Mark and I had discussed doing a winter paddling trip down
the Fraser River this year but we never expected the impetus would be a guy, we
had never met, circumnavigating the planet without the use of a motor.
When life and the paddling community comes together - cool
stuff happens and being a part of the Fraser River leg of the Routes of Change
expedition was no exception.
On a dark, cool morning in late January a group of paddlers,
who didn’t all know each other, headed out from Chilliwack, BC. We had arranged
to meet, Canadian explorer and adventurer, Markus Pukonen at a pre-arranged
put-in on the Fraser River in Hope, BC.
What were we thinking?
We were thinking, “Let’s have an adventure!”
As we were loading up our Clipper Canoes (thanks to WesternCanoeing and Kayaking in Abbotsford, BC) we see a tall, blond haired guy with skis
on his back, walking towards us and our piles of gear, it’s Markus and the
adventure is about to begin. He had recently skied from Kelowna to Hope to
begin the next leg of his expedition.
After the obligatory pre-trip photo, we were off.
Our first day we logged 57 km and were forced off the water
due to crazy-winds, just downstream from Island 22 near Chilliwack, BC. The
wind was so strong, that this would be the only time of the trip that SUP
paddler, Jason Bennett would be found sitting down! We had hoped to make it
past Chilliwack on day 1 but alas the weather had other plans for us.
Camp #1 ended up being very comfortable and we were able to
enjoy our evening without wind and rain to spend a little time around the
campfire. That was about the only dry spell on the trip.
Day two was also wet and cool but our crew was well-dressed
and comfortable in our Kokatat gear (can’t imagine doing any kind of paddling
trip at this time of year without a drysuit! Thanks, Kokatat). It was another
long day, 56 km bringing us to Derby Reach Regional Park in Langley, BC. The
Fraser River is tidal below Mission, BC so our current had slowed significantly in comparison to what we experienced on the Hope to Chilliwack section of the river and so far the tides had been
in our favour.
Camp #2 ended up being quite decadent given the wet weather
as we hijacked the kitchen shelter and set up ALL of our gear, including our
tents to have a dry night’s sleep. We were a bit nervous about getting kicked
out of the park (it’s closed after dark) but we were tired, cold and hungry and
we had arrived by canoe and SUP board – what were they going to do? Thankfully,
the park ranger never showed up.
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| Kitchen Shelter at Derby Reach Regional Park. Photo Credit: Nikki Rekman Sales |
Our 3rd and final day was surprise, wet and cool
but the change in scenery was different than what most of us were used to on
trips and kept things interesting. The lower section of the Fraser River is
very industrial and of course, goes right through New Westminster, North
Richmond and South Vancouver. We saw a fair bit of commercial traffic and
paddling underneath all the bridges was very cool.
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| The Port Mann Bridge is in our sights. Photo Credit: Nikki Rekman Sales |
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| Photo Credit: Nikki Rekman Sales |
There were a few things that struck me about this trip, #1
it was amazing how competent and cohesive our small group of 7 paddlers was
given that we didn’t really know each other before the trip. We really left the
trip having made new friends and #2 how unexplored the Fraser River is by
paddlers and #3 and possibly the most important, how one person’s dream
(Markus’ dream to circumnavigate the planet) brought a group of like-minded
people together for an amazing paddling adventure! THANK YOU, Markus!
Our goal was to help get Marcus to Vancouver and after 44 km
on day 3 the sun came out (seriously, that’s how it happened) and greeted us
just below the Arthur Laing Bridge at Fraser River Park.
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| Photo Credit: DamGood Trips |
We did it and we had a blast being a part of the Routes of
Change expedition.
If you have a chance to join Markus at some point in his
journey, do it, you won’t regret it.
Paddlers: Markus
Pukonen, Jason Bennett, Christina Chowaniec, Nikki Rekman, Mark Klein, Peter
Brennan and Laura Demers.
Special thanks to our
shuttle drivers, Len Zilkowsky and Monica Demers, to the folks that met us en
route with hot beverages and timbits – Lynne Smith and Marlin Bayes from
Clipper Canoes and the friends and family that welcomed us at the end of our
journey to help us pack up and get Markus on his way again, this time via
bicycle. We could not have done it without you!
Gear generously
supplied by Kokatat and Clipper Canoes.
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