no choice, Jim,” he said. “We’re running it.” I knew we actually did have a choice, but I also knew neither of us would rather exercise the overland option. I happily resigned myself to the situation, fully aware that I was here for no other reason than the condition from which I suffer. It’s called foot-in-mouth disease. Every time I have the opportunity to avoid
trouble by keeping my mouth shut I usually end up opening it and shoving my foot firmly into it. It has gotten me into trouble before. Why did I suggest sea kayaking through wal- rus-infested waters in the Arctic last year? Did I have to insist on camping close to fresh bear scat in Temagami? Would this day turn out any better than those? As the Duval entered on our left, the famil- iar taste of my feet was replaced by the earthy taste of mud as the Bonaventure crashed over the bow and into my face. I was only aware of moments of lurching tippiness as the canoe heaved over—and through—the waves and holes. Upright but almost swamped, we steered the canoe into what passed for calm water below the confluence. The bottom of our canoe was full of water so brown I could- n’t see my feet below. Busy bailing out the bow, I took Christian at his word when he told me he had leaned hard into a few huge braces, saving us from flipping more than once. With the added volume of the Duval, we descended all the faster and tore through the last of the kilometres to the base. I was sure we would arrive before the rest of the group, but as we approached the floating dock I saw arms waving us in. I couldn’t help but notice they were only using one arm to wave. The team was two beers ahead of us and it was time to catch up.
They’d decided that with one of the world’s clearest river’s running so muddy, we would drink a special toast. And we did, with La Fin du Monde, one of Quebec’s darkest and strongest beers.
2005 Annual 23
photo by Dave Morin
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