Š LEE NARRAWAY (2)
Adventures in paradise Paddling the rapids of Katannilik Park
Text and Photos by Lee Narraway
T
he day did not look promising. Frobisher Bay lay under a blanket of fog and rain and our early morning charter flight from Iqaluit into the wilderness of Katannilik Territorial Park had been cancelled due to poor visibility. I checked through my stuff again; sleeping
bag, rain gear, a few extra clothes, wool hat, lots of warm socks and my oh-so-essential photography equipment, carefully packed in a waterproof case. I glanced over at my companions as they too attempted to reduce the size of their backpacks; Murray Ball from Iqaluit had organized this trip for his two sons, Misha and Bryn and his brother Max from Saskatchewan.
Above: Pouring down to create a foamy curtain of turquoise, Livingstone Falls roars through a Katannilik canyon. Opposite: Paddling through that very first set of rapids proved to be exhilaration plus!
I was tagging along as the photographer. We were making final preparations to paddle the Soper River in Southern Baffin Island for ten days with Wanapitei, an Ontario-based canoe company that had hired local Iqaluit guide Matty McNair. Her experience on this Canadian Heritage River spanned 21 years. The 60-kilometre route offered swift currents and Class 1 and Class 2 rapids, perfect for our group, most of whom had never even held a paddle. Because of our novice status, Matty switched from canoes to inflatable rafts to give us better stability. We would finish our trip in the predominantly Inuit community of Kimmirut.
November/December 2012
above & beyond
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