Mackenzie River Journal: The Summer the Wind Blew on the Deh Cho

By Gerry Cyr

In the summer of 2019, the Deh Cho created winds that were unprecedented and demonstrated once again the power of mother nature and the permanency of father time. Accompany the canoeist as he deals with winds, sandstorms, waves and cold. Partner with the canoeist as he embarks on a parallel journey of the mind as he explores his thoughts, observations and conclusions that help him make sense of it all. It is not a journey of inner conflicts, obstacles, struggles or battles, nor one of defeat; it's a journey into the world of inner solutions, adaptability, flexibility and creativity that become tools in dealing with situations that are not only applied to the canoe journey but also to life's journey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tellwell Talent
• Release date: Dec 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9780228831075

Gerry Cyr

Gerry Cyr has been a solo canoeist for three decades who worked for 30 years as an addictions counsellor/manager and equates a canoe journey to life's journey. Now retired, he pursues his writing craft and is planning his next work on the topic of addictions. He has two adult children, four wonderful grandchildren and lives in High Level Alberta.

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Mackenzie River Journal

The Summer the Wind Blew on the Deh Cho

Gerry Cyr

Mackenzie River Journal

Copyright © 2020 by Gerry Cyr

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Tellwell Talent

www.tellwell.ca

ISBN

978-0-2288-3106-8 (Hardcover)

978-0-2288-3105-1 (Paperback)

978-0-2288-3107-5 (eBook)

Table of Contents

Author Bio

Preface

To the Reader

Welcome

The Journey

The Canoe Trip

The River and the People

The Last Day

Mackenzie River Journal 2019

Community Locations

Author Bio

After thirty years, Gerry Cyr continues to practice his solo canoe craft and now retired, is pursuing his writing craft. He is currently working on a book about addictions based on his experiences as an addiction counsellor/manager. Gerry has two adult children, four wonderful grandchildren and lives in High Level, Alberta.

Preface

In a sense, I was never alone on my solo canoe trip on the Deh Cho in the summer of 2019. I kept in touch on a daily basis with family and friends by means of a satellite device. Upon my return, I printed my daily journal, packaged it with numerous short videos I shot on the river and sent it to family and friends as a means of sharing the experience. Daily entries captured the activities but didn’t do justice to all the thoughts, contemplations and reflections I experienced, so I took this opportunity to put pen to paper and explore in greater depth the journey I had undertaken.

As a watercraft, the canoe excels in form as it moves on a river. Canoe and paddler become one with the river and the natural world, which brings an awareness and experience like no other means of transportation. Community members I spoke with said the winds on the river that summer were unprecedented, which added to the richness of my trip on Canada’s largest river drainage system. Publishing this journal was the end result.

Like the canoe trip, I was never alone. I want to acknowledge several people who played a role in the creation of this journal. Thanks to Chris Simpkin who suggested I publish it. To Kendall Taylor who patiently listened. I’m very grateful to Lucille Labrecque who was my inspiration, editor and proofreader. Above all to my cousin Sheena Nicholl who, unbeknownst to her, inspired me to take on the task of putting thoughts to paper.

Gerry Cyr

High Level, Alberta

October 2020

To the Reader

The Deh Cho had been on my bucket list of river trips for many years. Now seventy-one years old, retired for several years and with support from family and friends, I embarked on the river. I didn’t find the trip cumbersome as I was aware of my age and limitations. The beauty of it all was that I wasn’t in a hurry.

For three decades I worked in the field of addictions as an addictions counsellor and manager providing support and guidance to people dealing with addictions on their journey of self-discovery. I helped them search for answers to the many questions that arose. They experienced hard times and overcame seemingly insurmountable inner battles and obstacles. The lessons learned guided them on their path to healthier, more productive lives as they acquired solutions to sustain their new journey in recovery that paralleled their life’s journey.

I’m inviting you on this river journey. This trip ran in parallel as there was an inner journey and a canoe trip. Both provided lessons that were relevant in the great journey that is life. My journal begins with an exploration of the mind, which seems to pop up a lot on canoe trips. Hopefully an understanding that it is best to go with the flow evolves. The canoeist realizes that there is no point arguing with the river, wind, waves and whatever else comes their way as it is an argument that can’t be won. The canoeist also experiences an awareness of being immersed in and surrounded by the natural world and begins to observe their surroundings and to wonder who made all this. There are two choices: dismiss it as irrelevant or begin a journey to figure it out knowing it may not be resolved.

The canoe trip itself runs parallel to the journey of mind and soul, although at times the lines become blurred. The canoe is not some wild unwieldly beast but rather a means of transportation that responds very quickly to the natural forces that act on it. To the uninitiated, a canoe usually gets labelled as tippy, but in capable hands it is like a couple dancing effortlessly on a dance floor. It is a sight to behold as the canoe performs its own dance on the water. The canoe trip brings the canoeist’s senses to the forefront. It becomes important to be aware of one’s surroundings and to accumulate knowledge and experience so the trip can be safely navigated. This requires the canoeist to be flexible and adapt to situations and circumstances where decisions are being made that necessitate change. At given moments in the trip, there are changes not necessarily welcomed by the canoeist but are required to ensure a smooth journey.

The river, like life, is always on the move. There will be smooth, rough, swift-running or slowly meandering sections and the traveller must learn to adapt to the conditions. Fellow travellers along the river are there to provide encouragement, guidance, wisdom and experience; they give nods of approval and offers of help. The traveller is not alone.

The last day showcased all the lessons learned on the journey. Despite what the river offered, the mind and spirit carried the body to safety.

The daily entries reflect activities: wind, waves, weather, interactions with fellow travellers and other living beings, as well as thoughts, reflections and observations that transport the reader into the canoe with me. I recorded eighty-four