Beach Finds
By Heidi Nesbitt
Having met on the water, bobbing down a river in whitewater kayaks, my husband and I continue to keep our spirits alive by going on at least one epic wilderness water adventure every year. After our first baby’s arrival, our watercraft of choice sensibly turned from whitewater kayaks to a trusty red canoe. Our second baby came, and the paddling adventures continued with our slightly larger family of four. When the twins came a couple years later, the family was suddenly 6, and the red canoe no longer fit all of us. After a long search, a replacement boat was found - a beastly 20 foot canoe from Western Canoes in Abbotsford. Our oldest is now thirteen, our middle son is 11, the twins are eight, and our family still fits in “The Beast,” as it is affectionately known. Amongst the many things learned along the way, one of the most inspiring and beautiful is how the kids find joy and play away from all their stuff. Although the boat is big, we still have to pack very thoughtfully to accommodate a two week supply of food, clothing and sleeping gear. In addition to their clothes, the kids are each allowed a book, a sketch pad, one shared paint set, and a small stuffy or game. Thankfully diapers are not on the packing list anymore (yes - those stinkers get packed in AND out).
To keep us sane and safe, our small armada usually consists of 3 - 4 families, each in their own canoe. Destinations alternate between ocean and lake trips and have ranged from the outermost BC coastlines to remote northern chains of lakes and rivers. No matter the location, the weather, or the age of the kids, one thing has remained constant - our children's resilience, flexibility and incredibly abundant creativity. When at home, it’s hard to avoid the constant pull of addictive screens and consumer desire. Somehow, there are never enough toys, treats, screentime, and general entertainment to go around. Many wars are waged between the siblings over favourite dolls, lego pieces, stuffies, etc. And, of course, every time we are within the vicinity of a store that sells anything close to resembling something they may like - even just a little bit - the pleading is incessant. “Pleeeeeaaase… I NEED ______ “.
This isn’t a profound and enlightened essay on how to bring about family creativity and boredom-proof your children. It is a photographic reflection on the many ingenious ways I have witnessed my children filling their time, exploring, building and collecting on seashores and riverbanks, in rainstorms and in sweltering sun, alone and collectively. I feel immensely thankful to witness their ability to play with found objects, to invent new games, and wholeheartedly embrace the adventure. Here are a few annotated pictures of 13 years of paddling and playing. May we all continue to find inspiration from the unexpected bits of nature we find on our travels.
