Spell of the Wild

8 & 9 June, Day 2 & 3 - Chuck

We rested on the 8th to let Bill's pinched nerve continue to improve. We used the time to visit a laundromat, use the library computer and organize our gear. We topped the day off with our third meal at Klondike Salmon & Rib Bar-B-Q. I had the Arctic Char again and Bill had another Bison Steak.

This morning, we were waiting at Kanoe People Outfitters when they opened. We loaded our canoes, mailed off some film and information for the website to Betty, and were ready to leave at about noon. Scott took some pictures and we were on our way. The swift current quickly whisked us out of Whitehorse. It was a perfect day; the weather, sky, and river were all great. We rode the current, paddling only part of the time.

After a couple of hours, we met a German couple in a tandem kayak. Kristine & Frank were from Munich and plan to paddle to Carmacks, about 6 days down river. Soon there were some dogs barking on the shore. A man walked to the water's edge and shouted for us to pull in. I was closest and quickly paddled to him, Bill was already past so it was best for him to keep going. The German couple said they had a tight schedule and passed. I talked about 15 minutes with a crusty old river runner, Ben Learmont from Vancouver. He said he had over ten thousand miles on the Yukon, and had gone to the Bering Sea years ago with his ten-year-old son. He yelled so much at his son who was sitting in the bow, that by the time they finished the son thought his name was "Paddle". Ben is 68 years old and was very helpful. He already knew we were coming down river and had been waiting for us to come by so he could tell us about the trip. Ben gave me a very detailed and laminated map that he had made. It covers the route from Whitehorse to Dawson City. We shook hands, he wished us luck and I pushed off to catch up with Bill. Just a short way around the corner, Bill was fishing as he waited for me.

Eagles, gulls and clear, swift water filled the day. We made camp on Raymonds Island. We made 22 easy miles in half a day. After dinner, the wind increased and we turned in about 8 PM. Bill had put up his larger North Face tent which can withstand nearly 100mph winds. I used my little backpack tent, a Sierra Designs "Clip Flashlight" and the wind was really whipping it around. Just before I went inside, I spotted a kayak in the distance out on the choppy river. As I stood on the shore, a tandem kayak came to the bank, two Swiss men were on their way to camp at Lake Laberge for the night. As I watched them paddle off, bucking into the chop and wind, I was glad to crawl into my wind whipped, but warm, tent. It was a good day.