09-02-2008, 07:52 AM
In the years 1819-1822, John Franklin made his first overland trip north to the arctic ocean. His base camp was Fort Providence, on the shores of Great Slave Lake, which at that time was located very near the modern day city of Yellowknife and our home sailing waters. Some thirty years later it was this very fort that Franklin's doomed men were attempting to reach after abandoning their ice trapped ships near King William Island.
Other then the city, the area has changed little since those rugged days of adventurers and explorers. Drive or sail a few minutes out of town and you are in pure wilderness with little between you and the arctic coast to the north, and "civilization" to the south, for hundreds and hundreds of miles. Not much has changed since the days of Franklin, Rae, and Richardson if you go a short distance from town.
Our trip in our Weekender was only a day sail on these pristine waters, latter day explorers in modern times, but in a craft not that different from those times either. The wind was about Weekender perfect for a relaxed outing, and as Sans Souci already had a reefed main from a few days before, Annie and I left it in, what was the rush. We rolled out the jib, slipped our mooring and headed north to the mouth of the Yellowknife river, a few kilometers distance. This was an easy reach and near the river we spotted two bald eagles before turning south along the eastern side of Yellowknife Bay. We hoped to join up with other members of the fleet but as yet had spotted nobody.
We kept going south along the eastern shore poking into little shallow areas without fear that our little boat could get hurt running aground, and after passing Hideaway Island, steered a more direct course for Joliffe Island. We passed east of Joliffe out of sight of Keith and his Weekender "Made Merry" , getting ready to sail from his dock, neither seeing the other. It was only after circling the island and Houseboat Row that we spotted him now well to the north looking for us.
He soon saw us beating north and we had a good meeting and sailed further together north, then west towards our mooring. Keith had a camera so we passed it back and forth taking photos of each others boats in the sparkling sunshine before the dark clouds came rolling in. Air temperature was around 5C, but the sun made it very pleasant. With it now gone we all felt a bit chilled so it was time to tie up, wish Keith a safe passage home and put Sans Souci to bed until the next sail.
Our season here now grows short and soon the water we sailed on will have ice roads crossing it. We'll be driving to places in our trucks and cars we could only sail to, and dreaming of next spring and the adventures to come in these historical waters.
Other then the city, the area has changed little since those rugged days of adventurers and explorers. Drive or sail a few minutes out of town and you are in pure wilderness with little between you and the arctic coast to the north, and "civilization" to the south, for hundreds and hundreds of miles. Not much has changed since the days of Franklin, Rae, and Richardson if you go a short distance from town.
Our trip in our Weekender was only a day sail on these pristine waters, latter day explorers in modern times, but in a craft not that different from those times either. The wind was about Weekender perfect for a relaxed outing, and as Sans Souci already had a reefed main from a few days before, Annie and I left it in, what was the rush. We rolled out the jib, slipped our mooring and headed north to the mouth of the Yellowknife river, a few kilometers distance. This was an easy reach and near the river we spotted two bald eagles before turning south along the eastern side of Yellowknife Bay. We hoped to join up with other members of the fleet but as yet had spotted nobody.
We kept going south along the eastern shore poking into little shallow areas without fear that our little boat could get hurt running aground, and after passing Hideaway Island, steered a more direct course for Joliffe Island. We passed east of Joliffe out of sight of Keith and his Weekender "Made Merry" , getting ready to sail from his dock, neither seeing the other. It was only after circling the island and Houseboat Row that we spotted him now well to the north looking for us.
He soon saw us beating north and we had a good meeting and sailed further together north, then west towards our mooring. Keith had a camera so we passed it back and forth taking photos of each others boats in the sparkling sunshine before the dark clouds came rolling in. Air temperature was around 5C, but the sun made it very pleasant. With it now gone we all felt a bit chilled so it was time to tie up, wish Keith a safe passage home and put Sans Souci to bed until the next sail.
Our season here now grows short and soon the water we sailed on will have ice roads crossing it. We'll be driving to places in our trucks and cars we could only sail to, and dreaming of next spring and the adventures to come in these historical waters.