Dreams of canoeing beside caribou, hurling down fast-moving rivers and enjoying the solitude of a remote wilderness setting are just some of the reasons why canoeists want to go north.

Al Pace and Lin Ward, owners of the 20-year-old company Canoe North Adventures have made the dream a reality for over 750 adventurous souls. “The north offers the best paddling in North America, no portages, no bugs, turquoise water and friendly rivers,” says Ward enthusiastically.

The couple is passionate about encouraging canoeing and ecotourism in Northern Canada, particularly in the Sahtu region of the Northwest Territories. Pace and Ward, recently received an ecotourism grant to develop a seasonal hospitality and interpretive building in Norman Wells.

The log cabin is expected to be finished in July 2010 and will be a canoeing centre for both commercial and private canoe groups.

Pace suggests that there is something for every canoeist whether you are beginner or more advanced. “Rivers such as the Yukon, Teslin, Pelly, Horton and MacKenzie are ideal for beginners. They offer a wonderful introduction without a lot of risk.” “The Mountain River,” Pace warns “is spectacular with six canyons but is suitable for more advanced canoeists.”

Having guided sixty-five canoe trips in Northern Canada, the couple notices the profound impact these experiences have on people – both emotionally and spiritually and the “amazing social fabric that carries on long after the adventure.”

“If you dream of stepping into something bigger, more remote, more adventurous, the north is where to travel,” says Ward.

Photo Credit and Source: Canoe North Adventures