Start at Baffin Island’s Penny Ice Cap, make a first descent of the Class V Weasel River, continue by hand-made kayak along ancient Inuit hunting routes across the southern portion of the island and end where the ocean begins. This is the making of a journey like no other. In partnership with Skip Armstrong of Wazee Motion Pictures, we present our latest short film, narrated by the group who dreamed up and undertook the epic Expedition Q together.
The team, consisting of Erik Boomer, Sarah and Eric McNair-Landry and Kate Breen took a year to plan, fundraise and hand-build traditional kayaks together before Expedition Q. But linking its lakes and rivers from sea to sea amid rain, sleet, snow, bugs and hunger would prove more challenging than they anticipated. We asked Boomer a few questions about this epic undertaking, and here’s what he shared with us:
NRS: What inspired this expedition?
EB: Northern Tradition! Eric, Sarah’s brother, had been talking about this trip for about three years. He had read somewhere about the traditional inland route the Inuit had used in handmade Qajaqs (a traditional Inuit kayak made by hand), and got the idea that it would be cool to build our own Qajaqs and follow the route. I was skeptical about building a boat that would work, but Eric is a great woodworker and with his help the boats came out strong and fast.
NRS: Why was this expedition so inspiring for the people on Baffin Island? What did you hope to inspire with this expedition?
EB: I think this was inspiring for the people on Baffin because we were using traditional technology to travel a path that many of them have traveled themselves or heard stories of grandfathers and elders traveling in the past. The big lakes have a special mystic place in their hearts. All we really hoped to do was inspire the people we met in Baffin to keep these wonderful traditions alive.
NRS: Why did you decide to hit the sea-kayaking portion in boats you made yourself?
EB: Because these boats are the best, they are proven and have been used up here on this trail in the past. And the handmade boats is what really set this expedition apart from other ones that have been done in a less traditional way.
NRS: You and your partner tackle quite a few expeditions together. How do you make this partnership work?
EB: It works naturally. We have both agreed that our priority in life right now is to “shred” as hard as we can. So the partnership helps to make things like this work for us.
NRS: Can you share one of your favorite moments/stories from the trip?
EB: We had so many good times, but catching the fish had to be some of the best highlights, especially because we were really, really hungry.
NRS: So what’s the next great expedition?
EB: Circumnavigating Baffin Island by dogsled!
Over the next few weeks we’ll share more stories from the Expedition Q team right here on the NRS blog. Stay tuned!