PADDLE CANADA 2
Don, Michel, Steve, Richard, Chris, Daryl, Sharon, Bill and David
Two months with a group of Type A individuals in 24/7 contact...well, maybe there were a couple that weren't Type A. How did we do it?
Paddle Canada 2 was one of the last canoes to join the brigade. The Brigade very much wanted a Paddle Canada sponsored team. Eric Williams, president of Paddle Canada, worked to form a crew but did not have a full crew by the January deadline. Don McMurtry had signed up and offered to help recruit additional team members provided he did not lose his seat on Paddle Canada 1 if unsuccessful. The recruiting was successful and Paddle Canada ended up with more paddlers than space.
Bill made a similar offer to Don's but was not involved with the recruiting. The Paddle Canada 2 team members could paddle all or portions of the trip. Six members, Don McMurtry (Captain) from Ontario, Michel Gauthier, Steve Flawith and Chris Kissinger (the Comox 3), Richard Wagers (Alberta) and David Colpitts (Alberta via Bow River team) canoed the entire distance. Daryl Sexsmith (Northwest Territories) canoed from the start to Emo. Bill and Sharon Colht Erickson (Illinois) joined the team in the Battlefords for the remainder of the trip. Bev Clark, Greg Finlay, Neil Hutchinson, and John Latham were part of the team for stretches "after Winnipeg." Others who were part of the team included Grant Black, Trent Edwards, John Lounds, Ellen McRae, Keith Reid and Roz Russell Turk. Team members had varying degrees of canoeing experience. Few had experience in north canoes. The inexperience showed at the start but we improved. By the end of the brigade we could paddle with the majority of the canoes.
The Brigade provided the logistical support for the entire Brigade. The teams were independent and were responsible for providing all the support they needed. Each was required to have two ground support vehicles to move their gear, transport team members as needed and allow them to buy food and supplies as needed. Paddle Canada 2 rented a nine passenger van and used Bill's Hyundai Santa Fe as the second vehicle. The van was used primarily for gear; the suv for errands and remaining gear. Team members fit where ever they could. Fortunately, there were not many times when six team members were not in the canoe. When the canoe needed to be transported, it was on the Paddle Canada 1 trailer.
Paddle Canada 2 was one of the last canoes to join the brigade. The Brigade very much wanted a Paddle Canada sponsored team. Eric Williams, president of Paddle Canada, worked to form a crew but did not have a full crew by the January deadline. Don McMurtry had signed up and offered to help recruit additional team members provided he did not lose his seat on Paddle Canada 1 if unsuccessful. The recruiting was successful and Paddle Canada ended up with more paddlers than space.
Bill made a similar offer to Don's but was not involved with the recruiting. The Paddle Canada 2 team members could paddle all or portions of the trip. Six members, Don McMurtry (Captain) from Ontario, Michel Gauthier, Steve Flawith and Chris Kissinger (the Comox 3), Richard Wagers (Alberta) and David Colpitts (Alberta via Bow River team) canoed the entire distance. Daryl Sexsmith (Northwest Territories) canoed from the start to Emo. Bill and Sharon Colht Erickson (Illinois) joined the team in the Battlefords for the remainder of the trip. Bev Clark, Greg Finlay, Neil Hutchinson, and John Latham were part of the team for stretches "after Winnipeg." Others who were part of the team included Grant Black, Trent Edwards, John Lounds, Ellen McRae, Keith Reid and Roz Russell Turk. Team members had varying degrees of canoeing experience. Few had experience in north canoes. The inexperience showed at the start but we improved. By the end of the brigade we could paddle with the majority of the canoes.
The Brigade provided the logistical support for the entire Brigade. The teams were independent and were responsible for providing all the support they needed. Each was required to have two ground support vehicles to move their gear, transport team members as needed and allow them to buy food and supplies as needed. Paddle Canada 2 rented a nine passenger van and used Bill's Hyundai Santa Fe as the second vehicle. The van was used primarily for gear; the suv for errands and remaining gear. Team members fit where ever they could. Fortunately, there were not many times when six team members were not in the canoe. When the canoe needed to be transported, it was on the Paddle Canada 1 trailer.