(Tori Dark and Kevin Nault have embarked on a trip across Canada aboard their newly converted camper van. In doing so they are joining hundreds of other couples who have taken up what is referred to in the culture as “VanLife”. During their trip, the Orléans Star will publish a series of diary pieces from Tori allowing readers to follow the couple’s journey. This is the latest installment in that series.)

As we finally begin our solo journey across Canada, I can’t help but feel some relief. The past several weeks have been filled with one get-together after another. Don’t get me wrong, we had a wonderful time and enjoyed our mini tour of extended family. But I couldn’t help but feel exhausted from the driving and socialization. The next part of our journey is one I’ve been looking forward to for a while, Lake Superior.

Gichi-gami, the Ojibway name for Lake Superior meaning “Great Sea” is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. It is a great source of pride for many Canadians and her presence did not disappoint. The drive up from Sudbury was five hours of clouds and periodical rain as we traveled through the Canadian Shield. That is until we had a majestic break in the clouds to reveal the afternoon sun beaming down on Madame Lake Superior and all her glory. It brought tears to my eyes to see such natural beauty.

Being a fan of Gordon Lightfoot’s music, I’ve come to know the story of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. The song poetically covers the events of the ship’s demise on Nov. 10, 1975, when crossing Lake Superior from Wisconsin, costing the lives of all 29 crew members on board.

While spending the night at Government Dock Beach in Lake Superior Provincial Park, it was impossible not to feel the ominous presence amongst the darkness as you looked across the rocking waters. Inspired by this, my partner Kevin, beautifully captured what I was feeling while painting the shoreline with a short film which you can find on our Instagram account. We perched ourselves on this remote beach and marveled at how far we’ve come in our journey to travel Canada. We were finally about to drive all the way to Canmore, Alberta! Something we’ve been dreaming about since 2018.

The cold, wind, beauty and sheer power of Gichi-gami were like nothing I’ve seen. My toes were cold and my hands were numb, but I was the happiest I’ve been in a while because of the solitude and peace. If you have an opportunity to visit Lake Superior, I would highly recommend spending some time just sitting with the sounds and movement of the water. It heals the soul.

We continued onwards past Thunder Bay and the Sleeping Giant to Kenora, a small town on the border of Manitoba. Driving across the prairies in the winter is not recommended by most, but at this point we would drive across anything to get to the Rocky Mountains.

(You can follow Tori and Kevin at www.instagram.com/vanxiety_life/. Tori and Kevin are both former students at Cairine Wilson Secondary School, Class of 2012.)

Past articles...
Vanxiety_life #11: Local VanLife couple travels across the Superior lakehead
Vanxiety_life #10: Local VanLife couple ready to hit the road again
Vanxiety_life #9: Vanlifers decide to spend a few months close to home
Vanxiety_life #8: Vanlifers return home for a short break before heading west
Vanxiety_life #7: It's never too late to start your own vanlife adventure