Explore Magazine Fall 2023

Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote, “I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June.” The titular Anne (of Green Gables) made this sentiment during an idyllic Prince Edward Island evening—musing on the joys of an everlasting summer. This past summer, on a paddleboard in calm ocean waters—my kids and my dog also aboard—I probably wondered the same thing. On a five-day camping trip, I hadn’t worn shoes in about three of those days. Summer started well in the west—long spells of sun dried spring’s rains quickly. I rode gravel trails every weekend, kids bouncing in their Dutch-designed seats on the rear of my bicycle. I swam in Baynes Sound and even took a dip in the cold, fast-moving Burrard Inlet. Household renovations pushed…

Off-The-Beaten Path, No More? I’m sure I won’t be the first or the last, but explore is always talking about trail over-use, over-tourism, leave no trace—and then you publish an article (“Summer Adventures: Gotta Get Away,” Summer 2023, page 39) encouraging people to go to all the places that don’t have these problems? Aren’t you just moving the problem around by doing this? —Zoe McCaig Come on, don’t tell people about Mississagi Provincial Park! This was my special place with no crowds! (Kidding, there are still no crowds—just the way I like it.) —Burt G. No Road to E E-bikes, e-bikes—they’re everywhere. Now I’m reading about public funds being used to facilitate them? (“The Road to E,” Summer 2023, page 12). You know the mines for the metals used in…

THE LOW DOWN GO HERE The last time I took my son snorkelling, he was just six years old. We stood in water that barely came up to my thighs on a soft sandy ocean bed. Lying flat with our faces in the water, we pushed off and walked on our hands, kicking our flippers out behind us. It was the perfect introduction to the mysteries of the underwater world. He loved it so much that we snorkelled every day of the vacation. Most days we took to the beach right outside our hotel in Curacao, before the grand finale, where we snorkelled with sea turtles at Playa Piskado. It’s safe to say his snorkelling standards were set high. So, as we made the two-hour journey from our home in…

THE LOW DOWN NEWS Howling with wolves, snowshoeing under the northern lights and tasting the bounty of the boreal forest are all within reach thanks to new all-inclusive trips offered by Calm Air in Manitoba. Under the motto of “Fly North for Adventure,” the carrier has designed getaways to four communities: The Pas, Flin Flon, Thompson and Churchill. Each package includes airfare, accommodation, experiences and meals over the course of two nights and three days beginning in November 2023, carrying over into early 2024. The new packages are priced between $1,195 and $1,295, an attractive price point for destinations that often carry a hefty airfare cost. “We want to offer land-based experiences that calm the mind, move the body and nurture the soul so that travellers can take away from…

THE LOW DOWN NEWS Recreation activities are the third-greatest threat to species at risk in Canada.” To most readers that will be a provocative statement. It’s easy to assume self-propelled, outdoor recreation is about as sustainable as it gets and much friendlier to nature than open pit mines, logging clear cuts or a sprawling subdivision. But that bruising accusation is the conclusion of a 2022 study out of Lakehead University. Invasive species and roads and railways are bigger killers. Logging, mining and urban development have larger footprints. But the Lakehead study found self-propelled and nature-loving activities do disturb wildlife, degrade habitat and directly cause death to threatened species, particularly smaller invertebrates and plants. It’s concerning especially as interest in outdoor activities grows. And particularly because no one knows how much…

THE LOW DOWN THE HAPPY CAMPER In early June, my regular canoe buddy, Andy Baxter, and I took a canoe journey down the full 200-kilometre length of the Mississippi River in southeastern Ontario. Yep, Canada has its own Mississippi River. It was an incredible trip—but extremely tough. Water levels were very low for that time of year, mosquitoes were rampant, there was a province-wide fire ban due to the wildfires burning across the country and it poured rained six of the eight days we were on the river. However, the difficulties of the trip ended up adding immensely to our river journey. They always do. We practised our known abilities along the way, as well as gained new insights on making ourselves more comfortable out there. Here are some top…