May 21, 2024
Summer Plans
I haven't been doing much painting lately, but I have been doing a lot of cooking! My partner and I are preparing a for a three-month long kayak trip! We will be travelling up to Hay River, NWT in mid-June to begin a circumnavigation of Great Slave Lake, NWT...the tenth largest lake in the WORLD!
A Little Background
For the last 8 years, Bob and I have done a major paddling trip every summer. We have paddled the entire length of the Mackenzie River, NWT; the entire length of the South Saskatchewan River; the entire navigable length of the Red Deer River,Alberta; the Grass River in northern Manitoba and many of the wonderful large lakes found in the West Kootenay area of British Columbia where we live.
Two years ago, we did a month-long, unsupported 500 km trip in the southeast region of Great Slave Lake (GSL), Starting in Fort Resolution and with two other friends, we headed east, skirting along the shore past the mouth of the Slave River, past the mouth of the Taltson River and far into the amazing island network that marks the beginning of the East Arm of GSL. It was a superb wilderness trip. Here are some of the watercolour sketches I did that summer.
After that trip, we swore that we would go back and do it again, this time, all of it...a complete circumnavigation of Great Slave Lake! So, for the last two years we have been looking at maps, figuring out distances and logistics and doing lots of dreaming.
We made a proposal to the Royal Canadian Geographic Society to support our trip this summer and they decided to assist us with some of the costs through a very generous "seed" grant. We were more than a little excited to receive the notification of acceptance a few months ago. We are now full bore into the planning stages and checking off the long list of logistics, etc that are required to make this expedition a reality.
I am taking my paints, sketch books and camera to document as much of the landscape, flora and fauna as I can. When I return home, I will spend the winter working the sketches into full paintings.
Circumnavigation of Great Slave Lake: The Plan
Time frame: From – 2024 – 06 – 15 (ice dependent)
Time frame: To – 2024 – 09 – 15? (In terms of duration, this is an open ended trip)
As soon as the ice on southern Great Slave Lake clears enough to paddle (generally mid-late June), we will launch at Hay River, travel east along the southern shore towards Ft Resolution and then into the East Arm. After a resupply at Lutsel K'e, we will travel deep into the East Arm to explore and hike around Pike's Portage, Ft. Reliance and various river outlets.
Moving northwest, we will receive our second re-supply at Plummer's Lodge where there is a landing strip suitable for wheel-equipped aircraft. Our friend, Tom, has agreed to fly in our supplies in his little Cessna Skymaster (pizza and beer included). From there, we will spend time along the north shore, hiking and painting.
Our third and final resupply will be at Yellowknife after which we will continue along the north shore and into the West Arm. Continuing west and then south, we will leave the West Arm, cross the Mackenzie (Deh Cho) River and continue along the south shore. Our circumnavigation will be complete when we arrive back in Hay River.
The distance is approximately 1700 kms and, for safety, we plan to sit out storm days and take rest days. Re-supply options improve as we move deeper into the trip so, in reality, we can take as long as is needed, but realistically it should only take +/- 3 months.