Paddling their way to independence

CanoeKayak Canada coach Peter Niedre and young Minnie Ittoshat navigate the Great Whale river by kayak together last June. (PHOTO BY ALLAN BROWN)

Allan Brown, right, makes a splash in Kuujjuaraapik’s pool last spring during coaching training. The founder of the new Great Whale River Canoe and Kayak Club thinks there’s potential to developing water sports on the scenic river – while teaching water safety. (PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLAN BROWN)

If you ask Joy Aragutak whether she prefers the canoe or the kayak, she’ll say “kayak,” with no hesitation.

The 12-year-old from Kuujjuaraapik likes the speed and independence that the sprint kayak offers.

Aragutak is one of a lucky few Nunavimmiut who is learning to paddle as part of the new Great Whale River Canoe and Kayak Club and its water safety program.

“I thought it was great to learn it because I wanted to learn something new,” she said. “I like being on the water, paddling, it’s relaxing.”

Allan Brown, the project manager, agrees. The retired physical education teacher with the Kativik School Board used to be sprint kayaker in Montreal before he moved to Kuujjuaraapik 30 years ago.

“I’ve been on this river myself many times, and it’s nice,” he said. “So I wanted to introduce that concept (to local people) – but I had to couple it with water safety for it to be successful.”

The Great Whale River is not often used recreationally, he said – nor are people taught water safety.

“The river…is used as a means of transportation, a highway to get out to the bay,” Brown said. “But there’ve been accidents and drownings. You hear stories from people and they’re scared to be on the water.”

That means kayakers and canoeists must learn to swim, how to operate a boat and how to judge the weather beforehand, he said.

So Brown called CanoeKayak Canada for help.

And the Ottawa-based organization sent a couple of instructors to Kuujjuaraapik to help implement a program called Canoe Kids.

CKC staff gave a coaching clinic to adults from Kuujjuaraapik and around the region last spring.

With funding secured from Nunavik’s Ungaluk safer communities program and other sponsors, Brown purchased sprint kayaks and a Rabaska team canoe that seats about 10 people.

The program officially kicked off last February when 15 participants, including three Cree from Whapmagoostui, completed the coaching training.

The program started in the community pool, which is shared between Whapmagoostui and Kuujjuaraapik, where participants could get first hand practice in the water without the dangers that a real river offers.

Since this pool opened a few years ago, people are much more confident in water, Brown said, but they still have to be reminded to be careful.

Once they transitioned to the river, CanoeKayak Canada coaches Peter Niedre and Jesse Rice came to Kuujjuaraapik to coach the new kayakers and canoeists.

During the week of June 7, there was still ice on the bay, Brown said, but the river was just clear enough for a canoe to push out.

More than 40 youth came out to paddle the river, he said.

Jordan Angatookalook, 14, is already a member of the local swim team and says he’s confident on the water.

He says he also prefers the kayak to the canoe.

“I trust myself more (in the kayak), although it’s kinda tippy,” Angatookalook said. “But it’s fun.”

Brown hopes kayaking and canoeing has the same effect on Kuujjuaraajumiuq as it first had on him.

“I know what it did for me,” Brown said. “It made me physically stronger and more skilled at handling a boat.”

“It’s a beautiful river,” he added. “What I’m hoping as the young kids get stronger in their boats, there’s potential for southern opportunities but we’ve got to develop local first.”

The training youth are getting now could grow into more competitive activity, like dragon-boat team races.

“The potential’s there,” Brown said.

The program has been successful enough that he plans to apply for another year of funding.

If anything, it’s giving people something different to do with their free time, he said.

“Our evening program starts at about the same time that a lot of people start drinking and partying,” Brown said. “This provides them an opportunity to choose something else.”

“I know that the river is calming, they like being on the water.”

Here’s the Great Whale River Canoe and Kayak Club’s first day on the river June 2010. (PHOTO BY ALLAN BROWN)