Six hours. A six-hour voyage down the Yukon River in a canoe. Apparently that’s what I’d signed up for.

I was nervous.

The one and only time I’d ever been canoeing (over kayaking – very different) happened to also be in Canada. It was about 10 minutes out to the centre of Lake Louise in Alberta, and back again.

But now, a six hour canoe trip down the Yukon River.

I was partnered with another solo traveller – Maureen. She was a teacher from Vancouver who apparently knew what she was doing and took up position in the back as chief steerer. She seemed thrilled to take control.

Fine by me.

My kayaking experiences

Drawing on my limited kayaking adventures only quashed my confidence. My memories of kayaking include my ex boyfriend and I having a massive barney in Halong Bay, in Vietnam, as we tried to get round the limestone cliffs. Him going left, me going right, we going in a circle, before we gave up.

And me and my travel blogger friend Paul trying to get in a rhythm in Costa Rica. We caused the whole kayak trip to change course as they didn’t think we’d manage to traverse the one they’d originally planned. Bit embarrassing.

And so, the common denominator in these stories was me. Yes, I have difficulty with rights and lefts, and I learn by doing rather than being told. Not good in the current conditions.

whitehorse up north adventures canoe trip

I apologised to Maureen for what might be about to happen. She was smiling and complimentary (for now anyways).

“Sure, you’ll be fiiiine!” with that typically friendly Canadian reassurance (and misplaced positivity).

We took to the water.

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Canoeing down the Yukon River

‘Oo we must’ve been going for hours,’ I thought, before reaching for my phone from my dry bag and realising we were actually only 30 minutes in.

This is NOT just a selfie of me canoeing down the Yukon River. Look in the background, look harrrd. That’s a bald eagle perched on that branch.

It’s a bald eagle selfie! Haha. Enjoy ??. #ExploreYukon #upnorthadventures @ExploreCanada pic.twitter.com/oR2dXDp53f

— VickyFlipFlop (@VickyFlipFlop) July 19, 2019

The silent calm was broken by a bald eagle swooping in a few feet over my head. And then I spotted another perched on a branch as we floated on underneath. He posed long enough to take this selfie, look for him in the background.

Even a moderate animal lover like me gets butterflies when I’m that close to a creature so majestic.

As well as steering the boat wonderfully, Maureen was knowledgeable enough about the Yukon river banks that in between the silence I was getting a guided tour too. I soaked up her facts about the Canadian wildlife, and the Yukon, but it was when she was finally shushed into silence that the canoeing really felt magical.

The tranquility of the wilderness was nourishing to the soul.

The rest of our group – a 3-person Kiwi family, mum, dad and daughter who’d moved to Canada – and our tour leader were up in front. They were watching the ravens overhead and laughing at their loud croaking, just like frogs back and forth.