An epic adventure: 100 days paddling from northwestern Ontario to Hudson Bay

Emma Wehner had a unique — and eventful — summer.

The 24-year-old from Kenora, Ont., embarked on a paddling journey with her dog, Juniper, and a rotating cast of friends that took her hundreds of kilometres as she voyaged from her home in northwestern Ontario and into Manitoba to reach Churchill.

The journey was one that Wehner had planned years before, using satellite imagery to plan the route, with her own mental well-being at the forefront. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she found time to make it happen for real. 

"It started during COVID. I lost my job and I was trying to set myself some goals and looking into where I could go on a student budget," she said.

"Knowing myself, knowing depression was going to come having lost my job, and that COVID was going to hit hard, I was really trying to set something for my future to look forward to."

It was an expedition that included rushing rapids, broken ribs, exhaustion, missing supplies and some unforgettable memories.

Wehner told her story to CBC's Matt Fratpietro over three days on CBC Radio's Superior Morning. Scroll down and click on the audio players below to hear her tell it in her own words.   

Wehner and her brother, Alister, departed Kenora in May. With the extended winter and late arrival of spring, they encountered rain, snow, and frigid waters during the first days of their adventure.

Wehner made her way along the Bloodvein River into Manitoba. But that's when a series of problems started.

Wehner and Juniper are back on track, and finished the fourth leg of their journey. The end is in sight as they make their way into polar bear territory and encounter beluga whales, but there are still challenges ahead.