Northwest Passage voyage dazzles even old hands

This past autumn, we sailed Out of the Northwest Passage with Adventure Canada. Our Hero wrote the logbook (see pic), a full-color version of which goes automatically to passengers. Next August, we’ll sail the other way: Into the Passage. What’s it like? Coming your way: a few excerpts. This voyage left even old hands awestruck and…

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Sailing into the Northwest Passage in 2016. Are we excited yet?

This particular voyage is going to sell out, make no mistake. So for those interested in Arctic exploration, this is a heads-up. Adventure Canada’s voyage Into the Northwest Passage 2016 is going to be special — not because Sheena and I will be aboard (though we will), and not because we will visit Beechey Island, probably…

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Getting excited to sail Out of the Northwest Passage

We’ve done eight or nine voyages with Adventure Canada, Sheena and I, but this year is shaping up to be special. First, sailing Out of the Northwest Passage is my favorite itinerary. As always, we’ll be sailing through exploration history: John Franklin, John Rae, Thomas Simpson, Roald Amundsen. But this year, traveling in September, we’ll…

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Our Hero explains why Canada abounds in ‘overstepping women’

Our Hero turns up in “Talking History,” a biweekly series happening over at the 49th Shelf.The series focuses on a wide range of topics in Canadian history, exploring the notion of history as a compelling form of storytelling of interest to large audiences. Ken McGoogan One of the most evocative moments of a recent circumnavigation…

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Robert Burns kicks off spring showboating

Linden MacIntyre and the McGoogans. Yes, it sound like the name of an emerging Celtic music band. But really it is the speakers line-up for this year’s Robert Burns Dinner sponsored by the Toronto St. Andrews Society. That event, slated for Jan. 23, 2015, finds Linden delivering The Immortal Memory, and Sheena and I presenting…

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Creative Nonfiction: the online face of University of Toronto?

One participant wrote that “the weekly notes were very helpful, introduced new stylistic tools, and provided clear instruction on how to complete the exercises and assignments.” Another said “this was my first online course and overall it provided me with a great learning opportunity while in virtual community with like-minded learners.” A third observed that…

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Kanye and Kim Kardashian follow us to Castlemartyr Resort

Writers and artists are invariably ahead of the curve. The rich and the famous are usually just one step behind. Case in point: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are spending their honeymoon at Castlemartyr Resort, a five-star extravaganza in the south of Ireland. We read about this in today’s Toronto Star. As it happens, I…

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Return to Rae Strait

In August 1854, during a single prodigious Arctic expedition, the Scottish Orcadian superman John Rae solved the two great mysteries of 19th-century Arctic exploration. First, beating his way overland with his two hardiest men, an Inuk and an Ojibway, he discovered the final link in the Northwest Passage, the only channel navigable by the sailing…

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Oh Danny Boy, the pipes are calling. . .

The latest issue of Active Adult magazine carries a travel article I wrote after sailing around Ireland last year. We enjoyed that trip so much that we’re going back this year. You can find the piece (and see some spectacular photos) in the March/April issue of Active Adult. It begins: With The Gathering Ireland 2013…

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