By: Mollee Francisco

While their fellow students are picking up their diplomas next spring, Sean Bloomfield and Colton Witte hope to be up a creek. Well, maybe not so much a creek as a river.

The two soon-to-be seniors are planning a 2,200 mile canoe trip – the likes of which have been attempted only a few times before. Next May, they’ll shove off onto the Minnesota River in downtown Chaska headed for Hudson Bay.

Bloomfield got the idea from a book his dad gave him entitled “Canoeing with the Cree.” The book chronicled the trip that then-teenagers Eric Sevaried and Walter Port took in 1930.

“When I first read the book, I thought it was a cool idea,” said Bloomfield. “As we got older, we thought this is something we could really do.”

Back to nature

Another expedition, manned by Scott Miller and Todd Foster, celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Sevaried/Port trip in 2005 with a similar trip. But unlike that trip, Bloomfield and Witte plan to use minimal technology when they head out.

“We’ll have cell phones, but we’ll have them off,” said Bloomfield.

The pair also hopes to get a personal locator beacon (PLB) in case of emergency. Other than those items, Bloomfield and Port are aiming for a trip that takes them away from technology and brings them in closer contact with nature.

“We like the relaxed feel, the wilderness, the simpler life,” said Witte. “We’re both influenced by (transcendentalist writers Henry David) Thoreau and (Ralph Waldo) Emerson and their emphasis on getting back to nature.

“I know this (trip) will change my perspective on life,” he continued. “They’ll be a lot of thinking.”

Their route takes them up the Minnesota River to the Red River and then across Lake Winnipeg to the Hayes River, which eventually connects to Hudson Bay at York Factory, longtime headquarters of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The trip is expected to take anywhere from 70 to 90 days, depending on weather.

“We’ll hope for the best,” said Witte. “But we’ll prepare for the worst.”

Relaxation and adventure

Bloomfield and Witte aren’t new to canoeing. Living just two houses apart on the shores of Lake Grace, canoeing has been a regular activity for the boys ever since they could hold a paddle in their hands.

Eight years ago, their families began taking annual trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. By the time they were in sixth grade, the boys were heading out on day trips in the canoe by themselves.

“It’s probably the most calming and relaxing non-competitive activity I’ve ever done,” said Bloomfield, who also plays hockey.

But after years of canoeing lakes, the two were ready to try something different. So they launched on the St. Croix River for a 145-mile trip.

“It was really fun,” said Witte.

“Our parents thought we would do it in seven days, but we did it in five,” said Bloomfield.

On at least one night, they paddled until past dark, taping a flashlight to their canoe so they could continue on.

“We fell in love with the river,” said Witte. “What’s around that next bend captures you.”

Successfully completing that trip gave Bloomfield and Witte confidence that they could do the Hudson Bay trip. This summer, they’ll tackle a couple of long-distance paddles, including a 500-mile trip from Lake of the Woods to Lake Superior along the Minnesota/Canada border.

But after that, it will be time to focus on finishing school (they’ll graduate after third quarter) and raising money for the trip. The boys are looking at several thousand dollars in expenses, including the PLB and a new expedition white water canoe. They’re hoping to find sponsors to defray some of the costs.

Wind, rapids, polar bears

There’s no saying for sure what Bloomfield and Witte may encounter on their trip to Hudson Bay, but they have an idea of the possibilities.

They’ll bring only enough food and water to get them through a week at a time, figuring that, even at worst, they should pass through at least one town each week.

“We’re going to pack as little as possible,” said Witte. “Comforts will be insignificant.”

A digital camera, journals and cards will be the only luxuries they’ll allow themselves.

Then once they hit Lake Winnipeg Wind will be their main concern.

“We’ll sleep when it’s windy and paddle when it’s calm,” said Witte.

On the Hayes River they’ll be facing more than 40 sets of rapids. And the closer they get to their final destination of York Factory, the better chance they’ll have of running into polar bears.

“We know it’s going to be difficult,” said Bloomfield. “But we’re very determined.”

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