Aug.24: Our Wedding Anniversary and Pulpit Rock

Some (Frebis, Jeff R., Dave) opted to do a three-hour hike up Bell Mountain this morning, while the rest of us preferred to sleep in and take showers. Al rigged up the camp sun shower for me, even laying a tarp on the ground so I wouldn't have to get my feet muddy. Another tarp provided one side of the "stall" and piled-up branches and twigs provided another side. Soooo good to get clean again! Duane and Karen baked raisin scones over the fire for breakfast, which we ate with maple syrup and jam. I marvelled again (between mouthfuls) at the excellent food on the trip...I rarely ate like this at home.

It rained again today, but we were all still too hyped from yesterday's successful navigation over Figure Eight to care. We encountered another interesting watery phenomenon in the afternoon....Wrigley's Creek Whirlpool. In The Nahanni River Guide, Peter Jowett refers to it as a "very nasty, canoe-sucking whirlpool". Fortunately, all of us managed to avoid its grasp.

Without as many rapids, I found that the Cata-Canoe wasn't quite as fun. It was slower than solo canoes, and not as easily maneuverable. Also, you were generally stuck with paddling on one side, though Ginny and I did switch sides once by clambering carefully over the gunwhales and across the connecting branches tying our canoes together. On the other hand, I enjoyed the social aspect, chatting with the other women as we paddled side-by-side...we talked about everything from movies to marriage to French kissing. After some discussion, however, we decided to split up the canoes the next day. Ginny, Frebis and I were all better prepared in terms of facing the rapids and we welcomed the new experience.

We saw wolves today. Or at least some of us did...I turned my head to look too late. Apparently there were three of four tawny wolf cubs in the forest by the shore of the river.

Long day of paddling today. We came to the Gate (not to be confused with Hell's Gate) about 13 km into Third Canyon, where the river makes a sharp turn and flows through a narrow gap flanked by two sheer rock faces about 300 m high. It was exciting to finally glimpse Pulpit Rock in real life...I had seen it in photographs many times during my pre-trip research. As we neared the 100 metre high rock, Karen pointed out the form of a priest standing on one side of the rock, hands folded as if in prayer.

After we set up camp, I went to the kitchen to help with dinner since I was a Wolf and it was our turn for doing the meal. When I got there, however, I was told to take the night off since it was Jeff's and my eighth wedding anniversary. Wow! I wasn't used to having free time, so aimlessly wandered around a bit before settling myself on a flat rock in Frebis and Duane's campsite to work on our Nahanni song. Jeff gave me a necklace he had made for me out of driftwood; I wore this for the rest of the trip.

At Happy Hour, I downed two Adventure cups full of Bailey's (my favourite liqueur) before being offered a special anniversary drink created by Lin. Although I didn't usually drink much alcohol, how could I turn this gift down? As you might have already guessed, I ended up enjoying Happy Hour even more than usual that evening. :-) Ginny served smoked salmon and cream cheese on crackers for appetizers, and dinner was a delicious pasta dish whose name I sadly forget (chicken marengo?). After spending a great deal of time slaving in the camp kitchen, Jeff O. came out with a scrumptious-looking Cherries Jubilee, and had even carved two small hearts out of white chocolate to put on top!

People made speeches and presented us with homemade gifts...heart-shaped stones, driftwood decorated with flowers and inscriptions, reading/advice, a medicine wheel charm, Nahanni guide pin, and a certificate for dinner chez Frebis and Duane. I was deeply moved by the caring and warmth in this special group of people, most of whom were strangers to me only a few weeks ago. Jeff and I both agree that this was definitely our best anniversary ever. :-) That particular evening remains one of my personal highlights of our Nahanni trip.