Jim Conners:
A letter received from Jim Conners from his latest section
(Winnepeg to Hudson bay summer 2006) of the Canoeing with
the Cree route. Enjoy his pictures and story.
Letter received from customer from his latest section (Winnepeg
to Hudson bay summer 2006) of the Canoeing with the Cree route.
Enjoy his pictures and story.
Dan
A Black bear laid across my tent and on top of me at 4:30
AM. Nearly squished me. When it got off me the tent popped
up again and I sat up and grabbed my rifle. As I cocked the
rifle the wall of the tent in front of me ripped away. I guess
he hit it with his paw. We were face to face and he seemed
Very surprised to see me. He took off into woods several feet
behind tent.
No food in tent. Food containers and gear down beach undisturbed.
This happened on Lake Winnipeg about 10 miles north of Barrens
River. Many small holes from claws all over tent and one in
the gore text shell over my sleeping bag in thigh area. The
bear put a three foot hole in side of tent. It was a Bibler.
Only the third time I slept in it.
Lean 2 was put into full time service as shelter. I camped
many nights on rock islands with little or no vegetation.
Used loose rocks if available as anchors on the sod flaps
and tied off the poles to the canoe. When no loose rocks were
available I used my gear to anchor Lean 2. With the constant
winds blowing off Lake Winnipeg and very little availability
of anything to tie down Lean 2 it appeared hopeless at times
to set up Lean 2 sufficiently to handle severe weather. By
adjusting the amount of Lean 2 used and height of ridgeline
I always ended up with a very usable shelter. It is quite
a flexible contraption.
At Norway House I purchased a Coleman tent (only thing they
had) and alternated between the two shelters for remainder
of trip. No trips on horizon. It has been a ten year effort
between canoeing the Mississippi and the Hudson Bay trip.
Spray covers are awesome. New zipper piece over cockpit area
very effective in keeping breakers and standing waves out
of canoe.
All the best,
Jim Connors |
