The helicopter came a little early! Maybe 20-30 minutes early, luckily we were pretty much ready especially since we could hear it coming for several minutes which gave us time to close up those last few bags.
The helicopter flew in really low over camp and then did a steep bank around us twice before landing. I was impressed. The first order of business was setting out the net and putting most of the gear in it. First in was the raft frame, then most of the gear bags piled on top, and lastly, we leaned John’s kayak up against the side of the pile. Doug, the pilot, then went through some safety stuff (never walk behind the helicopter to get to the other side), and showed us how to hook the clamp of the net to the bottom of the helicopter. John was the volunteer to stand under the helicopter and hook the net to it! Then we watched most of our gear fly away swinging underneath.
About twenty minutes later the helicopter was back and we all climbed aboard. This was my first flight in a helicopter and I was surprised at how smooth it was. This could be attributed to several things, good pilot, short flight, or a host of other things that I have no idea of; but I had no sensations that my insides were pushing up, or pushing down. Since I am prone to motion sickness this is a good thing. The flight through Turnback Canyon was quite a trip! The water was wild and gnarly looking, I'm so glad we are portaging.
There is another alternative for getting to the other side of the canyon besides boating through it and flying over it. You can walk around it! From the different things we read, one trip around the canyon takes most people at least two days walking across the Tweedsmuir glacier. How many trips around you need depends on how much stuff you have!
After we land and move all the gear off of the net we chat with Doug (pilot) for bit and I see a hummingbird above the helicopter checking it out! It was there and gone before I could get my camera out for picture.
As soon as the helicopter pilot flew away we were opening the pizza boxes! Fresh pizza (cooked that morning) was a banquet after eight days of eating dehydrated and freeze dried foods. It is also a beautiful day, blue sky, sunshine, we decide not to go downriver today which was our original plan, but decide to camp right where we are. (N59 43.612 W137 56.665 (8V 334451 6624668))
Anita finds a nice waterfall with a pool beneath it that makes a great shower and we all take turns walking up and getting cleaned up. It is cold and refreshing, right near the edge of the Tweedsmuir Glacier.
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