ALONG THE GREAT SEA
A photo essay celebrating the 1,000-kilometre Lake Superior Water Trail, the canoe route that skirts the ancient shores of the world’s greatest freshwater expanse
A photo essay celebrating the 1,000-kilometre Lake Superior Water Trail, the canoe route that skirts the ancient shores of the world’s greatest freshwater expanse
ONE OF THE MOST spectacular parts of The Great Trail is the route across the north shore of Lake Superior. Even for motorists, the stretch of Trans-canada Highway from Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay can be a bit of a challenge, with long gaps between services, erratic weather and the ever-present possibility of a moose jaywalking into the path of your vehicle. In the past, only skilled paddlers have risked the north shore of Superior. The lake’s notorious gales generate massive waves that have swallowed hundreds of ships over the years, some as large as the legendary Edmund Fitzgerald ( which at 222 metres was about the size of Toronto’s TD Bank tower). But with the modern-day development of sturdy canoes and kayaks fit for long-distance travel on a lake of Superior’s size, more people than ever before can explore this 1,000-kilometre section of The Great Trail. A consortium of municipalities, conservation groups, First Nations and myriad volunteers have worked together to build the trail network, which consists of 16 water-access points and a network of campsites and boat launches. Some of these are in lakeshore communities such as Rossport and Terrace Bay; many feature hiking trails, picnic tables, composting toilets, bear-proof garbage containers and wheelchair-accessible launching docks. Still, this is Lake Superior, and anyone interested in exploring the water trail is urged to prepare and exercise caution. The lake has many stretches of rocky, inaccessible shoreline, and weather conditions can change abruptly. Fog can persist for days. Paddlers are therefore urged to monitor marine weather forecasts and remember the old bush pilot’s advice: “When in doubt, chicken out.” But on calm-weather days, travelling from cove to cove along Superior’s shoreline is an unparalleled experience that offers natural wonders with every dip of your paddle. Maybe it’s the water, jade-green and as clear as a window, through which you can see boulders looming far beneath you. Or the Till Creek waterfall cascading into the lake near Old Woman Bay. Or the tiny, hardy plants that sprout from barren stone outcrops. Or the soaring ravens drifting like tiny flecks of soot below the rim of ancient cliffs. No matter which of these draws your eye, each is quintessentially Superior and emblematic of a spiritual intensity you can experience nowhere else but on the big lake they call Gitche Gumee.