by Hannah Rose Dobski In May of 2016, my aunt, Ann Verrall (co-producer/co- director for 500 Days in the Wild) attended the Hot Docs film festival in Toronto. It was during this festival that I first met Dianne Whelan, who I immediately felt a deep connection with, and her world was so interesting that I wanted nothing but
On Nov.1st my buddy Jenica and I woke up to the big freeze up. The moment when liquid becomes solid. And in that moment, the 400 kilometre paddle we had maps for became Jenica’s hatchet pulling the canoe forward as I smashed the ice with my wooden paddle. And my paddling season came to an
written by Ann Verrall (co-producer/co-director) When Dee first asked me to be involved in 500 Days it was to do some filming for 3 days in Nova Scotia when passed through on the trail. Now we are 2.5 years on and I am immersed in the project and journey in so many ways. Almost entirely
Animikii means thunderbird in Ojibwe. In their mythology they are eagles with supernatural power and strength who fight the underwater spirits. So it seemed a sign of good fortune that thunder shook the sky four of the seven days it took to paddle this 100km section. Most of those days were spent on the shore
Lake Superior Water Trail. I arrived into Thunder Bay at 2:40am. There was no moon. No stars. But there was a fire. An ancient beacon lit by a friend so I could find my way. After paddling 1000km and spending 105 days on the water and on the shore it feels like the water
Written by Ann Verrall It is now June and I am heading back to find Dee again on the trail - Lake Superior. But there are a few stories to share and people to thank from my last stint doing support for Dee on the trail back in February. Here is part 2 of my
"Maybe everything we need to know we have forgotten, this journey is a search for lost wisdom." If I were a hobbit who left the shire, the wizards on this journey are the wise grandmothers and grandfathers, the lakes are the dragons. This one is called Mishipeshu. The Ojibwa name for Lake Superior is Gichigami which
After four weeks of preparation which has included shipping all the winter gear to my cousin Derm in Winnipeg, finding maps, talking to local guides about the paddle route, filming and acquainting myself with the spirit of the largest fresh water lake in the world, and gathering all of the necessary gear for this long
I learned at the very beginning of this journey in Newfoundland, the harder the rock, the kinder the people. And so it is in Northern Ontario. In these small towns, word still travels faster then internet and cell phones. Kind strangers come out of nowhere. The love finds you and feeds you pasta, plows a backroad
The Great Trail APP shows the route, km and elevation written by Ann Verrall The first section of Dianne’s journey on the Voyageur Trail passed through Mississauga First Nation territory. This relatively short distance is chalk full of contributions of knowledge, supplies, accommodations, meals and physical exertion. The beginning of a new section