A vision larger than the map
"This project ceases to be mere folly and becomes reality."
From the very first words of their first newsletter, the AKOR team sets the scene: this expedition is more than just an itinerary, it's a shared conviction. That real exploration is still possible. That it deserves to be lived with commitment, vulnerability and courage.
The start is given at the Alaskan border. Catherine and Nicolas, pillars of the team, set off on their bikes to cover the first 900 kilometers of the Alaska Highway. It's still early days, but the intensity is already there. The pace is steady: "125 km a day [...] to get ahead while they're still riding on the asphalt." Bodies warm up, knees creak, the cold bites, but the horizon beckons.
Through forest, rapids and fire
Next up is the Flat River, then the Nahanni, then the Liard. It's a canoe trip that alternates between contemplation and survival. The newsletters tell of a raw nature, sometimes hostile, but never indifferent. One of them sums it up:
"During the day, it's between 10 and 20, while in the evening the temperature drops to 0. [...] In the morning, we have to put the wet equipment back on - which not only didn't dry overnight, but froze."
The obstacles are constant: mile-long portages in the snow, impassable rapids, capsizing over invisible stones - the famous "weepers" on which the water hides the traps. But the pages of these stories are filled with humor, philosophy and an indestructible faith in the beauty of the world.
They also face the great forest fires of Northern Canada, exhaustion, persistent pain, wind that slaps faces and shoulders. Each segment is a step closer to the essential. In Hay River, at the halfway point, a technical break to repair a damaged canoe reveals the other side of the dream: the logistics, the unforeseen, the compromises. But also the welcome, the reunions, the smiles that bring the team together.
When exploration goes maritime
While the heart of the expedition was progressing by canoe, another chapter was being written at sea. The sailboat Anorak, a Garcia Exploration 45, left Quebec City at the end of August to join the land team at Baker Lake.
This maritime journey through Canada's northern waters alone represents a total distance of almost 10,000 kilometers.
Three crews took it in turns to ensure this extraordinary nautical adventure: the first convoyed the yacht to Baker Lake, the second took over for the Hudson Bay crossing with the AKOR team, and the third brought the boat back to Quebec City. A complex organization, requiring a good knowledge of Arctic navigation and meticulous logistics.
It was at Baker Lake that the two expeditions - land and sea - finally came together. There, the AKOR team boardedAnorak for a two-week crossing to Pangnirtung, on Baffin Island. Extreme conditions, powerful winds, residual ice... but also a unique feeling of being deep in the heart of the Great North. The sailboat wasn't just a means of transport, it became a veritable floating refuge, a solid and protective base, perfectly suited to this committed program.
In this video, the members of the expedition talk about how the sailboat has been a decisive asset: stability, robustness, comfort at sea, and above all, the ability to adapt to the unexpected. A place to fall back on and to get going. An advanced base from which to go further, with confidence.
A committed partnership
Garcia Yachts is proud to have supported the AKOR 2024 expedition as an official partner. This partnership not only involved financial support, but also a desire to highlight an exceptional human and environmental adventure. Throughout the journey, we relayed key moments on our social networks and followed each new step forward with admiration.
Want to follow our next adventures and dive into the Garcia universe? Join us on our social networks: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
I'd also like to thank the Bergeron family, owners of the sailboat Anorak, who transported the boat from Quebec City to Baker Lake. Their logistical support was decisive in linking the two parts of the expedition - land and sea. An essential contribution, driven by a shared passion for exploration.
An adventure in the service of science
The AKOR 2024 expedition was more than just a sporting performance or a personal quest. It also nurtured a strong scientific ambition. At every stage, team members contributed to research by documenting the evolution of northern landscapes, measuring environmental parameters and collecting data for various research projects in ecology, geomorphology and climatology.
In particular, they have collaborated with the Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), the Chaire Littoral and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), providing field observations in areas that are difficult to access. A concrete way of making the invisible visible: the rapid transformation of northern territories under the impact of global warming.
Their journey has enriched our understanding of permafrost dynamics, boreal forest fires and water quality in isolated watersheds. It is this integrated dimension - human, physical, environmental - that gives the AKOR expedition its true breadth.
What the AKOR expedition reminds us of
Far from the clichés of romanticized adventure, AKOR brings us back to an essential truth: exploration means daring to confront the unknown, without ever losing the joy of sharing. It's about choosing to "beat the wind, that damned wind", as Guillaume used to say, rather than turn back.
And it also means choosing the right tools for the job. A Garcia Exploration is more than just a sailboat. It's an extended comfort zone, an outpost for exploring the world!
AKOR 2024 Expedition A page of history written by water, wind... and will.
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