Recent Work-Canoe & Kayak

The current issue of Canoe & Kayak magazine carries my work in a seven-page feature article by friend and writer Conor Mihell.

It's a tale of woe. A tale of a doomed (almost) trip to find a wilderness lake in Northern Ontario named for Conor's family. Mihell Lake. Yes, pronounced "my-HELL." My guard should have been up immediately, right?

Anyway, we had a lovely time kicking and dragging heavily laden canoes through the still frozen (8 inches of ice in some places) lakes of the Temagami region. I say lovely because, although it was mostly a sufferfest, we had the place all to ourselves. Well almost. There was a crazy beaver that wouldn't leave us alone one night.

Point being, if, like me, you ache from your painters to your tumblehome (canoe talk) for quiet, wild and rugged country--then you owe it to yourself to check out the Temagami region.

Just don't go quite as early as we did! Here's the piece:

And, like a parent, I love every image the same--but realize some just aren't going to fit in. Here's to the images from the trip that landed on the cutting room floor:

Paddling in ice is a...wait for it...drag.

Conor and his namesake lake.

Twilight portage.

Sure the fire is cool, but did you notice the moon?

The Mihell's, Kim and Conor

Pre-trip dinner on the back porch.

Tools of the trip. I love that axe.

Smoothwater Lake

Assisting.

Beast of Burden, the Nova Craft Prospector 16. This boat is STOUT.

Giving thanks for situations that allow you to do things you otherwise would never try.

so...cold...

This is the official Canadian ice testing technique.

Marina Lake.

More frozen lake---but sunshine...and hope.

Conor gets his paddle on.

My wingman, the Jimmer.

Moose? Check!

Carnage. My hand after pulling the boat with the axe.