Most of you will know by now that John Breed and I are back from the waterways of Canada. I returned to Canada in July to complete the 6350km journey across Canada that I started some years ago. To complete the journey John and I only had to paddle 2750kms.
It all started in 2011 in the Canadian Rockies
between Banff and Jasper when I headed east towards Montreal and New York City in the US. Due to time restraints the journey was broken up into two stages, the first stage being from the Canadian Rockies and finishing at Rossport in Lake Superior.
This first stage was 3600kms, 2600kms of that I did solo and 1000kms with Alaine Davin and Leonie Cockman. On this stage I paddled on 8 rivers (some up, some down), crossed watersheds, paddled 54 lakes, and had to portage 40
times, from 50m to 20kms in length.
The second and more recent stage was 2750kms from Rossport in Lake Superior to New York City in the US. On this stage John Breed and I paddled on 9 rivers (some up, some down), crossed watersheds, paddled 32 lakes (including the biggest in the world, Lake Superior) as well as paddling through 120 locks.
We were on the water for 66 days pushing kayaks with 70-80 kgs of gear inside paddling from 6 - 12 hours a
day.
It was most pleasing to be able to paddle every day for 66 days at 66 years old without feeling any soreness or stiffness.
This was certainly a wilderness journey with a difference, which shone in beauty and was in parts mixed with tinges of civilisation.
For a brief account of the more recent expedition go here: https://terrybolland.com/across-canada-2017-part-4-short-overview/
