by Bretton | Jan 7, 2018 | Gunwale Blog
The setting sun was hidden behind a slate-grey bank of snowy cloud, but the dipping temperature and a faint pink glow around the horizon alerted us to the race against daylight. When it comes to climbing in Ontario, I’d always taken the words...
by Bretton | Dec 28, 2017 | Gunwale Blog, Uncategorized
Learning how to make fire without using a match or a lighter is a very big part of wilderness self-reliance. The ability to create sparks on birch bark with a ferro-rod or a flint and steel smells and feels great, and will keep you well-heated long after your lighter...
by Bretton | Jun 1, 2017 | Gunwale Blog
It’s the kind of thing folks do on a dare or a whim. For some, it’s an impulsive decision made after a night on the town. For others, a lifelong process that approaches an obsession. As for me, I looked down at my right arm, through eyes unclouded by...
by Bretton | May 26, 2017 | Gunwale Blog
Our hearts sank as we paddled past one of the sites our most recent shoreline restoration excursions to find a massive bonfire pit and a tramped mess of freshly-planted baby cedars and dogwood. Only one week earlier, we’d raked the site clean of party debris,...
by Bretton | Apr 15, 2016 | Gunwale Blog
Edge of the Wedge #2 Experiential education has always been the lens through which I have structured activities, both with my language students and with participants of the Land Canadian Adventures. It’s a powerful methodology for continuous growth and...
