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The Spanish River has a way of teaching fast. On days three and four of our canoe trip, we went from “pretty comfortable on lakes” to getting humbled by rockered whitewater boats that love to wander. With about 25 kilometres on day three, we felt every little twitch in the hull, zigzagged more than we’d like to admit, and learned how much energy it takes to find a clean rhythm when the boat is built to turn. The good news: moving water gives back. Once we started trusting the current and making smarter choices, the kilometres stopped feeling impossible.

A big part of the growth came from structured practice. Beth coached us through ferry angles, eddy entries, and the kind of boat control that turns swifts from stressful to satisfying. We also talk candidly about mistakes, including dumping three times over four days and the fully loaded swim that came down to miscommunication, a bad angle, and one classic error: grabbing the gunnels. If you’ve ever wondered what actually happens to your gear in a flip, we get into what stayed put, what popped out, and why packing discipline matters on river trips.

We wrap with the practical stuff that doesn’t make highlight reels but absolutely matters: low water scraping, getting hung up, spacing your group so nobody is out of reach, and the value of a guided trip where the guide can also cook. (Bill’s camp meals deserve their own segment.) If you’re planning a Spanish River canoe trip, levelling up your moving-water skills, or just want an honest triplog with real lessons, hit play, then subscribe, share the episode with a paddling buddy, and leave a review so more Canadian campers can find us.

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Smoke-choked skies, waves breaking over the canoe, and a plan that has to work even when there’s no cell signal. That’s the reality of the kind of wilderness canoe tripping Eric and Hillary from Tailwinds North love most, and they join us to share what it actually takes to travel farther off the beaten path without turning every day into a crisis.

We start with how their story grows from paddling around Bancroft and Algonquin into bigger routes like the Yukon River, the Snake River, and a fly-in canoe trip to the East Arm of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories. They walk us through the trip planning process they use each winter: researching maps and trip reports, checking satellite imagery, sorting logistics like boats and access, and then getting into the gritty details of backcountry food prep and dehydrated meals. If you’ve ever wondered how people make 11 to 15 day trips feel manageable, you’ll hear the systems and habits that make the difference.

Then the conversation turns to the moments that test your judgement. Eric and Hillary describe paddling through heavy wildfire smoke in the Yukon and how they used an inReach device, firefighter guidance, and constant observation to stay safe. We also unpack a humbling Great Slave Lake launch that goes sideways fast, plus what they learned about wind, cold water, spray decks, and when to call it and head for shore. Along the way we talk flatwater versus whitewater, fishing plans that assume you’ll catch nothing, and why time is the hardest resource to budget.

If you’re into canoe camping, remote paddling routes, Ontario Crown land, or Yukon and Northwest Territories adventures, you’ll leave with practical planning tips and a clearer sense of what “prepared” really means. Subscribe for more, share this with a paddling friend, and leave a review, what’s the biggest trip you’re planning next?

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A train drops us at Cartier, we heave canoes and packs onto the gravel, and suddenly we’re committed. No road noise, no easy exits, just a rail stop, a portage, and the start of our Spanish River canoe trip. We’re Tim and Thomas, and we’re recording from camp on a cool, overcast June day in Northern Ontario with rapids behind us and a whole lot of bug pressure in the air.

We break down the travel day in plain language: the train timing, meeting other riders, unloading fast, and paddling roughly four to five kilometres into a beautiful campsite with space for tents and the all-important no-bug zones. If you’re planning a backcountry canoe trip, you’ll hear what actually mattered for comfort and safety, from bug shirts and spray to the raincoats we ended up wearing despite the forecast.

Then we get to the good stuff: camp food that keeps morale high. Think ribs, sausages, cornbread, and a next-morning breakfast wrap that makes getting on the water feel easy. From there, we shift into whitewater canoeing practice, using simple shore-side explanations to talk eddies, crossings, and the fundamentals we’re trying to nail down, including momentum, initiation, tilt, and hold. Yes, there’s intentional swimming, and yes, there’s also the other kind.

If you like real-world trip reports, practical canoe camping gear talk, and honest paddling lessons, hit play. Subscribe, share the episode with a paddling buddy, and leave a review so more Canadians can find the show.

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CONNECT WITH US AT SUPER GOOD CAMPING:

Support the podcast & buy super cool SWAG: https://store.skgroupinc.com/super_good_camping/shop/home

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