Everyone wakes up rested but I can tell the energy level has dropped after Tuesday’s big day. What’s in the works for today, Wednesday? Physically speaking, it’ll be a much easier day, but emotionally speaking, it may be hard.
As we awake to the sound of the ukeleles, from the top of our cliff, we can see the clouds of fog rolling over the Spanish River down below. You had to be there, on site, at the right time, because just 15 minutes later, the sun turned the fog into a distant memory.
This morning, we’re having oatmeal and bagels with strawberry to fuel the first part of our day.
We reassemble our human chain to get our equipment down to water level and load up the canoes. We have to be very careful because the rocks at the river’s edge are very slippery. The guides take care of the most problematic spots, because they’ve got the most experience.
In one of the canoe scoops, we find a huge water spider with its egg sac. Anyone who wants to see it gets the opportunity to do so close up.
Jake and Amy spell out the plan for the day. At most, we’ll be covering 12 km, no portages, with a single slightly technical set of rapids, and a few white-water sections. In comparison to yesterday’s day, which was very demanding for everyone, not just the participants, it’ll be a piece of cake. We’re warned that it’ll be very rocky, however.
Our only rapids for the day are like a field of potatoes, i.e., small- and medium-sized rocks abound, and some of the participants will get to gardening with the help of the guides to make their way out and set off again. In the second part of the rapids, we’re warned of a large pyramid pattern of waves to avoid, but in the end, the water level is lower than when the guides last went over, so there’s nothing to worry about. Everyone is having a blast, as it’s the last set of rapids of the trip.
For these last rapids, I have Alexandre as a partner and aside from a short stay in the potato field, we go over almost like pros. I’m very happy to have Alexandre as copartner for this morning. We get to know each other and fine-tune our canoeing techniques.
We stop for lunch on a large, rocky beach lined by a forest of trees that partially burned down this past spring owing to a fire. Anyone who ventures in comes back covered in soot.
After lunch, we set up a tarp, as the skies swell, and the cumulus clouds transform into large cauliflowers. We don’t want to take our chances for the discussion that awaits. In the end, we set up at the edge of the beach, it looks like we’ll stay dry.
Marie-Michelle opens up the discussion by reminding everyone that no one is obligated to speak. Contributions are voluntary. She introduces this moment as an opportunity to go beyond the informal discussions that have been shared among the group. Then, she asks the participants who are willing to share a significant moment from their cancer journey.
Remember that the group is made up of teenagers aged 14 to 18. The depth of their reflections is surprising and touches on all aspects of life, family, friends, themselves. Their stories are genuine and sincere and stir emotions not just for those generously recounting them, but also the other participants and group members. I always leave these expeditions unsettled by these testimonies, but equally dazzled by the maturity and extraordinary insight of the participants.
After a quick moment to let the emotional rollercoaster run its course, everyone puts their PFD and helmet back on and hops back in their canoe for the last few kilometres of our day.
When we get to camp, the human equipment transportation chain is reassembled and in less than 10 minutes, the canoes are empty and on the edge of the riverbank. Our mobile campsite quickly takes form, it’s really starting to look like we’ve been together for nine days now.
Tonight, I leave you with a head full of beautiful images and a heart full of strong feelings.
See you tomorrow for our last full day on the Spanish River.
Louis-Étienne Prévost
Volunteer photographer-blogger for the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation
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Translated by Anna Tomczyk