On June 2, 2023 Mary and I set off on our most physically challenging canoe trip to date. A 420km loop around Algonquin Provincial Park called The Meanest Link. Using a GoPro and our cell phones to capture as much as we could, this is the first time we have attempted to create any kind of video content. Our primary goal was the complete this canoe route, filming was secondary. We are definitely not professionals, but we wanted to share our adventure with friends, family and whoever is interested!
Info about the canoe route:
This route was created 19 years ago by Gord Baker and Alex Hurley in memory of their friend, Bill Swift Sr. They linked together 6 locations in and around Algonquin Provincial Park which were meaningful to Bill. The result is a 420km route with around 100 portages (totaling 68km) which is touted as one of the hardest canoe routes in Algonquin. For more information, visit:
algonquinoutfitters.com/about...
Our journey and series is dedicated in memory to Nancy Doadt:
canoe.org/nancy-doadt-memoria...
When Nancy was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, she talked about her wishes with her family. One of those wishes was wanting people to donate to a charity that provided canoe tripping experiences for young people who might otherwise never get the chance to do what Nancy loved doing. Project Canoe was the perfect fit for her wishes. Nancy was not only an avid canoeist and our go to adventure gal, but she was also a close friend and colleague who mentored both of us and an entire generation of ICU nurses. Her passing has left a huge void in the hearts of all that knew her and loved her.
As an additional note, we have been asked about the canoe we used on the route so I thought I’d include my opinion:
The swift keewayden 16ft was the canoe we used (Mary’s awesome boat). It’s got an asymmetrical hull- more narrow at the bow therefore cuts through the water more easily making it faster on lakes. I was worried about its steering capabilities on the tight turns of the Nippising and Oxtongue rivers but it did a great job there too. It has a small amount of rocker so it was very capable in C1 rapids (and likely more if we had tried it).
It’s around 42lb so reasonable carrying weight for us. It has the champaign painted bottom which helped protect it from all of the rocks on the Big East, Nippising and Oxtongue rivers (and there were A LOT). And finally, it’s only appropriate to paddle a swift canoe on the meanest link! The route is dedicated to Bill Swift Sr (founder of Swift canoes) so it just felt right.
We did consider my 16ft Swift prospector but since it weighs a little more and isn’t painted on the bottom, we opted for Mary’s faster/lighter canoe. Both would be good choices but I think mine may have needed more repairs at the end.
We were actually met by Bill Swift Jr on our second last day of the trip and he had a look at Mary’s canoe. He said it had some extra “love” (the scrapes), but it didn’t actually need any repairs at all! I was very impressed with how it handled our abuse! (Not sponsored, just impressed!)