Kayaking Across Canada
Map Of The Trip Kayaking Across Canada – Terry BollandYou would think that at 60 years old most people would be taking things easy but not so for West Australian Terry Bolland who has just returned from paddling nearly 4000kms across Canada following a 17th century voyageur canoe route. There seems to be no challenge too big for Bolland, if he's not paddling, walking or cycling long distances, he is writing books. Already he is the author of six adventure books, three having just been published in the last few months. He has inspirations to write another three books before he turns 61. In fact his ambition is to have paddled 6000kms and written six books in his sixtieth year. And if this isn't enough to keep him busy, he also owns and works 6 days a week in his canoe/kayak shop, Canoeing Down Under in Bassendean, Western Australia. (For more details check out his blog on his website or call 08 93781333. Bolland said, his latest Canadian expedition is up there as being one of the best trips he has been on. The landscape was so diverse and the people were incredibly friendly, he said. Although he was in the wilderness much of the time, when visiting communities and crossing lakes that had holiday cabins on, he met a lot of friendly people who invited him into their homes. Bolland is not new to paddling long distances. In North America alone he has paddled 20,000 kilometres, which includes the entire length of the Mississippi, Missouri, Yukon, Athabasca, Slave, Mackenzie, North Saskatchewan, and the Winnipeg Rivers as well as a number of large and small lakes. Very few Americans or Canadians are aware of his paddling achievements. He has also cycled 10,500kms and walked 1,500kms around the U.S.A. Even in Australia, Bolland is a relative unknown; he's a quiet achiever who thrives on pushing himself mentally and physically and loves to explore. He has paddled, cycled, and backpacked 24,000kms around Australia, paddled the entire length of the Murray River, paddled a year around the Kimberley Coast and has paddled several thousand kilometres around the Australian Coastline. He once held a record for paddling 220kms in 24 hours and has competed in 21 Avon Descents. As an Australia Canoe/Kayak Instructor he had taught thousands of people to paddle since 1979. He is also a life member of Ascot Kayak Club and Canoe WA and has several awards to his name. 
Terry Bolland On this particular Canadian expedition, Bolland, who was paddling an Epic Kayak, started his journey in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, between Banff and Jasper. From the mountains he paddled 1650kms down the North Saskatchewan River to the huge and very often rough Lake Winnipeg. Helped by a fast current, because of floods, Bolland paddled 85 to 120 kilometres a day and constantly had to dodge huge trees that were being swept down with the floodwaters. Although the floods helped Bolland make extra miles, many of the local people living close to the river and lakes were forced to abandon their homes. He saw many homes underwater or being sand bagged around the perimeter to help keep the water out. The flooded rivers and lakes also made it difficult for Bolland to camp. In many places the water was above the height of the river banks which made it harder for him to find dry land and he often had to paddle longer to find a suitable place. The floods also affected the wildlife as many of the smaller animals couldn't escape the flood waters. Once on large Lake Winnipeg the advantage of a flowing river was no longer available so his pace was slowed to 35 to 65 kilometres a day. To make matters worse, the prevailing winds that were supposed to be helping him along never eventuated, instead he had headwinds nearly every day. By this time Bolland had already met several very friendly Canadians but it was on the next leg of his journey up the Winnipeg River against the current that the Canadian hospitality really began to flow. Bolland recalls - when paddling across one lake in conditions that were really too dangerous with gale force winds, he knew he should have stopped but as there was nowhere to stop he had to carry on despite the danger. The wind was so brutal that with each paddle stroke, it tried whipping the paddle from his grasp. He saw a cabin ahead but as it was on private property he knew he couldn't shelter there. However, just as he was passing a couple waved him in. Wet and cold he was more than ready to get out of the extreme conditions, the couple kindly invited him into their home for a cup of coffee and then generously offered him their guest cabin for the night. The offer came along at the right time. Going on, presented a very real hazard of a potential capsize in the cold and wind blown lake. From then on the generosity of the Canadian people was overwhelming. As Bolland paddled against the current of the Winnipeg River and its small lakes he passed many cabins, most of them only used in the summer, and whenever he talked to people occupying the cabins he was invited for a meal or to spend the night. He had so many offers it slowed his progress. After paddling 2600 kilometres he arrived at the town of Kenora, famous for the Lake of the Woods which contains thousands of islands. Here he met two female kayaking friends, Alaine Davin and Leonie Cockman who joined him on the next part of the Cross Canada journey. Bolland would now paddle a double kayak with Davin and Cockman would paddle his single Epic kayak. 
Terry, Alaine and Leonie Over the next 900 kilometres the challenge ahead was quite different as they were following the 17th century voyageur route which was along the border of Canada and the USA in the renowned Boundary Waters and Quetico National Parks. Along this route, there were a number of large and small lakes of which many were not connected so just like the voyageurs did in the 17th century, they too had to carry or portage their gear from one lake to another with distances anywhere from 500 metres to several kilometres. The scenery was quite magnificent and at times dramatic, they passed thousands of islands and the water was some of the cleanest in the world. The lugging of gear though, between the lakes was perhaps the most challenging part of the trip. Everything had to be emptied out of the kayaks and packed into backpacks and carried to the next lake only to be repacked. As there was so much gear, food and water, each portage had to be walked three times. The double kayak weighed over 50kgs which was carried on their shoulders. With the long portages some days they only paddled 3 – 10kms. The portages were often up steep rocky hills or on narrow, muddy paths and several had many fallen logs blocking the way. The last portage was a straight 20km walk along stony dirt road, bumpy bitumen, up and down steep hills whilst carrying heavy backpacks and pulling their kayaks on trolleys. The double kayak weighed well over 90kgs with gear inside!! Their journey continued across the massive and majestic, Lake Superior, the largest fresh water lake in the world. Being such a large lake, it generates its own weather pattern making the conditions very changeable in short spaces of time. The trio's introduction to the Lake was beguiling calm conditions. Though within a couple of days they sampled the Lakes temperamental moods and were challenged by large waves and swell, extreme wind and very cold and rough weather! After 100 days on the water and 3800kms later Terry and his two friends Alaine and Leonie ran out of time and had to head home to Australia. For more details check out his blog on Terry's website. Terry is author of:
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