A look back at yesterday
The fish seemed to be biting for Rania, Paul, Lysianne and Mario. The haul: one 12-inch pike and Rania’s first fish ever!
On the concert side, while canoeing, Jérémie sang a tune that was carried from one canoe to the next. No sooner had he landed on the beach at our campsite than he pulled out his songbook and found the complete lyrics: Rihanna’s Umbrella must have echoed throughout La Vérendrye as the dozen or so performers gave it their all!
“What do you enjoy most about this trip?”
Here are the answers to that question from around the table last night: Charles was the first to speak and he said that it’s the people themselves, the participants as well as the staff of the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation or of Désir de Découvrir, that he appreciates the most. And there’s also a story about Big dogs, a recurring joke! For Rania, it’s game nights and waking up to the beautiful music of Eve-Marie and Catherine. For Coralie, enjoying every moment without thinking about the rest. For Kylie, doing lots of new things like portage. For Alice, everything is fun: the distribution of tasks and the organization, so you don’t have to worry about anything, the bilingualism that comes easily, and the activities. For Vincent, regaining lost strength. For Romane, not having to look at the clock and just being able to live without worrying about the time, and it also reminds her of summer camp as a child. For Paul, that the staff is so passionate, that they always do more than is necessary, like demonstrating everything, even how to carry the barrels. For Nicole, being able to talk freely about cancer, even to the point of joking about it, which many agree with. For Kaylee, it’s so many things, like singing in the canoe or being fed so well, even for vegetarians, it’s tasty and complete, she adds. And many added that they were impressed to have real meals for so many days; a great menu and great organization on the part of Désir de Découvrir. For Jhelisa, it was having a medical team on hand, but also having all the support of the staff, but not having them on her back(!). Michael thanked the guides and staff for working all the time to make sure the group has fun and enjoys themselves, and he also thanked me for writing everything down and photographing everything to keep the memories alive!
Great challenge, great pride
Today we had five portages and three beaver dam crossings in a row. Had we known in advance what to expect, many of us, including myself, would have said, “There’s no way I’m doing this!” And yet, in spite of the newly learned maneuvers, in spite of the heavy loads, in spite of the slippery root-strewn uphill and downhill trails, in spite of the repeated loading and unloading of the canoes, in spite of all those efforts we didn’t think we were capable of, we did it! Carrying 10 80-pound canoes on our backs over hundreds of chaotic meters, grabbing a water canister so as not to go empty-handed even when we’ve already got one or two barrels on our shoulders… and then there are the two large medical bags, the food supplies for five days, the kitchen equipment, the communication boxes… And I’m sure I’m forgetting something.
As Mario pointed out during the lunch break, while the troops look quite tired, not so long ago these young people were bedridden with illness and treatments; and last week, they had no idea that this strength existed within them. Yet today, they rose to a tremendous challenge. They went above and beyond, encouraging and supporting each other. Jessica had to impose a mandatory stop for a bite to eat, before making an extra round trip at lunchtime. This is what the Foundation wants to help them to do: regain confidence in their bodies and their strength to accomplish whatever they want, even demanding tasks. Spontaneous mutual aid and a great group dynamic led to super organization. The guides, Marylou, Lysianne… all carried loads worthy of Nepalese mules… even Romane, with her small stature, earned herself the nickname Petite Charrue (little cart) from Catherine. Mario, the doyen of the group, went back and forth, winning the admiration of those who saw him in action for the first time. I can’t list all the performances, but I can tell you that everyone gave it their all, with a lot of willpower and good humour. I had recorded all the distances and other details in my waterproof notebook – yes, there is such a thing! – but this information is secondary to the individual and collective achievements of our group today, especially among the young people.
A song to relish a job well done
The portages are behind us… we gather the canoes before continuing the last paddle with a song. Some of us wanted to take a nap and relax on the canoes. To enhance the moment of rest, Catherine suggests that we sing the Foundation’s hymn. It’s a tune brought back from a Foundation expedition to Elsmere Island in the Arctic in 2000: no words, no language, no meaning, just a gentle melody over an enchanting tempo. We leave in silence, integrating everything we’ve experienced today.
A sign of from the birds
It’s Lysianne, a nature lover and student of the subject, who points out how lucky we are at the end of the day. A flight of three young sandhill cranes has just graced us with their majestic passage. Very rare, she tells me! Then a loon makes its presence known, loudly proclaiming its territory. And finally, a couple of pristine terns fly overhead, taking turns diving for fish, no doubt dinnertime for these delicate, angelic-looking birds.
We discover the site of tonight’s camp… A large sandy beach bordered by small cliffs. The sky darkens and we have just enough time to pitch our tents and wash up before the wind picks up and the drizzle begins. For dessert, Jessica-style popcorn topped with caramel, just like back home when the weather is bad and we’re having a cocooning evening. But here, we curl up in a sleeping bag to the sound of the wind whistling through the trees. No one would trade places.
Fabienne Macé, On the Tip of the Toes Foundation Blogger and volunteer photographer
Translated by Lorraine Gagnon
In pictures
