Canoeing Ontario
"The river is the melody, the sky is the refrain"
Gordon Lightfoot
Whispers of the North
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Lower Albany River
We started this trip on the Canadian Victoria Day Weekend (May 24th), which is about as early as I can recommend it. One day into the trip, we encountered snow storms so severe that we were tent-bound for about two days. Moral was low having made about 50 miles in the first four days due to rain, sleet, snow, and a persistent northerly wind at our teeth. Luckily we were able to pick up our pace in spite of the wind, which mocked us for the remainder of the trip.
At a pub in Hearst, Ontario, we plied some volunteer drivers with liquor, who (once again sober) dropped us off at on the Albany's tributary, the Kenogami River, where we had already deposited our supplies.
The Kenogami connects with the Kabinakagami River which ultimately joins the Albany proper at Mammammattawa, the site of an old decrepid Hudson Bay Post, probably no longer standing. Ice encrusted banks often up to fifteen feet tall encased the river and made docking a challenge. One had to be wary of ice blocks breaking away from the banks and swamping the canoe, should one be careless enough to come too close to shore.
Because our trip was so early in the season there was considerable spring run-off and the river was very high. This made for a very fast river with submerged rapids. providing some treacherous water, but no need to portage.
Leave extra time for negotiating the Albany River Delta as it is quite the maze and outdoorsmen have been known to have gotten themselves lost for days in its channels.
From Fort Albany one can catch Austin Airways to Moosonee and take the now familiar Northlander back from there. Getting on to the plane may take some luck, some verbal arm-twisting or even bribery, in spite of previous assurances to the contrary from the airways. Be persistent and you'll find the people very helpful in the end!
Once again, the trip can be extended by flying in and canoeing the upper Albany west of where it passes Mammammattawa or by canoeing James Bay from Fort Albany to Moosonee.
A word of caution...the Bay was frozen solid in early June, so this was not a possibility for us. Also, learn how to canoe in tides so you use them and don't waste energy fighting them. Canoeists have died on this very route!