It’s a quiet morning; 6:30 and it’s still snowing “des peaux de lièvres” on Lake Martin-Valin. The snow is falling so lightly it makes for an even gentler scene. There is an atmosphere of quiet sleepiness; even the wind is still at rest. Slowly, our campsite at the top of Monts-Valin is slowly waking up, after a good night’s sleep, more so perhaps for those who dared sleep in the cold arctic tent.
After breakfast, the group is divided in two sections. Today, it’s traction kite skiing and ice fishing.
On the lake, we join Hugo and Raphaël, of Progression Kite, our traction kite instructors. From afar, we can see their sails blowing in the wind, colourful spots in a white setting. One by one, the expedition members try their hand at this sport, slowly conquering the wind gusts across the lake engulfed in the mountains. « High on kite » is what the participants say as they return from this activity. It is obvious they were amazed at being carried, be it for a single moment, by the strong winds.
At the ice fishing site, under the guidance of Jérémie, we can leisurely talk as we watch the tip-ups dancing in the wind and moved by the trout nibbling at the worms on the fishhooks. The fact remains that we are quite excited to pull out a small trout from under the thick ice and what seems an empty and hostile environment. We return to camp, proudly carrying four Arctic char.
During the afternoon, the wind picks up strength, gusting the snow. After a few minutes, the scene around the lake disappears. It’s a blizzard! All of a sudden we’re in an arctic storm, above the 70th parallel. What a remarkable experience! We stick together as a group, in the comfort of our safe haven where we continue our activities as nature rages wild outside.
And, slowly the day comes to an end, the wind dies and we’re getting ready to face a cold night and a sunny day tomorrow.
* Literally “hare skins”. A local Saguenay phrase meaning large, heavy, and soft snow flakes.