The Meanest Link - The Movie
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 19 авг 2024
- 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:
algonquinoutfi...
Our journey and series is dedicated in memory to Nancy Doadt:
canoe.org/nanc...
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!)
Two amazing humans! Great job, wonderful video...very inspiring from both of you (but especially Mary, hats off, very courageous) .
Thanks Tom! I’m glad you enjoyed watching our adventure!
Thank you Tom, happy to share the journey! I am very grateful to have such an awesome tripping buddy. After the fall, Steph was the courageous one for taking a chance on me getting through the rest of trip! 😂
This was so cool. I love "Type 2 Fun" videos. You both really went through it out there, and don't let anyone ever tell you that you're not badasses.
Awww! Thanks, badass is a definite compliment in our books! We had all 3 types of fun on the link and plan on more trips just like it.
My compliments on your grit and determination to finish the trip in spite of the injuries and adversities
Thanks Gene! It was a hell of a trip, very high highs and low lows! We look back on it so fondly and we are both extremely proud of it 😊. Thanks for watching!
You both showed real grit completing this very difficult route with all the challenges you faced. Congratulations on getting it done! An adventure of a lifetime!
Thanks so much! It was definitely the adventure of a lifetime. One neither of us will ever forget! Words can’t describe this canoe route. I’d love to see you complete it if you have any interest in doing it 😊
Thanks Kevin!! It was definitely one of those trips that made you realize how deep you can dig within yourself and rely each other.
What an epic journey. I love your preparation and dedication. I do the boundary waters often. 💙
Thanks!! It was a big undertaking but so worth it. I’d love to paddle boundary waters and Quetico (Canadas bordering park). Cheers!
I’m only 30 minutes in and have to turn in. Will watch more tomorrow night! You two are badass!!!
No worries, it’s a long video! I usually have to come back to the longer ones two or three times because I’m hyper and I usually don’t sit that long lol. Glad you’re enjoying 😊
Happy you will be back to watch the rest❤. We definitely take “badass” as a compliment! 😂
Loving your channel... Congratulations on this epic trip... Nicely done... A dream of mine too to complete one day.
Thank you!! I’m glad you enjoyed! Train hard and plan carefully. I hope to watch a video of you doing it one day 😊
Absolute warriors, a feat beyond the average. Few will understand the respect of completing the Meanest Link.
Thank you! It’s definitely the toughest trip I’ve done to date. It was very rewarding though!
It does feel a bit like a badge of honour to get it done in one go! Thanks you!!
Absolutely fantastic adventure - thank you so much for putting this video together and sharing. Enjoyed every minute.
So happy you enjoyed it!
It was an awesome adventure! Thanks for watching!
Kudos to both of you but especially Mary with her injury. I’ve done many of those lakes and portages and they are difficult enough when healthy. Be proud of your accomplishment!!👏
Thank you, that route is challenging no matter what! It would not have been possible without Steph willingly shouldering the heavier load!
Thanks! It’s one of the accomplishments I’m most proud of. Definitely very tough (especially with an injury) but possible due to our teamwork and commitment to getting it done.
a life of tough experiences has made me cynical,but understanding causes deep respect and uplifting admiration, love you ladies
I’m proud to have the word “uplifting” associated with our video. Thanks for watching 😊
Thanks Paul, very kind of you to say!
This is the awesomest find I could see today, as I am starting the prep for my dream of canoeing around St.Raphael PP in the future. Awesome
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed! Where is that park? I’ve never heard of it before! Good luck with your trip 😊
It is west of Wabakimi on the left side of (possibly gravel or rough road)hwy599. This year I am going to checking out the Thunder Bay area, to and from Kitchener. Next year I would like to spend more time up there, and in 2026 run some short practice trips in the parks around there, talk to the locals, etc. Cheers and High 5's@@stephaniefinn488
I love that area! Stephanie and I haven’t quite made it there yet. But we will!!
There are so many beautiful places, if I could afford it, I would only work 1/2 a year.@@marymillerlynch
Just wow you two! Tough as nails and so appreciate your work bringing it to us. Your friend Nancy sounds like one very special human and RN, a lovely tribute. We nurses stick together and her memory most certainly lives on 💜
Thank you for your kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed watching!!
❤Thank you! Nancy is very missed!
Awesome job Ladies.
Hey, that was most excellent of you to bring back the 'ghost tarp' and trash from that neighbouring camp site (@ 1hr 48 mins).
@@onanysundrymule3144 thank you! We figured that we had time to kill while waiting for the wind to die down and no portages to carry it over. No reason not to bring it with us! I’m glad you enjoyed!
@@onanysundrymule3144thank you and glad you enjoyed the video! Bears are often a problem on this access lake and is garbage like this, that is part of the bear problem. I am glad we were able to dispose of it so easily. 🗑️
well done ladies ! great job, and congrats on joining that impressive club. See you on the water.
Thanks Mark!
Thank you! It a very supportive club we have joined! Happy to be part of it 😊
Wow. Well done ladies! This is a fun watch and inspirational watch- I haven't finished it yet. The dedication to your friend Nancy is touching and caught my attention as my wife is a retired ICU/CCU nurse. Thanks for all you do in nursing - it is a difficult and under-appreciated vocation.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you are enjoying. Nursing can definitely be a tough gig but I think it definitely helps with the cooperation/communication on trips like this! We also work in ICU! Cheers to your wife 😊
@86beeman Thanks you for watching and so happy your are sharing in our trip! ICU nurses; we are definitely a special breed 😂
@86beeman, I have to ask, are you a beekeeper? The name lends me to that conclusion.
LOL, yes Mary I am. For 33 years - much of that in the Fergus area. It wasn't by primary job until after I retired from policing in Guelph...oh, and I never ticketed a nurse!@@marymillerlynch
@@86beeman I am only 3 years in to beekeeping. Steep learning curve for me as I have only ever had large livestock 🤣🤣
13:28) Glad to see you're figuring upstream travel out a little better. 33:20) You girls are hysterical (missing the right channel and dragging through stinking muck, then spraying yourselves and gear with bear spray! LOL! To your credit both of you are troopers! Even before you brought up Mary's injury, you women had shown admirable strength of character and determination. Well done!
Thanks for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed! We definitely get through hard times with a little bit of humour so it’s fun when others “get it” too. We took awhile to dial in the best way to travel up stream but once we did it was much easier (especially the communication part!). We’re both a little spazzy sometimes and we’re not afraid to laugh at ourselves or admit to our mistakes. Thanks for your kind words 😊
Definitely a few face palm 🤦♀️ moments! Always funny later! Thanks for watching ❤
@@marymillerlynch “why is this so frickin’ wide?!” 😂
🤣🤣🤣
Amazing effort and a great watch. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching 😊
Thank you for sharing in our adventure!!
Awesome video, I enjoyed every minute of it. You both are inspirational and I look forward to your future adventures.
Thank you for your kind words! Glad you enjoyed the adventure with us!!
Thanks Cathy! I’m glad you enjoyed 😊
What an awesome documentation of the Link! Mary is a warrior completing that with her injury, as are you both, the Link isn't for the weak! Definitely on my own list to complete one day, will return to this video for future reference no doubt!
Thanks for joining in the adventure - I hope you have the chance to do the Link - definitely a character building route. I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive tripping partner❤
What an amazing adventure. Planning for 14 days takes a lot of work.. and means portaging a lot of wieight. That is all part of the adventure. Keep rocking it!
Thanks for watching! It’s definitely a big commitment all around but very fulfilling 😊 I’m hoping to do much more!
Incredible! A job well done. Thanks for filming it.
I’m glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for sharing in the fun!!
a reference to David Lee (the passionate paddler). I believe he has taken a step back from tripping to concentrate on family. He is an Ox out there having tripped with him a few times. Well done Ladies!!
I have tripped with David several times as well, both canoe and winter back country! He is definitely a force of nature in his own right!
So I have heard! Thank you!
Parabéns, vcs são umas guerreiras!!
Thanks for watching! I’m glad you enjoyed!!!
what an adventure,i,m in awe,the sheer will to carry on mary,kudos!!!thank you so much for sharing not just the moments of beauty but also the difficulties.hats off ladies,honestly,hats off on an extraordinary journey.hope mary heals up without difficulty.thanks again stephanie and look forward to many more videos.oh,by the way,great editing,the sound was spot on as well as the photography.take care from oklahoma.
Thank you for your kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed our video. We really put our hearts and souls into completing the journey as well as the videos. This was the first time we have attempted creating anything like this so we are shocked by all of the wonderful feedback we have received.
Mary and I were able to get out on another short (and much less intense) trip later this fall and she seems to be recovering very well.
Thanks for sharing our adventure!
Awww, thanks! It was definitely a challenging trip in more ways than one.
I am almost back to normal. I do need to continue to work on strengthening. I had a lot of support from a great physiotherapist.
That was awesome. Great Job!
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed!
Oh my goodness!!! That was an epic epic journey!! You two conquered a lot there!! I was able to finish the movie just now! The bloopers were great! I don’t know if I brought this up before but I’m always surprised there’s not more Canadian canoetubers that use hammocks as opposed to tents. I’m back in the hammock world and I absolutely love my ddhammock.
Hey, I was wondering what the final diagnosis was for your friend Mary from the injury.
I really really liked the text narration during the different times. That was really helpful on this end. That always feels good when the storm at camp is really bad and you and your partner are just fine dealing with the rain, doing camp chores yada yada and the folks in the site next to you are like “were outta here!” But then they left their tarp and trash!😣. Thank you two for packing that out. My oldest daughter and I were hammock camping on one of the big Maine lakes when a big 3 hour high winds, heavy rain and lightning and thunder system rolled through in the middle of the night. We just put our sleeping bags back in the dry bags and hunkered down together under one of the hammock tarps (they were diamond tarps, bad choice for Maine) and waited it out. Next morning we got up early and I got a fire going, we started drying everything out and I brewed some coffee and we made some oatmeal. It was all good. We look out on the water with our coffee and we see these two poor guys in a rented canoe and they looked like they had been through ww3. I felt bad for them but it’s Maine and Maine gets pretty rambunctious!
Hey! You guys were great and I definitely subbed!
Take care Happy July 3rd! I think that’s your Independence Day?? But I’m not sure.
Be well.
NQU
I’m so glad you enjoyed!! It was such an awesome adventure!! I’m so glad that we could share it.
I have always wanted to try a hammock. If I can find a place that rents them, I will definitely try it out that way before buying. I’ve had my eye on the amok brand (supposed to be good for side sleepers).
Mary correct me if I’m wrong but the X-ray showed an S5 fracture. The physiotherapist strongly suspected a gluteal tear of some kind. Both nasty injuries that caused her pain for quite some time!
It definitely takes some skill and the right gear to weather the storm! Thanks for the subscription! I’m working on a follow up video to this right now. Mary’s come back story. It took her quite awhile to recover!
You’re close! July 1st is Canada Day but thank you all the same. Happy Independence Day to you 😊
Ps. I love the term “canoetuber”!
Good Morning and thank you for your message! I have not ever tried hammock camping - I am super light sleeper and anything outside “normal” would probably keep me awake. That said, I would still give it a try someday. My youngest son loves it. There are definitely some areas in northern Canada that it would be next to impossible to find places to hang a hammock, the trees are just too small.
My injury ended up being a fractured pelvis and a torn glute muscle. All well recovered now. Thank you for asking!
I have camped but never paddled in Maine. So many places to visit!! It’s a lovely state.
Happy Independence Day to you!
👍🏼😊
You two are THE BEST!
Thanks for your ongoing support Ed! 😊
I am so glad to have found your video Steph. Excellent work on putting it together! We often forget or are too exhausted to document the gritty aspects of the trip as the journey becomes increasingly difficult and painful. "Not everything is always amazing on a trip."
Go Pro seems to know when to call it quits, omitting the most crucial details of each trip🤪.
Mary deserves a pat on the back! She's as tough as nails. I saw a video the other day where this guy sprained his angle and hit the SOS on his INREACH in the BWCA. So, despite the pain, she managed to carry the pack or the canoe, completing the 5K portage in 2.5 hrs. Simply amazing!! 🙏💪.
Radiant is an absolute must-visit lake.
Can you do a follow up video on what you'll could have done better if there is?
Thank you for taking us along, as I am not sure if we will ever do this trip. Cheers ✌!!
Thank you for your awesome message! As for the pelvic fracture, it was “stable”. It was likely the only thing I could fracture and still continue a trip like that. Not sure if the muscle tear or the fracture pain was worse 😖. Of course we had no idea of severity of my injury until it had been fully assessed - which waited a couple of weeks after the trip ended and it still hurt like blazes.
At the time, deciding to continue the trip was just a difficult as deciding to quit. For both of us, stubbornness won out 😂
Thanks! We had a lot of fun reliving the trip and putting these videos together. It’s definitely hard to film when things aren’t going right. I’m sure you noticed there isn’t any footage of the “bear spray incident” or us talking about Mary’s injury but we did still capture quite a bit of our struggles.
I don’t know how Mary continued on through the pain but I know we are both very glad we were able to finish our journey on our own terms.
We are both surprisingly camera shy so I doubt we will do any sort of “interview style” follow up video but I’m sure we’d be happy to answer questions if there are any. I know we would definitely do some things differently if we were to do the trip again. We’ve talked about it a lot!
@@marymillerlynch With the pain, I'm not sure I'd be able to get out of the tent in the morning, as that would be the toughest part. I did tweak my knee on the portage to Lake Louisa, and I was miserable for the next 3 days. So with that in mind, I am fascinated by your accomplishment. Kudos to you! 🙌. Wishing you a speedy and full recovery.
@@stephaniefinn488 Most of the incidents happen when the camera is not recording. For that reason, I am skeptical of videos where everything is captured perfectly.
I hope to see more videos of your trips in the future.
@@ErraticExcursion yes me as well. It makes one think things may have been fabricated. It may be possible to capture some things by chance but not everything. We were filming a lot and we still missed so much.
We hope to post more in the future but this adventure will be tough to beat!
Epic trip ladies! Great video of this major trip, I can't wait to attempt this route myself. Liked and Subscribed!
Awesome! I’m glad you enjoyed!! It was the hardest but also my favourite trip to date! I wish you all the best in your link journey as well 😊. Maybe I’ll be watching your video someday soon!
It really was an epic trip! So happy you joined in on our adventure, its always hard to wait for the next trip on the roster!
Great video, keep going.😍
Thanks! I don’t think this will be the last video we release. It’s been awesome sharing 😊
Way to go ladies, awesome job, how did Mary’s injury pan out? She’s okay? Both are troopers! 💪💪💪💪👌😎
Thanks for asking! There was a non-displaced fracture of my pelvis and a torn glute. After a couple of months of physio and a lot of work, I am very close to normal! Still working on it. Thankfully I had such an awesome paddling mate! Regardless of the injury, we are proud to have completed it. It’s definitely a tough route!
Thanks for watching! I’m glad you enjoyed! It was definitely tough but we’re so glad we did it! Teamwork got us through 😊
@@stephaniefinn488 thank you for sharing, Bob
@@marymillerlynch keep on keeping on.
Great video. I tried filming my links so I totally understand the battery issues/ remembering to push record while trying to push everyday. You got way more footage then we did and captured some great moments. Looks like we all make the same mistakes our 1st time around! Thanks for posting!
Thanks! It is a real struggle isn’t it?! I’m sure I wouldn’t have filmed nearly as much if I didn’t have the GoPro mounted to my head. It made it so easy to just hit record whenever something notable was happening. The trade off is poor camera angles but that’s life! If/when I do it again, I’ll forego the solar and bring more battery banks. I missed some great moments in the second half of the trip because we couldn’t use the GoPro. Lessons learned! Thanks for watching 😊
This is great, I just got to the bear spray incident, wanted to mention that my safety used to get pulled off too, so now I always keep a couple hair elastics wrapped around the safety. It really reduces the amount that happens. It's also less likely to get pulled off when it's facing backwards.
Excellent tip, I will try that! Thank you! Enjoy the rest of - we have loved sharing this trip with so many people. 😊
@@marymillerlynch amazing stamina to finish with such an injury!
@@CanadianSledDog paddling in of itself was fine, carrying weight up a hill was another thing! It was truly only possible because Steph was willing to take on so much more with the portaging 💪.
Great tip! We will definitely do that from now on. After that happened we kept the bear spray in a zippered pocket to avoid having a repeat!
Thanks for watching! I’m glad you enjoyed 😊 it’s been awesome sharing it with like minded people!
Thank you for doing such a thorough video on the route. We’ve been considering giving this a try.
I had a bear spray accidentally discharge as well. Such a pain.
So happy you enjoyed it! As for the bear spray - it keeps coming back to haunt you anytime things get wet - for literally days!
I’m glad you enjoyed the video! If you have the interest and are in a position to commit to the link, do it! It is definitely a commitment, but you will be so happy you did.
Thanks for telling us about the bear spray too! We felt so dumb when it happened but I think it can happen to even the most experienced and prepared people. We figured we would include it in the video to raise awareness that it can happen.
Would you mind sharing your mash potato and egg breakfast recipe?@@stephaniefinn488
Hey @@brentandellesoutdooradventures , we purchased the Mountain House Bacon and Eggs package and add in our own dehydrated veggies (peppers and onions in this case). The potatoes are the dry packaged Idahoan Roasted Garlic mashed potatoes. Makes for a super hardy hot breakfast! Definitely our favourite!
Thank you. I'm always looking for more Backcountry canoe trip meals.@@marymillerlynch
Hardcore. Can't believe Mary did over half the park like that! That's insane. Hard to make that choice after 2 years of planning. I just did my longest, 9 day, after planning 1.5 years, but had to change the destination last minute (easier i think) because of an unknown new knee/s issue. No way I wasn't going. I had battery issues too!! My last minute arrival amazon batteries ended up giving me about 1/3 of original 20 year old canon batteries. Didn't even get to cover last 3 days. If you are doing more...try Bulgarian split squats too.
Glad you enjoyed watching! It was definitely a tough choice to keep going or call it off. We’re lucky nothing else happened for the rest of the trip. I think we were extra careful after that.
Very frustrating not being able to capture it on camera isn’t it? The solar charger worked so well on our NWT trip the year before but 20 hours of subarctic sunshine to charge is very different than what we got on the link! I’ll look up Bulgarian split squats. I’m always looking for new ways to train and strengthen so I can do these trips well and safely! Thanks for watching!
I think most trippers are diehards when it comes to giving up on a plan. I am grateful for an equally tough and stubborn paddle mate!
@@marymillerlynch I think we were both bound and determined not to let each other down!
It looks like much of that up river section could have been polled up, standing with a 10-12 foot pole, eddy hopping and pushing through the shoots. It takes much practice to become efficient but once gained its amazing how much power and control one has of the canoe in such situations. Practice on calm water and then slowly going with the current then over time a little at a time head up stream.
I agree. We didn’t know anything about poling at the time but I’ve since met someone who is really good at it and actually teaches it. I’m hoping to take some lessons with him and if we do the link again we will try that. To my knowledge, no one who has done the link has polled up the big east. I’d love to be one of the first!
@@stephaniefinn488 Its difficult to judge the stream from a video, but some of it does for sure look great for poling up, and all of it for down. Can you access it easy and pole on bit of it at a time?
A good portion was pretty fast flowing but shallow. I’m told we had reasonably high water compared to the rest of the summer. Most people just have to drag up the river if they go in July/august. The “polling guy” I know has actually done polling on the big east/made videos and posted them to the meanest link Facebook group. He has been trying to get linkers to try it for awhile. I believe he didn’t make it anywhere past distress dam though. The river can be accessed easily enough. I’d probably put in from Williamsport road and try polling up “boulder bash” rapids. They’re reasonably close. In my opinion, the worst rapids were Finlayson and those are not as easily accessible.
Well done, you have shown what inexperience paddlers can do. Hope others follow. Put a 50 foot rope on the front and back of the canoe it will make it easier to line. Looks like you had good food selection. Hot chocolate is nice when you are cold and wet. Next trip try to pick rivers that have more going down than up.
Thanks for watching! The Meanest Link is a pre-determined route, and you must follow it to be listed on the finishers board. Either direction you go, it’s 3 rivers up and 3 rivers down. Neither of us are new to tripping - with decades worth of experience, both WW and flat water. Just different ways of doing things. Portaging an extra 100ft of rope for two days going up river didn’t fit the plan and weight restrictions we had set for ourselves. Our packs were almost 50% of our body weight just for the essentials.
Nice job! Some solid type 2 fun for sure! Great job filming the entire trip through tough conditions. Suggestion for your next video use voice overs in conjunction with the written words in the vid. Otherwise great job, very entertaining. Congrats on a great accomplishment!
Thank you for the feedback, it was definitely an unforgettable trip.
Thanks for watching! I completely agree. In retrospect, I wish I had done voiceovers. These are the first videos I’ve ever made and I felt way too shy to do it. In future videos I will definitely do voiceovers because I know reading can interrupt the experience.
@stephaniefinn488 Wow well done. It was great. We are all learning in this crazy youtube world😁. It is a lot of work and lots to learn. Look forward to the next adventure. Cheers!
@@starkravingmadadventures6038 I’m definitely learning as I go! Loving it though!! Cheers 😊
That was inspiring to watch, wish my aging back and knee could do something similar. Congratulations, how is Mary?
Thanks Jim! I’m glad you enjoyed! Mary is doing much better now but it took a while for her to recover. We weren’t able to go on another trip until 5 months later in November. I just released the vid on that one too. It was a chilly but awesome trip with an unexpected surprise!
I hope you’re still able to get out and paddle in some capacity. Thanks for watching 😊
Thanks for watching! And thank you for asking, I have fully recovered. And like Steph, I am hopeful you can enjoy tripping in some capacity. It’s not easy when the brain, the heart and the body cannot agree❤
Hard to tell if you went on a water-hiking expedition with added weight (canoe) or a canoe trip..lol. In my view, there is nothing more enjoyable and heart felt than watching two women showing their true place in life, humanity, and in the world. Not just beautiful but strong, tenacious, perseverant against the odds, calm, patient, and focused, and simply having fun while coexisting with their natural element...nature. I was exha8usted just watching how strenuous your trip seemed but also as a man, I wanted to help so many times but not interfere with your journey otherwise. I canoed parts of Algonquin, Killarney, a bit of the Montreal river, a bit of Georgian Bay, Vermilion river, etc. Came to live in BC about 33 years ago or so and never canoed or hiked once. Could never find anyone to go with and I don't drive. I am 68 and out of shape but I still would love one more time in Killarney some day once I find the fountain of youth haha. Wonderful video dearest ladies and I bow in honor of you both for being such bold and great adventurous women. - Paul.
Wow, thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed following along with our journey. It was certainly life changing. I felt like I really found true confidence in myself on this trip. I know the lessons learned out there will last a lifetime. It sounds like you have had similar life affirming experiences in the wilderness. I hope you are able to get out there again. Even if it’s not a big expedition, just being out there does wonders for the soul! In my experience, if you can’t get out there, it helps to watch others do so. We’re happy to have you watch our adventures any time 😊
Thank you for your kind message Paul! I’m sorry you haven’t been able to experience BC the way you wanted to, it is spectacular. I hope someday you can get back to Killarney, it too is a lovely place to paddle.
@@marymillerlynch Thank you ever so kindly for the reply dearest Mary. I loved the end bloopers you added as well. It was pretty hilarious and so very endearing. I had my share of such...uh hum....accidents. I am an Aries and so the head, like a true ram, gets whacked the most hahaha. I salute you both once again and congrats to the hubbies for being so fortunate to have you both as remarkable and strong willed wives yet poised and graceful that you example in this gorgeous video. Ignore those bloopers...nothing to see here haha) - Paul
@@stephaniefinn488 Nature is vitally important as it is a great teacher and much can be learned from it. It is a great healer as well. Nature now becomes ever more important and vital as our country let alone our world flips like a pancake into much turmoil and oppression. More happily speaking, I did a trip on Grand Lake (Achray) in Algonquin and then made the way to Stratton where a pleasant campsite was available and then checked out Johnston lake. Next morning was then back to high falls where most go water sliding. wanting to do St Andrews lake, time was unavailable as it was only a short canoe trip and an over night stay. After that, canoed the canyon and later hiked it. Again dearest Stephanie, thank you for who you are and for demonstrating the strength, joy, and so much more as well as the determination yet peacefulness stemming from the good human natured woman like you. Keep on tripping ladies. - Paul
@@musicbycandlelightmbc3225 I agree Paul! I’ve never been to the Barron Canyon but I will go one day. Thank you again for your kind words. I hope you can get out to paddle soon!
I hope you can get to do Review of the canoe after all it has been put through, also to explain the choice of size and model etc.
I haven’t done an official review, but here is 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 in open water. I was worried about its steering capabilities on the tight turns of the Nippising and oxtongue rivers but it actually did a great job there too. It has a small amount of rocker so it was very capable in even C1 rapids.
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 canoe. Both would be good choices but I think mine would 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!
@@stephaniefinn488 Thank you so much for that splendid detail. If I were you I would copy paste your own answer into the video description, or as new pinned comment from yourself. Kind regards.
@@onanysundrymule3144 that’s a good idea! I know I love hearing paddlers opinions about techniques and products. I’ll definitely do that!
@@onanysundrymule3144great idea to put the info in the description!
@@onanysundrymule3144I have had the Keewaydin for about 8yrs. It has seen a lot of action. I am a bit of a “basher” with my equipment and this canoe has withstood me, Steph and a few of my family members. 😂
How many days in total? Great video guys, through injury and all its no small feat. Setting out on a 9 day Link on the 21st, will post in the Fb group soon> Your video has been a great source of info!
We had hoped for 13 days total but with the injury, rain and wind delays, it ended up being 15 days. Luckily we had planned for buffer days and emergency food resupply at Opeongo AO.
It was truly a life changing trip for me. I did things I never thought I was capable of doing. I’m so glad you enjoyed the video and that it was useful for you in planning! Can’t wait to follow along with your journey and cheer you on! I hope you are blessed with partner(s) as amazing as Mary. Best of luck out there 😊
Happy to know the video was helpful for you! The route is definitely “character Building”. Good luck with your trip. We will be cheering you on from the side lines!
@@stephaniefinn488 Awesome glad to hear and thanks so much for the good wishes! You two are troopers, bugs and injuries couldnt stop you two. Our planning is kicking into gear now.
@@marymillerlynch Character building is a perfect way to summarize the trip aha, Thanks for the good wishes before we set sail!
Who says girls can't have a blast in backcountry. I've been taking my daughter out with me since she was 5. She isn't my nature girl for nothing.
Anyone can have a good time, It’s all about the mind set! My 4 children (and now my grandchildren) all love camping, canoeing and exploring the outdoors in many different pursuits! Thanks for watching! Keep on sharing the love ❤️
@@marymillerlynch I actually took both my two out fishing and on nature hikes from 5. My son turned into my fishing buddy until he figured out girls don't bite and lost him to the dark side.
My thoughts exactly! We should encourage girls to be adventurous and outside just as much as boys. Thanks for watching!!
I just don't get it. Why take a route where you're walking everything upstream!
Haha, seems that way at the beginning. Just need to watch the entire thing. It’s a pre-determined route. Either direction you go, it’s 3 rivers up and 3 rivers down.
Did you consider poling?
Haha funny you should mention it! We didn’t consider it until it was suggested by another viewer who also happens to be a member of our local paddling club. He also teaches poling and I’m hoping to do a course with him. If we ever do the link again, I think we would probably pole the big east section. It looks way more efficient and fun!
@@stephaniefinn488 So you are in the WWCKC and know @canoepoler?
I am sure he teased you enough already.
@wildernesscanoeassociation yep! He comment on our video suggesting poling and then I saw him poling on the river with our club and connected the dots. Small world!
Hahaha yes he did tease me. Super nice guy! I hope to learn from him!
Hahaha, Poling has GOT to be easier than push up against all that current! Now that we know a little bit about poling, we are definitely looking forward to learning the technique.
who planned this for4 you
No one. We planned it ourselves using the advice of some experts. The route is pre-determined (and we have to follow it) but we did everything else ourselves. We made the meal plan, cooked and dehydrated most of our food. Ensured everything fit in our bags and that we were fit enough to carry them. Planning and prep took the better part of a whole year.
If you’re wondering about where the route itself comes from, check out this website and it explains everything: algonquinoutfitters.com/about/meanest-link-history/
It was amazing and both of you are troopers that was not an easy trip congratulation.
@@chuckguillemette7556 We are not ones to shy away from a challenge, but this definitely the hardest trip we have done to date!
@@chuckguillemette7556 Thanks Chuck! It was definitely the hardest trip I’ve done to date. I’m glad you enjoyed watching it 😊