Portages

Up and down raging rivers, along blazing hot fly infested portages, over tundra, barrens, marshes and mountains, across sketchy frozen waterways, deep snowy woods, stabbed with -50 degrees celcius, and flying along a highway that’s as remote as it gets.

The race covers the famous Drak course in one day, with two portages, and is a good indicator of form going into the main event on 1 and 2 February, with many athletes using it as key Dusi Canoe Marathon base training.

Gusty winds bring the leaves down like confetti, blanketing trails and portages in a rainbow of colors.

Such portages must be conducted on bare rocks and occasionally unstable boulders.

There are also canoe/kayak routes, many involving portages, along coastal bays and inland lakes.

The ship's shallow draft allowed navigation in waters only one metre deep and permitted random beach landings, while its light weight enabled it to be carried over portages or used bottoms up for shelter in camps.