Attawapiskat 2022 canoe trip
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Attawapiskat 2022 canoe trip
A bucket-list trip. Evan, Frank, Rick, and I put in in early July at
what is typically a peak spring breakup water level. Spring breakup
itself was about a month late, as was the Mosquito and Blackfly
clock. Bugs were the biggest challenge on the trip. The high water, on
the other hand, meant that we covered about 750 km in 19 days of
paddling, with only 1.2 km of portaging and plenty of fun whitewater.
A key highlight was talking to the welcoming members
of Neskantaga and Attawapiskat first nation communities. These are two
communities on different paths, but united in opposing the Ring of Fire
mining development until their concerns are answered and addressed. We thank
both communities for letting us experience their territorial land and water.
photos
A very challenging portage
A relaxed pace of paddling
A tempting rapid with high downstream risk that we portaged around
Downstream of the above
A nice campsite on Ozhiski Lake
A segment of a 30ish km long esker
Mosquitos do prefer dark colours
Northern drinking water procurement debacle:
A more than 30 million dollar water treatment plant for
less than 300 people that still doesn't work. Not sure what levels of
government are responsible (though the federal is clearly involved),
but after 27 years of continuous boil water advisory, the community is
naturally deeply frustrated.
The boreal wilderness equivalent of a farm pickup truck,
with room for 4 dressed moose carcasses.
Neskantaga community center and Band office
The only remaining buildings on Landsdowne House, the old site of the Neskantaga community.
The magic of lakes (in this case Lake Attawapiskat)
A daily companion
Upstream from a campsite soon after the junction of the North and South Attawapiskat river branches
One of the few places till stratigraphy was intact
zooming in on the above stratigraphy
Glacial till up close
Post-fire rejuventation of ground cover
more thought than paddling
campsite view
Crossing paths
A land message from Attawapiskat nation women
On traditional hunting/fishing territory
The muskeg overlooking the Attawapiskat river
A fossil motherload
The artist
Camp life with bugs
Sunny limestone ramparts
Taking pictures of taking pictures
A fastwater section to play canoe pinball
The water intake for the DeBoers diamond mine:
The only place where people weren't welcoming
The last of the limestone
End of the trip with my paddling partner Frank
Attawapiskat community near the river:
Absent the Catholic church (was on this side of the cemetary) that was recently burnt down.
A procurement heartbreak:
A more than
50 million dollar youth community center that needs to be torn
down. When Covid-19 hit, the contractors left and forbid the
community from finishing the roof. Result is a moldy mess. What the
F!#!. For northern communities to survive, a fundamental change is
needed to the northern procurement "cost plus" approach using
southern contractors.
Backyard teepees for smoking game
The edge of James Bay
Me
