Ah, the Canoe.
One of the seven wonders of Canada.
Not only is canoeing quintessential to the Canadian national identity, a paddling trip is (in our humble opinion) the best way* to explore Canada.
*(with the exception of kayaks…they are awesome too!)
In the North – we have some of the last wild places left on earth. Enjoy our “virtual canoe trip” to one of these places: Thaidene Nene National Park (photos by Sophia Dagher)
Thaidene Nene means the “Land of our Ancestors”, and as Canada’s newest national park it guards 27,000 square kilometres of spectacular and pristine waterways, forests and Canadian Shield. There are big waters and stunning landscapes to explore. We offer a 12 day guided canoe trip in the Eileen Lake and Sled Creek area at a remote area in the Northeast corner of Thaidene Nene National Park.
Interestingly, this remarkable area would not be included in Thaidene Nene National Park if it were not for the late Alex Hall, a legendary canoe guide in the Canadian Arctic. Alex examined the proposed park boundary and noticed a small extension would include a special area of glacial eskers, rock-ribbed hills, and artifacts from the Chipewyan and Caribou Inuit Cultures. His input was taken up by the local negotiating team and now this place is protected forever.
For our virtual canoe trip, we have posted our group journal from our August 23 – September 3, 2019 canoe trip to Thaidene Nene National Park. Each day, a different trip member wrote in the journal!
Dear Diary:
After last nights dinner + pre canoe trip meeting, Dan prepared us for being weighed like cargo for the bush plane ride in. They weighed + split gear, then split and weighed us. Clear skies and calm winds led to a beautiful flight in. About 180 NM/90 minute flight brought us to Sled Creek. Arnie our pilot circled low and relaxed, checking beach, wind, landing and for animals. We made a fire line and unloaded everything, then helped refuel.
After both planes left and a tasty sandwich lunch, Dan and Jiah gave us orientation(s) – food, tents, water, poo, kitchen. Then free time – exploring, hiking (in pairs), I (Don) went for a short paddle. For dinner we had steak, salad, and wild rice – amazing – though salmon is the usual Day 1 fare.
Love, Don (Guest).
Dear Diary,
Paddling today for the first day on our canoe trip! Tasty egg + bacon breakfast, packing gear, personal care. Our plan was to paddle approx 10 km to one of Alex Hall’s marked “premium” sites. We pushed through lunch hour to check out two sites, deciding on the latter of the two. We paddled quickly + efficiently through some moderate winds to find calmer waters around the corners. Everyone did a good job loading + packing so we traveled well as a group.
After lunch, we had free time. Kim, Sophia, Kurt and Mark swam, folks went looking for geologic features, some napped, some of us drank scotch inside bug suits. Once properly protected the bugs weren’t bad, but it was well worth suiting up. We had one crazy cloud system + gust go by. After that, light winds and a mostly sunny day. Very beautiful spot, tent sites, and another relaxing day.
We had a tasty dinner of Pad Thai – if only Dan had brought siracha on this canoe trip! Rumour has it the Aurora could be out tonight – minimal clouds. The signal is three shouts.
Cordially, Don (Guest)
This day started before the last day ended. The Aurora, or Northern Lights, did indeed show up and did put on a good show about midnight. Morning came, coffee, pancakes, coffee…all was good in our world! Camp was struck, canoes loaded and Mark appeared to announce that a herd of muskox had made an appearance. We did manage to see them before they spooked. We did follow – but not fast enough and they disappeared into the forest.
Back on the water a short paddle brought us to our first set of rapids. We did manage to find where the shallow water was and made a note of this. A couple of kms later we encountered a second set of rapids – this time a bit more serious. Following Dan’s lead everybody managed without any problem “let’s do it again!”. A lunch break at another beautiful beach then 6km more into Eileen Lake where we pulled up on another sand beach at a place that was known as “Big Spruce Point”. It seems that each campsite we encounter is better and more beautiful than the previous.
Dan advertises “Gourmet Food” and so far he’s lived up to this claim. Laksa coconut soup for supper – thanks Dan. A beautiful evening – using the word again but still the beauty of this land is incredible. Clean-up after supper begins, and this entry comes to a close. The Northern Lights should be out again under this clear sky and more of us might make the effort to exit their tents. We’ll see what happens.
John (Guest)
The Northern Lights showed up again about 230 in the morning. Some of us got a nice show. Breakfast was breakfast burritos. We got on the water early as everyone is getting quicker at packing the canoes. Jiah took the lead today with Dan as the sweeper. Today was a 16 km paddle. Lunch was a 9+km. Tuna on pita with pear slices. After lunch we continued on to our next premium campsite. The campsite has beach front views. Many of us took a dip and washed clothes. Before dinner a couple people hiked and some napped.
After dinner about half of the camp went up the hill for a great view of the lake. We tried cloud berries we found along the way.
Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings in Thaidene Nene National Park.
Thanks a bunch, Frosty (Guest)
Morning brought another beautiful day that was filled with excitement and just a little dread – today was the portage of our canoe trip! Breakfast was made and eaten. Boats were loaded and we made the quickest decamp so far. It was a short paddle of 3-4 km to the channel that was the start of the portage. On the way in Dan spotted 8 Muskox meandering through the shallows in front of us. We spent a wonderful 15 minutes in the canoes watching them. They did cross the river and move off into the woods.
At the point we gathered at the top of the potential portage and Dan went on a reconnaissance of 500m of rapids. The question was “Is there enough water to paddle through?”. With 3 boats at a time Dan led the first group through the top 2/3rds. It was a wild exhilarating ride! Jiah led the next 3 boats. All boats made it without any damage to people or boats. The last part was the “water portage”. Boats were walked through.
A quick stop of lunch then a paddle to an amazing campsite. Sandy beach (again), nice long esker, incredible views. A slight breeze is keeping the bugs down.
Day finished with another incredible meal which was supplemented with fish caught by Dan and Frosty. Another perfect day!
Pat (Guest)
Today was a layover day on our canoe trip. Breakfast of granola, stewed fruit, and dutch oven baked bran muffin was served later in the morning. A group of tent went for a hike to look for Muskox. No luck though but we saw some beautiful country. The foliage is beginning to change colour. Bear berry leaves are a bright red. Don took a solo canoe ride and came across at least 14 Muskox in one herd. Dan and Frosty, Kim, Mark and Sophia went back to yesterday’s fishing hole but caught only a few Arctic Grayling. A beautiful sunset is in the offing. The end of another perfect day in the North Country.
Dave (Guest)
Much to the joy of the group, it was too windy to paddle today, a second “layover” day. I appreciated the unstructured time to explore + take in the surroundings.
Jiah and I stumbled upon the “field of dreams”, a delightful grassy marsh surrounded by moss + blueberries. It was very photogenic. I also left my point and shoot camera on the ground. Luckily I found it moments later.
We picked blueberries with Dan to top the cheesecake.
Yum.
Sincerely yours, Sophia (photographer)
Up at the break of day. A crackling fire + the aroma of cowboy coffee. It’s going to be a good day.
Overcast with a slight breeze from the SW – Dan gave the “word”, we are breaking camp and moving on.
Soon the paddles are carving a pass through the water + hill clad land. A paddle points, canoes are beached, once more we are following the muskox herd. We ease up on an esker as mother nature in her universal sense of humour puts a damper on our silent approach (starts raining), 18+ muskox in the herd. Back at the boats the wind has shifted and we push on through more challenging conditions. Wind, waves and hail greet us head on with another Alex favoured site within our reach we head out across the wave swept passage. A bumpy ride awaits which includes a change of partners as we shelter in the lee of a mid-passage inlet.
We arrive unscathed at another Shangri-La in the heart of this barren wilderness. Camp is set up and another gourmet awaits as Dan + Jiah practice their magic.
Life is good.
Ted (Guest)
After a hard paddle and another great dinner, last night we made grandiose plans for a sauna. Rocks were collected, calculations were made, and ground was broken. Such are the schemes of those who know that will spend two nights in a campsite.
In the morning a splendid cheese and egg fritata emerged just in time for brunch. The campfire forged stories after the first night with frost. After a warm lunch with cheese that David described as so sharp “it felt like balancing a razor blade on your tongue”, several went walking. Those of us sitting in the huge tent were spurred to action by Dan asking “do you have bear spray?”. In fact, it was a herd of 8 or 9 Muskoxen! Another fine day in the wilderness, thanks to Dan and Jiah.
Kurt (Guest)
Crisp, sunny morning today. You’d think from reading this trip journal all we did was ate…I guess food has been a highlight. This breakfast it was blueberry pancakes, with a fresh blueberries. This has been one of the best berry trips we’ve ever had, rivaling may be the East Arm of Great Slave Lake in August.
Anyway, through some struggle I learned this morning that my co-guide Jiah really does not like her pancakes soft or squishy in the middle. Let’s say she wants them “well-done”. I think we figured this out the hard way. It’s important to keep your colleague happy so I’ll endeavor to do better next time.
Following breakfast we enjoyed a cool 17 km paddle to our final site, departing at 10am and arriving at 1;15pm. We had this super stiff breeze at around 15km/hr, direct tailwind pushing us right along. Perfect windspeed and direction – enough to add 2-3 km/hr of speed to our boats, but not enough to be threatening. Sometimes you get lucky.
Don napped most of the afternoon and I woke him up for dinner.
Later we enjoyed the best Aurora of the trip.
Also, Mark finally solved the infamous paddling penguin riddle, took him 10 days. Not going to be a record but better late than ever.
It has been a wonderful trip with a great group of people.
God Bless, and God Speed.
Dan (Guide)
Nice fair weather, not too cold or hot. No bugs! This is our final day, a layover day, the plane comes tomorrow. Dan lead a great walk on the barrens + eskers…very very nice! A very special place indeed.
I feel very lucky to have been in the place with a super guide Dan and this group.
Another tasty dinner with wine by the fire.
It’s the last night. Sad that the trip is over but looking forward to a hot shower and saying hi to my daughter + wife.
Great, GREAT trip!
Mark (Guest)
We have transitioned from diverse occupations and life styles to be in the wilderness – one of the last ones remaining on the planet. And in this transition we have assumed the rhythms of Dan’s camp, which has been positively modified from the expeditions of Alex Hall (great food, more camp participation).
We have all transitioned: Alex to Dan, with added improvements and guests working together to reach a superb camp. The weather has also transitioned from foggy mornings, warm days with the water a mirror at night creating perfect reflections and then the brilliant night sky.
The rhythm of camp:
Awake
Coffee/Fire
Bowels
Breakfast
Pack up the camp, load, paddle
Find muskox, watch geese, listen to the loons
Break for lunch
Discover the next camp, find your tent site, incredible dinner, conversation (world problems solved), cards
And the day begins again
We have strength in wood gathering, fire building, paddling, humour, canoe carrying, dishwashing…
Kim (Guest)
We hope you enjoyed reading our trip report from our canoe trip to Thaidene Nene National Park. We’d be pleased to assist you with booking a guided trip to this spectacular part of the Canadian North. To check out more information on our guided trip to the park, please click here!
If you are interested in more trip reports, you can find one on the Coppermine River here!
