Path of the paddle

A group of university students made their way through Fort Frances yesterday dressed as voyageurs and following a route the hardy French-speaking men travelled more than two centuries ago.
The students, in their third year of the Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism course at Lakehead University, took the trip as a compulsory component of the course, though there were other options.
“The school offers several different types of trips,” said Dr. Tom Potter, an associate professor at the university. “It’s called the fall field trip. [This one’s called] re-tracing the footsteps of the voyageurs.
“It’s a fun trip,” he continued, “but its an academic tool, too.
“We try to incorporate the teaching of leadership, parks and tourism into the trip,” explained Dr. Potter. “A big part of this particular trip is the interpretation.”
He said the students learn group communication skills, and by dressing in period costume and sleeping under the canoe at night, learn what it was like to be a voyageur so they, in turn, can relay that to people more effectively.
The group will be stopping in Rainy River on Friday to do a public presentation on the trip and route.
All the students on the trip, nearly a dozen in total, indicated that they chose this field trip because of it’s unique experience. Not everyone gets to follow the path of the voyageur in a large voyageur canoe.
“It’s a lot of labour, man,” confessed Sean Root, one of the participating students. “Backbreaking labour. If we were doing this for real, we would be in a whole world of hurt.”
Root explained that the only portage on the 13-day trip, which spans from Atikokan to Sioux Narrows, was around the dam on the Rainy River, and even then they carried only the canoe around the obstacle, their gear was transported by vehicle.
“Pam Hawley [at the museum] has been very supportive as have Parks and Rec [here],” said Potter. “They let us camp out at the point and helped transfer our gear.”
The trip is planned, prepared and organized by the students themselves. They travel completely self sufficient except for getting fresh drinking water when it’s available—otherwise they boil and filter their drinking water.
Well, they did get one commercially-prepared meal.
“We did partake in McDonald’s up there,” admitted Root. “The manager donated milkshakes.”
The “smallest” voyageur on the trip was Potter’s daughter, eight-year-old Stephanie. Her favourite part of the trip was the portage—she got to ride in the police car that provided an escort for the students carrying the massive canoe.
“It’s been fun having her along,” said her dad. The students were sorry to see her go. She was only going as far here before returning to Thunder Bay. She starts school next week.