{"id":460,"date":"2012-04-12T21:00:12","date_gmt":"2012-04-13T03:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.paddlethewaters.org\/?p=460"},"modified":"2023-05-29T22:56:04","modified_gmt":"2023-05-30T05:56:04","slug":"finishing-rations-and-first-paddle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.paddlethewaters.org\/?p=460","title":{"rendered":"Finishing Rations and First paddle"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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We finally finished the food preparations. It took us much longer than anticipated but we have learnt a great deal. Preparing and packing everything ourselves is extremely time consuming, but now that it is finished feels very rewarding. We will have earnt every meal! We are now just finishing the drinks. So far, we have prepared a daily pack of food which contains 3 meals and snacks. We also have a weekly bag which contains the drinks and additional snacks that we can look forward to every few days. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The canoe was built and we took to the Athabasca River on the 8th April. It was wonderful to be on the water again after so long – a good time to blow out the cobwebs and get Tallak in the boat for the first time. A marvellous day; very warm with little breeze and plenty of sunshine. Perfect conditions to paddle upstream and down for a few hours whilst admiring how thick the ice along the side of the river still is in places. More and more patches of earth are emerging each time we are now on the water turning the muddy shore into clay, sticking thickly to our boots as we trudge the canoe back and forth from the river. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

We now have 11 days to go before the beginning of the Expedition and the pressure is mounting. Last minute excitement and nerves mould together as we frantically make sure all is prepared and ready before we leave – there will be no turning back once on the water. The apartment is covered in boxes of packaged food, the canoe and all the equipment along its side as we practice packing until it will become second nature. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Not long now!  <\/span><\/span><\/p>