Welcome to the Sunday edition.
I’ve been working through my old photos lately culling and developing some of the more interesting ones. I was revisiting a trip I took to Fort Smith in 2013. A friend and I drove across the southern parts of the Northwest Territories from Yellowknife to Fort Resolution to Fort Smith to Fort Simpson and then back to Yellowknife. Our stay in Fort Smith was wonderful and it quickly became one of my favourite destinations in the North.
Fort Smith sits on the Alberta border and the Slave River runs north toward Great Slave Lake. Every spring a flock of American White Pelicans returns to breed on the banks of the river. This colony of pelicans is the only known colony to nest on a body of moving water. They are also the most northerly nesting colony in Canada.
Tourists or residents willing to walk down to the river through the clouds of mosquitoes and hike back up the steep river bank will have extraordinary access to these birds. I sat on the smooth rocks which extend into the rapids and watched these birds fish just metres away. They are not shy if you are patient and willing to sit quietly.
There is quite a rhythm to their fishing technique and combined with the steady flow of the river it is one of the most wonderfully relaxing wildlife experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve been back to Fort Smith a number of times and this is always one of my most anticipated activities.
If you ever have a chance to come to the Territory, be sure to visit Fort Smith and see the Pelicans. It’s a truly wonderful way to spend an afternoon