My first book, Paddlenorth, shipped from the printer late last week, which means it is on its way to stores across Canada, and it will be in the U.S. a bit later in the fall. The official publication date is September 13, 2014.
As the publication date for my first book, Paddlenorth, approaches, people are starting to ask me what I’ve learned thus far in this writing business. So I’ve compiled a list of the top five tips I’ve gleaned from others that have really stuck with me. Click through to read them.
On June 23, 2014 Banff Centre Radio hit the air. Congratulations to the team of hard-working, pub-going, sound-creating, question-asking producers who went above and beyond for so many days to launch Canada’s most exciting new station. Bravo!
Tim Irvin and I have spent a lot of time around bears. On several occasions, we have been lucky enough to see Spirit Bears, the rare white black bear that lives mostly on the central coast of British Columbia. Tim has been recording these encounters with this camera. Click through to see the results.
It feels good to be part of a strong team, and I’m proud to be joining the Lindblad roster again. Click through to meet some interesting people from around the world.
Byron Eggenschwiler and I have collaborated again on a story for Cottage Life magazine. This time, we explore what happens when a lake awakes in spring
After writing so much about the Arctic and paddling a few of its rivers, I am ready to realize a dream: “For just one time, I would take the Northwest Passage . . . ” I’ll be a naturalist for Lindblad Expeditions’ National Geographic Explorer on a 25-day voyage from west to east through the famed passage.
My book, “Paddlenorth: A Journey into the Heart of the Tundra,” will be published by Greystone Books in the fall of this year. It is the story of my 54-day canoe trip on Nunavut’s Back River back in 2005.
In December 2013, the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University chose “The Whale’s Choice” as a top pick of the year in their “Best of Narrative” list. Click through to learn about the list and the line-up.
“During a grim yuletide on Great Slave Lake, a team of starving explorers yearn for the gift of survival.” This is the story of George Back’s first Christmas as commander of an Arctic expedition. Appointed by the British Admiralty, he was tasked with finding the Thlew-ee-choh, now called the Back River, and following it to the Arctic coast.
It’s official: I have crossed the border. This is my American debut. My audio documentary, The Whale’s Choice, has been picked up and featured by the Third Coast International Audio Festival. Click through to LISTEN and read my interview with Third Coast’s Artistic Director, Julie Shapiro.
The first lesson I learn from musicologist Tyler Kinnear is, “Once you start listening, it’s impossible to stop.” Tyler has a particular listening practice, and in this story, he shares it with me.
Summer this year is interviews, field recorders and a dim audio editing screen punctuated by mountain exploration and adventure. It’s a good mix. This week, we ventured to The Bugaboos, a group of granite spires which are a world-class climbing destination.
We are not world class climbers, but we had fun anyway.
Cougar Creek in Canmore looked wild and exciting on the evening of Wednesday, June 19. My partner Toby and I were staying with Toby’s brother whose house backs directly on to the creek, and we went for a stroll before bed. The fire department was starting to put up caution tape, and the bank was abuzz with walkers and joggers. Almost everyone wielded a camera.
By 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, the story had entirely changed. As the fire department pounded on doors up and down the street, we heard our names.
“Toby! Jenny! We’ve got to get out.” . . .
The Mississippi River Canoe Route is one of the oldest recreational canoe routes in Canada, but it doesn’t get very much use these days. In the last 20 years, it has fallen out of favour in the paddling community, though little along the river has changed. Mike O’Mally and Alex Broadbent are hoping to put this paddler’s paradise back on the map. Click through to the full post for an audio link to this story from CBC’s In Town and Out.