The people I’ve got to know in the paddling and angling community fully comprehend that when we spend time in wild places something profound goes on.

Now, more than ever, we need to hear their voices. So, I’ve spent some time interviewing a bunch of my paddling and angling colleagues and had them tell their reasoning behind spending so much time out in the woods and waterways. They were done under my regular KCHappyCamper YouTube channel’s “Whisky Fireside Chats.” Of course, I had to do the interviews online due to us all being in isolation because of the pandemic. It was a challenge to do the interviews this way. But every one of them jumped to the challenge in their own unique way.

Check out the two that highlight paddling and fishing.

Whisky Fireside Chat #65 – Jonathan Kelly & Erin Walker of Backcountry Angling Ontario

Jonathan has an addiction to the backcountry that is irreversible, intense, and insatiable.  It’s in his blood, bones, and soul, and there’s nowhere he’d rather be than in his canoe on a secluded lake with a fishing rod in hand.

Erin, Jonathan’s partner, grew up in the north (Thunder Bay) and was raised by adventurous parents who showed her rivers like the Missinaibi and Kopka at a young age.  After studying psychology in school, she spent several years in northern communities working in mental health and addictions. She is now working on her Master’s degree in counselling psychology.

Their channel—Backcountry Angling Ontario—is about a passion for Ontario’s backcountry and the amazing angling opportunities it provides.

Whisky Fireside Chat #68 – Noah Booth & Alex Traynor – Northern Scavenger

Alex and Noah have been friends since they were four years old and grew up going on adventures with their slingshots around the suburbs of Etobicoke, Ontario. Nearly 25 years later they’re still getting out and doing what they love most—outdoor adventures.

Alex is a marketing professional for Paddling Magazine and Noah is an environmental geologist living in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Northern Scavenger is a social platform and successful YouTube channel run by Alex and Noah that is used to share the stories from their backcountry adventures in Canada’s wilderness areas. With their content, they hope to provide practical information, promote sustainable use of our backcountry, and provide entertainment and inspiration by challenging themselves with adventures that take them outside of their comfort zone.

Or check them all out on my KCHappyCamper YouTube channel under “Whisky Fireside Chats.”