Pro windsurfer Maria Andres takes us on five days of paddling and camping around Canada’s islands at the mouth of French River.
SUP Camping: A New Summer Vacation
Throughout my lifetime, there have been few occasions I chose to visit a place that didn’t offer waves or a coastline. I could probably count them on one hand. This time, my destination was Toronto, Canada, over 500km from the nearest ocean. This trip to meet and visit with my boyfriend’s family would lead me on one of the most memorable adventures of my life. When traveling with an inflatable SUP, believe me, anything is possible!
We wanted to visit the province of Ontario, with a few excursions to tourist sites and several lakes around the area. Tom grew up in Toronto. He spent every summer of his childhood camping along the shorelines of the numerous lakes surrounding the city. He has spent years trying to convince me that his country isn’t just a frozen white landscape with igloos and dogsleds. His countless hours of describing to me the beautiful lakes and rivers, beaches, and incredible hiking trails all within a few hours drive of his hometown finally convinced me to take a chance. He described the blossoms in springtime, Toronto’s beautiful summers, and the vibrant colors as the trees shed their leaves in autumn. I listened to his stories and nodded, but what I was really thinking was that he was mad. Everybody knows Canada is just a land of snow and ice!
What a Way to Explore Canada - Via SUP!
The key element to our authentic Canadian experience was Tom’s older brother and adventurer, Kuba. He is one of those brave souls who has traveled the entire coast of the Americas, from Toronto to Argentina, by van. He does 100km wilderness hikes without breaking a sweat, and has traveled far and wide from China to Finland. His experiences include camping on the Steppes of Mongolia and getting lost in the mountains of Kazakhstan. With someone like him at our disposal, how could we not take him up on his offer to show us these amazing Canadian rivers?
Without giving it a second thought, we jumped on his idea for a canoe trip into the wilderness. What can be more Canadian than that? We left the organizing in Kuba’s capable hands as we didn’t know too much about the details of the trip. Not wanting to interfere in the planning aspects, I thought it best not to mention that my inflatable SUP was coming with me! We didn’t know much about the length or difficulty of our route, but we were sure that Tom and I wanted to try to do all or, at least, much of it via stand up paddleboard.
Ontario’s French River: Connecting North and South amid Ancient Glaciers
Located in central Ontario, the French River is sometimes considered the dividing line between Northern and Southern Ontario. Parts of the French River flow across the Canadian Shield. This giant mass of precambrian rock has been shaped and sculpted by the retreating glaciers since the last Ice Age. It flows among rugged rock formations that include granite and quartz. It currently connects a multitude of lakes as it winds its way along beautiful escarpments. In contrast, other parts of the river flow between dense boreal forest. The mouth of the French River is an expansive delta made up of countless islands, and includes channels, waterfalls, and rapids. The river rushes down a narrow gorge and widens into calmer channels as it discharges into the clear waters of Georgian Bay.
The French River once served as a transport network for the local Indigenous population. Later it became a trading route for French explorers and voyagers during the boom in the fur trade of the early 1800s. Still later, the local industry shifted to fishing and timber at the start of the industrial revolution, of which few traces remain.
Today, the French River waterway is protected as a Canadian Heritage River, while the French River delta is a Provincial Park offering paddlers hundreds of kilometers in numerous lakes, gorges and rapids. It is the perfect destination for those in search of backcountry wilderness and adventure! We were excited to experience a labyrinth of canals and islands and explore among them for the next five days.
Meet the Parents: Mosquitos & “Maybe I’ll Stay Here!”
After a month of traveling along the coast of Oregon and California by van, Tom and I arrived in Canada. All of a sudden, we had all the luxuries of modern life: a comfortable bed, running water, electricity, swimming pool, and beautiful weather. A warm welcome from Tom’s family included exquisite food and two glorious days of pure relaxation and enjoyment. That is, until Kuba showed up for dinner. Unexpectedly, the tempo accelerated as we understood that our departure for the French River was imminent. We would depart at 6 a.m. the next day. We hadn’t even packed.
The leisurely paddle along the French River in a canoe all of a sudden didn’t seem as romantic as I had imagined, judging by the packing process. The plan was to spend five days in the wilderness, paddling and camping along the coast of Georgian Bay. The weather forecast included torrential downpours the first three of those days. I guess I was a little surprised when, just as we were about ready to close our backpacks, Tom’s mother went into a frantic search for a rain jacket to lend me, knowing how poorly I tolerate the cold.
Rain Gear and Bug Suits: This is Living
These were not normal camping backpacks. Everything was stowed into waterpoof bags in order to ward off the forecasted rains. However, they were also meticulously packed in case we capsized or began taking on water over the gunwales while descending the rapids. Falling into the water didn’t worry me, as I am used to water and waves. But the fast moving waters of the rapids are a different story.
I don’t have much experience in rivers. I would have to learn a few things before we really got going. What had me worried was the vast quantity of insect repellent we had packed. I am one of those special humans that mosquitoes love, but the most shocking part was when I discovered them packing full mesh bug suits as well to avoid bites! This is a hooded long-sleeve shirt made out of mosquito net, with elastic seals at the waist and wrists and a zippered opening at the neck to be able to eat while wearing it. Already, I was traumatized! Five days of paddling under cold, torrential rains while the mosquitoes sucked our blood…. hmmmm. This was not the type of trip I had in mind.
I must confess, I was now completely terrified and ready to call it quits. I told the others to go on without me before we had even left the house. Fortunately, it all turned out to be just preventative measures, although we did end up using everything at least once over the next five days. It’s good to be prepared, right?
Sit Down Paddle or Stand Up? Packing an iSUP into the Canoe Adventure
As we were packing our bulging backpacks into the car, the question couldn’t wait any longer. Between the bug repellent, camping gas, tents, mattresses, sleeping bags, water filter, and food for the next five days, not to mention the fact that we were seven people split among three canoes, I knew there wouldn’t be room for anything else. However, a few hours before our imminent departure, I asked Kuba in a timid voice “Do you think I can try to do this trip on my SUP? I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep up, but can I try? In the worst case, we can fold it up and carry it inside the canoe.”
The inflatable SUPs are relatively light and compact, but I knew the canoes would already be full up to the gunwales with all of our gear. I was worried he would try to talk me out of bringing it along, but to my surprise, he loved the idea. In a new twist for our “Canadian Style” trip, everybody was looking forward to trying out the paddleboard!
On the four- hour drive toward the French River, I got to know Tom and Kuba’s friends who were joining us on the expedition. They explained how they had all grown up together, spending their childhood summers camped on the coast of Georgian Bay. In Canada, camping, lakes, canoes, and excursions are quite a common part of the culture. This group had plenty of experience. They knew how to navigate mountains and rivers. I felt a little bit - if not completely - out of my comfort zone, but was happy to have an opportunity to live this authentic Canadian experience. I liked to hear and feel the excitement in their voices as they explained so much about how these trips were such a part of their lives! We were like a group of kids bubbling with excitement the entire drive.
Tired Shoulders & Hungry Bellies: Days on the Water
In the early afternoon, we arrived at a floating dock to begin our journey. We split the gear and ourselves into three canoes. And we were on our way! I consider myself to be in pretty good shape, but when you’re introduced to any new type of exercise, like paddling a canoe, you quickly realize which muscles haven’t been used in a while. Within the first ten or so minutes of paddling, I was sure I wouldn’t be able to keep up. Fortunately, our bodies are quick to adapt, and, before long, I was getting into the rhythm of paddling and my muscles ached a little less.
We paddled the glassy waters along tree-lined canals until dusk. The sky was overcast and we were shrouded by a faint mist. It was all new to me as the canoes glided through the water. As my new friends pulled out their compasses and maps to navigate our way to our first campsite that evening, I was still getting familiarized with these new surroundings. Due to abundant snowfall last winter, the water level on the French River was much higher than normal, so the campsites we had in mind as options on which to spend that first night were completely submerged.
Without finding a viable place to camp, we paddled on. Just as the sun was going down, we heard the ominous rush of whitewater as we approached our first set of rapids. The sound was both deafening and breathtaking, especially for a newcomer to these rivers. I had no idea what to expect when, nor the intensity. All I knew was that I could hear this rumble and I was worried. The others appeared unfazed and paddled toward the great sound. As we rounded a corner, I could see the first splashes of water against rock. All of a sudden, our canoes pulled to the side of the river, and we stepped out onto shore to evaluate. It was decided to pull up the canoes, grab our backpacks, and set up camp right there for the night. After a full day of paddling, there was nothing better than a delicious dinner cooked over the campfire before we tucked into bed for a well-earned night of rest on the banks of the rushing river.
Morning Meditation & Portage along Canada’s Canals
We shut our eyes to the thunderous roar of the river beside our tents, and awoke to the same sound. The sun was making its way through the leafy trees to warm us up, and everybody was enjoying the morning in their own way. Some read while sipping a fresh cup of coffee, others meditated. I was overwhelmed by the inexhaustible energy of the untamed waters. Fortunately, the weather forecast that had so worried us was completely inaccurate. The supposedly rainy days would turn out to be clear blue skies with the sun warming our adventure.
That morning I learned exactly what a canoeing “portage” means. The word comes from French explorers and fur traders, meaning “to carry”. When travelers need to connect between two lakes, or if the rapids of a river are too powerful to navigate safely (as was the case here) canoe paddlers have to hoist the canoes onto shoulders, and together with all gear, wind their way through the woods to calmer waters. Fortunately on the French River, most of the portages are well marked so we never inadvertently put ourselves in dangerous rapids. This morning’s portage was the longest of our trip. As we put in near the downstream end of the rapids, the last 50 meters we trekked through a marshy bog. Suddenly, we found ourselves covered head-to-toe in mosquitoes! This is where I realized it was well worth the mesh bug suits!
On the rivers along our route that were such an important part of former trading routes, many of the main portages are named. I was easily able to imagine the fur traders carrying their wares and canoes along these forested paths.
A Whole New Perspective on Top
Once we made our way past this first major set of rapids, the trip got better and better. I decided this was the perfect moment to pull out and inflate the iSUP as I was ready to continue our voyage standing up. I love the change in perspective when going from sitting to standing on the water. Especially with this stunning landscape we were paddling through! As we paddled the delta of the river where it flowed out into the bay, the river grew into a labyrinth of islands. There were so many rocks as the river’s branches and canals multiplied and snaked their way downstream, sometimes joining back together, and other times splitting again. The narrower the pass, the calmer the water. Every stroke of my paddle would paint a beautiful scene as the green waterlilies danced on the surface of the copper-colored canals. Silently gliding between these rock formations, we were in an entranced, almost hypnotic state.
We put away the maps and compasses and allowed ourselves to get lost in the maze. We fished along the way, enjoying our fresh catch and picnicked on our newly conquered private island. We encountered snakes and beaver dams along the way. These mud and stick constructions were quite effective in cutting the flow of the rivers, and we had to do a mini-portage around them. One time we even had to turn back to find another route around a beaver dam. It was adorable to imagine these little animals busily building their shelters!
We continued to paddle, upstream and down, aimlessly exploring narrow channels and visiting some of nature’s most stunning art galleries. Beautiful rock formations sculpted by ancient glaciers and eroded to smooth surfaces exposed millions of years of planetary history. These were sculptures with a view into the past. I could imagine the indigenous people paddling and fishing these same waters. Some of the areas were so virgin and remote that I felt as if we were the first humans in decades to paddle along the narrow canals. I could easily imagine a bear enjoying it’s feast of fresh fish on the shoreline throughout the years past.
Solitude & Serenity on the iSUP
Bringing along the inflatable paddle board turned out to be a great idea. Although it was a bit more effort, I was able to maintain a paddling rhythm without too much difficulty. I enjoyed the full-body exercise, rather than just shoulders and arms from paddling the canoe. But what I was especially enjoying was the view from on top!
Over the five days of paddling, we barely encountered anyone other than a few fishermen in their own canoes, a few people on the docks of summer cottages (which were built here before the area became a protected provincial park), and a few motor boats that passed us by. Of those we did meet, it was clear that the paddle board piqued their curiosity. They all wanted to know how many days we were paddling and camping, as it was clear from the amount of gear we were carrying that this was not just a day’s sojourn. When the fishermen saw the inflatable SUP, they understood what it was. Many cheered me on as it was much more effort than paddling a canoe. Most of these fellow travelers had never considered the option of stand up paddling along these routes. They were impressed that I had done it for so many days! I am no SUP racer, so if I can do it, I can encourage anyone to go on a paddle board adventure like this. It is up to you to set the rhythm and decide how far and for how many hours to paddle each day.
Running the Rapids
The most fun we had on the paddle board was when it was time to conquer some of the rapids we encountered along our route. All of a sudden,the calm and idyllic scene would transform into an authentic waterpark complete with an adrenaline rush. Although we would portage around the most dangerous rapids, for the less intimidating whitewater we decided to take it on directly. My group spent an entire day on one set of rapids, running the same course of whitewater for hours on end. We did it every which way possible: on the iSUP, standing up, laying down, alone, tandem, in the canoe. We tried every possible combination! Like little kids, we were practically exploding with the joy of enjoying life. Sometimes the watercraft would flip and end up floating down to the bottom, and we all tried to right the canoe before it filled with too much water, always laughing and with grins on our faces. I never knew a river could be so much fun!
Culmination of the Journey: An Enchanted Isle
Deciding which island to camp on every evening was part of the adventure. My favorite was one on which we decided to spend two nights. I still believe this particular island was magical. The sculpted rock was decorated with colorful lichens. Some parts were covered with a thick layer of beautiful moss the likes of which I had never seen before. Moreover, the rock wall was over 30cm tall, with dense branches intertwined throughout in the shape of snowflakes. Some of the moss was smooth and fluffy, while other places were hard and brittle. We would walk barefoot on these smooth surfaces, trying to minimize our impact.
I couldn’t gather my mind around how old this moss was. With so much of it and it’s size, it was hard to fathom that it all grew in the few short months since the final snow had melted. I’ve heard there are some species of moss that survive years while being buried under the snow I like to think that this moss was ancient and it had survived multiple ice ages, with history stored in its cellular memory that it could not speak of, but that we felt through our skin every time we touched it.
And I wouldn’t say this island was magical just for it’s moss. Here, in the land of mosquitoes, we were greeted by a collection of beautiful dragonflies.
The sunsets were a burst of every shade of pink, and the sky a mirrored reflection of the glassy waters at our feet. Our outings on the inflatable SUP as the sun went down were incredible. I would watch the sky’s pink reflection distort with every stroke of the paddle. Sometimes I didn’t know whether to look up toward the sky or down at its reflection beneath my feet.
If there exists a place of magic and fantasy on this planet, these few meters of rock jutting out of the water, among thousands of other little islands, could definitely be one of them.
Campfires, Fish, and S’mores
Each one of us from our group was from a different place, with differing lifestyles and hobbies. And yet we were all working together in harmony. We spent beautiful evenings chatting around the bonfire, cooking our catch of the day, and working together around camp. Every one of us had our tasks outlined: the fisherman, the dishwasher, the water fairy to filter the lake water for us to drink, and the food-pack-hoister-into-the-tree-so-the-bears-don’t-get-to-it. Haha, yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like. And yes, you have to do it!
Our time together was amazing, listening to each other’s stories and simply admiring the spectacle mother nature was putting on for us at that precise moment. I loved to witness how proud my companions were of their varying adventures, lifestyle, and travels. Each one of them enjoyed everything to its maximum all while in harmony with nature, Canadian style.
For me, as a beach girl, it was all new. I like that they enjoyed trying to show me the full Canadian experience. I discovered and learned about their ways of enjoying the natural environment and about my boyfriend’s childhood growing up with a love for nature.
However, I was told that I still had one more thing to do before earning my “Canadian Camper Badge”. I had to try their famous S’mores! A traditional Canadian campfire dessert, it consists of fire-roasted marshmallows sandwiched between two graham cracker cookies, smothered with melted chocolate. It tastes better than it sounds. With that, I was officially part of the group!
Toronto’s Skyline & a Return to Urban Life
Paddling back to our starting point, we suddenly felt that time had passed so quickly. It felt strange to be back to life in the city. After this amazing adventure, I was sure this was the pinnacle of my Canadian experience. Fortunately, we were staying another three weeks offering plenty of time to visit all of the typical tourist attractions, like Niagara Falls (No SUPing this time!) and hiking the Bruce Peninsula trail with it’s crystal clear blue waters reminiscent of the Caribbean. We also had a chance to experience life in the city.
I must admit that although I have never been much of a city girl, Toronto is a great place. Modern, cosmopolitan to the max, and clean; all with the option of being one with nature at your doorstep.
Located on the coast of Lake Ontario, and with a group of green islands jutting out about a kilometre offshore, Toronto is a watersports paradise. We spent our last day in Canada paddling the channels between the Toronto Islands, among water lilies and ducklings. The atmosphere here is vibrant, young, and full of energy. Sailboats dot the horizon, kids swim in the lake, SUPs and canoes are all around. Cyclists enjoy the beautiful weather, and volleyball nets are set up on the beach. It is a portrait of a city that I never imagined. It pulled me in and made me realize that it is possible to have the best of both worlds in Toronto: the big city life and the call of nature.
Photos: Tom Soltysiak, María Andrés, Kuba Soltysiak, Paulina Czajkowski.
