The French
31 July 2022 2022-09-16 16:36The French
French River
Wemitigoj-Sibi
22-26 Sept 2022
Second Annual French River Group Canoe Trip Celebrating Steve's Birthday
THE RULES
No electronic music. No alcohol. But do bring your musical instruments and lots of plant medicines!
How to pack
This is a canoe trip. You need to be water proof. If we are paddling out during a rainy day your gear will be completely exposed for several hours. And then you will be sad. Pictured here is my son Robbie with a waterproof canoe pack. I also use several canoe barrels. You will also need:
- Tent
- sleeping bag, sleeping mat
- mess kit (plate, bowl, cup, knife, fork, spoon)
- personal gear (don't over pack, details to come)
All packed in your waterproof container mentioned above. It’s good to use stuff/compression sacs for your soft items. There’s loads of spare equipment within this group.
The food
Oh my god. THE FOOD!
We have 4 group dinners for you to team up on. Each group will source and pack the required ingredients for their group meal. We will have several stoves and BBQ and an open fire (if permitted) for you to cook on. And of course all the amazing cookware you would need.
Pictured here are Niki and Sav cooking their amazing noodle stir fry. Alex made an unforgettable cactus salad with BBQ’d pork chops. Nici and Steve made a North African chicken and couscous stew. Breakfast and lunch steaks were provided by team Perly. Way too many snacks, breads and dips were provided by Sarah.
Medicine Day
On day 2 or 3 (depending on the weather) we are going to have a shared psychedelic experience. A little walk with Uncle Sid and Auntie Molly. If this isn’t your thing you can hold space for the travellers.
You can, of course, enjoy your own medicine throughout the weekend and share as much as you wish.
Play time
This year we will be camping at the bottom of the Five Finger Rapids, or Zoongininjii in Anishinaabek. Zoongininjii means Manitou’s strong hand, or simply “five fingers”.
The French River is dam-controlled at Lake Nippissing , so we really can’t predict the water levels. But we will get a lot of paddling in for those that want to play. We have a few experienced white water paddlers with their swift water rescue certifications too. Safety first!
There is also a 6km nature hike along the French River that runs from Dokis to our camping area. More details to come about this.
The Cost
I will organize the event, reserve the site(s) and rent the required canoes. We then split that cost equally amongst us. Everyone will be responsible for the cost of food they provide, plus any snacks and treats. It all works out pretty evenly in the end. Last year it was around $100 each.
Lastly, this is not a guided trip. Everyone will add their skills and talents. Knowing us there will be breathwork, Yoga and more.
