This second and final canoe section has been quite challenging: A brutal wind that has blown 45 kilometres per hour and gusts as high as 75 mph plagued the team of Expedition Akor for nearly five days after they left Baker Lake.

It was at the worst possible moment that our team was hit by these winds: they were passing through a series of gigantic lakes (sometimes bigger than several Lac Saint-Jean). On such large lakes, strong winds cause swells that Nicolas describes as more immense than anything he and the team experienced during their Atlantic Ocean expedition in 2018. Paddling there is not only extremely hard on the body (obviously, the wind is always head-on) but also dangerous.

The team has worked incredibly hard to adapt to the situation. Some days require a 3-4am wake-up time to get some mileage in before the wind picks up in the morning. They find themselves constantly watching the weather, trying to plan their trips as safe as possible.

As soon as there are lulls in the weather, they rush it to move forward quickly. When the team doesn't move forward for a day, they ration themselves slightly. Currently, on Princess Mary Lake, they are not overly concerned, but they are anxious to get back to making distance.

Another remarkable fact: summer is already coming to an end for the team after a few short weeks! They have already experienced temperatures of -3 degrees Celsius. While the arrival of summer has been greeted with much appreciation, saying goodbye to it has not been as joyful.

On a more positive note, the morale remains good despite our explorers having seen some significant pitfalls. Catherine's integration in the expedition is excellent: the team spirit is at its best. They continue to rub shoulders with musk oxen and caribou throughout their life-changing journey.

Make sure to follow along on our social media accounts, @naakbars to stay up to date with any breaking news and photos from Expedition AKOR. Be sure to read more about the team on our previous Blog Posts.

Visit expeditionakor.com to read more about the teams’ journey, or follow them on Instagram @expeditionakor.