Back in March, I heard a story on CBC radio about an expedition that would be a signature project of Canada 150. The premise was that a re-purposed former-Coast Guard icebreaker would undertake a 150 day voyage, exploring all three of Canada's coasts: Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific… hence the name Canada C3. The ship would leave Toronto on June 1st, sail to the Maritimes via the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, then head north around Newfoundland and wind up in Victoria via the Northwest Passage. As the kids say, EPIC!
I won't rehash all the particulars of Canada C3 here, as they do a thorough job of it on their website. If you want a quick primer, click here.
The purpose of the expedition is broad: to tell the story of Canada's coastlines through exploration, storytelling, art, music, and science. Invited participants include scientists, visual artists, journalists, musicians, poets, and actors. In addition to the invited experts in their respective fields, applications to participate were being accepted from everyday Canadians as well. The application process was fairly rigorous, and included writing two essays and submitting an audio/video recording. I put my package together and submitted it, and miracle of miracles! I was invited to join Leg 2 as a "Journey Participant". Leg 2 would start in Montreal on June 10, and end near the other end of the St. Lawrence River in Baie-Comeau on June 20.
I could not have been more excited or grateful. Although I didn't really know what to expect, I was so looking forward to being a part of this incredible journey. No matter what happened, I knew I was participating in something special. Every expectation was exceeded beyond my wildest dreams. I had no idea I was about to embark on a transformative voyage, but that is exactly what happened to me, in just eleven short, magical days.
The Canada C3 Communication Team put together this beautiful video: Leg 2 in Review Have a peek!
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