Bedford Canoeist Heads to the Arctic
9 June 2010, 08:10
A canoe enthusiast from Bedford is on his way to the Arctic to spend three weeks paddling along the River Yukon.
The Big 5 kayak challenge team are on their way to Canada and Alaska to paddle the Yukon River. This time they will be in open canoes and will paddle from Whitehorse as far as Fort Yukon, just inside the Arctic Circle.
The team will be wild camping and hoping to find bear-free campsites after each long day on the water. The weather in early June will be cold and some of the lakes along the length of the river are still ice-covered at this time of year. The team will have to negotiate the fast-flowing waters of the Yukon, including the notorious 5 finger rapids.
Expedition leader, Richard Harpham told Heart, he expects to see bears, caribou, eagles and a whole host of other wildlife as well as amazing scenery.
The journey is set to take three weeks of paddling ten hours a day. Listen to Richard Harpham's full interview on the River Ouse here.