An Irishman’s Story - Journey Into Wabakimi, August 2022

An Irishman offers his own unique Irish perspective on the Canadian wilderness as he travels across the lakes and rivers of Northern Ontario. Along the way, he brings with him the music of his country as many of his predecessors would have done centuries ago as they ventured through the same waters seeking a new life.

[@JimBairdAdventurer]

Great video. I’m really glad you made it over to do this. When are you coming back?

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Had the best time exploring the Canadian backcountry. I’ll be floating around Northern Ontario (literally) August / September 2023 on a new more challenging adventure pushing northwards towards the Albany. I've learned alot from following your own adventures. Thanks for dropping by Jim, cheers.

[@canajian]

As a Canadian, I had to come by and see your reaction... Having a watch... "IT takes alot of money to live like a pauper did 100 years ago" 🤣🤣.. still watching, it looks like your having grand time.. I'm glad you enjoyed your visit to Ontario.. Thanks for sharing your voyage! I totally understand at the end your search for words to explain what you experienced.. Because it is rather GRAND.. 👋😎👍

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Great to hear you enjoyed the video, hope you enjoyed the music also, many thanks ..

[@canedobox]

You almost got me there with that maple syrup tree 😂 Amazing video, thanks for sharing your adventure with us!

[@AnIrishmansStory]

I hope you all enjoy this story along with the traditional Irish and Canadian music I put in there, and thanks for watching. Many thanks also to my paddle partner Vince Fiorito for his great company. I’m planning another similar trip, hopefully I can up my game for the next one. Threats to these remaining world class pristine habitats from road building, logging and mining in particular are very real. Please hit the like and subscribe buttons if you enjoyed the content and see you next time ..

[@rebeccadees2300]

Awesome trip.

[@jacqueline7118]

A wonderful trip! Canada sure does have some beautiful wild places, we are so fortunate! Thanks to you and Vince for sharing your adventure! :) :)

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Thanks Jacqueline, Canada has some awesome, still unspoiled backcountry .. glad you enjoyed the video ..

[@jimhanson7476]

So nice

[@BanogeCottage]

Thoroughly enjoyed that Donal 👌🏻 Fellow Irish man planning a solo trip in Woodland Caribou 👍🏼

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Hi Jim (hope I have your name right), the Canadians are a great bunch, weather will remind you of home. Good luck and hope your trip goes well, fair play for travelling solo, takes mental strength to do that so far from home ..

[@Rwskisr]

Very nice video. Enjoyed the soundtrack. We traveled some of the same route this past summer. See you next time.

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Sure thing .. thanks for the kind words

[@pennyjenkins3531]

Great video was so nice meeting looking forward to your next video cheers

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Thank you very much Penney and thanks so much for your kind hospitality. Hope Brad is doing okay 👌. Stay tuned, 2023 video on it's way ..

[@SoloSchmitty]

Well done my friend. I hope to get there someday!

[@AnIrishmansStory]

I think you would enjoy that part of the world .. very rarely travelled, cheers

[@dthomas4087]

You should look at the Spanish River for your next outing. Thanks for the adventure. Too bad the bush pilot couldn't stay for the full episode. She would have some stories!

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Thanks for the suggestion .. we did ask the pilot would she like to join us for a bit of a paddle but she said she was busy that day ..

[@rebeccadees2300]

Looking forward to seeing your video on your fishing adventure in Canada. Your family vacation video is beautiful. You have a lovely home and family.

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Hi, thank you so much for your kind words, one of the last true wildernesses left in the world is what drew me to go there - cant wait to get back ..

[@rebeccadees2300]

@@AnIrishmansStory look forward to seeing more of your videos wherever you decide to go “fishing “😉

[@bethrausch3080]

Maple syrup tree. Thanks for taking us on your adventure. I was at the lodge ending a trip when you guys were starting yours. Sorry not have met you! Great trucker hat, Vince! FoW ftw! 😉 (also, wonderful to hear the nighthawks on SRL - species of concern!)

[@talltighe]

Hi Donal, absolutely loved this video. I have a trio of my one planned for August in Mongolia Fly-Fishing for Taimen. I wanted to ask about your thoughts on the solar chafing equipment you were using. Any feedback on that experience? Thanks so much.

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Cheers and thanks for the comments - I'm heading back for a 15 day solo trip in July and taking a FORCLAZ SLR 900-15W 3 panel 2 USB solar charger from Decathlon (weighs 430g) and a Nitecore NB10000 Powerbank 10.000mAh (weighs 150g). Nice and light combo. I reckon I'll have enough there to power up and store enough juice for a go pro, a DJI drone, my phone for photos and saved maps, head torch, tent light, tiny pump and garmin in reach. You can link your devices directly into the solar charger (it has 2 USB ports) or else link the powerbank into the solar charger to store up some juice and then charge your devices from the powerbank later on. I had a ELECAENTA solar charger with 4 panels on the wabakimi trip, it is rated as 30 W however it weighs 1100g so I'm dropping some weight with the FORCLAZ to 430g as I think 15W should be okay for my requirements. Hope that info is helpful and best of luck with mongolia ..

[@tomtommy2227]

Hhaaaaa, hey hey!! You met Trapper the dog and I at the lodge early September this yr, had any good IPA's since?? I got a couple tasty walleye where you say day 7 in the video at the end of lower Wabakimi, then ran the little rapid enjoying a good scrape over the lower little ledge. Looking forward to your next Wabakimi video! Also, check out Good2goco for all of the freeze dried and dehydrated fruits and veggies I had along.

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Hey Tom, great to hear from you - we've got some great IPA's in Ireland and I sample plenty of them on a regular enough basis.. Working on the next wabakimi video presently, it's on it's way. Hope you had a good trip back in September, water was very low this year as the next video will show - I recall your food organisational skills were very impressive and if I could say you would make a great addition to any kitchen .. regards to trapper ..

[@tomtommy2227]

@@AnIrishmansStory Excellent! I added that IPA sampling in there to remind you who I was since I don't use my real name online and knew you would remember Trapper! I'm sampling two new to me IPA's this evening at my families place near Temagami area. Have you heard much of the area? Very similar to terrain Wabakimi but more easily accessible and much more cost effective.

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Thank you my friend, appreciate the recommendation .. if you subscribe you will see my 2023 video when its uploaded to youtube from smoothrock lake out of wabakimi, across the height of land and onwards to the albany river, which turned into bit of a drama in the end and didn't quite work out as I planned .. should be a good story - working on it as we speak ..

[@AnIrishmansStory]

I left a contact email in the credits at the end of the video - cheers

[@TheOpenboater]

Just finished watching this. A great down to earth blog of what looked like a fantastic trip. How did you meet Vince? He seemed like a really laid back kind of guy. The music was nicely edited and went well without being too intrusive. Well done.

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Thanks for the kind comments, bumped into Vince trough a friend, the guy is a mine of information .. Glad you enjoyed the video

[@TheOpenboater]

@@AnIrishmansStory do you paddle much in Ireland?

[@carolinecarroll5215]

A really wonderful video with super inspirational content, thank you Donal, we love you so much ❤️

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Thanks for your support Caroline, here's to the next one ..

[@carolinecarroll5215]

So excited to see where your next adventure brings you 😘

[@abcdef1231193]

Looks so nice, would love to go!

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Costs alot of money to live like a pauper did 150 years ago ..

[@natachaswan5991]

Wow! Amazing Video well done Donal!

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@wigglesnitzer5]

Enjoyable, Donal! ...At least one of you wore your PFD!

[@ryanhines2857]

Really great video! You managed to capture how the trip felt somehow especially at the beginning on the fly in. My son and I are doing our first Wabakimi trip first fly in trip beginning of August this coming summer. 14 days Allenwater river up into Whitewater and then out on Little Caribou. Still debating on going further north and back down through Cliff Lake to exit on Pikitigishi. By the way thanks for including the canoe floating away incident. Things happen on trip and I bet you both learned something from that. Quetico rangers last year harped on us to tie up our canoes last year. They said several crews had to swim that year to get the canoes back that had blown and drifted away. Icing on the cake is Jim Baird watched the video and commented! Pretty cool! Ryan

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Hey Ryan, thanks so much for the insights and kind words, much appreciated. There are so many route options you are spoiled for choice and the place is empty. Would love to do it with my own son some day, best of luck with everything ..

[@keithdouglas9848]

Awesome video Donal. Do you mind me asking how you got the canoes on that plane or did i miss something? Great little adventure.Canada is an awesome country.

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Hi Keith, underneath the plane are 2 floats that support the plane on the water, the canoe is lashed onto one of these floats with rope. It sure was a great little adventure ..

[@keithdouglas9848]

@@AnIrishmansStory awesome that solves my question.pretty sure it was something like that . Great video mate need to do some more 👍💪

[@lakeland8872]

I enjoyed your video, thanks. What kind of costs were incurred, if I might ask?

[@TheLilhalosoldier]

👏🏻👏🏻

[@AnIrishmansStory]

thank you

[@rebeccadees2300]

What was it that made you decide on this particular adventure if I may ask?

[@dufferintire]

Fantastic video and story. Looks to have been a great trip! How did you decide on Wabakimi verses other wilderness locations?

[@AnIrishmansStory]

Hi Andrew, thanks for your comment, Wabakimi is a more remote and isolated wilderness area and not as widely travelled as other canoeing areas in Ontario. Its harder to get into with less access options than other areas so I thought this would lend to a more unique experience. An experienced outfitter and good pre trip planning is essential as portages and suitable camping spots are easily missed once you are on the water.

[@dthomas4087]

@@AnIrishmansStory The other, world famous trip would be Algonquin. The area of these parks is comparable, but Wabakimi gets only 2 percent of the traffic. The trails are rougher, and less clearly marked too.