Taking little more than a month to complete their journey, Okanagan residents went on a paddling expedition which ended in celebration; Canada害羞草研究所檚 150th celebration.
Around 36 paddlers with three canoes started their journey at Fort St. James in early June on the Stuart River, paddling across Canada to arrive at the birthday bash on Parliament Hill.
害羞草研究所淲hen we finally came down the Ottawa river, down the Rideau Canal, there had to be 40 canoes,害羞草研究所� said Kelowna resident Wayne Wilson. 害羞草研究所淭hey showed up from everywhere it was wonderful.害羞草研究所�
The band took various fur trade routes across Canada and new paddlers joined them as as they made their way east.
During the final leg, around 150 paddles ended up celebrating their journey together, said Wilson. The canoes are traditional voyagers canoe, and reach a length of 25 feet. They can hold six people at a time.
The Red Rogues team had paddlers from the Okanagan, as well as from Vancouver Island, Kaslo, Calgary, Ontario and one from Spokane, Washington. Their red canoe, which is featured on Wilson害羞草研究所檚 , has a home in Vernon.
Many camped in tents, but some brought campers, said Wilson.
The trip left him feeling a little weary. It wasn害羞草研究所檛 Wilson害羞草研究所檚 first time across Canada, but it was his first time travelling the country in a canoe.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 always struck at the size and variety of landscapes in Canada,害羞草研究所� he said.
The Okanagan paddlers害羞草研究所� first day on the water was June 6, with their grand finale ending July 1.
害羞草研究所淲e celebrate water and we celebrate First Nations and we celebrate the fur trade,害羞草研究所� said organizer Bob Groves, who said the best part of the journey was the celebration.
害羞草研究所淲e paddled into the very heart of Ottawa and there were all sorts of people cheering and that was quite something害羞草研究所� it really impressed our fellow from Spokane.害羞草研究所�
The journey was a joint effort. Groves said the Red Rogues, along with two other teams from Rocky Mountain House, Alta. and Manitoba were the only ones to complete the adventure from Fort St. James to Ottawa.
害羞草研究所淭he teams take care of their own food and equipment,害羞草研究所� said Groves, who got involved in voyager canoeing 10 years ago. 害羞草研究所淲e just get together as individual groups, but you know, you害羞草研究所檙e travelling together.害羞草研究所�
It wasn害羞草研究所檛 the first time Groves honored Canadian history with a paddling trip. In 2011, a group travelled from Invermere to Oreagon along the Columbia River to honor the British-Canadian fur trader David Thompson.
To organize the journey, all he had to do was round up his adventurous paddling acquaintances.
Wilson said the trip could not have been done without the collaboration of others.
害羞草研究所淚t was a collective effort, like Canada.害羞草研究所�
