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Paddle To the Arctic
Paddle To the Arctic
By Don Starkell
McClelland & Stewart, Toronto,1995.
313 pp. $24.95 (US) $29.95 Cdn.
Review by MICHAEL PEAKE --
Che-Mun Editor
Canoelit Home Page
What does it take to write a book? Authors talk about the sweat, toil and torture of writing. Of getting all those thoughts and feelings down on paper. For Don Starkell, writing Paddle to the Arctic must have been a piece of cake considering what he had to go through on the incredibly tortuous undertaking he put himself through.
Starkell is best known for the compelling Paddle to the Amazon about the 12,000 mile canoe trip from Winnipeg to Brazil. That was a wonderful read and his latest is well, I can't say enjoyable perhaps compelling, certainly wincing. This book concerns Starkell's three year attempt to paddle by sea kayak from Churchill Manitoba to Tuktoyuktuk at the mouth of the Mackenzie River. It was to be a formidable undertaking.
The book is done in journal style with daily entries over the three summers it took Starkell is candid, perhaps lacking some insight into his own demons and drives which made a group of three become one before very long.
Starkell started his journey as a solo effort in 1990 and within a couple of days of paddling the treacherous coast north of Churchill had dumped in chilly Hudson Bay and came very close to dying. He limped back to Churchill where one local greeted him with the fact he was sorry he made it back because it would only encourage others to try the same.
The 59-year-old Starkell started again next year with two other veteran companions, Fred Reffler, 55, and Victoria Jason, 45, as they attempted to reach Repulse Bay. Fred only lasted for a while and left the trip at Arviat (Eskimo Point). Victoria continued on to Repulse Bay and was game to try again the next summer for the big push.
The pair gave it a go next June and attempted to pull their sleds from Repulse to Pelly or Spence Bays but lasted only one day before Victoria gave up. It was too much work
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