NORTH to SOUTH - The French River Documentary 4k. The Canoe Trip and the History of the French River
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- Опубліковано 4 чер 2024
- In the deep autumn of 2020, we took on the challenge of canoeing the entire length of the beautiful and historic French River in northern Ontario, Canada. 170 kms of water was ahead of us, ever changing from wide, to narrow; from ambient, to violent. The season brought us many challenges with the fluctuating weather and temperatures, but also brought a beautiful display of fall colours for us to absorb as we paddled along. We'll bring you along with us, tell our story, and share highlights of the river's rich history in this documentary, which is the first of its kind.
0:00 - Introduction
4:08 - Chapter 1 "Initiation" - Canoeing Lake Nipissing to Canoe Pass
18:56 - Chapter 2 "Roots" - The History of the Fur Trade, Chaudiere Portage, Cradle Rapids
30:17 - Chapter 3 "Ebb & Flow" - Canoeing the Five Mile Rapids Section
45:14 - Chapter 4 "Mystery of the Cross" - The History of the Recollets and the Jesuit Missionaries, Recollet Falls and Recollet Portage
1:01:04 - Chapter 5 "The Push" - Canoeing the French River Delta, The Old Voyageur Channel, the History of the Voyageurs, Conclusion and Sources
Follow me on Instagram @latitudes.films
#novacraftcanoe #4kdocumentary #canoedocumentary
Pete, I watched this documentary twice before commenting, because there was so much to absorb. The visuals, the music, the sounds, and most of all the narration. This was a film at a different level, because it told a truly mesmerizing story. It wasn't just another canoe trip, it was a journey. A journey through the historic past, of the poignant present, and hints of the future. I've personally tripped on the French River countless times. Even heard, read, and seen much of this heritage river through the eyes and stories of others, but you have captured it differently - masterfully and captivating. This is NOT just a canoe route, and you have all shown us why. Thank you my friend. I know we have chatted a few times about this trip/film, and it was certainly worth the wait. I look forward to more of your stories in the near future. Cheers
Wow David, thank you ever so much for these kind words 🙏 It's hard to know how to even respond, other than a genuine "thank you!" When I watch your videos and see the ambitious and difficult challenges that you take on, it inspires me to get to that level of skill and knowledge one day. Thanks for all the help you've been, for the support, and for the being the inspiration towards all my lofty goals for future adventures👍Cheers my friend! 🍻
i dont mean to be so off topic but does someone know a tool to log back into an Instagram account..?
I was stupid lost the account password. I appreciate any tips you can offer me!
@Sebastian Jamison Instablaster :)
@Omar Elijah thanks so much for your reply. I found the site through google and im waiting for the hacking stuff atm.
I see it takes a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Omar Elijah it did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I'm so happy!
Thanks so much, you saved my ass !
I lived at French River Lodge from 1041 to 1958.. My parents owned French River Lodge. Thanks for letting the World kow about the beauty of that region.
Thank you so much for your kind comment! That's amazing you got to spend some great time of your life there.
I hope this inspires people to get out and travel this area. Have driven by on 69 so many times, to and from Northern Ontario. This part of southern Ontario is so accessible and stunningly beautiful !
Born and raised in canoes and boats, so many northerners take this for granted. Folks inthe south can get out and really get a break from the stresses of congestion in the corridor, and experiience the history of our beautiful land.
One can see travel in the off season is very doable, and if you enjoy peace and serenity, this excellent piece will bring many to the point of action, I very much hope.
Best wishes and thanks from Vancouver Ilsand
So much work to create a superb production like this. I had high hopes for this and it exceeded expectations. Wonderful Pete. Awesome job on the satellite views. Don't even know where you got such high res imagery. And oh man, I was guessing either a camera or a wedding ring on the lost item. Totally relate to your heartbreak. But no one will know what's missing from the video but you. To the rest of us, this had it all. Curious about your main camera and your background in editing. Bravo sir!
Thanks so much Jon, it means the world to hear this! Yup the loss of that footage was tough to swallow, actually I remember when you had a Panasonic camera tip into the lake out of the canoe a couple years back. It's part of the adventure I guess lol. I use a Lumix g85, this trip was my first time using it. I have lots to learn but thankfully it's pretty user friendly. I started playing with editing about a year and a half ago, and I learn something new every time I try. Many thanks for the encouraging words Jon, cheers! 🍻
Hey Jon. Google maps just happens to have great satellite imagery in that area. I was just poking around. Can't wait to see more of the Province in this detail!
Really enjoyed it! The visuals, the history, the music choices, the time of year, and the story line. Amazing journey. Well done.
Hey Kevin, thanks so much for sharing this and for supporting this project, it really means the world to me 👍I'm a huge lover of music and choosing the right tracks to include was one of my favourite parts of the process. I'm so happy you enjoyed this, all the best to you!
Thanks Kevin for sharing this documentary I enjoyed it very much!
Pete amazing journey thank you! I spent many years at our cottage on Bragdon Island at the narrows just below the previous Keystone Lodge. We came across Nippising on the original Chief Commanda arriving at the lodge then taking a boat called the Aletis to our island dropping off cottagers along the way. Living in nature catching minnows for fishing, shore dinners to eat the fish we caught eating fresh blueberries for dessert was an experience of a lifetime. It was truly my heart space. You two were so courageous to take this journey. Thank you again!
Thanks so much for the encouraging words! I love hearing from folks like you who have spent time on the river creating memories like what you did. Thanks for sharing!
Wow.... well done. It's on my bucket list.
Mesmerizing!! I pity those who cannot feel nature, and therefore cannot be healed, soothed, and challenged by it. Thank you for so beautifully capturing our Canadian wilderness at its finest and taking us with you on this epic trip. ❤🙏
Wow Sasha, your words are so kind and thoughtful! I truly appreciate each word you said. I agree that nature truly does have a healing power, and it has helped me (and is still helping me) to go through some of the darkest times in life. I'm so happy this documentary resonated with you and I truly appreciate your encouraging comment. All the best to you!
Awesome guys! Raising the bar. Really appreciate the time and effort here.
Thanks very much Jason, so so appreciated! Hopefully one day I'll have half of the skill and talent that you have! 🙏🍻
Very well done gentlemen. It's a prime example why Ontario is an amazing part of earth. Spent most of my 68yrs on Lake Nipissing and Georgian Bay. Your historic references are a valuable addition to your trip. 2,000 years ago the river ran the opposite direction all the way down the Ottawa River. Another amazing river for tripping. Be well fellow explorers. "lets go around one more corner"
Thanks so much for the encouragement words!
Thanks so much for the encouraging words!
Great stuff. I grew up spending summers on the French River Delta and working at most of the local marinas and lodges. The green-roofed, red sided building in Hartley Bay (visible from the marina and very near the railway tracks in your film) was originally home to CN railway workers until around 1910 when CN finished installing the tracks. They then sold the camp and land to a group of guys who formed The Hartley Bay Club in 1912. My grandfather and father were members. Then dad bought a place in Ox Bay where the French and Pickerel Rivers split. Many fond memories.
Hey Scott, I love this historic information that you've shared, thank you so much for offering that! One of the best things that has come from this film has been hearing from folks such as yourself who have grown up in that area. I've learned so many historical tidbits from these folks that I could make a part 2 to this documentary! Thank you so much for the encouragement and support!
@@LatitudesWildernessFilms You probably paddled past "Kamp Kaintuck" (KK), a large camp at the mouth of the Wanapitei River and Wanapitei Bay maybe 2 km out of Hartley Bay. It's a fishing club owned by a group of about 25-30 elderly doctors, judges, lawyers, and business owners from Kentucky, USA. I worked there as a fishing guide in 1977 - I was 13. You were supposed to be 16 but I was almost 6' and back then, nobody really cared about your age as long as you could handle a boat. THAT I could do. The guys I worked with were all 16 to 24 and only 1 other local guy knew his way around a bit. Anyway, KK opens once a year for the first 3 weeks of August (at least it used to) and Hartley Bay Marina would make the camp turn-key ready for the group's arrival. It was a ton of work and I was on vacation but helping with the prep because I know the marina owners. They offered me a job guiding as they were short one. The times were different then as the group brought their own black cook and helper. Both men would "dress" to serve meals. Each week (Saturdays) they would select a a new Kamp Captain who would organize the list of who's fishing with who and where they were going fishing. Three days in I was selected to fish at the Bad River along with two other boats and guides. The two boats followed me 19km down through the Voyageur Channel, through the Crooked Rapids, and out to Georgian Bay. We had a great day and the guests loved the ride through the rapids. We caught lots of fish and even brought back a 24 lb. Northern Pike. After dinner I was summoned to the porch where the Kamp Captain stood in front of a 4ft x 6ft. wall map covered with clear plastic and said loudly, "Where in the HELL did you take these men today!?" Surrounded, I pointed to the map where it said Bad River Channel. Apparently that's not where they wanted us to go when they gave us the ticket that I quickly took from my pocket that said "Bad River Channel". Oops! He explained how dangerous it was... What if..." I explained it's not dangerous if you know where you're going. I explained that I've driven to the Bad River and back to Hartley Bay dozens of times and even at night. In the end he was smiling and for the next 10 days I was on Bad River detail so all the men got to experience the rapids and fish for big pike. A few years later I was vacationing and went to Hartley Bay and ran in to someone guiding at KK and they recognized me from a photo on a wall inside the camp. I have many indelible moments and stories from my time spent there that I should probably write down. I think you'd like the history of how the Tinnerman French Canoe Club came to exist.
You've got the who's who of the canoe world commenting on your video Brother! Congratulations and bravo!! I am 100% doing this route! I'll probably pull out at HWY 69. The big water of Nipissing is now calling me...[Whispy wind sounds]... Bradley... [Sound of gusting wind]... Bradley
I must answer!
Thanks again for the inspiration my fellow paddler 👍
Thanks so much man!! I'm pretty blown away by all of the support 👍🙏 Yah man you have to do this route! That Nipissing paddle is beautiful, especially in the fall. You can plan your route around the wind conditions, and there's lots of spots for nice campsites both on shore and on islands. So glad you've been inspired to do the route, I hope you can make it happen brother! Cheers 🍻
This area has some of the most beautiful landscapes Ontario has to offer. Thank you very much for sharing your journey and congratulations on completing the same amazing trip so many explorers and pioneers have made over the last few hundred years, it's something very special
Hey Marc thank you for your kind comment!
A wonderful, well documented video of a canoe adventure through a magical place.
That's so great to hear, thank you very much!
Pete please keep on doing what you do. Like the last post, you capture nature at it’s finest. Your commentary superb. I look forward to your next adventure. Keep up the good work and thank you for displaying nature and keeping it real.
Hey Greg, wow thank you so much for taking the time to make such an encouraging comment, it means so much to me! Thanks for mentioning the commentary, I'm so glad to hear that it resonated with you as it was a new challenge for me. I have a lot of ideas for future projects like this one that I can't wait tackle..happy to have you along Greg, all the best to you!
WOW! I must say I thoroughly enjoyed watching it tonight. I loved seeing the Recollect Falls area again. Thanks for all the work in filming your trip!
Hi there, thank you ever so much! I had hoped to film a lot more of Recollect Falls but it was pouring rain and I could only have my camera out for a few seconds. I'm really glad you enjoyed the final product, cheers! 🍻
great video had to watch again
Thank you for taking us along on this beautiful trip. 🌲
Thank you so much for coming along!
Love the historical information you provide throughout the video. The voiceovers you offer touch on our connection to past. Just a pleasure to watch. Thanks.
This is so encouraging to hear, many thanks! The voiceovers are enjoyable to create but also put me in a bit of a vulnerable place sharing my own thoughts...I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed them!
Fantastic documentary! Really captures the unmatched beauty and the unique feeling you get when canoe tripping. 👏 Great escape from winter for a few hours and especially great for my friends who are in a lockdown.
Thank you so much for the encouraging words! I really wanted to capture the various emotions that take place on a journey like this. So happy that this gave a little break from winter lol! Cheers
Absolutely remarkable work. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you very much!
Thank you for capturing the many aspects of this truly magnificent river. I have paddled most of your route in different sections over the last 40 years. I could never express the feeling you captured and shared, but it resonates so much with my experiences. This is a gift. And while my hopes for some camping this winter are not 100% extinguished by covid, I am now dreaming of where to explore this summer! You have really done a beautiful job sharing the majesty of the river, the history, and the deep connections it can create. Thank you again.....
Hi Barry, wow this is such a thoughtful and encouraging comment to read! Thank you ever so much for taking the time to watch and to comment! I love hearing from people who know the river and have had experiences like ours. It's truly an amazing place that calls us all to go back over and over. Like you, I'm hoping to be able to get out winter camping shortly, but as soon as the ice is out I'll be paddling, and hopefully you will to. All the best Barry, thanks so much for the encouragement and support!
DEEPLY ROOTED
I have been to the French once. This makes it necessary to go again. Thanks for the inspiration and the excellent story you have created!
Thank you so very much, I really hope you can get there to paddle again! The section towards Nipissing is very underrated and doesn't see much paddle traffic 👍
Absolutely awe inspiring and masterfully put together. i cant believe i m just coming across this now.
Wow, thank you so much for those kind words!
Well done, will become the benchmark guide, the gold-standard reference of the river.
Wow that is very encouraging to hear, I would love that! I had hoped people would find it useful towards planning a trip to the French. Thank you so very much for your support!
Great job! Thanx for taking me along
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for sharing this. I've been on the French every summer for nearly 40 years, missing this one due to Covid. You did an amazing job capturing how beautiful and tranquil life is there. Can't wait to get back!
Hi Katy, thank you so very much for these encouraging words! I love hearing from people that have a connection to the river, and hearing if this film resonated with them. Thank you for watching and for commenting, all the best to you!
Living in Northern Ontario, where we have canoed and kayaked for years this video brought back so many memories of how beautiful it all is. I have done a couple of memorable kayaking trips in the French River Georgian Bay area. During the pandemic I have found a treasure trove of wonderful Canadian wilderness paddling trips and I long to get out again on the North Channel, where I live. Thanks for this and I look forward to more videos.
Hey Carol, thanks so much your kind words! I'm very jealous of where you live 😂. I'm very happy that this brought back some good memories for you, and I hope can make more in the near future. All the best to you!
More of this please! Loved it so much. I get tired of the docu-style day-to-day videos about canoe tripping. Loved the storyline and the shots of you talking about the journey. It's also SO INCREDIBLY REFRESHING TO SEE SOMEONE acting /BEING authentic. THANK YOU!!
Wow, such kind and encouraging words, I can't thank you enough!! I wanted this project to be different than the majority of tripping videos, and I'm so glad you could see that when you watched. Thank you for mentioning about the authenticity as well, I wanted to make sure that the emotions of the trip were captured, and the flaws that took place as well. None of us are perfect, and keeping the flaws included in the film was crucial to me. Many many thanks for the encouragement!!
Wow, incredible doc. Thank you.
You're most welcome Richard, thank you for your encouraging comment 👍
SOOO BEAUTIFUL!
A beautifully composed, ambient, and stimulating documentary that inspires the adventurous soul. Well done
Many thanks Bill, thanks for all you did to make this possible. Until our next adventure my brother 🍻
This was absolutely spectacular with history lessons to go with. Thank you for sharing your adventure with us.
Hi there Tracy, thank you so very much for that encouragement! All the best to you!
I've watched many Canadian canoe trip videos to get me through the gaps of my own trips up there over the past thirty-five years. Your video is by far the most informative and entertaining of them all. Great job!
Wow thank you ever so much! That is very high praise coming from someone who has over 35 years of tripping experience, and it means the world to me, thank you!
Terrific job guys! The entire French River region is just a special place to visit and paddle. Thanks for sharing your adventure along with the historical importance of this route. Absolutely stunning!
Thank you so very much for your kind words friend!
Loved this video. So relaxing and made me feel like I was there with you. Thank you for your hard work!
That's great to hear! I had hoped that people would feel like they were along with us for the journey. Thank you very much for watching!
Thank you for sharing your journey with us and for the time, effort and expense you put into telling your story. Truly Inspiring!
You are most welcome, and thank you for the kind and encouraging words!
So what I want from a tripping film! Thank you!
Hey Steve you are most welcome! So happy that you enjoyed it👍👍
Excellent! Very, very good record of your trip. I am always blown away by the beauty of water of Canada. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you so much, I'm so happy you enjoyed this! I absolutely love the thousands of beautiful Canadian lakes, especially when I can explore them in a canoe. All the best to you!
Really cool,
Thank You.
I have to say that you have put together one of the finest canoe trip video's I have ever watched! Your filming, narration, use of satellite maps and history of the river were excellent! Don't feel bad about portaging past rapids your not comfortable running, no one ever drowned on a portage trail. One hint for you, always tie off your boat at any portage landing or just checking out a camp site, I've seen random wind take peoples boats away in a second and over the falls. Any way, great job! Movie quality! Looking forward to more of your video's to come, take care!
Hi Donald, wow I can't thank you enough for these kind and encouraging words! I'm blown away by the support from kind folks like you, so thank you so much! I hope to take some whitewater courses this year and start to gain more confidence in whitewater. Canoeing opens up a world of opportunities and I want to learn and explore as much as I can. Yes thanks for the tip on tying off! It's something that I think off but I'll admit I neglict it more often than not. I'd hate to have to swim after my boat! Thanks so much for the support and encouragement Donald, all the best to you!
Amazing. I enjoyed watching every minute
Thank you so very much Philip, I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed it👍
Awesome....THANK YOU!!
Thanks so much Shawn, so glad you enjoyed it!
We did this back in September, unbelievable river to explore.
I'm glad to hear that you paddled the whole route! It is an absolute gem. All the best to you!
I'm deeply touched by your story, your path, your journey. It is such a well documented film. I love the music, the scenes and they way you put it... Thank you for sharing your dream with us. Looking forward to your next trip.
Wow, thank you so very much for these kind words! I'm so happy that this resonated with you, thank you for taking the time to watch and to post such a kind comment. All the best to you!
I find this a wonderful little humble film about plain folk having an adventure. I enjoy it for the admission of the humanity and self awareness of their personal limits; I enjoy it for the sheer magnitude of the scenery that the adventure traverses through. It inspires me to define my own adventure in my own backyard
This was very well, and beautifully written, and I thank you so much for commenting in such an encouraging way. I appreciate this more than you know!
THank you!. I love the French River.! I have been going up there since the 1970's to the mouth mostly where a friend of mine has a cottage on an island. It's spectacular Tom Thompson country. We would do fishing, swimming cliff diving, blasting rock to build a boathouse. Just amazing sunsets and storms.
Hi there and thanks so much for watching this and for commenting! I love hearing from people that know the river well and hearing their experiences. What an amazing place for to have spent so much time, it's tough to beat👍
Stunning trip footage and educational documentary.. thank you for sharing! I love this stuff.. the history in our wilderness.. so beautiful!
Hey Alice thank you so much! I'm right there with you, the history and the stories of our vast wilderness are so amazing. Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and to comment, so very encouraging! Cheers!
I think Toni Harting would approve. An inciteful and lovely film.
That means a lot, thank you so much! Toni's book was a crucial resource through this project. I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed this, thank you for your kind words! 🙏
Wet, wet, wet is something I've never had to say since I started hammock camping. I set up my tarp first and then set up my hammock under it. Great video. I love paddling the French.
Right on, hammock camping interests me for sure. Since this trip I've upgraded tents and have never had to say "wet wet wet" again thankfully. All the best to you!
Love your videos. We Binge watched them in the past 2 days. They are very informative and relaxing to watch. Hope you do more. We are in our 70s and it brings back memories of canoeing and hiking we did many years ago. Thanks
Hi Joseph, thanks so much for the wonderful comment! I'm so happy that these videos have brought back some wonderful memories for you both, that means a lot to me 👍I certainly plan on putting out a lot more videos in the future. Thanks for the encouragement Joseph, all the best to you!
Wonderful!!! Thx so much
You're welcome, glad you enjoyed this 👍
Hi Pete I just rewatched your amazing trip on the French and, wanted to give a shout out, for taking us along. I got to spend a week on the headwaters of the French many years back and loved it. I had often wondered how beautiful the lower French must be, and thanks to you and your fantastic video, I now know what I've been missing. The ports seem quite manageable even for older guy like me. Thanks for this. Maybe if I'm really lucky, I can get back up there again 😮. Great story telling in addition the wonderful videography.
Hi Michael! Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed comment. I apologize for not getting a response to you sooner than this. I hope you can explore a new section of the river in 2024. The 550m port is easy, and any carry that you would need to do in the Delta section is short. I wish you amazing paddling adventures in this new year!
Thanks for getting back with me and, I'm excited to read that you're working a Missinaibi video. I'm really excited to see this one in the works. Some of my best friends were fortunate enough to run it as their Senoir HS class trip and, they never stop talking about it, haha!!! Sadly, I missed out as my family moved away in my junior year, so I wasn't eligible, drat. You vid will make up for it!
CHEERS 🍻 👏
Fantastic film. You did great. Derek
Thank you so much Derek, glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Incredible documentary. Beautiful scenery, perfectly matched music and commentary, couldn't ask for more. Thank you.
Hey Simon thank you so very much, I really do appreciate the encouragement!
You have arrived!!!! You have nailed it!
This documentary has so much to offer the viewer. Education, excitement, anticipation
and most of all the glorification that you and Bill accomplished your goal of reaching beautiful Georgian Bay. Well done 👍 can’t wait to watch the next adventure 🛶🛶🛶
Hey thanks so much Christine!! I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, it was a blast to do this trip and experience all the highs and even the lows. Such kind and encouraging words Christine, thanks so much!! 🍻🍻
Awesome doc, I worked at fishing lodge on ox bay 15 years ago and this brought back a lot of memories of that spring and summer, so many familiar spots thanks for Sharing
Thanks so much Kenny! Glad this brought back some good memories for you 👍
Absolutely epic filmmaking Pete, this will become a classic watched & rewatched for many years. I sure know I will every time a little inspiration is needed.
Hey Jamie, wow this means a lot to hear, I can't thank you enough for those kind words! I'm so happy this film can be inspiring to you and to others, it means my goal has been accomplished. Thanks again Jamie 👍🍻
Thank-you . If I didn't write it in times before, thanks again for this.
You are most welcome, I'm so glad this resonated with you!
This was amazing guys. Fantastic shots, commentary and editing...the whole nine yards. I felt like I was there on the journey with you. I absolutely love all of the extra information you researched and shared, as well. A one-of-a-kind river in a one-of-a-kind province. Thank you for this.
Thank you so much for commenting in such an encouraging way, that means so much to me! Thanks for mentioning about the extra information that I researched, there was a lot of work that went into this film that people will never see. I appreciate the kind words friend, all the best to you!
Wow! Stunning ... great film.
Thank you so much Mark, so happy that you enjoyed it!
Thank you so much. What a gem. That is the best account of a canoe journey that i have had the pleasure of watching.
Wow, such a kind and encouraging comment to read, thank you so very much! It means the world to hear that👍👍
Loved the video. Incredible journey.
Thank you so much!
Absolutely beautiful!
Thank you very much 🙏
Thank you for letting us share your journey. Stay safe. Roy and Tanya, England
Hi Roy and Tanya, I'm so happy you enjoyed this and I thank you for watching and for commenting! All the best to you!
Pete: I have been visiting the French River since 1967 when I was 2 years old. I run a UA-cam search about every 3-4 weeks to see if any new content has been published concerning " River" and was more than pleasantly surprised to come across your Oct 2020 trip video. It was exceptional across the board, from the images to the music, the narration to the covered history and the overall sense of peace and well-being it gave me to see my very favorite place in the world. Thanks so much! Just one small sense of disappointment though; I have spent all my time on the river in the area from Crooked Rapids down to the Recollet Falls (I'm a boater, not a canoeist; sacrilegious, I know!). I was so looking forward to seeing footage in the video from the area I've spent so much time in, but alas! You went directly from the Crooked Rapids to the CPR & 69 bridges and on to the Falls in about 20 seconds! Denied! But outside of that, the fact that you covered the whole passage from Lake Nipissing down to Georgian Bay provided the best overall understanding of how the upper and lower deltas look. Thanks so much! Bryan
Hey Bryan thanks so much! Yes sadly right after we left cross island the rain and wind was non stop, I could only pull my camera out for a few seconds around the bridges and recollect falls, or risk damaging my camera and losing all the footage. That's why there's only a few GoPro shots while going through that area (around the powerlines). It was unfortunate but we had no time to double back anywhere, as we passed through each area, we only had one chance to capture it and the weather was not on our side that day. Unfortunate but that's how it goes! Glad you enjoyed it otherwise, all the best Bryan!
Wow !! I am inspired to get out this season. Lots of wilderness exploration. thank you so much that was Awesome !!
Hi Callie! Thank you so much for your encouraging comment! I love hearing that people can find inspiration to get out and explore the big beautiful wilderness that we are so richly blessed with. All the best to you!
Pete and Bill, we have seen this trip before and commented on it. And seeing it again, such an epic description. It so excited us both. What a poetic rendition of a journey on the French River. My wife and I, both Canadians are away from our children and grandchildren for a year in Canberra, Australia. We miss Ontario and lick our lips at the journey through the French River. As always your presentation makes the heart shudder both at the historic elements of the trip and the beauty of this river. We also praise God for this jewel of nature in His crown. I had to think of Haydn's creation oratorio. The heavens are telling the glory of God. We would like to thank you both for your most enjoyable work of art that you have produced. We also enjoyed the comments below which put into words our appreciation of your reflective most enticing saga. We are older but expressed our hope that we could do one more canoe trip in the rivers of Ontario. *******My last trip was on the Magnetewan River in a very grand spring flood in 1993 with two of my boys, at that time14 and 15. My heart almost fell out when I saw the first rapids. I was at that point a lake paddler with some experience on the rivers but no river paddling skills. Thankfully we met some experience river paddlers and we found that paddling the wild spring river rapids was almost the opposite of lake skills. They patiently taught us, but as usual we learned mainly from our mistakes. We were just thankful to survive as we had some hair-raising dunks under the water for fairly long periods of time.(I thought I had lost a son at one point.) By God's grace we survived. Yet...I enjoyed the adrenalin rush. ******** Thanks also for the history lesson. There is no more interesting history, than hearing stories from a person kneeling at the scene. All this happened....right here. So many levels of history are covered. Wow! Wow! Wow! PS We await an invention for the Go Pro that makes it unloseable in rapids. Our heart has sunk twice now, for you guys. We probably will view this again in a year or so.
Hi John, many thanks for another encouraging and meaningful comment! I'm glad you continue to appreciate this and that you take the time to let me know what it means to you. Bill and I have been blessed enough to see much more of God's creation via canoe over the last two years since this project came out. I hope to present another documentary similar to this one about the beautiful Missinaibi River one day.
God bless,
Pete
@@LatitudesWildernessFilms Shalom, Pete. We look forward to vicariously enjoy more of your adventures while living down under. I am now 74 so any adventures are now an unexpected bonus. Bless you and Bill My hope is that we meet some day on this side of glory just to personally express our thanks for all your work, which was such a blessing in our lives.
John I really enjoyed reading your comment on Pete's amazing video of the lower French river.
Was looking for some videos to get the feel of the French river and boom! Found this amazing documentary. Really well put together. Not only informative in both history and challenges but very therapeutic, motivating and uplifting to watch. I also learned how campsites exist along the river. I would love to find someone to do this journey with some day. Thanks guys for an awesome production!
Thank you so much for your kind words Bruce! I hope you can paddle some or all of the French River one day 👍
Very relaxing watch. Learned a lot too. Well done Pete. Worth the wait for sure! Can’t wait to see what this year will bring for you.
Thanks buddy, so happy you enjoyed it! Hopefully we can cross paths this year 🍻
Well done, totally enjoyed this documentary.
Thank you very much!
Watched this on my tv & I had to look it up on my phone so I could leave a comment! That’s a wonderful effort I was blown away! Well done to you both. Greetings from Scotland 🏴 I’m in awe of your country it’s on my bucket list for sure! Thank you
Hi there! I want to say a huge thank you for your encouraging comment, and for the effort that you made to make sure you could leave a comment! I would love to visit Scotland one day, and you're always welcome to come and paddle with me in Canada 👍 All the best to you! 🛶🍻
Very well done! Thank you for sharing.
You're welcome Jeremiah, thanks for watching and for commenting!
i grew up on the french river spent plenty of days camping and fishing these beautiful waters, ever at the age of 15 was a guide at a camp called kamp kentuck, was a huge highlight of my life
thanks for making this great video
Hey Chris thanks so much, I'm sure you have some awesome memories from those experiences, thanks for sharing 👍
Uncle Larry and I so loved this Pete!! So looking forward to the next trip!!
That's awesome Aunt Marg, so happy that you both enjoyed it! Thank you so much for watching and for the encouraging comments!!
Amazing video guys....so good
Thank you so much!
What a great video, thanks for taking the time to share it.
Thank you so much!!
Wow. Merci pour la découverte!!! Vraiment bien fait
De rien!
Très beau voyage. Merci d'avoir partagé.
De rien👍
Excellent job with this Pete! What an amazing adventure for you and Bill. Things that go sideways during a trip are what make the adventure. Losing that footage and the GoPro was painful but didn’t impact the amazing story of your journey. Appreciated the history of the French too. Thanks brother!
Hey Doug thanks so much for checking this out and for the encouraging words! I appreciate hearing that you felt the lost footage didn't impact the final project. It was a heartbreak to us both but hey it's all part of being adventurers! Cheers!!
Wonderful!
Thank you Lisa!
Beautiful video. I have been lucky enough to experience the French River, so watching what you guys captured was a real pleasure to watch.
Hi Pat thank you so very much! What section of the river have you explored before?
man i dont get goosebumps from youtube videos but this one gave me goosebumps all the way through
That's awesome Chris, thanks so much!
Super awesome vid! Loved it.
Hey thanks so much!!
I was in killarney during that time. Much respect for you going thtough that weather. Awesome trip and thanks for sharing
Hi Sean many thanks for checking this out! What route were you doing in Killarney at the time? We had some nasty weather for sure, even hailed the night we were camped by Little Pine Rapids. I'm glad you enjoyed watching!
glad you folks had a lovely, safe trip on this beautiful route. It was obviously a wonderful event in your life! And you and your partner worked well together - good humour! well done!! 🙂
I do have some suggestions (sorry - paddling for 72 years, a canoeing/tripping instructor and many canoe trips (self guided): easy overnighters down south here to 7 week expeditions on the tundra in YK, NWT, NT, Nunavik, northern MB, SK, ON, QC;, Voyageur canoe: Ottawa to Washington DC, Solo: Georgian Bay home to Ottawa,......etc) (yada yada)
re: keeping your gear dry when it is raining:
- set up your tarp first, then set up your tent under the tarp!- leave it there OR you can move it to your tent site. (add your DRY sleeping gear after that is accomplished). Nice if the entrance for your tent is under the 'upper' edge of your tarp. A larger vestibule is a treat so you can take off your rain duds and get into your tent - all staying dry.
- pack your clothes/sleeping bag etc - in good quality dry bags.... and then pack that dry bag into your dry pack. insurance is a lovely thing. (I have a large dry bag that fits inside my pack. So, my waterproofed gear bags go inside that big dry bag and inside my pack). I don't want to have wet bags up in Nunavut... or on the French River.
- have a rainproof tarp/sheet INSIDE your tent on the floor - that is large enough to have 4-6" rise up the walls of your tent: put your DRY sleeping gear on top of that so your mats/bags etc will be dry. (Have a sponge inside your tent to sop up any moisture!)
re: whitewater skills and safety: take training (Paddle Canada courses are GREAT - offered esp in May-June by various groups). Take MORE than the 'intro' (beginner) course to learn to read the water and use the power of the river - and - what your skill set is: have bomb proof eddy out/in skills. - Use whitewater paddles, not flatwater paddles on the rapid sections.
IF the weather/water is cold - wear dry suits.
re: go pro's - have a 'safety cord' as insurance - added to your attachment 'set up' onto your canoe.
Short Leash your packs together (or have D-rings fixed on the bottom of your canoe - so you can attach your packs to them)
Hope that is helpful
You guys obviously love the adventure, the land, the history and work well together - I wish you beautiful trips in the future!
It took a year for it come on my feed. Sure glad its did. Thanks.
Thank you for your kind words!
Awesome documentary! Thank you for sharing your experience! Such a deep and rich history of the French River. You guys did well. Cheers! -Steve-
Hi there and thank you so much for the encouragement! I loved sharing the experience of the journey and shedding some light on the rich history of the French. I'm so glad it resonated with you! All the best to you!
Just got back from my first multi-day solo kayak on the old Voyager route, partly inspired by this documentary so thank you. It was a majestic experience so much history following in the footsteps of Étienne Brûlé, The Jesuits and The Huron.
That's amazing! I'm happy to hear that you got to experience this route for yourself.
I'm not a paddler or a camper or anything of the sort. But I love nature, especially in our lovely country. And even more so, I love watching people do things they're passionate about and love. Thank you for sharing the experience with us. The research, history and storytelling is matched by done. Too many tripping videos I find are just too vloggy and don't show anything of substance. I can only watch so many "paddle cook sleep" videos. you've made this video a lesson, a story and a tribute to our history and culture above all. I'm rambling now, so long story short...you have a new follower! thank you so much :)
Hi Greg! Wow, your comment is so kind and encouraging, I appreciate it so very much! I do agree on the repetitive tripping videos that UA-cam is saturated with. The direction that I want to go is towards films and documentaries that consist of historical info, storytelling, and that hopefully have more intellectual and thought provoking content, rather than a vlog showing what I'm doing. I can't thank you enough for your kindness and support! Cheers my friend!
What an amazing documentary! So much history. Gorgeous cinematography. Beautiful narration. A boatload of research & planning. Lost footage. Months of editing....
Such a beautiful film to share. I'm so thankful that you did. And thankful for the history lessons, in particular. I think we'll look at our French loop a little differently this summer. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your wonderful and encouraging comments! Your words have really brightened up my day. All the best to you my friend!
I got to paddle the French by Georgian bay, as a u.s. boy scout when Cleveland had its tinnerman canoe base there. My best trip a kid in scouts... Awesome country.
Wow, awesome memories from that trip I'm sure. Cheers 🍻
A sense of adventure, a sense of wonder, great visuals and a ton of research which enriches your narrative. What a wonderful piece of art. I know how much work goes into creating a project like this and just want to say thanks for your efforts and for sharing. Really enjoyed watching this tonight, one of the best I’ve seen on UA-cam.
Hello Don, man I can't thank you enough for such thoughtful words! It means a lot that folks like you take the time to watch, let alone to write such amazing comments. I'm so grateful for the encouragement and for the support!
I don’t comment on videos that often but I absolutely had to with this one. This is easily one of the very best documentaries I have ever seen. It was as if I was with you guys for the entire trip. Thank you and keep up the fabulous work!
Hi Brian, thank you so much for taking the time to watch this documentary, and for commenting so kindly as well! I'm so happy you enjoyed this and felt like you were along with us for the ride. Thank you very much for the encouragement, all the best to you Brian!
What a wonderful video to come across, makes me so excited for the upcoming canoe season. Thanks so much for sharing, this vid deserves so much more recognition.
Hi there and thank you so very much for your encouraging comment, I'm itching for paddling season myself. All the best to you!
My friend and I did this 70 years ago as part of a project to canoe to James Bay from the Muskoka Lakes and we did most of it - I am 94 years of age. This was in a canvas-covered canoe that gained weight the longer we were out. Our tent was canvass, heavy when wet. One does not sit in the canoe but kneels on the bottom. There should be no seats in a canoe. We did the portages in one go. I took the canoe and a medium-sized pack and my friend the big pack. Our packs had tump lines. No life preservers, no phones, no Go-Pros only black and white photos. I enjoyed your documentary and wish I was young again, especially with all the modern equipment.
This sounds like an epic journey Rob, I'm sure you made the some of the best memories of your life on that trip!
Awesome like to try, thank you for sharing.🤠
You're welcome, I hope you can try the route one day👍🛶
Amazing trip, absolutely I like your video.
Thank you so much!
Enjoyed completely..... beautiful river and country. Definitely will explore parts ourselves. Well done !
Hi there thank you so much! It is a spectacular system and I hope you can explore it one day. The Delta section is absolutely stunning, but can be very busy in the summer. The upper section from Nipissing down into Dokis is absolutely beautiful and doesn't see near the canoe traffic. You could put in at Lichty's Marina on Nipissing (where we did) and do a 2-3 day trip down to Dokis Marina, just an idea! Cheers!