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Departure
Don Starkell and his 2 sons depart from Winnipeg by canoe on the Red River. pg. 13 -
US Border Crossing
The trio have made their way down the Red River to the US border in Pembina, South Dakota pg. 24 -
Grand Forks, South Dakota
The trio has made it to Grand Forks, South Dakota. They reached their destination in the morning and then spent the day wandering around the port and finding a spot to pitch their tent
pg. 26 -
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The trio has made it to their first major milestone of the long voyage, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Just past the Twin Cities, they have paddled their way into the largest river in the US, the Mississippi River. pg. 33 -
Dubuque, Iowa, on the Mississippi River
So far the trio has paddled 1,200 miles while only six weeks into their long voyage. After making it through the locks at Dubuque, the paddlers camp on the banks of Riverview Park. They met 2 locals who drove them to a KFC outlet and some grocery stores to gather more supplies. pg. 38 -
Hannibal, Missouri
The trio arrived in Hannibal at around noon and set up camp on the side of the river across from the town. They then crossed a bridge and spent the rest of in town re stocking on food and buying a decal for the canoe. pg. 40 -
Chester, Illinois, Mississippi River
The trio has made it through the last of the lift locks and are now on the stronger, natural current of the Mississippi River. They passed through St. Louis in the early afternoon and made camp in the evening on the Illinois side of the river near the town of Chester. pg. 42 -
Memphis, Tennessee
The trio arrived in Memphis in the early afternoon and set up camp in the evening. After their supper they head into the city to buy groceries. Dana decides to try and get into a Queen concert, which he is successful in doing so even getting a stage pass and a half hour conversation with the groups lead guitarist, Brian May. pg. 46 -
New Orleans, Louisiana
After arriving in New Orleans the day before, the trio takes a rest day and explores the port, which is the 3rd largest port in the world. Don phones the Canadian Consulate and requests a new Canadian flag for the canoe which he receives an hour later. After dinner, Jeff and Dane go on a guided tour of Bourbon Street. pg.53 -
Texas Border
The trio crossed the border into the Lone Star State the day before but no signage presented itself at the time. Texas is also a big milestone as it will be the last state the Canadians journey through before tackling the sea on the Gulf. pg. 58 -
Port Isabel, Texas
This is that final stop before the trio ventures into Mexico and onto the Gulf. They set up camp at a US coast guard base and Don and Jeff went into town and found someone to cut and sew the canoe cover. Once the cover is made the trio is ready to take on the Gulf of Mexico. pg. 67 -
Washington Beach, Mexico
After a coast guard breakfast, the trio nervously sets out onto the Gulf. After paddling for about 3 hours or around 10 miles, the wind was up and the swells were getting trickier. With the wind gaining strength water began to flood the canoe. The boys desperately paddle for land. The powerful waves threw the trio out of the canoe towards the beach. After being thrown out of the canoe the trio had to go back in the water to save all the equipment that was still in the boat. pg. 69 -
at Mezquital, Mexico
After spending 10 days struggling to make their way along the Gulf, the trio is finally on a steady pace again. The wind had shifted, giving them the tailwind down the coast. This is a huge break for the trio as the Gulf has been beating them thus far. pg. 77 -
La Pesca, Mexico
The trio has been forced to accept their fate. They need a break. Their feet are cut and swollen from a vigorous portage and they are struggling to keep going. They find a local who is willing to drive them into town. Don decides he does not want to stay around the scene of their defeat and plans to head to the coastal city of Veracruz, where they will spend the winter. pg. 85 -
Veracruz, Mexico
During the winter break in Veracruz, Jeff has decided to part ways and head back home to Winnipeg. No matter how hard Don tries to convince him to stay he wants to go home. He departs the morning of November 6th. This makes the rest of the voyage even more difficult with only two paddlers. Don and Dana decide to look for another paddler to help them on their journey. pg. 88 -
Christmas Day
This the first Christmas Don and Dana have spent away from home and they are both thinking about the snowy Canadian prairies. On the bright side, they have found a 3rd member to accompany them on their voyage. pg. 91 -
La Pesca, Mexico
The new trio has decided after the long break over Christmas that its time to start up the journey again. With their new crew member Gabby, they travel back to La Pesca, where they hit pause on their voyage. pg. 94
