Home 
News News Articles 10 Rivers, 10 Provinces, 10 Days
News News Articles 10 Rivers, 10 Provinces, 10 Days
| 10 Rivers, 10 Provinces, 10 Days |
 |
 |
| Written by Eugene Buchanan |
| Tuesday, 01 March 2005 04:47 |
|
Wacky Canadian claims river-running first What did you do on your summer vacation? If you’re Alberta’s Dan Schmuland, you did something most people thought was impossible: Paddling 10 rivers in 10 provinces in 10 days. "The reason for taking the project on was rather convoluted," says Schmuland. "But the deal was sealed the moment I was told it couldn't be done. So I have to thank all the people who told me that over the course of this journey. It created motivation." The motivation carried Schmuland from British Columbia’s Fraser River July 1 across the country, river by river, to the journey’s completion on Newfoundland’s Grand Codroy River at 8 p.m. July 10 (Canada Day). In between, he jacked up on caffeine and road-tripped from province to province, hitting Alberta’s Athabasca River July 2; Saskatchewan’s South Saskatchewan River July 3; Manitoba’s Red River July 4; Ontario’s Ottawa River July 5; Quebec’s St. Lawrence River July 6; New Brunswick’s St. John River July 7; Prince Edward Island’s Hillsborough River July 8; and Nova Scotia’s East River July 9. "The original plan was to kayak Newfoundland’s Humber River on July 10, but I had to resort to plan B after the ferry was cancelled from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland for mechanical reasons," says Schmuland. "Talk about a disheartened moment. I had paddled nine rivers with one more to go.But a half hour after we were told we couldn’t make it over that day, we squeezed onto the last available inch of a second ferry. It was a seven-hour ride, but I was still able to get there by 8 p.m. in time to complete my off-the-wall journey." From the West’s mountain whitewater through the lazy prairie rivers to the expansive waterways of Ontario and Quebec and finally to the estuaries of the Maritimes, Schmuland discovered that Canada’s rivers lace the country together. "Rivers historically have been meeting places, food sources and travel corridors," he says. "The history, spirituality and passion of who we are runs through our veins just as the rivers are the lifeblood of our planet." Rather than rest on his river-running laurels, Schmuland has plans to carry the concept south. "My next plan," he says sheepishly, "is 50 rivers in 50 states in 50 days. I've already been told it can't be done...so here I go." Originally Published, Paddler March-April 2005 |
Share This Page!
