Wilderness Canoeing in Canada

Hornby Point to 72km Downstream Thelon River

There are no defining landmarks anywhere near where we ended day 51!

Distance: 72 km – [cumulative total 965.5 km]

InReach: Day 51 Paddling by 7, cold, 3deg C. Headwinds moderated to sunny afternoon New record: 72km (with lots of help from the current) Rain coming! JK

Camp: 64.329°N 103.217°W

Cold overnight, woke to a freezing, damp, three degrees. We were on the water by 7am paddling into a bitterly cold wind. Soon the nature of the river changed, it was narrow with a strong current so that even with a headwind the current still provided plenty of assist. Yesterday the river banks comprised of very wet, low lying flood plain. Today however the banks are very bouldery and much higher and dry with some flat areas and occasional sandstone outcrop. There are frequent steep cliffs, mainly Thelon basin sediments deposited in flat layers covered by glacial till with the occasional dolerite dyke combining to become spectacular scenery to paddle past. With the assistance of the strong current and numerous sections of fast water we made a new daily record of 72 kilometres paddled.

Today was eagle day, we saw numerous pairs, including a pair of bald eagles. There were also many flotillas of both baby and adolescent ducklings and pairs of swans. At lunch we stopped on a sandstone ledge above the river and the sun even made a brief appearance. John tried his luck with the fishing rod but even though he had a couple of bites and saw a nice trout following the lure he caught no fish. The day remained cold with only the brief siting of the sun at lunch time and now that we are camped and preparing for bed it has started to rain.