We are having a most superb trip.... couldn't ask for more amiable, dedicated trippers or a more gorgeous locale!! We are on Indian House Lake, having already completed the Depas River and looking forward the the whitewater of the George. For now, we're loving the break that a few days' lake paddling is brining from all the river running, scouting, and lining. Here's a brief report of the trip thus far:
*We made the best of our multi-day travel into Quebec's interior, taking the time to settle in to each other and share stories. We met up with our faithful dirver Amanda Morin in Caribou after a burly loop hike in Presque Isle State Park. We rock climbed(indoors) at U. Maine Presqe Isle, ate pizza, and played frisbee in the fields near the Morins house. After a brief bout with motion sickness on a foggy ferry ride to Godbout, Quebec, we walked on the beach, feasted on burritos, and shared our goals for the trip. Wednesday was our errand day in Sept Iles, our final ice cream of July, and dinner out at a fantastic resaraunt where everyone overate italian food! The train ride to schefferville on Thursay was smooth, with gorgeious views of the Moise River Valley and twelve hours to laugh and talk. By this point, paul and I were amazed that everyone was still perfectly happy and engaged in friendly chatter; no road-weary grouches in this group!! Oxana welcomed us at the McGill Research Station for the night(our last in beds).
*Our first four days on the water were mostly lake travel. Day one on Lake Attikamagen was windy, but strong paddlers made for a successful, albeit long, first day. Between lakes we navigated some quickwater, mostly getting out of our boats and frogging over rocks. It was also in these first few days that we encountered the majority of the portages for this trip. We learned that this group is phenomenal at portages, with a work ethicthat rivals any group I've every been a part of. The lakes were lovely; a few of us even took our first dip in these chilly northern waters. We've all been amazed at watching the weather patterns change dramatically from day to day, and even from minute to minute. On one particularly sunny-rainy-sunny-rainy-sunny day, we moved from Dillon lake into Lac Talon and in the span of ten minutes of quickwater saw a black bear on river right, a wolf on river left, and a caribou and river right. Welcome to the wilds of Quebec!!!
* The Depas river was such an incredible experience, our first with major whitewater! We spend long days scouting rapids, running them in our boats, or lining them from the banks. After two rainless days(unheard of up here) we endured a constant cold and spitting rain on July 10, and ended up cutting the day's travel short to camp in a forest that was burned a few years ago. We were all able to warm up with hot drinks and a giant cookie baked over the campfire for dessert. Challenging days like that one make us all the more grateful for the glorious sunny days when the breeze is blowing enough to keep the vicious blackflies away. We had a few campsites on the De Pas that must be mentioned; high bluffs over looking the river with big views of land and even bigger sky. We can't wait to share our photos!
*Now we are at Indian house lake; so far we've had preferrable weather for lake travel, and sandy beaches to camp near/swim from. Yesterday we climbed Sand Pyramid. Sand Pyramid is a huge sand formation that was once a delta in a glacial river when glaciers sat over a mile high in this place. We saw Naskapi gravesites on top and an incredibly varied view in all directions. In two day we'll see our first humans outside our group since the time we left Schefferville. Our resupply will arrive and we will enjoy our first rest day of the trip.
*We made the best of our multi-day travel into Quebec's interior, taking the time to settle in to each other and share stories. We met up with our faithful dirver Amanda Morin in Caribou after a burly loop hike in Presque Isle State Park. We rock climbed(indoors) at U. Maine Presqe Isle, ate pizza, and played frisbee in the fields near the Morins house. After a brief bout with motion sickness on a foggy ferry ride to Godbout, Quebec, we walked on the beach, feasted on burritos, and shared our goals for the trip. Wednesday was our errand day in Sept Iles, our final ice cream of July, and dinner out at a fantastic resaraunt where everyone overate italian food! The train ride to schefferville on Thursay was smooth, with gorgeious views of the Moise River Valley and twelve hours to laugh and talk. By this point, paul and I were amazed that everyone was still perfectly happy and engaged in friendly chatter; no road-weary grouches in this group!! Oxana welcomed us at the McGill Research Station for the night(our last in beds).
*Our first four days on the water were mostly lake travel. Day one on Lake Attikamagen was windy, but strong paddlers made for a successful, albeit long, first day. Between lakes we navigated some quickwater, mostly getting out of our boats and frogging over rocks. It was also in these first few days that we encountered the majority of the portages for this trip. We learned that this group is phenomenal at portages, with a work ethicthat rivals any group I've every been a part of. The lakes were lovely; a few of us even took our first dip in these chilly northern waters. We've all been amazed at watching the weather patterns change dramatically from day to day, and even from minute to minute. On one particularly sunny-rainy-sunny-rainy-sunny day, we moved from Dillon lake into Lac Talon and in the span of ten minutes of quickwater saw a black bear on river right, a wolf on river left, and a caribou and river right. Welcome to the wilds of Quebec!!!
* The Depas river was such an incredible experience, our first with major whitewater! We spend long days scouting rapids, running them in our boats, or lining them from the banks. After two rainless days(unheard of up here) we endured a constant cold and spitting rain on July 10, and ended up cutting the day's travel short to camp in a forest that was burned a few years ago. We were all able to warm up with hot drinks and a giant cookie baked over the campfire for dessert. Challenging days like that one make us all the more grateful for the glorious sunny days when the breeze is blowing enough to keep the vicious blackflies away. We had a few campsites on the De Pas that must be mentioned; high bluffs over looking the river with big views of land and even bigger sky. We can't wait to share our photos!
*Now we are at Indian house lake; so far we've had preferrable weather for lake travel, and sandy beaches to camp near/swim from. Yesterday we climbed Sand Pyramid. Sand Pyramid is a huge sand formation that was once a delta in a glacial river when glaciers sat over a mile high in this place. We saw Naskapi gravesites on top and an incredibly varied view in all directions. In two day we'll see our first humans outside our group since the time we left Schefferville. Our resupply will arrive and we will enjoy our first rest day of the trip.
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