Whitehorse - Carmacks
Due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland, my plane to Whitehorse / Canada has to fly much further south, so the flight time will be almost 12 hours instead of 9 hours!
Everything was fine for the first 9 hours but then I got a terrible headache. A stewardess gave me an aspirin which unfortunately didn't help...
The last hour before landing in Whitehorse was almost unbearable, I hadn't had such pain for a long time.
After landing I felt a little better. Together with 4 Germans who were kayaking the White River, we took a bus to the Robert Service Campground.
I set up my tent and immediately disappeared into it and tried to sleep. The headache remained ...
During the night I woke up from the pain and realized that I couldn't breathe very well and that my nose was completely blocked.
Thank God I was able to cough up, it was bloody mucus and my nose was bloody too! But immediately after coughing and clearing my nose it said flop and the terrible pressure in my head was gone.
I suspect that I had no pressure equalization on the plane due to a blocked nose and that this was the cause of my extreme headaches!
Anyway, the main thing is that I'm healthy again, I just hope it doesn't happen to me again, because the pain was absolutely extreme.
26.05.2011
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
In the morning, I set up my folding boat and sorted my equipment. Jörg, who I met in Germany through my website, arrived at around 10am. This year, he is also paddling the Yukon River to the Bering Sea.
He is staying with a friend just outside Whitehorse for the first week and had borrowed the car to go shopping with me, super nice!
The shopping lasted until 2pm, I didn't get everything and will get the rest tomorrow. Jörg is trying to get the trolley again, if that would work it would be NICE!
In the afternoon, I sorted out the rest of my equipment and mounted the solar system on the boat.
My headache is gone, thank goodness, I'm just a bit sniffly, apparently I caught a slight cold on the plane. I almost thought I would, because there were a few people on the plane coughing...
I'll go to bed early so that I'm fit tomorrow.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Equipment chaos
27.05.2011
Jörg picked me up in the morning. We took my folding boat to Kanoe People and then went shopping.
In the early afternoon we stowed everything next to my boat on the Yukon. I said goodbye to Jörg and we will meet up next week at Lake Laberge Campground on the left side of the lake.
The boat is packed to the hilt. I couldn't have taken any more with me ...
I said goodbye to Scott /Kanoe People and paddled towards Lake Laberge. The weather today is really great 24 degrees and sunny.
Saw a coyote. A short time later a moose cow with calf, the calf had fallen down a ledge, it couldn't get back to its mother and was whining bitterly....
I passed the Takini River. After about an hour I heard something crying, it was a small moose calf shivering alone in the cold water. I paddled in its direction and suddenly saw why it was wailing.
The mother moose was lying dead in the water, some idiot had simply shot the mother and left her lying there.
The little one was desperately waiting for its mother. I paddled closer and it tried to get up, which it only managed to do after a while.
It must have been lying in the cold water for a very long time. It slowly made its way towards the forest.
Its chances of survival are better there than in the cold water, but without its mother it will probably die soon!
Mother nature is sometimes pretty cruel....
I arrived at the lake during the night.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
My folding boat and equipment on the Yukon River in Whitehorse.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
At last it continues!
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
The coyote followed me for some time!
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
A young eagle.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
There is also garbage here and more and more of it...
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
There are many beavers this year.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
The little moose had trouble getting up.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Will the little one make it without his mother?
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
The moose cow had probably been in the water for several days....
Some idiot had shot her and left her lying there, although he should have seen that she had a calf.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Arrived at the Pillings on Lake Laberge.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
The tent is up, the boat is unloaded and I can finally enjoy the evening atmosphere.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Sunset at Lake Laberge
28.05.2011
I slept until 10:00 am.I'm taking a day off here at the lake today. The weather is very good, warm and lots of sunshine.
There were two short showers in the afternoon, but then it was very warm again and the sun was so hot that I got a slight sunburn after a short time, I should probably keep my shirt on...
29.05.2011
Today I cross the lake to the campground on the left.
I'll wait here for Ralf. It's very warm again today.
My neck and the tops of my hands are burnt, and it burns like hell. I'll probably have problems for a few days, because paddling burns even faster.
30.05.2011
The nights here are wonderfully quiet, you only hear mosquitoes and birds.
The weather is extremely warm again, my sunburn is very painful. I paddled out onto the lake today to escape the blistering heat, it's very pleasant on the lake.
It's good that I have my umbrella with me, now I can use it as a sunshade, otherwise I couldn't stand the sun with my burnt skin...
It's over 35 degrees in the tent, unbearable!
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Great weather, but already too hot for me...
31.05.2011
In the distance at the end of the lake you can see a firestorm, huge clouds of smoke. I learned that there was a fire outside Carmacks.
Two more Germans arrived in the afternoon, Benjamin Bindewald and Michael Bund. Benjamin did know me from my website. Now we're finally going to meet, and even on the Yukon!
The two of them are hitchhiking in the Yukon. We spent the whole evening together.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Benjamin Bindewald and Michael Bund
01.06.2011
In the morning I said goodbye to Benjamin and Michael.
The two of them will try to hitchhike to Dawson City.
Two English, father and son, Mick & Mike, came to the lake with Atsushi Kushida from Birch Tours.
They will canoe from here to Carmacks. The lake is a bit choppy today and has a few waves, as Jörg is still not here I'm going to paddle across the lake with them. We set off at around 14:00.
In the evening we set up camp in a bay, cooked something together and had a good chat into the night.
The two of them have already been around a lot, very, very nice contemporaries!
It got noticeably cooler towards the evening.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
With Mick & Mike I cross the lake.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Mick & Mike
02.06.2011
In the morning, I said goodbye to Mick & Mike. They only have four days left until Carmacks. I gave them a few tips on camping, and then they set off, in light rain.
The temperature dropped from over 25 degrees to 11 degrees. There were repeated rain showers throughout the day.
I hope it will be dry again tomorrow and I can continue on towards Dawson City. I wonder if I will still meet Jörg.
The sunset at about 2:45 was amazing. It was cloudy, only a narrow strip on the horizon was clear, the clouds were illuminated blood-red from below.
The lake was absolutely calm, no waves rippled the water. Fish jumped out of the water, a loon called on the lake and hundreds of birds flew over my camp, just great...
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
“My bay ”
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Can't get better than that !
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Sunset at the lake
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
3.06.2011
I started at about 10:30am. There was a lot of wind and the lake was choppy.
The first few hours were ok, but then it started to rain, and the wind got stronger and stronger. I was able to use my sail for a short time, but then the gusts became too strong. The waves came from astern and went over the boat.
I had serious problems with the steering. It only reacts very slowly. I think it's because the rudder blade is far too small. I don't feel at all comfortable in the folding boat, no comparison with my old Grand Raid 520, the new 540 is much worse to drive.
It started to rain, lightly at first and then more and more heavily.
After hours the end of the lake finally appeared, I opened the hatch cover to reach for my binoculars, and suddenly they went bang, I looked around, it was my good Caruso sunglasses, I reached for them but too late. I tried to turn the folding boat, but it didn't react, and suddenly I got a wave broadside, the folding boat didn't react despite additional paddling, it wouldn't have taken much, and I would have capsized!
This damn crap boat is downright dangerous...!
With the last of my strength, I arrived at the exit of the lake. I stopped briefly in Lower Labage, took some photos and then continued on, somehow I didn't have a good feeling in my stomach at this place, no idea why, but you better listen to your gut feeling!
A few bends in the river later I saw something brown in the grass from a distance, it was two brown bears, I paddled quietly up to them and was able to take some photos, unfortunately I only had the 80mm telephoto on the camera. Before I could change the telephoto, the bears were already on the embankment and growling really loudly - I'd never heard anything like that from brown bears before!
A great experience.
Again and again I had to avoid some obstacles in the river. And again I had problems with the boat, it simply reacted far too late to the steering commands from the steering system, sometimes it could hardly be turned!
I met a couple from Germany on an island, Nadine & Alex, who I had already seen on the plane. They also want to paddle the Yukon, but don't know how far yet. We drank a few cups of cocoa together and chatted a bit. We will meet again in Dawson City and I will give them some tips for the Yukon.
I arrived at Hootalinqua at around midnight. The site was occupied by a fire-fighting crew. So I drove on to Shipyart Island. There were fire pumps and sprinklers everywhere...
I pitched my tent and went straight to sleep, I had driven 84 km today...
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
The WindPaddle sail works absolutely great!
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Arrived at the end of the lake.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Old Truck
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Remains of an old paddle steamer.
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
On the Thirty Mile River section of the Yukon River
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
I disturbed the bears while they were SLEEPING...
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
There are many eagles here
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Moos
4.6.2011
At 10:00 a.m. two people came in a jet boat and told me I had to take down my tent and move on, as I was right on their helicopter landing pad. I couldn't have known because I didn't see anything more than red ribbons on the trees....
I actually wanted to take a day's break here and wait for Nadine & Alex, but that wasn't going to happen
So I drove on. After a few bends in the river, I knew why they had set up sprinkler systems everywhere, it had been burning heavily for the last few days. Over the next 34 km, the forest was scorched and in some places it was still smoking and smouldering.
This was probably the firestorm I had seen at the lake.
In Big Salmon they were also sprinkling the cabins, so I had to drive on.
After about 72 km, I set up camp at Cyers Dredge.
The boat is still having problems steering, so if it continues like this I will have to abandon the tour, because it would be more than reckless to continue with this sluggish boat.
The huge waves only come in bad weather near the coast, so I would have real problems with this boat, what a bummer ...
My foot has also become infected, I have no idea what it is, I should probably not walk around barefoot in the water so much....
05.06.2011
It was very windy during the night. Diagonally opposite the dredge, the water is roaring over some rocks...
I got up around 10:00 a.m. and reorganized my boat. Let's see if that helps. I hope so, because the way the boat is behaving now, it's only a matter of time before I capsize...
I will probably continue towards Carmacks tomorrow and stay there for 2-3 days.
Suddenly, after a bend in the river, I saw a raft. Then some kotas and someone waving.
I stopped. Nadja, Benni, Asriel, Michael and Esther are building a raft with which they want to travel to the end of the Yukon River. The two women and the child get off in Dawson City and fly back to Switzerland. Benni and Michael will try to make it to the Bering Sea!
I talked to Benni about the Yukon River until the early hours of the morning.
They had a visit from a brown bear in camp today. But he was more interested in a squirrel than in them.
Early in the morning, I put up my tent and finally went to sleep.
06.06.2011
Everyone got up around 11:30. Really super nice people. As they didn't have a computer with them, I burned their SD cards from the video camera and the photo camera onto a CD so that they had more memory available.
We spent the whole morning and afternoon eating and talking about the raft and the Yukon River. Nadine & Alex also stopped by briefly.
In the early evening, I said goodbye and drove on towards Carmacks. I had a huge headwind for the next few hours.
I also met Nadine & Alex, they were camping just before Carmacks.
I arrived at the Coal Mine Campground around 22:00. Dale & Samantha bought me a double hamburger and a few beers!
(Thanks Guys!)
Around midnight, I went to sleep...
07.06.2011
I showered and washed my clothes today, it feels so good to be clean!
The Wi-Fi is not working on either of my computers, I can't find the error. That means I can't update my website, bummer ...
Got my photos organized and edited for the website. Dale the owner of the Coal Mine Campground is going to Whitehorse tomorrow, he will try to get me a WLAN USB stick so that I can connect to the net with my computer again!
Towards evening, I sat around the fire with Nadine & Alex, and we chatted late into the night. Shortly before midnight, the campground foxes arrived. One was even so cheeky that he came to the table and snatched a bag of raisins in a flash! When he tried again, Alex gave him an apple.
The fox's haul today: a bag of raisins and two apples....
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
The old paddle steamer Norcom on Shipyard Island
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
The grave of L.M Davis on Shipyard Island
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
There are always little beauties to see!
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Forest fire
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Remains of an old paddle steamer
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
A canoe trip on the Yukon can easily end like this...
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Beautiful sand rocks
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Cyrs Dredge
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Helicopters keep flying with supplies for the Hot Shot fire crews
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Eagles Nest Rocks
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
A lively round with the raft builders
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
My palms are badly burnt ...
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Canada Goos
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
The Camp Fox
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Does he like apples? Yes, he likes them..
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
Alex, “the one who dances with the fox”.... .
09.06.2011
The update of the website took 8 hours. The problem is the pictures. I will probably have to compress them even more, but that would result in even poorer quality ...
The internet speeds here are extremely slow, and the connection often drops out!
In the evening Nadine, Alex and I baked bread, with yeast! It was super tasty...
Yukon River © Copyright by Ch. Breier
The fresh bread tasted delicious!
From now on Nadine is only called “the one who destroys the bread”, it's hard to believe how much bread such a petite person can “eat”...
10.06.2011
Rain, rain, rain....
Actually, I wanted to continue towards Dawson City today...
But it's pouring with rain. I'm going to stay in Carmacks today. There's no point in setting off in the pouring rain, because then I won't even be able to take any photos!
Only those who risk going too far, will discover how far they can go !
Expedition in USA ,Alaska & Canada, Skandinavien mit Faltboot, Motorboot, Geländewagen, Fahrrad ...
