2009 Pulling Together Canoe Journey
Journals
Pulling Together
July 4-11, 2009
Okanagan and Skaha lakes
The Pulling Together program got its start in 1997 with Vision Quest, a trip down the west coast with RCMP and First Nations folks. Ed Hill, RCMP (Ret.), was a major player in this event and with his efforts and others, the event morphed into Pulling Together. The event is still a vehicle for getting First Nations and Law enforcement people into canoes and “pulling together” but has expanded from just RCMP to include any and all law enforcement agencies.
Over the past few years, Ed Hill and I have been in contact and shared experiences and thoughts about big canoes and journeys, he with Pulling Together and me with the David Thompson Brigades. As the Pulling Together event was in the Okanagan Valley and local this year and we had the time, Gib and I tried for six months to get the local law enforcement and FN people interested. When nothing transpired, Ed Hill recommended Gib and me to the Mission, BC team who had a new canoe and not a lot of experience with big canoes. We were more than happy to help out.
I am a month late in getting these journals printed and posted. This is due in part to a week’s worth of “stuff’ piling up while I was gone and I found I needed time to digest what had happened on the Journey. This was not the ordinary trip with friends and family and was not like the Brigades we were on with the David Thompson happenings in 2006, 07, 08. Although we had an arrival protocol at our stops on the Columbia in 2007 and our 2008 Brigade, the arrival and departure ceremonies, the LG of BC kicking off the event, the Pow Wow in Penticton and the other dynamics of the 2009 Pulling Together Journey was more profound, more involved and more complicated. I needed time to think and reflect.
July 4, 2009 – Arrival Day and Gib and I drove the 30 minutes to the camp and kick-off spot at the North Okanagan Indian Band Round House at Komasket Park. A number of teams had arrived and were setting up camp and a lot of the canoes were parked on the beach. We met with Gail Jewel, organizer of the Mission, BC team and had our first look at the brand new canoe. This new model is called The Pacific Dancer. It is 36’ long and has seats for 17 paddlers. We got enough paddlers together and went for a one hour paddle with a number of us changing seats to adjust for trim and for all to get a feel for the canoe. The evening festivities included a welcome by the organizers, the North Okanagan Indian Band and by the Lt. Gov. of BC, Steven Point, first First Nations LG. Dinner was provided by the BC Department of Fisheries and Oceans and others and was great. Weather warm and clear.
July 5, 2009 – Breakfast at 0500 and canoes were to be on the water at 0630. Some teams were on the water by 0630 but others were not as prompt. Once everyone did arrive, a departure ceremony was held and we were on our way by 0730. Weather clear and a bit of a breeze from the north gave us a slight tail wind. Many stops and starts, rafting up, floating with the wind, course changes and then a pit stop at a small park on the west side of the lake. There was one pit toilet that resulted in an hour long line-up. We arrived at Fintry and set up camp, commuted back for trailers and vehicles. Bag lunches were provided and dinner followed in the evening. Drumming and “Circles” happened.
July 6, 2009 – Woke up to a strong wind and cloudy conditions. Before long, rain threatened and there were lightening strikes along the mountains to the west of us. The paddle to Kelowna was cancelled after a delay and the whole entourage traveled to the West Side Indian Band beach and camp ground. Found a Tim Horton’s along the way. Camp was set up on the beach with many tents pitched on the sand. One gust of wind hit the camp site and in a 30 second blast, moved a few canoes parked on the beach, blew down tents and left one tent stuck in tree branches 15 feet above the ground. The weather gradually improved, the press and TV showed up and some canoes went for a paddle around the bay. Dinner followed.
July 7, 2009 – Bkfst. at 0500 with canoes on the water at around 0630. Departure ceremony and finally underway at 0700. Paddled under the new Bennet Bridge at Kelowna and headed south. Good tail wind and we are starting to get a good feel for handling the canoe. Steering is done mostly from the back with some help from the front. Under full speed, the feeling is one of trying to keep a speeding Greyhound Bus going straight down a very icy road. Small and constant adjustments need to be made and if the canoe starts to get away, heavy prying is needed or let the canoe go, stop and get it righted and start again. This is a big canoe for big water and not for portaging! At 850 lbs., 12 people have their hands full getting it into the water without dragging it on shore. We stop at Rattlesnake Island, a sacred place to the FN of the area with special protocols required. Weather is hot and dry. We travel across the lake to Antler Beach and a bag lunch is handed out. We were to have traveled a bit further south to camp at Lake Okanagan Park but there was a major fluff up that caused a political happening between the Penticton Indian Band and the BC Parks people. This is cleared up but several days later. In the meantime, it was decided to leave the canoes at Antler Beach (Peachland) and move the camp to the Penticton Indian Band recreation grounds. There is lots of room for everyone and the camp can remain there for the rest of the Journey. Gib and I are now living out of the beautiful bus we had converted into a bunkhouse for the 2008 David Thompson Brigade. It is For Sale! and a center of interest and discussion at the campsite. Jim Rheaume, our Chief Voyageur of the 1967 Centennial Canoe Race lives in Penticton and came and joined us at the campsite. Gib and I enjoyed a visit with Jim, used the shower at his home and were to have visits with him along the route for the next few days.
July 8, 2009 – Up early again, bkfts in the Band Hall and commute back to Summerland. Finally on the water at 0900. It would be a long day with pit stops along the way, lunch along the way and lots of time to stop, raft up and chat. Our crew was joined by Bobbie Baker and Wes Nahanni, voices for the Salish Nation. They would impart some of their experiences and wisdom on us as would Ed Hill from time to time. Late in the afternoon we arrived at the beach in Penticton and after the arrival ceremony which included the circle and salute of all the canoes then the rafting up and facing the shore for welcome speeches and drumming, as is the custom, we had to turn the canoes and back into shore. With our big Pacific Dancer canoe, on dry land the gunwale at the stern seat came up to above my mid thigh. When we backed in and the stern touch sand, the bac seat was three feet from dry land and it was impossible to just step out over the gunwale or get back in either. I had to swing both legs over the gunwale and hop into the water as did the seats in front of me. As we cleared a couple of seats, the stern could be pulled up on shore and a few more paddlers could get out . This was done until everyone was out. No dry feet for anyone! The canoes were loaded onto trailers and taken to camp. I had had a disagreement with one of the itinerant paddlers in our canoe this day. Ed Hill organized a “Circle”. When we got together, Ed and I, the paddler and two more of our regular crew formed a circle. Ed laid down the rules, everyone would speak with no interruptions. When we were finished, Ed summed everything up and made recommendations. I was happy, my crew mates were happy and I hope the paddler was happy. An efficient way of meeting and dealing with things right up front.
July 9, 2009 – Today is a day off from paddling. I got even with the late night drummers by standing in the middle of the ball field/campground and playing some early morning bagpipes at 0630. There were tours organized, visits to museums and galleries as well as tubing in the canal from Okanagan Lake to Skaha. Big Pow Wow this evening with lots of drumming, dancing, parades and flag waving. All the paddlers/canoe families, paraded in as teams were introduced and joined in with the dancing and celebrations. This carried on for the whole evening.
July 10, 2009 – Bkfst at 0530. Camp is slow getting going. The French Toast and coffee helped a bit. Canoes into the water and going on Skaha Lake by 0730. With and intermediate stop half way down Skaha we were at the beach at OK Falls about noon. We had enjoyed a great run with a mostly tail wind. As the Inspector of the Mission RCMP detachment was on hand as was the Mayor of Mission, we had two new crew members. It was the Mayor’s first time in a canoe. As the Inspector had had some canoeing experience and was a sailor, he took the stern position for the an hour and had more than a few steering adventures. However, the trip was great, the arrival in OK falls spectacular and all was over about noon. Gib and I had to head back to Vernon for other obligation and the rest of the Pulling Together folks headed back to Penticton and the camp ground and/or hit the road for home.
My last thoughts, in no particular order:
- Great trip, great people on the Mission team and great new canoe.
- Keeping things on time didn’t seem to bother a lot of people. Ed told me to throw away my wrist watch and that helped.
- The sharing of cultures between the different nations and the law enforcement people was an on and off thing. At times, the different cultures seemed to clash and at others, everyone was “in the same canoe”.
- Safety was a big concern with all the young people, old people and inexperienced paddlers. A great job was done with the rules for the fleet, the Canadian Navy safety boat and the two police boats.
- Proper hydration was a concern and to that end, the paddlers and families consumed truck loads of H2O.
- The food provided by the organizing committee and their volunteers and associates was good and they all did a great job in delivering it to the 300 or so people on the trip.
- Thoughts and ideas for next year’s journey were passed around and talked about but the plans will come out some time in the future. Will we be there? I hope so. Gib and I would very much like to bring some of our FN and law enforcement paddler friends and introduce them to what we experienced. We would look forward to a journey on the west coast. I don’t think the big canoes we paddled on this journey would be suitable for anything other than big water and no portaging.
| Departing Kelowna | 200 people, one toilet! | Departing Peachland |
|
|
|
| Pacific Dancer with Mission crew | Bobby Baker and Norther Dancer | Arriving Penticton |
|
|
|
| Mayor Mission, autograph time. | Bus for sale! | Bobby Baker and Wes Nahanni |
|
|
|
| Vancouver Police Department | Pow wow parade Penticton | Skaha Lake |
|
|
|
| Skaha Lake | RCMP Inspector and Mayor of Mission | End of journey, Okanagan Falls |
|
|
|
| End of journey, OK Falls | End of journey, OK Falls | End of journey, OK Falls |
|
|
|
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
July 4, 5 & 6, 2009
July 4, 09 and Gib and I met our new team mates and had a look at the canoe we are to paddle. It is a "Pacific Dancer", a brand new design from Clipper and the second canoe of its kind out of the mold. It is 36'long and has seats for 17 paddlers. We took it for a short spin and found quickly that it has its own personality. The bottom is flat with a good bit of rocker which makes turning very easy but tracking a challenge. Let your mind wander and the canoe is doing a quick turn where you didn't want it to turn.
The official opening and kick off was done by the Lt. Gov. of BC, followed by a great feeast and a lot of drumming.
July 5 and we are on the water at 0630 and off to Fintry, our first stop on the journey. Weather clear and hot and the group of 22 very big canoes made quite a sight. We reached Fintry in good time, transferred trailers and vehicles and more drumming and feasting.
July 6. We are on the water again at 0630 but are called back as a storm is underway and lightning is flashing on the ridge behind us. We travel to Kelowna, set up camp and paddle in and around the area. Tents are set up on the beach and about noon, a sudden gust of wind moved the canoes on the beach and sent tents flying into the trees. It was over as soon as it started. Drumming and feasting followed a traditional welcome by the local chiefs and Mayor of Kelowna.
Friday, July 3, 2009
This is just a quick update to let you know that the Pulling Together journey gets underway the afternoon of Friday, July 3 with Gib and I meeting our new team mates and their new Haida canoe (Gib wanted to know if he could bring along his Hide-a-Bed). You can find the details and schedule of stops on the web site www.pullingtogether.ca. The Lt. Gov. of BC will be on hand Saturday July 4 to help kick off the event and to add his blessings to the launch of a couple of new big canoes. I will be posting journal entries as well as pictures on a sporadic basis as time allows. Follow us on www.canadianvoyageur.com as we paddle with 22 teams and up to 300 paddlers/pullers over the next week.
Norm