I’m about to find out what “Awesome” REALLY means
I’m extremely excited to be off on what I’m sure will be one of the most jaw- dropping adventures of my life tomorrow that I fully expect will redefine the true meaning of awesome. We are heading up to the Northwest Territories in the morning to visit friends in Yellowknife before a side excursion into the canyons of the South Nahanni river by float plane. A trip into the Nahanni has been a life long goal of mine and has risen to the top tier of the bucket list that is happily getting shorter with each passing year of the 60th decade.
I first became enchanted with and by the Nahanni after viewing pictures of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau paddling the current between the canyons in 1970. The images remained in my mind. Then, in the 80’s, as host of a popular RB radio show I developed, had the pleasure of interviewing Pat and Rosemarie Keogh, a married photographic team who produced and published the magnificent coffee table picture book called ” The Nahanni Portfolio”. Their articulate description of the rugged wilderness backed by the magnificent photo essay, lit the fire in me to someday follow in their and Trudeau’s footstep. That ” Someday ” has arrived! We leave tomorrow for a 5 day blitz of the Nahanni region armed with a new digital Nikon D5200 camera, several special lenses, my fly rod and bear spray! I’m told a camera cannot capture the immensity and grandeur of the geography but I will try my best to shoot the slices that convey the magic.
Unlike Trudeau though, we are flying through the river canyons, not paddling. The plan is an 8 hour flight above the current in a 185 Cessna on floats that soars randomly between canyon walls before swooshing in on floats to a river landing at key spots like ” Virgina Falls ” which is TWICE the height of Niagara. An excursion into Great Slave lake for giant Pike is also on the agenda.
Not exactly sure what kind of internet connection if any, will be available in the National Park but I plan to tweet pics @stall680news and @Johnstall_radio in addition to blog/photo posting here and at www.johnstall.com
I’ll tell and show you all about it when we return sometime next week.