The low moan of the north wind and the steady drown of crashing waves continued as I zipped my sleeping back and tightened the drawstring so that only a small hole was left for my face. The Alarm blared at 5:30 am, many hours before the suns rays would begin to warm the tent. The wind had died and the deafening crash of the waves had subsided to a dull rumble as they rolled into the ice covered beach. With in minutes a fire was going in the stove and the tent began to warm, spurred on by the warm flicker of a candle. As always Frosty put on water to boil and laid the pop tarts on the warming rack. I stoked the fire and went about my morning routine, packing my things, checking the map, closing up the food pack, and so on.

The realization that today was our last day was slowly sinking in. Twenty four hours before we had looked forward to 4 or 5 more days on the trail. Sure they would be basically the same as the last 45 days, but this was the life we had grown to know.

I was torn by the excitement that I felt about being able to see my family and attend my Grandmother's service as well as a desire to savor every last moment in the wilderness. Plus, I would be leaving my partner in crime, Frosty! It still amazes me that after weeks of being together constantly I don't even begin to tire of his company. I think we compliment each other well and I could not ask for a better learning adventure guide and friend in my bow or stern. I had a wonderful quote from Siguard Olson picked out that describes ones transition from a long wilderness journey into the modern world. However, in my haste I left the book with our pile of gear in Pine Falls. In not as eloquent a words as Siguard, you quickly forget about the daily details of travel, but the call of a lonely loon, the howling huskies at a native village, and the bonds formed between your companions will never be lost.

Frosty will soon be boarding a bus for Thunder Bay, where he will pick up his car and head back to Pine Falls, Manitoba to pick up our gear. I have already had my bags thoroughly searched by customs several times and I am descending from 30,000 feet to the Chicago airport. From their I will board a flight to North Carolina and meet up with my Dad and other family members.

Yesterday we learned that Centerville Junior High School had all of the students participating in the Jiime Adventure, approximately 175 students, in their auditorium for our last chat secession. Their teacher, Julie Doxstader who has participated in all 3 of our learning adventures, projected the computer screen onto a large movie screen so that all students could participate. Examples of students and teachers using our programs in fun and innovative ways really gets us excited. We would like to thank everyone that has been participating in the adventure and encourage you to continue to interact with us and send us any questions that you have. We will also be visiting many schools over the next few months, so please contact us if you would like us to visit your school.

Click on photo to enlarge

We couldn't help but laugh as we pushed our way through the maze of ice. Our canoe parted the inch thick pans of ice easily. Our paddles glancing of the larger pieces and breaking through the thinner ones. I have paddled on lakes with ice around the edges, but this was a totally new and exciting experience. It was like canoeing through giant clear Lilly pads. We left the ice fields after several miles and the waves forming in the growing breeze grew larger. The ice pans did not allow the large, steep waves to form. Instead we had been paddling through a gently rolling sheet of ice tiles. After several more miles we turned our canoe directly with the wind and the waves and let them carry us up the Winnipeg River. The current was no match for the growing wind and we speed up river much faster than we had traveled down river several days before fighting a strong head wind. After several more miles we came to a small set of rapids. The last rapids that the voyageurs has portaged around on their journey to Lake Winnipeg. It was like paddling on a tread mill as we battled our way up the rapid. At one point our canoe was thrust sideways. The force of the river pushing on the canoe and trying to tip us. Quick reflexes and a few well aimed paddle strokes later and we were resting in the calm water at the top of the rapids.

We have been able to travel nearly 100 miles in the past three days, leaving less than 12 miles to Lake Winnipeg. The huge dams on the Winnipeg River can't stop the river's current. The shoreline whizzes by. The temperatures have been relatively warm, and we have been able to travel long hours. But we have still made time to meet new people and see interesting sites.

On Saturday we stopped in the small town of Pinawa, Manitoba. The town gets its name from the Cree word meaning "calm water." We went into town to find some water and ended up finding a nice cup of coffee, good conversation, and some of the best homemade bagels we have ever had. A gentleman and his wife were visiting from Winnipeg, and when they found out we were canoeing they became eager to tell us of their own years of canoe adventures. The Saskatchewan, Churchill, Hayes Rivers all came to life with their tales. They supplied us with enough stories of canoeing in the Canadian Arctic to keep us busy dreaming up future adventures for the rest of the afternoon.

Mink are found in most of the United States except for southern California, Arizona, western Texas, and southern New Mexico and Utah. They live near fresh water. They are excellent swimmers and they spend much of their time hunting in ponds and along riverbanks. The males mark their hunting territory with a foul smelling odor secreted from their glands. A male’s territory overlaps with several female territories. It takes 75 adult mink furs to make one full-length mink coat! Most of these animals come from mink farms where they are raised for their fur. The popularity of fur has declined over the years as people have learned the number of animals that are killed just to make one coat.