Photos

This picture was taken with a disposable camera because none of us trusted ourselves to bring anything nicer. It was the last night of a 21 day canoe trip down the Bloodvein River, which starts in Ontario and ends in Manitoba. The paddle was not overly challenging and we were rewarded with pristine scenery. There are very few access points along the river (we had three days of off and on portages to reach the head of the river), has left the river relatively untouched with the only exception being a few cabins that dot the riverbanks. These cabins are accessible only by boat planes, and it was rumored in 2005 that the park authorities may actually evict them in time. (I have no idea if this actually happened)

Arranging the logistics of the trip can be the most challenging part because of the access point and collection points are both remote. We were fortunate in that we had people willing to drive a van with a trailer to the start and end points with allowed us to move all the required gear (canoe, food, tents, clothing, etc...) with relative ease. We started in a chain of lakes which we had to portage between until we finally reached the head of the river.

Once on the river it is yours. Along the way are lazy lakes with the occasional rapid (we especially enjoyed Fishhook rapid). If you take detours there are also First Nation carvings you can find. The fishing is supposed to be good so secure a license if that interests you…