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DVD Video Description

This video tells of my solo canoe journey on the Elk and Thelon Rivers in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.  Filmed on location, my story begins with a 2500 mile road trip to Fort Smith, NWT, and a 235 mile air charter flight to Vermette Lake in the headwaters of the Elk River.  A small and intimate tributary to the Thelon, the Elk is a swift river emerging out of the transition zone between the Boreal Forest and the Barrenlands, and features spectacular scenery, long eskers, excellent campsites, class II rapids, and abundant fishing and wildlife opportunities. 

For years, I have read and absorbed the history of this spectacular area. This DVD attempts to tell a part of this story: the ambitious and early experiences of J. W. Tyrrell and David Hanbury, personal reflections on a vast and beautiful terrain, and the aboriginal history of the Dene and Inuit who continue to make a life from the land (particularly in the summer when hunting for caribou, and in winter trapping camps). I sought to travel alone, but I never felt far from friends and family, human history, and a living presence in the land. 

The DVD includes the main video feature of my trip (52 minutes running time), scene selection, and extras. Extras include additional wildlife footage (with identification of birds and mammals), extended rainbow footage, and a tips segment on fly-fishing for grayling. The DVD inset is printed on high quality glossy card stock, and contains a filmmaker's statement and biography, narrative entries from my field journal, and still photo, book, and music credits. You can download the DVD inset from the Downloads section of this site.  Please enjoy, and take your time. If you have the chance, I would enjoy hearing from you.