Song of the Paddle

"Unna Lake" 6 X 10" Water colour on paper.

Well, it's time I got something up on the old blog here. After strong-arming my way through 116 km of some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet, I have some modest little water colours to show for. And actual arm-muscles (sorta).

Towards the end of the trip we had some down-time and I could concentrate on painting for a few hours. I am very happy with the results in spite of the non-dramatic subject matter. The big mountains were mostly in the beginning part of the trip. I'm also starting to wonder if water colour is not more in my future than oils!

Believing as I do in balancing the four Platonic elements (air, fire, water, and earth), I find water colours very soothing, me being a fire sign and all. They seem to cool me down inside.

"Stump, Pat's Point" 6 X 10" Water colour and pencil on paper. In camp on the sixth night. this one has Cezanne written all over it. I crashed in the mouse-garrisoned cabin because I spent so much time that afternoon painting, so did not have time to set up my tarp before dark. (Dan, if you could scan that watercolour I left with you I'll put it up here as well.)

"Beached Kayaks, Birch Camp" 6 X10" Water colour and pencil on paper. That is my kayak and Erin's there on the beach. I just finished drawing it before she went out in it again--to look for moose!

"Art is never finished, but it stops in interesting places."

I fell asleep in the sun just on the other side of that leaning tree before waking up and painting this. Imaging: flat on my back in the sun, hat over my face, bees buzzing, water gently lapping, the smell of grass and lake and trees, hundreds of km from anywhere I may have had to be, sleeping off the drug that is life.

Spending eight days just paddling, camping, laughing and eating was the holiday I needed, so here are some photos as well.

If you of the "Group of 7 " Bowron paddling team would like to submit 1-2 really good photos (and maybe some photos of me), I'd be glad to post them here!

Clark and Kathy Kerr in "The Floating Chuckwagon".
Also one of the faster canoes on the Lake (trust me!).

Happy paddlers :) L-R Dan, Bill, Janice and Erin.

Paradise regained.

Some of the local hills. An art shot. Real mountain weather that day. Isaac Lake.

The best tarp rigging job of the entire trip. Dan thinks I'm the Bucky Fuller of the backwoods.... .
I do prefer a tarp over a tent, but those new free-standing tents sure do go up faster.

Going onto Lanezi Lake after the Caribou River.
Floating through what's left of the earth.

I've only now just stopped waking up at dawn, thinking I am still in camp. Many, many thanks for Dan and Erin for setting this up, and lending me that little yellow kayak. And Bill and Janice and Clark and Kathy for the great company, endless jokes, great food and flat out rockin' good times!