Huron Bruce Nature welcomes Canadian explorer Adam Shoalts to annual dinner meeting at Camp Kintail

Modern-day explorers of the Canadian wilderness are unique and rare, especially if they travel solo. A notable exception is geographer and author Adam Shoalts who has carved a unique place in Canadian exploration.

For the second time in three years, Huron Bruce Nature Club members, friends and family attended a sold-out dinner presentation with Shoalts as the speaker. The event was held Tuesday evening at rustic Camp Kintail, where a delicious dinner and desserts were served by the exceptional camp staff.

Shoalts began his presentation with some personal background information. He holds a Ph.D. from McMaster University, and is the Westaway Explorer-in-Residence for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Shoalts recounted how his fascination with discovery began in childhood when his family home near the woods opened a world of inquiry into foraging for edible plants, mushrooms, and other survival skills. His father’s hand-built, cedar-strip canoes introduced him to the skills of woodworking and paddling.

With energy and humor, Shoalts next recounted two epic canoe journeys across the Canadian Arctic which he undertook several years ago. He spoke of his love of the wild, freedom, wildlife encounters, discovery of historic camp remnants, and the scents and vistas of the remote Canadian wilderness. He vividly described adversities, such as enduring overwhelming numbers of mosquitoes and blackflies, surprise tumbles through white water, and nail-biting bear encounters.

During these journeys, he pored over maps daily to stay on course, and thought about accounts, log books, and records of past trappers and travellers he had read. Thus, commenced the story of a prospector named Hubert Darrell, who disappeared mysteriously in the Arctic in 1910. Shoalts became intrigued with solving the mystery of what happened to Darrell, and began planning for his next expedition.

Darrell was a prospector in the Klondike Gold Rush, but later became renowned for his skill as an expert guide, and for his exceptional stamina in traversing thousands of kilometres alone and on foot. He left behind a trail of hand-drawn maps, journals and letters. Shoalts used these clues to retrace Darrell’s routes through the wilderness, searching for cabin ruins and any other traces of habitation. Shoalts combined his own legendary expedition skills with historical research to finally arrive at a bend in the river, where he came to a discovery about the fate of Hubert Darrell.

Following the presentation, many in attendance were delighted to meet Shoalts in person, and have their book, “Vanished Beyond the Map,” signed.

Information about Shoalts and his bestselling books, is available on all social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, and Facebook.

Huron Bruce Nature meetings are held the fourth Tuesday of the month, with the next one planned for Tuesday, May 26, at 7 p.m., at the Point Clark Community Centre. The speaker, Brian Folmer, has a native plants nursery near Walkerton, and will present information on native perennials.

Visitors are always welcome but please bring your own mug and napkin to the meeting; refreshments are provided. Contact information for club inquiries can be found on the club web page, or by leaving a message on the club's Facebook page, www.facebook.com/HuronBruceNature.