Regina man spends four months on expedition through the N.W.T.

After an incredible trip of over 3,000 kilometres on water and through the wilderness, Calem Watson’s big expedition came to a close on the coast of the Arctic Ocean.

Fuelled by the love of the outdoors, Calem started his adventure in May in Fort Smith, N.W.T., paddling in a canoe and across northern forests for over four months and arrived in Tuktoyaktuk.

24-year-old Watson from Regina, came to enjoy canoeing three years ago. Since then, he has always wanted to do a trip of this calibre.

“The fishing was incredible, the wilderness and the solitude was incredible,” said Watson, reminiscing the trip. “The scenery was incredible and the crystal clear water, and Canadian shield country, and untouched land.”

During his final day of travel there was good weather with little wind. That day, he paddled 30 kilometres along the coast of the Arctic Ocean. Watson’s family cheered him on from the coastline as he arrived at the end of his journey Sept. 16.

Calem Watson walking through a stream dragging his canoe behind him. (Submitted)

“Before I fell in love with northern Canada, I always imagined doing this big trip around the world,” said Watson. “But once I first went north as a fishing guide I fell in love with it. I knew if I did do a big adventure I wanted it to be in the north, and when I found out about canoeing that was the perfect.”

His epic journey took him through Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake – two of the largest lakes in the world.

He filmed parts of the trip using a GoPro camera and cellphone, which he charged using small solar panels.

The trip was planned extensively between Watson and his father, packing enough food and mailing it forward as Watson reached different locations, and mapping out the trip.

Watson said the guidance he received from his parents helped him throughout the journey.

“At first they were kind of worried that I would be doing this alone, but once they understood how important this was to me they have been incredibly supportive, cheering me on the entire way,” he said. “They’ve been awesome.”

Extensive planning and decent weather helped avoid many problems. However, at one point during the trek across Great Bear Lake, Watson got an infection under his toenails – something he was not prepared to deal with, with his First-Aid kit on hand.

His father contacted the nearest community to Watson, which was Deline, one of the only communities on Great Bear Lake. The community sent out a boat headed for Watson’s coordinates with the medication he needed. Watson was able to recover after the medication was delivered.

“It was really incredible for them to do that, once I got the medicine I was able to stop the infection,” he said.

Without that medication, Watson said the infection may have been trip-ending.

Watson loved the north because of the landscape and solitude of the forest, but also found himself enjoying the people he met.

“One thing that I didn’t really anticipate as much is that the people I met along the way were incredible,” he said. “I didn’t really meet many people obviously because everyday alone, but the people I did meet were incredible.

“They were the highlight of the trip I would say.”