By George
Tough the George River sees only a few canoeing parties a year, Gary and Joanie McGuffin knew its non-technical rapids would be perfect for artists that wanted to go deep into the wilderness, not deep into the river. It flows fast and clean over a cobblestone bed along the west side of the Torngat Moun- tains, which separate northern Quebec from Labrador. Te broad valley it has cut into its namesake plateau allows for a longer growing season than the surrounding tundra and has allowed a finger of the boreal forest to point north up the val- ley to Ungava Bay. “Te rapids aren’t complicated,” says Joanie, “but there are
big waves and it’s fast and wide so you have to start out on the correct line. A dump could mean a lot of lost gear.”
Not Like Watching Paint Dry
Te group took 18 days to cover 320 kilometres on the fast-moving river, which works out to about the same speed people in black turtlenecks move through an art gallery. But the pace only taught Joanie an appreciation for the artistic process. “Artists are the ultimate trippers because they take time to study the land,” she says. “Some paddlers race down a river so they can check it off their list. Artists don’t just admire the landscape from their canoe. Tey see a ridge and then go to see what they can see from it, or what’s behind it. It’s the best way to trip.”
28 n
C ANOE ROOT S spring 2007
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