Ask and Thou Shall Receive

It seems we were wind bound in Pukaskwa National Park more days than we paddled. Moderate to strong winds were forecasted on a daily basis. Our soon to be permanent residence was at the mouth of the North Swallow River. It was a nice place to be wind bound. The campsite had an outhouse (a luxury for us), a small waterfall only a short hike from the campsite and a beautiful fine white sand beach. It was the campsite that marked the southern tip of the coastal hiking trail so a boat carrying hikers would come to shore every couple of days.
After two wind bound days and no outside human contact of any kind, I longed for some company. Jon, who could be considered more introverted loved the solitude. I, on the other hand, am an extrovert and was slowly going a little crazy. My partial insanity could also be blamed due to the lack of chocolate confection on the expedition. I craved to sink my teeth into a chocolate bar! We kept ourselves busy with photography, hiking, swimming and writing. My cravings for company and chocolate were satisfied one glorious evening when we spotted the aluminum boat off in the horizon disappearing into the trough of the waves as they came into the beach. Hikers walked off the boat and we spent the evening sharing a campfire with them. As we watched the sunset we were surprised to see two kayakers appear in the distance. They came ashore and once they had set up camp came to join us by the fire. To my utmost delight, one of the kayakers was carrying with him three x-large chocolate bars. Beautiful scenery, good company and yummy chocolate - a perfect combination.

History is for the Pits!

After spending a few rest days at Naturally Superior Adventures, Jon and I paddled into one of the most remote sections of our journey this year - Pukaskwa National Park. Pink and grey hills line the coastline intermittent periodically by fine sand and cobble stone beaches. Due to the topography of the area, highway 17 was built around this section of the shoreline so the only way to see it is by hiking, paddling or boating. Our camera beckoned us to take pictures around ever corner. In every direction, the views were stunning. Pukaskwa’s trance was upon us. Our pace slowed and we enjoyed every moment. We swam under waterfalls, hiked up rolling hills and searched the park for one of its greatest mysteries - Pukaskwa pits.
Generally found on the highest terrace of beaches, Pukaskwa pits are depressions in the cobblestone that are usually of a round or oblong shape. Normally a couple meters across by a meter deep, these pits can also be as large as the foundation of a building. Constructed by the Ojibway people, the oldest of the pits are thought to be 10,000 years old with the most recent being 500 years old. Although they are not strictly found within the boundaries of Pukaskwa National Park, the highest concentration of these historical mysteries are located here. The curiosity surrounding Pukaskwa pits remains in their intended use. Were they used to catch fish, provide shelter, or spiritual guidance during vision quests? No one knows.