Peace River Canoe Trip Journal

Saturday, July 19, 2003

Trip Log 10:30 am: Started paddling 4:30 pm: Reached campsite Today’s distance: 9.7 mi. Trip Total: 110.1 mi. GPS Readings (UTM) Lunch: 12V 341450 6506692 Camp: 12V 346457 6509737

We woke at 8:00 to the sounds of the wind blowing and waves hitting the shore. We decided to try a Yukon sail. Chris and I packed while Paul made our version of the sail. He used a plastic liner, duct tape, ziplock bags, stones and wood. When done, we had a bag that would fill with water and enable the current to pull the canoes, the top would float at the surface and the water could be easily emptied when we wanted to bring it into the canoe. We lashed the two canoes together using spars found on the shore to give about 12 inches between them. When we encountered a head wind, the current would pull the canoes forward into the wind. If the wind died down, the canoes and Yukon sail would float side-by-side. Our lunch site was mud with some sand. When I was pulling the canoes up to shore, by feet got stuck in the mud and I ended up sitting down/falling backwards into the water. We floated/sailed without paddling the entire day covering about 10 miles into the wind. It was a fun, enjoyable and relaxing day. We talked, laid back in the canoe and rested (napped?) and enjoyed the scenery and experience. It definitely beat paddling into the wind. We found a nice campsite but we had to walk through mud to get to the large sandy area. We took advantage of the early arrival to wash the mud out of the canoes, our clothes and us. It had indeed been accumulating. After supper we burned the trash and dried our gear. The skies had cleared with only white fluffy clouds to be seen. It doesn’t seem like we have been paddling for six days. The only people we have seen have been at First Nation villages; there has not been any other evidence of people (or campsites). We continue to take advantage of the long days. It is 9:45 and the sun is at a 10-15 degree angle to the horizon.

Our Yukon Sail -- construction and the final product
Yukon Sail at work	Muddy lunch
How about that cloud!	Campsite

Journal Summary, July 8-13, July 14, July 15, July 16, July 17, July 18, July 19, July 20, July 21, July 22, July 23, July 24, July 25, July 26, July 27-28, July 29, July 30, July 31, August 1, August 2-3