Wilderness Canoeing in Canada

Peninsula in Schultz Lake - Thelon River Above Aleksektok Rapids

Distance 22 km [1166 km]
Portage 0 [20]
Very Fast Water 0 [40]
Rapids 0 [36]

In spite of our plans to make the day a big push towards Baker Lake the weather gods had other ideas and we awoke to a headwind. Though it was only of moderate intensity, the fact that we were both experiencing cumulative tiredness influenced our decision not to try and paddle against it. Hence we slept in, listened to Radio Australia, went for a walk and had lunch all before packing up and setting out about 2pm in what were now perfect paddling conditions across a glassy surface. Though there were insects even they were not as desperate as the past few days.

We were soon off Schultz Lake and back in the Thelon. The river is no longer the extremely broad, up to six kilometres in places, slow moving giant. It has narrowed to less than a kilometre and has a definite current to assist us. Though it is now high summer, as we turned south towards our final destination we saw a large remnant snow drift in a crevice on the river bank. The river is now travelling through open countryside with remarkable topography rolling back from either bank. We camped in the widening of the river directly above the Ateksektok Rapids. These rapids are the last before Baker Lake. The bug situation is the best it has been for days and we were able to cook and eat outside and best of all have a quick dip to wash, a good day all round.