For the very first time this week, the clouds appeared late Sunday night. The mosquitoes were out earlier signalling the barometric pressure was much lower than normal. By 3 AM the wind started blowing, followed by increasingly frequent lightning. The wind increased, I should write INCREASED. The rains came at 3:25 AM. Heavy, disgustingly heavy rain. For a full twenty minutes, there was at least one bolt of lightning a second, if not more.
Imagine the thunder that came with this… It was like a horror movie. Again the wind… Ouch! We estimated the winds hit 70 km/hr. and we wondered if our tents would withstand all of this. Fortunately, we had set up camp away from the prevailing winds for the tent poles didn’t hold in the wind and for a few seconds the nylon canvas crumbled on us… Around 4 AM, the storm slowly abated and half an hour later, it was over. For many participants, this was the worst storm they had ever encountered. For the youths who had set up their tents some distance away from the adults, Mario’s arrival was a comforting presence during the storm.

At dawn, everything was quiet. For a ninth day in a row (!), we got up under blue skies and the sun helped dry out the tents and our equipment before our last kayak trip. Our arrival at Kilcoursie beach was grandiose to say the least. Like a Spanish Armada (you should be humming the main theme of the movie 1492 as you read this) or like a swarm of helicopters as in Apocalypse Now (do you hear the Valkyries?). The vacationers on the beach seemed a little overwhelmed by our arrival. When 18 people arrive on a beach after an 8-day expedition, there is some shouting, some signing, a lot of shouting and singing!

Because of the favourable winds, we reached terra firma earlier than planned. So we had time for one last game of Frisbee in the lake. Much to my chagrin, I must confess the youngsters clobbered the adults. Well, we were facing the sun and the wind, so that explains it. (Don’t look so doubtful! I swear it is true!)

Later in the afternoon, after setting up camp and cleaning our equipment, we treated ourselves to a forgotten luxury: hot showers and unlimited cold drinking water. Pure bliss…

The last circle meeting, a must in every expedition of the Foundation, marked the evening. Each participant, including the adults, had to summarize their experience in one word and explain his/her choice. Real. Growing. Grateful. Teamwork. Strength. Energy. Rebirth. Wonder. Audacity. Love. Sunray. Luck. Powerful. Beautiful. Inspired. Smiles. This circle meeting, like all others, was a very moving moment.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, the kids will be with their next of kin. We dare believe that the expedition took them one step further in their recovery process. As some participants stated, if the hospital was the scene of their physical recovery, this outdoor adventure – in a sometimes-hostile environment – allowed them to recover from their psychological wounds.

In closing, I would like to thank our readers who followed us in our adventure; a special thank you to those who took the time to send in their comments.

And to you, young participants in this expedition, as you read this on your return, thank you for the privilege of rubbing shoulders with you and, most of all, to share openly with you. You are true fighters. You are an inspiration for me, for all of us. Thank you.

J-Charles Fortin, blogger and photographer for the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation

As with other islands and islets on Georgian Bay, Pleasant Island is a fascinating series of rock formations in incredibly clear waters, from pure blue to turquoise, emerald green to golden amber, depending on the sun and the lakebed. Day after day, the beauty of this lake, each point and island bringing its own surprise, astounds us. Not to mention the cormorants, the loons, the geese and other bird species, following us each day.

Today, July 17 is Ashley’s nineteenth birthday. The day started with 17 versions of “Happy Birthday, Ashley”, each participant in the expedition wanting to mark this special day. There were a few appropriate songs followed by a stirring group rendition of “Stand By Me”. Later in the evening, a surprised Ashley was presented with a cake and candles.

Our expedition is blessed wit the presence of Jerry, a young man of Chinese extraction who generously shares his culture with us. He was at the origin of our rally cry: Di Jia Hao, which means, “A large family is a good thing” in Mandarin. Having started this expedition as a group, we overcame all difficulties thrown our way to become a team. Discovering and using each member’s special talents, we became a crew. As I watch how the youths of our expedition have bonded, there is no doubt that we are now a large family.

For a sixth consecutive day, it was a bright sunny day. The strong winds of the past days have given way to a soft breeze, a caress on our tanned skins result of our non-stop exposure to the elements. With the exception of a few waves over the shoals of Georgian Bay, the waters offered but a gentle ripple. If the waters were calm, we were not. Many wars broke out during our trip: water splashing with the paddles, water pump wars, kayak races and many more. There was also another colourful activity: cliff jumping! From twenty feet up, teens and adults jumped in the cool waters. If I may say so, the kids were braver than some adults…

If the high point of Tuesday was the technical challenges, today’s highlight was the beautiful scenery. Paddling along spectacular rocky cliffs, slaloming between the islands, denuded points and peninsulas, we could easily have been on a tropical lagoon. Finally, a fresh bass, courtesy of Sébastien who got up early to try his luck at fishing, enhanced our supper of tapenade, chicken and wild rice with Portobello mushrooms, and pears in caramel.

To top it all, we set up camp at Phoebe Point, one of the most beautiful camping sites I have ever seen. No kidding. And this writer has spent more than 1000 nights camping (I was, and still am, a guide before becoming a blogger and photographer…), and more than 90 per cent of those were in wilderness camping sites like this one. Nothing less than outstanding! We were spoiled, very spoiled, in our previous night’s sites, but this one is miles above. It has everything you can wish for: kayak ‘parking’ in a small bay sheltered from the wind, a small grey pine area to relax in the shade, a large partly shaded stone platform for our kitchen set up, naturally shaped stone shelves to store our equipment, panoramic stone mounds to pitch our tents, a bay opening on the lake serves as a natural swimming pool with unbelievably clear waters, crazy Dali-esque stone formations, batrachians in the nearby swamp provide the music… I feel my description is falling short of expressing the full beauty and practicality of this natural site.

And, on our right, the sun sets in the pinkish waters as the moon rises on our left…

The day off started well. First, a deer dropped in for a visit at our campsite. Then, Mario caught a good-sized bass that was a welcome side dish at supper. Despite having slept in late, the kids are still kind of bushed. Leisurely stretched on flagstones, they follow Sébastien’s instructions on how to imitate the call of the loon.

Part of the morning was used for a mid-adventure discussion. It’s an important part of the Foundation’s expeditions. Basically, the kids are asked to share their impressions, their feelings, and the way they manage their fears as stated at the beginning of the expedition or the objectives they had set for themselves. Often this exercise is very touching. This expedition was be no exception.

“I feel I’m being reborn.” “For the first time since I was diagnosed, I can live in the moment.” “This is a dream come true. The same dream I made while in the hospital.” “I now realize that this expedition was what was missing to mark the transition between my illness and the future I wish for myself.” Not a dry eye to be seen during these sharing moments.

The other highlight of this beautiful and warm day didn’t happen on the water but in the waters of Cullingham Bay, a small bay on Franklin Island where we set up camp. Virginie (Gargano, one the of Foundation’s guides) held a sessionon righting a capsized kayak.The participants were invited to capsize their kayaks and try various techniques that would allow them to climb back in their crafts in deep waters. After some shouting, much laughter, amost wonderful sense of accomplishment settled in.
At day’s end, Jerry, Sébastien, Brennan, Patrick, Robert and Mario came back empty handed after fishingfor an hour. No matter, we ended the day together with a “sex on the beach”, watching the sunset. [Translator’s Note: Our friend, who writes the blog in French, thought he’d stump me with the previous sentence. He even imagined I would write “Nevertheless, we still allow ourselves to end the day by having sex on the beach all together at sunset.” GOTCHA!] Friends and families of the participants, relax! This is a “sex on the beach” cocktail, without alcohol…

We then headed off to Calhoun Island, our lunch stop. Once again, we had to face a blazing sun and heavy winds. Our efforts were rewarded when we sighted a black bear on Twin Sisters Island, a small 100 by 500 meter island! The bear probably swam from one small rocky island to the next to get to his destination, as it is some 3 kilometres from the coast.

Overall, we paddled some 14 kilometres along Shebeshekong Channel, mostly with a head wind. We are now back on Franklin Island, but on the west side. It was a long day, even exhausting for some. We were all very happy to reach terra firma around 6 PM! The kids didn’t have a clue what time it was, as we had confiscated their watches, telephones, I-Pods and other toys before the start of the expedition. We go by the sun and the moon…

And now, the “gossip column”: Brennan continues to learn French and he can now say “I like Virginie, sometimes”. Sébastien (of his own will) spent the night outdoors. Fareed has just about conquered his fear of water. Ashley thinks Sébastien is rather cute (but that was already public knowledge…).

Go to FlickR to see the expedition photos.

The wind has been blowing nonstop for two days and we have to revise our plans. Will our participants be able to paddle the whole way as planned? Will they have enough energy to face this challenge? There is a team meeting.

So, we go back to the Foundation’s Mission Statement. We remind ourselves that these kids are fighters and that they’ve been through much worse. We remind ourselves that our wish is for these youths to face a challenge, to set new limits for themselves, to become prouder and more self-confident, that they should come out of this expedition with an enhanced sense of accomplishment. The decision is unanimous, we launch and we will continue the trip as planned.

We face the waves once again. We take advantage of an east-to-west bay to bring the crafts together, set up a sail and enjoy the wind pushing us ahead for a while. Alas, this was to be short-lived! As we gat to the other side of Point Burritt, the winds are even stronger than before. Without hesitation I can tell you that we used all the proteins we had taken in with our eggs and bacon at breakfast

Our efforts are rewarded by a super ice cream snack at the Dillon marina, a small hamlet of some ten homes, which is the sole human settlement we will encounter during our trip. After a well-deserved pause, we return to the Northern tip of Franklin Island, a site that could well be called ‘(excellent) blueberry point”, with our apologies to the residents of Saguenay and Lac-Saint-Jean.

Except for the wind, the weather is wonderful. Yet, the wind prevents us from being “baked” by the ever-present sunshine. Yet, cirrus clouds have shown up during the day and the wind is shifting. There will be a heavy rainstorm before Friday.

In the meantime, the moon is nearly full and engulfs our camp in a pallid light as the clouds have disappeared from the sky. After first sitting on a stony point, our young friends retreated to the kitchen tent away from the bugs. From a distance, I listen to their conversations. Their laughter is refreshing. Their happiness is contagious. The loons seem to join in the laughter.

In the early morning, 15-18 knot winds were sweeping Georgian Bay. It was as if a whole herd of sheep was prancing around our island. What were we to do? Face the choppy waters or remain a little longer on Pancake Island?

First, what better way to honour our island than a delicious breakfast of Nutella-Banana pancakes? We will need all the energy we can get to face this unstable sea. As the youths savour their breakfast, the guides are hard at work. The winds are strong all right, but they are constant and predictable. The visibility is excellent and there are no clouds in the sky. In addition, there is only one kilometre between Pancake Island and Snug Harbour, a short crossing. So, the decision is made to proceed. Teams are revised to match one adult and one youth per kayak, and off we go!

It was an epic crossing! Sea kayaking at its best! There is a warm wind in our faces to soften the splashing waters of Lake Huron as we dip in successive waves. It’s hard work to keep on course, so, we keep a tight formation and eat plenty of chocolate! In no time we have arrived. The youngsters are very proud of their success, and so are we.

We then follow the coast and take in the majesty of the tall white pines. Most impressive is the colour and limpidity of the water. The golden sunlight enhances the unsuspected emerald shades of the water. It’s just like a tropical sea. The older members of our group scan the horizon hoping for Brooke Shields to emerge from her blue lagoon.

In mid-afternoon we reach Franklin Island. This gigantic island will be the hub of our circumnavigation for the next few days. We set up camp and then we go swimming, we play Frisbee and just relax. Our nurse sets up shop: our psycho-educator, Robert, and Richard, a cameraman from TVA who travels with us, both “nurse” blisters. Of course, I assured them I would not mention it in the blog…

In closing, I invite you to leave your comments on the blog. Having done this blog in previous expeditions, I know the youngsters LOVE reading the comments of those who follow them on the blog. The ball is in your camp…

Monday morning, and our expedition gets underway. Au-revoir Blind Bay. We leave you to launch from Kilcoursie beach as we head to Pancake Island, some 6 kilometres away.

Before leaving, some last minute precautions: beware of poison ivy and the improbable presence of rattlesnakes. The park Rangers tell us there are some Mississauga Rattlers in this area. They add that it is highly unlikely we will come across one of them as we are at the northernmost limit of their habitat, that the species is extremely rare and endangered, and finally, because we will be camping on islands. As a matter of fact, not one specimen was seen this year. Well, if you say so… lady Rangers… In any event, we have our own highly competent medical staff!

Surprised and relieved, we managed to get all our material in the kayaks. Better still, there was some room left! We were rewarded for our efforts to use every single cubic centimetre: first, we spotted a doe and her two, still speckled, calves, followed by a smoked salmon lunch.
We finally launched early afternoon. The cloud cover cools the air slightly, the ideal weather to paddle. Georgian Bay is calm, i-d-e-a-l conditions. We eat up the kilometres like pros. Our young friends are having a ball, and so are we.

Propped up on the boulders of our campsite, we listen to their chatter. They are happy. Finally, they can share will people who have lived through the same situations they have. They laugh and share about the sometimes-esoteric situations they experienced because of the side effects of their treatments. They comment on the regrowth of their hair, hospital food, the alteration of their culinary preferences as their sickness and treatment progressed. They are clearly happy.

And so are we.

As I write this, (Monday, 10 PM) the wind rises and menacing clouds are showing up. The guides examined the tents to make sure they were secure. The night may well be agitated.

The day started with a circle of discussion. The youths were asked to share their fears but most of all their objectives at the start of the expedition. Thus, some of them wished to use this expedition to turn the page on a rather unpleasant episode in their lives. Others want to use this opportunity to share with other youths who really understand what they went through. Still others are pleased to face a challenge of their choice and not something that was imposed on them. Believe me when I tell you I am impressed…

A good part of the morning was used to learn about the equipment, choose the proper clothing, how to use the sleeping bags, determine how to, shall we say… answer the call of nature deep in the forest, and learn about hygiene and water treatment during an expedition. After a delicious lunch on the shores of Georgian Bay, we held the First Pebble Skimming World Championship. Sébastien was the winner with 8 skips.
Finally, in mid-afternoon we “broke the ice” and put the kayaks in the water for the first time in preparation for the next eight days. “Breaking the ice” is to be taken in a figurative sense, of course. This is Northern Ontario, but it’s not THAT cold! On the contrary, the waters of this section of Lake Huron are pleasantly warm. So is the breeze; the scenery is pastoral and, young and old, show their best smiles.

So, on the eve of our adventure, we use the showers and facilities of Killbear Park for the last time. Starting Monday morning, we will spend our nights in the deep forest.

Our itinerary was first punctuated by some scheduled stops, for lunch, to fill-up, or simply to stretch our legs. But there was also an unscheduled 90-minute pause to change one of the trailer tires, which had punctured unbeknownst to us – we are grateful to the driver of a blue Ford Winsdstar who brought it to our attention as he passed us. Yes, a full 90 minutes to change a tire, without tools, and with a jack we borrowed from a passer-by, as ours was not suited to this particular task. Now, that is the way to start an adventure!

So, after 12 hours of travelling over the roads of Quebec and Ontario, we finally arrived at beautiful Killbear Park – I had forgotten how healthy the trees are in that part of the country! Good company, chocolate brownies, air conditioning, and videos made this a successful day.
As we entered the park, a sign reminded us that we were not alone on this territory: beware of the bears in Killbear Park! This warning was confirmed a few kilometres later when we met a plump female who ignored us and pursued her foraging in a garbage container looking for some delicacy to eat. We will sleep safely tonight as the park rangers told us that the site we chose for the night was rather infested with wash-bears!!!
Tomorrow, Sunday, is kayak practice day. Our group can’t wait to dip the oars in the water. As Martine St-Clair (nearly) sang in 1984: “There’s excitement in the aiiiiiir, toniiiiiight!”