K’chi Gamig…Lac Superiour….Bawating…Sault de Sainte Marie…
Whether Ojibway, French or English, our languages capture the importance of water and waterways in the Algoma area.  Join us as we celebrate water stewardship, cultural cooperation and Canada’s 150th in that most iconic mode of transportation… the canoe!  The Sault Ste. Marie Brigade will paddle from Batchawana Bay to Thessalon, via Fort St. Joseph at the southern tip of St. Joseph Island.

Registration Links

Please Read the General Plan and Schedule before registering!

Unattached Paddler  Registration
Canoe  Crew Registration (for Crew Leaders Only)

All Sault Ste. Marie Ontario Brigade participants are required to have a
2017 Canadian Voyageur Brigade Society Membership

General Plan & Schedule

Last updated 2017 April 4

Dates: June 28 to July 4, 2017

Location: Sault Ste. Marie area…. beginning at Batchewana Bay (Lake Superior) through to Sault Ste. Marie (St. Marys River) and then St. Josephs Island, Bruce Mines and Thessalon (Lake Huron)

Why:  To celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday in the communities along the route and to celebrate the heritage of Bawating (Sault Ste. Marie) as a stopover for most canoe travel across North America. Bawating was also a centre for canoe building.

Big Canoes: At present our brigade consists of one Montreal style canoe and three North style canoes.  Canoes will normally carry a complement of 7-12 paddlers.

Brigade Organizer Responsibilities: Brigade organizers will be responsible for setting the schedule, registering paddlers, assuring the Safety Plan is followed, supplying the big canoes, booking camp sites, coordinating events with the local communities and facility operators.  

Paddler Responsibilities: Paddlers are responsible for arranging any non-canoe transportation throughout the event, providing paddling gear, camp gear and group cooking supplies & gear.  Paddlers new to brigading should read the 2011 David Thompson Columbia Brigade Paddlers Manual as prepared by Ted Bentley, though in reading remembering this was prepared for an international brigade of some 45 days long. A link for this can be found on the CVBS information page.  We have requests for, and opportunities to present and display the skills and character of brigade paddling; all paddlers and crews will be expected to assist and partake in these events and celebrations.

Each paddler most do their best to help share the crew work load, whether in the preparations for the brigade, in paddling on the brigade, in camp, or providing support when not paddling; or helping the crew to contribute to the overall success of the brigade with assigned brigade duties, such as clearing campsites and ensure they have been left in better condition than found on arrival. 

Fees & Registration:  This brigade is being budgeted on a break even basis. Paddler fees are $20 per person/day plus a $15 CVBS membership.  This fee covers the cost of camping, organization of the events, insurance and some meals along the route (details will be supplied as events are confirmed).  Paddlers will also be responsible for personal food and entertainment expenses during the brigade, and personal travel costs to and from the brigade. A maximum of about 36 paddlers will be accepted for the brigade.  A deposit of $50 per paddler will be required to reserve your place and the deposit will be non-refundable unless a replacement crew is found. 

Final registration is now due. As of this posting we have a limited number of seats remaining for the Batchewana to Sault Ste. Marie legs. We would encourage you to register for whatever legs you wish to paddle and we will try to add another canoe. The caveat is first come, first served, subject to the criteria outlined on the Zone 4 registration page.

Paddlers MUST attend one “Build-up” half day paddle in May and June on Trout Lake or St. Mary’s River or Batchewana Bay as a pre-requisite to participating in the Brigade.

Other Considerations:

The 2017 Brigade is not a competitive event. This is not a race. We will do things slowly and safely.

Previous experience: We organized a very successful two day paddle involving two Montreal and two North canoes from Sault Ste. Marie to Fort St. Joseph, in 2012. We had a great time. We learned a lot about local history, we were treated superbly by locals along the route. There were no incidents or accidents. There was great local media coverage.

Gouvernails (stern paddlers) will be selected from a group of about 6 local paddlers that passed the Ontario Recreational Canoeing Association Voyageur Canoe 1 and 2A courses held locally in 2012.

Canoes Each big canoe will fly a large CVBS 2017 flag, equipped with a hand held radio (for communication with other lead boats, support boat and support truck), rescue gear, tow ropes, bailers, heaving lines, signal devices, binoculars, first aid kit. The canoes will stay within 300m of each other.

Support truck/car with a canoe trailer will shadow the brigade. Big canoes will be trailered in event of poor weather to ensure that the brigade arrives on time.

All boats inspected for gear to meet Coast Guard regulations (PFD, bailer, spare paddle, whistle, buoyant heaving line)

Proposed Brigade Schedule

Assembly – 5:00 p.m. June 28, 2017

Voyageur Cookhouse and Lodge Batchewana Bay. Paddle into the ribbon cutting for the Batchewana Bay access point of the Lake Superior Water Trail

Day 1 – June 29, 2017

Route: 08:00 Depart Batchewana Bay to Goulais River

Notes: Capacity of three north canoes (7 paddlers each) and one Montreal canoe (13 paddlers) for a total of 34 paddlers

 Day 2 – June 30, 2017

Route: 08:00  Goulais River along Red Rock beach, brief stops at Gros Cap, Pointe aux Chenes Park, Pointe aux Pins and camp at Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site.  

Notes: Capacity of three north canoes (7 paddlers each) and one Montreal canoe (13 paddlers) for a total of 34 paddlers

Day 3 – July 1, 2017

Route: 10:00 Through the locks at Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site as part of their “Canada Day Parade of Paddles” festivities (canoes/kayaks of local paddlers will join the brigade for this event). Continue into Sault Ste. Marie with stops at Clergue/Ermatinger NHS

Notes: Capacity of three north canoes (7 paddlers each) and one Montreal canoe (13 paddlers) for a total of 34 paddlers

13:00 Depart Sault Ste. Marie, north channel St. Mary’s River past Batchewana First Nation to Garden River First Nation or Echo Bay.

Notes: Capacity of three north canoes (7 paddlers each) for a total of 21 paddlers

Day 4 – July 2, 2017

Route: 08:00 Depart Garden River First Nation/Echo Bay, through Lake George, past Richards Landing, through Sailor’s Encampment and follow shore to Fort St Joseph. Camp at Jocelyn Twp Centennial Park

Notes: Capacity of three north canoes (7 paddlers each) for a total of 21 paddlers

Day 5 – July 3, 2017

Route: Ceremonial brigade “arrival” at Fort St. Joseph National Historic Site and participate in Canada 150 events,

13:00 depart Fort St. Joseph to Hilton Beach, more or less coasting St. Josephs Island.

Notes: Capacity of three north canoes (7 paddlers each) for a total of 21 paddlers

Day 6 – July 4, 2017

Route: 08:00 Hilton Beach to Bruce Mines to Thessalon, more or less coasting the north shore of Lake Huron.

Notes: Capacity of three north canoes (7 paddlers each) for a total of 21 paddlers

Be sure to check back on this plan, this is the initial plan and we expect that as plans develop further, and questions are answered, there will be additions with important information.

for further information please connect with

Mark Crofts   mcrofts@shaw.ca

Registration Links

Please Read the General Plan and Schedule before registering!

Unattached Paddler  Registration
Canoe  Crew Registration (for Crew Leaders Only)

All Sault Ste. Marie Ontario Brigade participants are required to have a
2017 Canadian Voyageur Brigade Society Membership