own way I was not a liability, a burden to be taken care of, but an asset. I am just too proud to be an object of charity. Only if I am convinced that, for all that Howard can give, I have something positive to give back, I would not undertake a trip as a net receiver. And Howard values his life and time too much, to do a trip that adds nothing of positive value, in terms of knowledge and new experiences. I declare outright, there is nothing of charity work, in Howard undertaking this adventure with me. We went as equal friends that have really bonded as a result of this trip.

I have come a long way, not only since I lost much of my sight some 5 years ago, but also since my last canoe trip with Howard to Yukon, exactly one year ago.  At the end of that trip, I had stated (see the blog “Yukon Blind Dreams”), that blindness is demoralizing and isolating. I regard this nonsense today, though blindness is certainly limiting, and not something to flaunt about.  But a human life that is affirmative will build upon anything that is thrown to it. Since I cannot see, well let me hear more closely.  Since I cannot relish the visual panorama, let me monitor my emotions, probe more deeply, and be more attuned with what is around me.  Building and growth is the essence of life that is affirmative --- and I am firmly committed to be affirmative.  And once one has built one’s life upon  and around our incapacities, these are no more handicaps. They are an essential part of our being, of who we are.  I am now in a position to tell anyone: if you find pleasure in my presence and company, then you have no justification to be really bothered by my visual impairment.  That is an integral part of me.

A couple of years ago I encounter a stranger some four miles south of River Falls, in one of my regular jaunts.  There was a brief deliberation on whether we take on an adventure together. On a hunch I decided to just go for it, and spend about three weeks canoeing several hundred miles down Yukon.  And Howard came all the way from South Africa for this venture.  The major challenge of the first trip was, first we were then almost complete strangers, who had no idea how things would work between us. And secondly, we were dealing with moving water and perhaps rapids. 

Because of the success of the first trip, I suggested to Howard that we undertake a second trip, with new challenges.  Canoeing through Quetico, especially in its deep interior, has the new challenge of primitive portages.  There will be thick bushes, knee deep muck, steep rock faces or even cliffs, vast moraine, and large pools of water, to trudge across.  Despite my blindness, I told him I absolutely insist, that should we undertake this trip, I do the portages all by myself.  I will just not let myself be led through these portages like a child.  With a paddle in my hand, and a pack on my back, I will somehow find my way through it all. Howard agreed to this, and came all the way from London for this. It is a testimony to his courage and generosity, to venture with a person with a handicap , considering not only the extra risks but even extra work and extra responsibilities.  It has been a real adventure. This trip has shown our friendship can endure trying moments.   Even when an unbelievably vast horde of mosquitoes were harassing us, and for all the frustration at the rain and muck and drudgery at the portages, we never had a single quarrel.  And we felt confident enough to expose to each other our vulnerabilities.  Yes, life is strange.  I say, just go along with life, and do not hold yourself back, when the time is ripe.

See some photographs from the trip. 

Read Howard's final wrap-up blog post. 

Read Imi's previous blog post.

Howard's wrap-up

Howard writes...

Firstly of this lastly: I want to take you back to probably our toughest day, and from what you read you maybe you wonder why it was the toughest…..? I’ll solve the mystery!

As we all know, often things happen for a reason, but this time it took me getting back to civilization to connect the reason! I sensed that there was something ’wrong’ with the ‘Big Day, Blog 7 posting you guys were reading: Dominique was alluding to a gap in my story, the missing seven huge portages, yet she had received Blog 7 and with the virtual communication/internet ‘blindness’ I had out there, and sat phone confirmation that the content had been sent, I couldn’t fathom things out. I need to point out that working with email and a sat phone require a level of patience that tests me to the limit almost more than each adventure! (A typical blog takes about 20 nail-biting minutes, to send via sat phone!) Anyway, a long story short, I realize now that half of Blog 7 was cut off in the sat phone transmission.

That was a big day’s story, and I felt Imi’s words on ‘Freedom’, were priceless in the context of his step off the cliff and our thoughts while immersed deep in a challenging canoeing/portage day. Fate has decided that the missing part of that Blog is best kept for the end, as almost a great summary of our adventure… They captured so well the essence of our adventure and who the conflict of the struggle and the wilderness solitude was internalized. So here is that missing piece from Blog 7:

“………Virtually as we left and started paddling , the rain started pelting down, and we were back in Mother Nature’s heaven for us today! We both agreed that even with the rain there was something very special about being out here remote, exposed, and yet alive. We both ‘ticked off’, without doubt, we wouldn't right now swap places with 'someone' in a cosy London, Sydney, big city, secure home, dwelling... In these seemingly atrocious conditions, were we lying to ourselves, we really didn't think so... In fact Imi, made the insightful comment: "When in the wilderness, naked in front of nature, you are never in a prison, you are freed by your self sufficiency, nakedness, and the sheer simplicity. This rang so true for me, as I thought back to my solo nakedness on the South Pole, sailing alone, cycling alone, and suddenly this freedom rush hit my system, as I thought about Siberia, alone, in a few weeks.

The portages were all challenging in their uniqueness, and I've covered this aspect in my previous blog, but today they felt real remote; I think we are in an area of the park where we were the first trail blazers for the season. For the first time I saw a lot of bear scat around, and in my one search for a portage route, I repeatedly shouted the precautionary "Hey bear" call to warn any unsuspecting bear of my approach. But no bears were seen... Maybe tomorrow... Please, Mother Nature?

We had two 'portages' where we got out the canoe and controlled its passage through a series of rapids walking alongside, sometimes waist deep, in the fast-flowing water. Imi did amazingly, especially considering his crooked knee, stumbling along the uneven, rocky river bed. We both agreed that it was better than lugging canoe and gear on a normal portage, though!

The end of the last portage, a long one, was this real, ocean-like, sand beach, with a wonderful 'holiday resort' type campsite setting. Any thought of 'booking in', was dashed by Mother Nature's biggest and most deadliest squadron of mosquitoes. We wasted no time in getting in the canoe and escaping their attack. It was relentless, and stopping a few hundred metres out in the lake, scratching every part of our ravaged bodies, we both agreed that that attack was the worst we had experienced to date. Another hard, but satisfying 6-hour day and we had reached our target overnight campsite, in now great, sunny weather. With the great weather I decided, swimming was more of a priority than tent building, but within 45 minutes I was almost regretting my prioritisation, as only with lightening fast tent building did I just manage to slip into my tent before the heaviest rainfall to date hit us. Gee, this is a wild weather place, and seemingly totally unpredictable. I'm now sitting outside with an ABSOLUTELY perfect sunset. Just the sound of loons, crickets, and the occasional, trademark, violent, beaver ‘tail smack’ on the water nearby.... Just bliss, but who knows what we will wake to....

That's it from me till two day's time...

H

Here is Imi's thought for the day, crooked knee and all!

REAL Freedom

Real Freedom does not consist merely of freedom of speech and expression. Real Freedom means you are free to live as you please, to build the community that furthers your peculiar value system/scheme. But if people lived as they pleased, that is tantamount to anarchy, hence that world is free where maximum disorder and anarchy can exist without jeopardizing human survival. That is only possible if a vast wilderness exists where people can build their own individual lives and communities, without hampering others.

So a pagan community that worships the moon, that has its own wild dances and rituals, that creates its own brutal, competitive game can go on the rampage without worrying about the world. That is true Freedom.

Our world is so consumed with servicing human needs, that it has to impose strict order and systems to be viable. In fact very soon, humans will have to manage the entire planet, because eco-systems and nature have to be disrupted in order to create affluence. New possibilities of living that go against the strict norms can just not be permitted.

This is a universal law: Servitude is the price of comfort and affluence,

Freedom is always only for those who fight and struggle for it.

Imi

With that mystery solved I’d just like to close my part of this fulfilling adventure, with the following:

Having been living closely with Imi in the past three weeks, when I read out his wrap up words, they almost brought tears to my eyes. Every day I could feel the struggle, his inspiration, his fight against servitude, yet his huge appreciation of my role, and his words capture this sometimes conflicting cauldron of emotions, but I know that we both have come out of this amazing human experience bigger people, both individually and as a team.

Early on in the last day of paddling we passed this island where a group of five ‘early fifties’ guys were sitting at the lake edge, enjoying their wilderness breakfast experience. After the one guy’s courteous “Hi”, coffee mug in hand, we pulled in to chat to them. They explored our seemingly strange, 13 day, endurance experience motive that clearly for them seemed to lack their obvious social and fishing element. In our exploring of their motives and experiences, they sheepishly looked at each other, admitted too few fish, and moments of boredom, moving them to evening drinking entertainment, with a few hints at stories shared, and then lots of loud laughter.

I couldn’t help think that their picture was a fairly clear stereotypical one: Five buddies managed to negotiate 5 days off from their wives and kids to have a good ‘boys talk’ fishing trip ‘escape’.

Imi and I were so obviously different! It was almost how I feel when I meet motorcyclists when I’m touring cycling, or motor boaters when I’m sailing… On paper being in the wilderness, and with canoes, we should share so much in common, but in reality as we shared our individual experiences, it became clear that we are quite different variants of the human species, with actually little soul overlap!

They were lovely, down-to-earth guys, we had a few laughs at their inter-friend banter, but as we paddled away, I knew that what I had experienced in the past 13 days was extremely valuable to me, and was not possible of being achieved in ‘a team’ of more than two, but also not one of less than two! In amongst the inevitable complex committee decisions, they would no doubt have had great boys’ jokes, shared their past and present fishing stories to the last passionate detail, one or two may have bravely explored solutions to their current work/relationship/or financial challenges. But I sense that largely the conversation would have stayed at the not-too-serious, holiday-escape, superficial fun level, stories being the basis for building their five-member team friendship… They would have probably concluded we were too serious and on an adventure where fun was a virtual impossibility. Gee, how different things can be seen by the beholders, hey…?

I may have got it all wrong, but I do know that often we feel that more is better, where more often than not for me, actually less provides more, and the focus and challenge of a well defined adventure can enable one to go way beyond the often-uninspiring superficiality of life. This Quetico trip had definitely done that for me!

On a lighter note, when we got back to Atikoken, the seriousness of the adverse weather we had been through became truly apparent, and some were even surprised we had managed to complete the route we had: We were told of record rainfalls, cyclone warnings in the park while we were there, huge unprecedented floods in the nearby city of Duluth that actually flooded out the zoo, allowing all the seals and the solitary Polar bear to escape. Nature fights back, rescuing it’s suffering prisoners!

And now FINALY, I just want to publicly acknowledge the amazing achievement of my sight-impaired, adventure buddy: “Imi, you were blood amazing, mate, a true inspiration for any time that I think I have things tough and can’t rise to the challenge! Thank you for giving me the wonderful human experience you did!” The team will no doubt be back next year, taking on some new challenge, still to be defined!

That’s all from ‘Vision Quest’ for this year, and thanks for your support in making this an even richer experience for both of US. We have thoroughly enjoyed having you along!

Howard

See some pictures from the trip.

Read Imi's wrap-up blog post.

Read Howard's previous blog post.

A couple of Words of Wisdom from this trip

Imi writes...

Much was invested in making this trip possible. I now realise investing in experiences is worth far more than investing in material goods. The core of human life is the underground journey. Human beings are a vast and intricate web of connections, ideas, of memories, of expectations, and so on... Rich experiences thicken and deepen this web of connections that constitute our psyche.

My first words of wisdom: Invest in experiences rather than in things.

Unless you expect the unexpected, nothing unexpected will happen. Seek and thou shalt find. Ask and thou shalt get. We went on a canoe expedition where mosquitoes, constant rain, trudging in knee high mud marsh and other challenges were a constant occurrence, but we expected that somehow we would be inspired and it turned out to be a glorious trip.

Second words of wisdom: Expect the unexpected and don’t close off your horizons.
 
Imi

Read Howard's blog post for this day. 
Read Imi's previous blog post.  

Quetico delivers two special last days... And a race to the finish!

Howard writes...

At just on midday, in perfect sunny, blue sky conditions yesterday, our amazing expedition ended at the boat ramp at the north end of Nym lake.  Having crossed the boundary of the regional park some few kilometres earlier, we had experienced a bit of a change back into civilisation. There are lots of islands on Nym lake, and many of those outside the park have holiday houses on them, and are serviced by motor boats, so the whole environment suddenly changed from the pristine wilderness of the last 11 days. Paddling through this transition section gave us a chance to chat about the truly special adventure we had experienced together, and I sensed, with both of us, there was a sense of sadness that it was rapidly coming to an end.

To keep us in a positive frame of mind I reminded Imi that we were still in a ‘race’ and needed to stay focused, paddling right to the finish line!  “A race?” I hear you ask. "Where does a race fit in?”  Well, Howard must have been suffering from withdrawal symptoms and, as we approached the last portage of the trip, the one that took us into Nym lake,  we started encountering civilisation, in the form of other canoeing expeditions. Up until then we had been on our own, but this final day brought on the contact with others, my extroverted side could resurface from hibernation, and so the inevitable competition. (Gee I had been paddling against myself for 11 days, with no daily ‘performance benchmark’, surely one day’s competing ‘fun’ is allowed!) 

We arrived at the start of the 750m portage and there was a whole lot of gear all neatly standing together waiting for the return of its owners.  Aah, some other canoeists, already in the portage, time to explore. We went through our now well-drilled portage routine, Imi loaded up his backpack, and started heading off down the portage trail, while I readied the canoe and other stuff for my two journeys. With my backpack and canoe on my shoulders, I soon passed Imi, and then about half away along the portage there were the four ‘same age’ guys, returning to collect their stuff. They politely stood aside as I was given right of way with my canoe load, and we exchanged cordial greetings, as I confirmed they were worthy participants in ‘my’ race. (They clearly were unaware of the race they were competing in, but that didn’t matter to me!)  With largely very good portage conditions underfoot I was soon at the other end, dropping off the canoe and my backpack, while giving myself ‘a few seconds’ to evaluate their ‘next leg’ racing equipment: “Wow, fancy, ultra-light Kevlar canoes, but untidy bags and probably more than what we had, so that’s good!” No time to waste, I’m heading back to collect load two, even though I know I’ll probably have to wait for Imi... There is no logic in all this, but that’s not important, it’s the release of this sudden-build up of testosterone on meeting civilisation that’s important! 

After about half way, I come across Imi. He is in his paradise, zig-zagging on his own challenge, but there is no race in his mind, just a feeling of freedom, as he feels the confidence the 11 days of bad portage trails have benefited him, and he feels how comparatively easy this portage is for him. He told me afterwards how much extra confidence he now has to ‘just walk off and explore’, no matter how difficult the terrain is and whether there is a path or not... Strangely for me, I didn’t even try suck Imi into ‘our’ race, I had too much respect for what he had conquered and what he was dealing with, and I knew with his introverted disposition there was no testosterone build-up inside him, so how could I ask him to share my ‘problem’?  This was a strange competition I was in, hey!

Anyway, I bumped into my competitors on their return, all loaded up with backpacks, and the one guy cynically quipped: “I saw your bag there, standing on its own, and almost brought it along to help.” And he was a competitor, “Why would he say that then....?” I somehow got even more energy, setting myself a goal to try and get back to the canoe before they did!  Just a  goal, no idea whether it was achievable, but it felt good. I passed Imi again, and his progress confirmed that I would be waiting for him, while our competitors packed their boats and gained time, but somehow that had no bearing on the game, it was just part of the rules, and I was really happy with that... The lake launch spot at the end of the end of the portage was quite small so it was quite cramped preparing three canoes together, but it made for good socialising with the competitors. Clearly they had chatted with Imi along the way, as they already knew we were both exotics, me from South Africa, and Imi with his diverse exoticness, so the conversation went around their fishing success, and their home towns in the US. As Imi approached, sometimes wandering off track, I sensed they didn’t really know how to deal with ‘us’ as a strange team, who weren’t fishing but were just canoeing and having fun with the hardship of endurance paddling/portaging. Maybe they weren’t racers then, the quality and lightness of the boats just for show, or to clear their consciences to enable them to carry even more unnecessary gear!

I was pleased as we were in the water paddling, just minutes after they were underway... We had made up serious time on the portage, and now all that was left was the final 3-kilometre paddle to the ‘finish line’! I let the testosterone flow freely as I put power into my strokes, but on these ‘traditional’ single-ended paddle canoes, if one person paddles too hard the boat either goes around in a circle, or needs serious course correction strokes that almost defeats the object of the additional power. So:  “Was I to get Imi roped into this race, or was I going to reluctantly withdraw?”  A natural thing happened. Imi must have sensed I was paddling harder and without word from me, upped his game a little, and we had soon caught up, and then were passing both our competitors.  This was the moment to share our achievement with Imi, hoping to spur on his commitment to his pace and subtly suck him into the race. Hmmm, the opposite happened as he seemed to slow down again. I accepted there was nothing I should, could, or would do, other than just keep my side of the power going as best I could.... 

Aah, Mother Nature came to ‘our’ aid: As we cleared a headland, we were suddenly in a fairly strong crosswind, with the wind and waves pushing the bow of the boat continuously upwind.  The perfect present: I shouted to Imi to swap paddling sides, and bravo, the ‘Imi/Howard’ paddling power imbalance was now perfect for naturally correcting the effect of the wind and waves. Our canoe took off like a rocket and we ended up surfing the waves, leaving our competitors struggling in our wake...  I asked Imi, “Can you feel how fast the boat is going, and how it’s surfing the waves, man?”  He replied with a sense of pure joy in his voice:  “I just love it, buddy.”

Although the story of this final ‘race’ is seemingly so removed from the tranquillity and solitude of our 11 days, I have purposely told it in the detail I have, because it has so many of the dimensions of our rich adventure: The inner struggles, the different yet in-sync personalities, the solo journeys, yet a common shared journey, the unspoken team work, our ability to achieve our own very personal and challenging goals, yet not compromise the team, our ability to be ourselves without negatively affecting the other, and the sense of passion and joy we both experienced. At heart we are both solo adventurers, but circumstance have brought us into an almost unlikely ‘team’ situation, and we managed to work out a formula that gave us the best of both worlds.  I hope in my story, you get this specialness.

Now back to the last two days.....

After the heavy rains I described in the last blog,  we were hoping for an overnight stop, and an awakening to a nice clear day. Well, it wasn’t to be: Mother Nature seemed to want to punish us for our excessive public holidays, as we woke to rain pouring down. With the ‘pressure’ of our schedule now demanding a hard day ahead, we were forced for the first time to pack up tents in the rain....  Somehow a strong sense of purpose and ‘overcome the challenge’ kicked in, and spirits were pretty high for the circumstances. Breakfast was a make-do affair, and we were soon out on the lake, paddling in the rain towards the first of our six portages for the day. The portages were very wet and marshy underfoot, but somehow, around mid-morning, Nature seemed to have changed its mood towards us. The clouds receded, replaced by a clear blue sky, and wonderful warm sunlight. That was how the rest of the paddling and portage day was: just splendid weather that helped us deal with the long 7-hour day. The one portage was our longest yet, at a kilometre, and I must say that I was totally spent at the end of it. It took Imi one hour to do the portage, with conditions underfoot horrendous, but the team made it.

We found a lovely campsite, where we would spend our last night out, and on the longest day of the year. Would nature allow us to experience its extended sunlight hours?  Well, this Quetico is challenging:  Just as we were about to start building our tents, the rain from nowhere starts bucketing down.  A huge black cloud had blown in, yet mostly all around was blue sky. Imi insisted on building his tent in the rain, while I withdrew to protection under the trees.  I watched in true admiration and awe, as Imi went about determinedly building his tent, seemingly unaffected by the pelting rain. I felt this call inside to offer to help, but I knew the rules: He never wants help to build his tent, and his stubbornness had led him to deciding to build the tent in the rain against my suggestion. It was truly humbling to watch, and hard to explain how one feels as a sighted person. Anyway, 30 minutes later my wait had paid off and the cloud has passed over and we had blue skies again.  The rest of the afternoon was just perfect, and we were provided with the opportunity to see the longest day of the year’s full show of light, with a perfect, almost violet, sunset reflecting across the lake. Just on sunset, Imi and I took the canoe out onto the lake to experience the extreme stillness, and just the sounds of the loud frogs and birds. Fringing the lake edge, stopping occasionally to drift aimlessly this was a great way to spend our last night out in the wilderness.

The next day we woke at 5am to the very best morning of the trip, a crimson-coloured lake and a clear sky above, clouds on the horizon. With the only portage of the day being the one I describe above, we had 10 kilometres of wonderful paddling, and this clear weather kept up for the whole day. The perfect end to an otherwise challenging-weather trip.

I’m writing this blog from our hotel room in the quaint town of Virginia, Minnesota. It’s a typical old historic town for this part of the US. The main street reminds me quite a bit of the cowboy feel of Dawson City, at the end of last year’s Yukon River trip. Virginia is larger, and the main street is more commercial, but the architecture and plethora of authentic eating and drinking saloons is similar.

We both plan to post one more wrap up blog in the next few days, and I will include some photos from the adventure. You will be notified by email as usual.

Cheers for now

Howard

Read Imi's blog from the same day. 
Read Howard's previous blog post. 
 

Wild Metaphysical Musings about Nature

Imi writes...

Wild as my metaphysical musings of Nature may be, and sometimes seemingly even inconsistent with science and Darwinism, they are firmly based on observation.

First, Nature strives for complexity. From single cells, complex organisms evolved.

Secondly, Nature strives for diversity. Eco-systems are typically rich and maximally diverse. Only when Nature's forces are paralysed by human pollution are eco-systems poor and disabled.

Thirdly, Nature strives for something new and gropes unknown possibilities. Sexual reproduction is a more unstable and unpredictable form of propagating life, because bad genes can thereby be transmitted, and thereby cause in-adaptive organisms to come into being. But sexual reproduction enables vastly new possibilities and life has evolved towards it.

Fourth, and finally, life evolves towards intensity of living. Cold-blooded animals lead sluggish lives, but can live for a very long time. Warm-blooded mammals consume vastly more calories and live a more fast-paced and intense existence. And warm-blooded-ness comes from a later form in the evolutionary process.

And may I go even more wild with my speculation... The ultimate end product of life is the bringing about of the spirit. Spirit is a form of life with consciousness, where there is the greatest complexity, diversity, birth of new possibilities, and intensity of living.

I revere Nature precisely because from simple organisms there has come into being eagles, grizzly bears, tropical fish, lions and, above all, humans. We owe it all to this great cosmic life force called Nature!

Imi.....


Read Howard's blog post for the same day.
Read Imi's previous blog post. 

Adventure, storms, another Imi off-the-edge walk, and even bedsores....

Howard writes...

Lots in this blog, but firstly, thanks for those who have left comments – they do help, but we understand that this trip is more about 'us' sharing what we experiencing. Dominique has shared with me the very encouraging pageview stats, which show we have lots of (silent)  interested readers. That's just great, but please feel free to ask questions, challenge Imi's views, or help us refocus our sharing, should you think we could enrich your reading experience. With probably only two more blogs left, including a wrap-up one, any feedback on content you'd like to her  about, would be appreciated. Otherwise we'll assume our formula is working. Thanks....

Today's blog...

"A journey into the unknown." This is the first line of my definition of what 'An Adventure' is! Well, as I sit (today lie) down to write each blog, it is reaffirmed that for this trip, we are certainly on an untraveled path for both of us!

I'll begin with the end of today and then go back to yesterday. We took a forced 'public holiday' today. For the umpteenth time today, we have been forced back into our tents by the rain. The last 24 hours, virtually since we set up camp yesterday, we have been at the mercy of Mother Nature's new frontal system. It all hit a climax with a horrendous gale and heavy rain that started in the middle of last night, and only eased up at 6am this morning. This is where the bedsore comment comes from: Tongue-in-cheek, as it's been very indulgnt (for me!) being forced into my cosy 'sack', Kindle in hand, reading four quite different yet stimulating books. (Oops, I wasn't supposed to have that technology with me.... "I thought, you said you were naked in front of nature in the wilderness? You're cheating mate!" Well the jury is out, you let me know? Given the goal of this adventure, the type of books, and the serious amount of rain, I think I'm innocent (of course!), or at least I have 'extenuating circumstances'...! Fair trial, please!

In the rains, on and offs, of today, we had a fairly bright spell that not only brought us out of our tents, but onto our 'rock beach' and into the water for our ever-invigorating, therapeutic, lake swims. Unfortunately for Imi, his was premature and with him fully clothed. I'd been swimming, told him how nice it was. He said he would be going in shortly, so I was busy making tea, when next thing I heard what sounded like him strangely diving in. For obvious reasons, he never does that, and I was  really surprised how quickly he had undressed... Things weren't stacking up, I'd better check.

As I reached the edge of the far side rock I could see that Imi had walked off the edge, fallen in, clothes and all. Well, I was at least relieved that this time it was not on my trusted instruction, and he being a good swimmer, only his ego was damaged! As he clambered back, he was upset with himself,  as even though this time he had his stick (a paddle), he hadn't used it as he had rather trusted his slight peripheral vision which showed a huge inviting rock ahead. Standing just behind him, as he described what he 'saw', I could see the assumption error. With the greyness of the sky and lake, a small gap of lighter cloud allowed a silver reflection to form on the lake surface as an apparent inviting extension of our very much smaller actual rock 'deck'. This illusion had tempted my friend to excitedly explore its virtualness without the caution of feeling with his stick, and taking a trusting step over the small rock ledge straight into the awaiting deep water trap. Gee, life is full of unique challenges for Imi and every day I'm forced back to a small space of humility and appreciation of how blessed and lucky I am.

Imi and I were soon sharing that now-long-overdue cup of tea together, laughing at the incident. Taking advantage of the break in the rain, and the presence of a drying wind, I rigged up a clothes line and helped wring dry all his gear before hanging it up to dry. (Hopefully you have received the photo of it all, I sent through? If not blame the cyber satellite!)

Continuing on today, when outside together, we had a range of intense discussions about the importance of taking on LIFE AFFIRMING adventures, rather than 'just any' challenge, that meets with one's whim and fancy. Obviously the key being the interpretation of 'Life Affirming', but for now, in the confined space of this blog, it's suffice to say that these would not be challenges with material, monetary, or mere 'tick off' participation, or fame/recognition focused goals/objectives, but rather connected to one's soul, and core passions, maybe overcoming life-restricting fears, or building society-enhancing height, or bolstering personal weakness areas, but necessarily overall, directly building personal height.  I hope in this brief summary of a fairly deep and complex subject, I'm not providing any thought connection or value to you. Apologies if that's the case, it's not my intent.

Now to yesterday...

Our campsite for the night before turned out to be clearly a major 'Defence Force' base site for part of Mother Nature's arsenal. With rain overnight filling nearby swamps, on waking we were exposed to the full scope of her airforce in the form of squadrons of mosquitoes, horse flies, and the small black flies. On the ground her armory of small ticks showed their resilience and ability to penetrate through the slightest tent opening, and then a new form of warfare was taken up by the distracting slugs that found their way onto all the inside tent surface! In it's multi-level diversity, the attack was devastatingly successful getting us out onto the water in a new record early time! Was this just an isolated remote Nature Defense Force base or had we entered a war zone and the day would bring more heavy conflict? Time would soon tell...

It was so nice to be on the lake so early, so still, and the solitude, as we paddled in silent synchronicity, across the large expanse of the major Fred Lake. Our bow wave and the noise of our paddles breaking the mirror-like surface at each stroke being the only disturbances to an otherwise motionless scene. A special oneness with Nature, how could we have been thinking war zones, etc? Next up, the downstream portage to 'Lonely Creek'. Im's knee was still not 100% so we went with him taking the lighter load. Good call as the portage was very muddy, lots of fallen trees across the path, and generally tough going. We got glimpses of the rolling stream we were portaging around, and this gave the real feeling of being in a wild wilderness. The end of the portage and our cover was exposed. We were in a war zone. The stillness of the above rapid creek defined a new airforce-only war zone. Many and huge mosquitoes, and all committed to their task, fearless of death by human swat, the strategy was victory through relentless suicidal attack. It was the first time I heard Imi complain about the mozzies, and the stillness of 1 km of the truly serenely beautiful, narrow, lily-covered 'Lonely Creek' lay ahead.

On the river, paddling upstream, progress was slow, keeping us 'in range' targets for the unrelenting airforce. This was hell, but little did we know that the biggest airforce base we would EVER come across was just ahead at the end of next portage: the source of 'Lonely Creek', where 'Lonely Lake' empties itself into its namesake creek! At the end of this demanding portage, the mozzies hit the unbearable level, and we both agreed: "This no longer Fun and purely survival!

Thirty minutes later we were deep into the real tranquility and beauty of 'Lonely Lake', out of the war zone, and with our sense of humour back! A two-hour, thoroughly enjoyable paddle in semi blue sky, and we were soon at our little island paradise, surprisingly free of any signs of nature's airforce, whether stray planes or regimented squadrons. We were free... Tents up, a splendid lake-side lunch, early afternoon swim, and then our whole world changed again as the light rain, precursor to the serious cold front I described above, moved in... The rest is covered above.

I always say that almost every day of a challenging adventure involves a 'personal ordeal' – this is just part of an adventure. Each day one expects an ordeal, but is oblivious to its diverse specifics. At the end of the day one reflects with immense satisfaction the accomplishment of overcoming the ordeal, but there is a strange human paradox: The brutal honesty is that, almost without exception, if one had known the nature of the day's ordeal beforehand, one almost certainly wouldn't have volunteered for it! The unknown nature of an adventure, that I referred to right at the start, is at the center of this strange ordeal/sense of overcoming, satisfaction, that brings us back with a unique sense of eagerness, to adventure.

Tomorrow...

This 'public holiday' we took off will put pressure on us to complete what's still required to get us to our finish point in the scheduled two days time... This has the potential to increase the intensity of both our ordeals and their feeling of overcoming satisfaction. The next blog will bring you the unpredictable story... I can't wait!

Bye for now

H

Read Howard's previous blog post.
Read Imi's blog post for the same day.

Quetico lives up to its reputation

Howard writes...

So, we have been out in Quetico wilderness on our own for nine days now. No showers, no soap, no bathroom, no bedroom, no refrigerator, no TV, no hourly  weather updates, no newspapers, no shopping, no phones, no email, (just this one I send to you!), no movies, no restaurants, and no other people, just the two of US, dealing with a challenging canoe course, nature, and her Canadian wilds. And this time not even a daily 'quota' of whiskey, like I had (most of the way!) on the South Pole.

Am I missing anything? No, we are self sufficient, great discussion buddies, and nature keeps us focused on the now and continually anticipating her next move. Whether that be searching for a portage route, struggling with the terrain underfoot, dealing with the ever changing weather, or fighting for our lives against nature's well trained airforce of 'deadly' mosquitoes and black flies! This trip has all the elements of a 'challenge', the essence of adventure, that keeps one feeling alive and at the end of each day provides the unique sense of triumph, that somehow, for me, life in the city can't replace. I know Imi feels this too, as we have discussed this at length, and I know many of you readers have experienced the same, and know what this seemingly perverse dichotomy of life is all about.

Maybe there is really something, I am missing... but it's not from the city life, it's from mother nature's  special viewing rooms: I must say I was expecting to see more 'big' wild life, more moose, bears, and I really did expect lots of bald eagles, and more water bird life. I guess mother nature wants me to see more in the pure simplicity of what she is presenting, and each day I'm connecting closer.

Yesterday we  had probably our last rest day, after the tough day before, Imi was determined to have a 'public holiday' even if the weather didn't make it qualify! Once again we had an idyllic island campsite, and I was easily persuaded. I have to  be honest that on our first public holiday, I had this sense of fear of boredom, but that is now without grounds, as every rest day has almost passed too fast with the two of us flipping so naturally between very meaningful 'life' debates, real boys talk, and then private swimming and exploring time.  Now and again mother nature, in the form of a black cloud, forces us into solitary confinement, and we have often commented how timely her intervention has been, whether that being to break a philosophical impasse, preventing us overindulging in our no-longer- scarce culinary delights, or to force us out of our fantastical world back into life's realities.

Imi has finally understood my 'Life as a Series of Adventures' philosophy, and the power, freedom, and invigorating essence of this approach. Peaceful and comfortable it is not, but delivering of personal height and a stimulating, rewarding, experience-based path to personal  discovery. It's all about how you choose your life adventures, and how courageous you are in setting your personal challenges. Lastly, while it may seem I have focused on very specific 'above ground' adventures, these are only the enablers for the real 'prize', the extreme personal 'underground' journey. Adventure provides both, we just have to make sure we don't let the pursuit of above ground goals distract us from the real journey.  That was yesterday....

Today had another ominous start, this one still haunts me with the shock of my role in its fellow human severity:

The situation at breakfast was so similar to the one I described in my last blog, I was determined not to have a repeat.... Well, we had a worse one... All was coming to the boil, Imi was on his way to join me for his tea, and hot cereal, and then said he "just wanted to have a pooh first". Hmm, so he turned around, headed back to the forested area, and was soon 'lost', fighting trees, struggling to find a path. I was busy with final preparations for breakfast, saw him struggling, saw 'the path', and verbally directed him to it. I was just rescuing the milk, when I heard a loud thud, and his clear call of distress. Leaving things orderly this time, I ran to see what had happened. Well, as I took my recommended path, I realised that it ended in a dead end, but a 5ft vertical rock cliff, defined the 'end'. Imi had walked, trusting my directions, without the normal check of his stick, and had stepped right off the cliff and was lying in a heap at the bottom, clearly hurting!

Gee, was I disappointed in myself, but the priority was to get him back out of this vertical wall hole, and deal with his injury. It became apparent this he was 'lucky', and he had no breakages, but just a sore knee. We would soon see the real impact, but I was quite relieved that he wasn't worse. As always, he had taken it like a real man, wanted to be self-sufficient, underplaying the seriousness of the situation and was working out how he could get out on his own. I told him that the only way out was for me to pull him up, and after a few solo attempts he reluctantly admitted defeat, and was forced to use the helping hand of the very same human who had got him in this situation. Tough stuff, hey!

This had all the attributes of a serious broken trust event... I knew that, and was angry that I had assumed the clear path was a real path, but hadn't checked it myself. I was noticeably shocked and seriously affected by what  had happened. I apologised and apologised, but Imi was angry with himself that he had broken his own golden rule 'To always have his stick', and so we both felt responsibility, but somehow, because of my trusted role on this expedition, mine went right deep to my soul. One last apology, and a warm hug, went someway to getting us back on track. At breakfast he even managed a laugh about it all, questioning what this omen meant for the day ahead, given our previous 'bad breakfast, day?

Well with seven portages planned today, with Imi's crooked knee, I did question the plan, but he didn't want any changes, other than agreeing to take the lightest bag, and adding, "He will be slower on the portages today." What an honorable guy, loyal team member, and true adventurer... I mean that.

Read Howard's previous blog post. 
Read Imi's previous blog post. 

One more time: The Wilderness: What for?

Imi writes...

Today I had occasion to realise how very puny I am. After the first very difficult portage, I thought I was a 'somebody', because I could carry my own backpack as I'd done for all portages so far. In the second even more difficult portage I was slipping and sliding and without Howard's help I could not have made it.

In the third portage I was asked to walk across without the backpack weight. In all these portages Howard carried the bulk of the weight, balanced the canoe on his shoulders, walked over moraine in his water shoes without ankle support. At one point with about 200 pounds on his back he waded through knee high mulch.

Blind or not, I am a physical mismatch against him. Without his tower of strength, this trip would not have been possible for me. (I wish to express my gratitude in public for the extraordinary service he has done for me.)

With the public confession of my incapacity, I wish to make a rather unpleasant philosophical point:

The world should not be so ordered that it offers no physical challenges. It should not be made so tame that those who are fearful are at ease, but rather those venturesome are born.

I am not speaking from the point of strength. I rely on the goodwill of others to be able to experience the wilderness myself.

Let humans be kind and good, and provide a helping hand to those who need help, but let the world have its rough edges and be wild and free.

Imtiaz

Read Howard's blog post from the same day. 
Read Imi's previous blog post. 

A perfect day's rest... And man did we need it!

Howard writes...

Tired boys today!

You haven't been hearing about our 'distance to the Pole' and our passing of 'km milestones' on this trip! I said it would be very different, but I still can't  help myself hey, so here we go....:

Earlier  today we reached our virtual half-way point, also the most southern point we will go in the park. We were some 38 km as the crow  flies from our day 1 start point. With our tortuous route this is definitely a helluva lot shorter than the distance 'as Imi and Howard paddled and portaged'!

After the challenging rainy weather that I described in the last post, and the wonderful campsite we had found, we decided to take a rest day yesterday. And what  a special day it turned out to be.... Probably the clearest warmest day of our trip so far, and we just embraced the opportunity this provided: swimming, reading, lots of discussions, and exploring a  nearby island by canoe. In its pristine, unspoilt, wooded solitude, this park is very special. Even the wildlife put on a show for us. We were sitting chatting, when next thing there was this commotion in the bushes near us, then a lot of splashing in the water, with the horse-like grunts confirming moose. A mother and a calf had decided to leave our headland and swim the 400metres to the nearby island following the same course we had paddled. Its just great to see them swimming, and the clear relief on reaching land the other side.

Sunset was perfect, with not a breath of wind, and a lone swimming loon, creating an ever-expanding 'bow wave' that provided witness that we weren't staring at a huge, man-made perfect landscape painting.    

When we decided too take the rest day, it was conditional on today being another big paddling and portage day. After all, we have a huge circuit to cover, and it's not just about holidays! In discussion yesterday Imi did say how satisfying it is to have both the rest days but also a challenging, 'circuit purpose'. He went as far as saying that if he had set the goal of this trip alone, he probably would have not had the circuit goal, but he can see how it enriches the experience. Those that know me well, will know I believe in goals, and challenging ones, and Imi's conclusion was great support for this concept. I do believe, well it's fundamental for me, that having a stretch goal and yet allowing for a lot of pleasurable 'now' journey time is the ultimate. As my description of today, below, will hopefully show, we have a great balance of challenge and pleasure for this trip.

Well today started at 5am, with a perfectly clear and still dawn. Wow, our first real perfect start to a paddling day. Then the sign of what lay  ahead came just as I had breakfast ready. Imi had just finished packing up his tent, and was on his way to our spiritual eating 'rock' next to the mirror like water.

Just finished making tea, I now had the milk for our cereal heating in a saucepan on the stove. I thought I'd place Imi's freshly-brewed tea right next to his favourite spot on the rock and when he got close by, I'd go meet him and lead him to the tea. So simple, and I was doing my very best to try to make it a great breakfast for him, so what did I do wrong..?

Next thing Imi asks me to please look for a T-shirt he thinks he left near the water the night before. I have a quick look, but no shirt; he is approaching the eating area, I run back to meet him, then suddenly the milk boils over, extinguishing the stove, pouring milk everywhere, so I run to solve that. Just fixed that and as I turn around,  Imi walks straight into his full tea mug, knocking it over,  spilling all the contents. Hmmmm, he feels bad, apologises profusely, I tell him it's not his fault but mine. I'm cross with myself for letting myself get distracted with the T-shirt search, and eventually all we can do is laugh about it. The stove doesn't relight properly until cold again, so I gave him my cup of coffee, saying: "The person responsible for the problem must pay the price, so here is my coffee!" This is the hugely rewarding human side of doing these adventures with Imi: One is humbled like no other adventures can deliver. And to think Imi was apologising for knocking over his tea!

With that start, it was clear the day was going to be special, just how special we were to find out!

Our longest day yet 'out there', we spent 7 hours paddling and portaging, and both of us reached the end of the paddle with just enough energy to build our tents. All in, there were 5 portages, two very long ones, but all of them extremely challenging for Imi, which meant it overflowed onto me. The challenge was in the terrain, and we had everything from huge boulders, knee high, 'shoe stealing' mud, slippery green moss, to mini vertical rock cliffs. We started with the same portage formula, but as the terrain took its toll, we agreed Imi should slow down and have no carried weight, and just focus on getting himself through the portage in one piece. I could see giving up his bag was difficult, but we both knew that today it was the right decision. This left me with the choice of three instead of two trips, or I'd have to carry one bag plus the canoe on my shoulders. Always up for the challenge, and hating repetitive tasks, the latter was my choice.

Well, first go saw me sink up to my knee in this shoe-stealing mud, with canoe on my shoulders, my head mushroomed in the upside down hull, providing limited vision, and the huge food backpack on my back! I laugh about it now, but it was quite a dilemma, and any attempt to try and step out of the knee  high mud felt as if my shoe would become a permanently buried piece of human trace, and I'd be left a hopeless, one-shoe canoeist! Just mustering the power to try and lift my body with all the weight on it was a major challenge itself. I literally dug deep and 'somehow' managed to get myself free without dropping the canoe nor the pack, but I could feel the battery power it consumed to move through the full 15 metres of this narrow mud swamp. I went back to guide Imi through this devilish new obstacle, and we used some dead tree poles to form semi bridges across it.

I must say, as slow as Imi was, I honestly don't think I could have done three of the portages today if I was not sighted. Every portage I took time to understand the enormity of what he had to overcome and what he personally achieved today. Imi, you are bloody amazing, man!

Camping places aren't easy to find in this densely forested Quetico wilderness, but thanks to Jim, the canoe outfitter's info, we have another great site tonight, at the end of a small island. We had just enough time for a late lunch, a swim and nap, before the thunder clouds moved in. Now we are both back in our tents, rain teaming down, a huge electrical storm on the go, with the lightning real close by. What a truly extraordinary day it's been....

As I type the rain on my tent is so loud that I won't be able to talk to Imi, so his blog will have to wait till the weather clears....

That's all from me..I'll sleep well tonight, snug in my bag, can't wait....

Read Imi's blog post from the same day.
Read Howard's previous blog post. 

Remembrance of my Mother

Imi writes...

I deeply miss my mother the last six months since she passed away. I have often thought over the ideas and values she stood for. I will express these here:

My mother stood for love. Her heart burnt with love.

First she stood for love of family and close friends. The brain is a vast circuit of billions of connections. Love maximally lights up the circuits. Not only the deep emotional recesses of it get stimulated by it, even the conceptual connections get enlarged. Her hard-felt concerns, noble sympathies and burning affections enriched and deepened her life. This for her was the meaning of life.

Secondly she stood for love of humanity at large. To love humanity is to love the best that humans are capable of... Love of humanity is the cornerstone of personal decency; how else can you be good, kind and positive? The cancer of self centredness desolates one's life. First we stop loving others and the we stop loving ourselves.

Thirdly she stood for love of god and all the eternal. In the end it is the all-encompassing that matters. I get this whiff of the love of the divine in the howling of the winds, the calling of the seagulls and the loons, and the sparkling of the stars. In the midst of this cosmic divine, I feel what she understood by love divine.

The one imperative that ruled her life was: Give all to love! To this I say AMEN!

Imi.

Read Imi's previous blog post.
Read Howard's blog post from today.

Hard work brings paradise and misery

Howard writes...

Sound familiar, like a microcosm of 'normal' life?

Two adventure days have passed since our last blog and, maybe surprisingly, while you all have no doubt been busy getting on with your full lives, our simple life in Quetico has kept us fully extended too.

Yesterday, as the 'public' holiday rules infer, was a big 'work' day.

After the most exquisite sunset, creating wonderful scarlet lake reflections, only broken by a lone beaver heading home, we were expecting a perfect sunrise start to our challenging day. Well, Quetico is truly full of surprises: we woke to a grey sky, and threatening rain clouds. No debate though, our policy was clear!

We were on the water at 6h35, Imi admitting that he wasn't quite himself or as efficient as usual, but never wanting to be 'holding me up'. I have to continue telling him not to stress and just go at his own pace, I've got a great book, I'm reading! It's really humbling to be thanked all the time for helping and in his conflict, I can see so much in Imi that is like me. We both hate being dependent on others, or 'using' other peoples' help, and yet here he knows he has to rely on my help so much. In an attempt to free him from this torment, we have discussed this at length, and he knows that this human side is a core part of my personal journey and something I value, but putting myself in his shoes, makes me see, it's not about what I do, it's about how he feels about himself... Scarily thinking how I would deal with it, I can only look with admiration at how positively he accepts the realities, and doesn't EVER express his inner conflict.

With the early morning serenity came a great moose viewing, a mother and her fawn colored, really young calf. I haven't seen enough of this....

The pristine beauty of this park is beyond question, but what never ceases to amaze me is how vast and varied this network of interconnecting lakes is. It's incredible, and with the interconnectedness one is presented with so many options. Interestingly because we have been going largely against the flow so far, we have been climbing in elevation. Paddling uphill? No, the portages take us from a lower lake to a higher one. Sometimes the connecting creek is gently flowing downhill, other times there is a more abrupt rapid, or even a waterfall.

The day continued, with 14km paddling and three underfoot-terrain challenging, and long, portages. Imi never faltered on his resolve and commitment to hold up his side of our team. Just once, on the hardest portage, right alongside a raging rapid, he did stray off the path, and finally admitted he was lost, waiting for me to return to find him. I saw where he was, and how easily I would have been seduced by a truant path, leading to dense, forested oblivion.

I then once again questioned the soundness of this solo portaging strategy? I decided, rather than focus on this current negative outcome, I'd share my concern with Imi at the end of this big day.

The day had magically transformed into a clear blue sky pearler with a moderate wind forcing air control towers to ground all mosquitos! With seriously bitten legs and heads from the past few days, we couldn't have asked for more! But there was more to come...

After almost 7 hrs on 'the road', hungry but immensely satisfied with our day's work, we reached our planned destination, a paradisaical island 200m from a magnificent set of three raging falls. The island was no more than 250m in diameter, slightly wooded, and with almost custom-made rock ledges providing swimming pool access to the lake, grandstand views of the falls, and protection from the wind. It was 1.30pm and we had the whole afternoon to enjoy this hard-earned paradise, swimming and sun bathing without a stitch of clothing, free and as naked in front of nature as we could ever be. To crown it all in a poetic way, this lake is called Keats Lake, after the poet. This follows the poetic theme of this part of the park, where the main lakes are all named after famous poets.

An early evening audit of our food supplies brought slightly sombre news, that the 'gluttony' can't continue at the same level. Always good to find out now, when only a slight change in eating habit is required, rather than later, and having to bring in draconian measures! Essentially breakfast for a few days would move from delicious granola to rolled flour tortillas filled with peanut butter and Nuttella! Some may say that is an upgrade, or hardly a cut back, but it's not about content, it's about quantity: 1.5 measly tortillas, in place of a huge bowl of granola and hot milk! The good news is our salami and cheese stocks are good, so the core of our lunch diet is unchanged. Yeah, I guess 'we' could have planned this all to perfection, and been disciplined in our eating each day, like is critical on polar expeditions, but this trip is about freedom, and trying to enjoy every moment, which for me means I ate what I felt like.... Now, yes we have to watch things a bit, but those four days of eating-freedom were wonderful, and the 'belt tightening' isn't too severe... Hopefully not because the waist has moved out to the belt!

Around the campfire I brought up the subject of Imi's solo portage struggles and whether it's still a good idea. Well, as I expected, he was vehement, stating it's the best thing that's happened on the trip. To my humble amazement he then went on to say that I had given him something very special, that being a new level of wilderness confidence that has raised his whole 'vision' and horizons for his future nature experiences. He said his confidence has increased dramatically as he has been forced to deal with the unknown terrain and paths of the portages. Interestingly, he told me the huge role of his 'stick', which is actually a paddle on the portages, how his stick talks to him, and how he cannot understand how a sighted person can walk this rocky, unpredictable terrain of the portages without a stick. Anyway, I was glad we had the chat, and it's these human 'things' that make this trip so special.

We went to bed both feeling a bit 'over sunned', but content and expectant of a clear day ahead! We should know that nature takes great pleasure in disappointing the demanding!

Another awakening to grey skies, and now the roaring falls adding to the element of vulnerability. Our first portage, a short paddle away, would take us up a path next to the falls to their feeder lake quite a bit higher in elevation.

Packing the canoe for the portage ahead we left the island with our rain gear safely stowed in a waterproof bag. Nature was clearly out to teach us a harsh lesson In the short space of the two hundred meter paddle, and a diversion to get some close-up pics, a rogue black cloud moved overhead and dumped what seemed like a small 'lakeful' of water on us two vulnerable, insignificant, disrespectful human canoeists! A race to lakeside, and a scuffle through bags produced the wet weather gear, but almost too late... Not a good way to start another big day: Wet clothes! This was the start of the 'Misery' part of this blog heading!

For the next 5 hours we paddled and portaged in continuous rain that only varied in its intensity between moderate and heavy!

Approaching an interconnecting water passage, I could see a small amount of white water, a turbulent area, but what looked like a short relatively calm channel up the one side. I got Imi's buy-in that we would attempt to paddle upstream the section to get to 'our next' lake. With this buy-in came the commitment for the necessary 100% paddling power, for probably 10 minutes. Off we went and, as we encountered the full force of the counterflow, I excitedly gave the "full power" command. Inch by inch we clawed our way upstream, being thrown around by the swirling current, but after close to the 10 minutes, and within 5 metres of freedom, I sensed power was waning. The forward inches were no longer, replaced by a slowly inching downstream progress. "PADDLE, PADDLE, MATE", I shouted, but Nature was going to win again... Even in this seemingly weak flowing stream, we were insignificant against Nature, being spent just 10 minutes into her very juvenile challenge. Disappointed, I managed to find a rock ledge docking spot, half way back in this upstream section, from which we both got out and walked the path of shame, alongside the flowing waters, towing the canoe upstream. We were both pretty knackered from the short sharp, maximum power, session we had just had. Our first failed challenge... Oh well, we can deal with it, and learn! We sat on a rock and just laughed out load together... It was really ONLY about our experience together!

Full rain gear, 10 kilometres of paddling, 5 portages, albeit short ones, some tricky navigation, finally saw us arrive at our end-of-day destination goal camp point.

The rain stopped to allow us to set up tent, almost as if Nature was saying: "You guys have had enough misery today!" I made a nice lunch and then, as the spots of rain started again, we both rushed off to our respective tents.... An afternoon in bed, snug in my sleeping bag, reading my book.... No guilt, no distractions, and maybe even a nap... From simple misery to simple bliss....

Freedom though...?

Huge Freedom: I have to remind myself, it's my choice and, as I have felt so many times, hardship by choice, is not hardship, it's fun!

I'm tent-bound in the rain, Imi's tent-bound 100 metres away, so I'm not sure there will be an 'Imi blog' today... We will try our very best, because I know he wants to 'talk' to you... He mentioned that on the water today..

Bye from me

H

Read Howard's previous blog post. 
Read Imi's blog post from today. 

An unexpected 'public' holiday... We made the most of it!

Howard writes...

With the arrival of rain last night, Imi and I discussed what 'our policy' for packing up tent and paddling in the rain should be? We both concluded that if on waking it was pouring with rain, we would declare the day a 'public' holiday... No work! I like to have thought through the 'policy' before it happens, linking it to the adventure goal, and it frees one up from the emotions involved when one is in the  reality of thinking of the cold and wet outside! In this case it even enabled me to enjoy the sound of the rain pelting down on my tent, while I was snug in my sleeping bag, well past waking time... It was 7h30 and policy said "Enjoy, it's just been declared a 'public' holiday today!"

Overnight a deep cold front moved in, bringing heavy rain, and a bitterly cold wind. The outside temperature was surprisingly cold, and uninviting! I knew Imi, in his tent 100 metres away (we like our camping solitude!) had also declared it an 'obvious' public holiday! That was freedom too.... No debates, discussion, yet consensus!

But, now for the realities: what would I do all day, in a 2m X 0.75m tent? Oops, was this the  next level of more extreme solitary confinement from my days in my much bigger tent in Antarctica? (This tent I have here is my new ultralight, single-pole, wind-beater, Siberia cycling tent, but it's VERY  small!) I had visions of starting this blog saying I had serious backache, knowing you'd think it was from a tough portage day, whereas it would have been from a tough, physically constrained, bed-ridden day!

Oh well, the rain stopped around 8h30, we had breakfast next to the lake's crashing waves, with every bit of clothing we had – Imi complete with gloves and balaclava – with our backs to the seriously chilling wind. Now was this FUN? Hmmm, yes, but only because it was a public holiday!

Life is always full of surprises. We both said afterwards that we were a little daunted by the hollow prospect of having a no-objective, stay-at-home public holiday, but what a day it turned out to be... I guess the rain mostly held off, enabling Imi and I to sit on a piece of rock that was now and again bathed in sun, discussing a variety of fascinating 'heavy' subjects. I gave him a hard time about the practicality of his Rewilding Amendment, to which he had surprisingly-well-developed, yet obviously radical, solutions. He challenged me on my seemingly confused stance on capitalism, and so the day went on....

What a friend. In many a heated discussion or debate, I always felt his care, respect and integrity. I have been struggling with the messages in my uncompleted book, and today through his help and extreme challenge on my philosophy and beliefs, it all came clear... Hmmm, were we working on a public holiday? We agreed few get the time, the environment, and the true, caring friendship to explore the, sometimes very personal stuff we did today. At one point it just came out, and Imi said: "Luck let me find you," and I said "Luck found me you too." Now, don't worry, we aren't getting married; it's just nice being able to share in Quetico like this. The strong presence of Wilderness Nature, has a lot to do with it...

See Imi's blog post from the previous day. 
See Howard's blog post from the previous day.

Wilderness... What for?

Imi writes...

The issue is of people or penguins... We enhance lives of the people, the penguins suffer and since people come before penguins, some would argue we don't need wilderness.

To this PP issue, I respond with the following two PP issues:

The Perfection Principle declares that Nature is awesome. Give Nature its due and in time you get an intricate, rich, Eco-system. Nature does not merely aim for balance. ("Balance of Nature"). Nature aims for balance of maximal diversity of species. Amazonia and healthy coral reefs are obvious cases in point, but even here in Quetico the maximal diversity for such a hostile region is also accomplished.

The Pollution Principle declares that meeting the many needs of humans comes at the cost of pollution. The more individuals demand, the more the earth gets scarred.

Some may object that meeting human demands is worth more than natural beauty. I say humans have a conscience. We just cannot affirm ourselves and our lives, if it results in deforming the earth. I declare even a hard, meager existence is bearable when surrounded by a radiant, resplendent earth....

A big day today...

Imi

See Howard's blog post for the day.
See Imi's previous blog post.

A full-on day

Howard writes...

Soon after sending last night's blog off, the dark clouds moved in with strong winds, lightning bolts with the inevitable loud thunder following, but thankfully quite a while behind. What followed was a testing seven hours for both our new tents, as the wind and rain sought to destroy our homes! At 5am, we both surfaced to a new, colder, but clear dawn, praising their integrity, having survived without any major issues. This is the strange concept of fun, the other side of the paradox that makes us feel alive in our voluntary discomfort.

What a beautiful morning, and two squirrels playing in the tree above our breakfast place, their loud chirping easily mistaken for agitated birds. We were on the mirror-like lake by 6h15, both knowing today would test our portage skills, but neither bringing up the subject. Our issues would be different, we didn't need reminding, and they had to be dealt with on our own. It was just so nice being out on the water at this time of day, what maybe lay ahead was pushed to the back of our minds.

The first one was 750m long and a fairly level and grassy terrain; just what we needed. I took the canoe on my shoulders, Imi took the second heaviest pack and off we went. Imi insisted on this, and that I not wait for him, and he find his own way along the twisty forest path. He loves a challenge, and this was one. I got to the next lake, dumped the boat and returned to pick up the other bags. About half way back, I bumped into Imi, stumbling, but really happy and in his element. I got back to the boat with a tired body, just as Imi arrived too... We had made it in 40 minutes and finished as a perfect team. This was a good warm-up for what lay ahead... After another hour's paddling, Portage 2, for the day. Another 800m, but this one was to prove to be horrendous even for a sighted person..!

Same procedure: I checked with Imi, offering him the lighter bag, knowing that would mean 3 trips for me, instead of 2, but his resolve to rise to the challenge was unshakable. It was clear from the start this trail was difficult: calf-high mud, water, big tree roots, unexpected rocks, and lots of twists and turns. As I walked on ahead with the canoe on my shoulders, and stumbled on a particularly difficult section, I questioned whether I should stop and wait to warn Imi? Each time I concluded: "No, he would almost be insulted, and I know he want's to conquer the challenge alone. A few times I closed my eyes, and couldn't believe the sense of total vulnerability afoot I felt. Gee, was my decision to let him indulge in his challenge a responsible one, or was it his sole decision? I honestly was quite tormented.

Anyway, I reached the end, and our new lake, wondering where I'd bump into Imi on my return, and whether he was OK? It took me much longer than the previous portage to eventually meet him, and this in itself started my mind thinking of the worst case... He had slipped, fallen and broken his leg... Hmmm! I heard him close by, and shouted out if he was ok? "Man this is really tough and challenging," he replied. "Do you want me to take the bag, and then you follow me to the boat?" I asked. I knew the answer, but was hoping he wasn't going to get angry with me asking? "No, my friend, I want to do this alone; I have to, I'm actually having fun, even though I've fallen 5 times. This is MY challenge," he responded. "Good, I can see you are determined and committed. Mate, you are just bloody amazing!" I replied, and left for the other bags. On my return, I passed him about 75% of the way along his struggle, and we exchanged how difficult and unpredictable the path was. He had blood on his shins, but I could see the enjoyment of the challenge all written on his face.
I didn't have to ask him if he was ok, just said again: " Mate, you are just bloody amazing, and no pleasure paradox doubt for you! I'll see you at the canoe, whenever, don't stress, just go at your pace, and remember to lean forward with that heavy pack on."

It was really emotional when he arrived; it was so clear he felt he had conquered a huge personal goal, and, although not needing it, I confirmed that, and I also told him that this is just very special, I'm challenged with what I have to do and he is challenged with what he has to do, and we are sharing this amazing experience. I sensed a tear or two welled up, as he waveringly said: "I'm even getting very emotional now."

This is the essence of adventure, conquering the challenge at its very best, and we did a 'high five' to celebrate that moment. A seemingly small conquest for many, but you needed to be here to know it wasn't – it was huge!

Back in the water, our first paddle in a narrow, wandering creek, took us 2 kilometres through yellow lily infested waters, and over 4 flooded beaver dams, into another big lake  that was our next test. Strong winds, just off the bow, made for difficult paddling conditions, and two hours later, after a six-and-a-half-hour day, we beached at our very scenic campsite for the night ahead.

With dark clouds moving in quickly, we had the tents up with minutes to spare before the pitter-patter of rain forced us inside! Is this fun, many will ask...? Well, it was nice the way Imi described fun and pleasure last night, and for once I don't have to answer the question, as he has also given you my answer? At a corporate talk I gave recently, I asked the group of 50 or so how many thought skiing to the South Pole alone is fun? As expected nobody put their hand up... But I can honestly say it WAS fun! So, either I'm a weirdo (no responses please!) or we are busy redefining / understanding what fun is? I guess Imi added his philosophical bent yesterday, that either makes him a weirdo too, or the concept of fun is maybe not well understood, and confused with pleasure?

I always say that adventure should be Fun, Challenging, and Rewarding, and getting that balance of the three is part of the art of planning and defining adventures, no matter whether it's a physical work, or 'soft' adventure, I believe the same principles should apply...

Back at the campsite, the sun came back out, we had two beavers visit, and a 15cm long terrapin decided to come out the water and warm up in the sun on a rock right on our campsite front door! Otherwise, the odd loon, a few geese, and the evidence of moose tease our imaginations as to what abundance would be like.

Tomorrow we have a big course decision to make, whether we opt for the longest and challenging route, which once we take it we have to be totally committed, adding an increased measure of endurance and navigational challenge to the adventure... I'll let Imi decide!

Tell you tomorrow....!

The clouds moved back in and the rain is back. Maybe a cold dinner inside our tents tonight? What it's like to not be in charge of the basics, hey!

Till tomorrow ...

H
See Imi's blog post for the day.
See Howard's previous blog post.