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Rating: 
Summary: a canoe trip in the far north
Review: In 1981, four paddlers set out on 800-mile, 38-day canoe trip in the barren region west of Hudson Bay where Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut come together. Their complicated itinerary on these seldom-visited waterways included Reindeer Lake, the Cochrane River, the Thlewiaza River, Nueltin Lake, the Kognak River, South Henik Lake, and the Maguse River, ending on the western shores of Hudson Bay.
It was the first real wilderness trip for the author who had very little canoeing experience. Fortunately his three partners had lots of paddling miles under their belts and taught him many of the ups and downs of travelling in the wilderness. As a result, this book is filled with astute observations by a curious newcomer to the country and the best way to explore it, the paddling, the portaging, the camping, the vast vistas, the cold wind, surviving the clouds of black flies. It all made a deep impression on the man and it comes through in his writing that reflects, often in well-observed detail, on his new experiences in this harsh but breathtakingly beautiful country. The author also talks about his personal feelings and growth, the evolving relationships between the four men, and the insights he gains from being part of a team on an extended northern trip. The numerous black-and-white photographs, made by George Luste-who also contributed the excellent Foreword -are on the whole quite good in illustrating the country and how the four men travelled through it; unfortunately the quality of their reproduction in the book is not always satisfactory. This well-written book should also have had a more inspiring title and a better cover photograph.
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