Learning to Adapt While Surrounded by an Icefield

The locals told me that it had been 42 years since they’d seen so much ice.  Before we even put our kayaks into the water for Day One, we were told ours would be an impossible journey. Even our guides had never done the 8-day kayak trip across the 80+ km of ocean — now iceberg-laden — from Birchy Bay to the top of Fogo Island, Newfoundland. 

But every expedition member still showed up with an excited smile at 6:00 am in Gander for the bus that was taking us to our launch location on the water. You’ve heard of Gander – it’s the town that welcomed the world during the 9/11 crisis and is featured in the Come from Away Broadway show. And residents of Gander were welcoming to our expedition, too. 

The expedition was organized by True Patriot Love, a national charity that brings together leaders from business with military veterans who are making the transition to civilian life. The aim: to learn from each other while raising money and awareness for injured veterans (many of whom are suffering from PTSD). This opportunity helped find a path to healing for the veterans and aided them in their plans to rejoin the workforce.

We had carefully trained and prepared for the trip, but sometimes, life throws you an icy curveball.

-- Day One Sunset in Birchy Bay, NL (Photo taken by Warren Robertson)

The trip got off to a shaky start — the ocean was rough, and waves were too high to safely set off. Instead of kayaking, we began the first night on shore, reviewing what we had learned during the pre-trip training: packing and repacking our gear and figuring out how to quickly and efficiently set up camp.

-- Expedition Group with Retired General Hillier (Photo by Warren Robertson)

Day Two got off to a better start. We were visited by retired Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Forces, General Rick Hillier who is the highest-ranking Newfoundland and Labrador officer in history. He lives nearby and came to wish us a good trip. His visit seemed to change our luck; we kayaked over 20 kilometers that day on a spectacular journey that took us past icebergs and friendly fishing vessels.

-- Day Two near Inspector Island, NL (Photo taken by Warren Robertson)

Late that afternoon, we needed to pass through the Dildo Run Narrows where the current was especially strong as it rushed between two islands. Even then we found luck. The tide turned, and the current worked for us, helping us accelerate our journey.  

-- Kayaking on Day Two near Birchy Bay, NL (Photo by Warren Robertson)

However, as the day ended, the seas again turned rough. We needed to get to shore as quickly as possible because white caps and driving rain arrived out of nowhere. Many say that you can experience all four seasons in one day in Newfoundland, and those canny locals were absolutely correct.

-- Kayaking Near Dildo Run Provincial Park, NL (Photo by Warren Robertson)

Camp was a chance to get to know one another, and what I quickly learned was that the unexpected difficulties on our trip proved to be an excellent metaphor for the veterans’ own journeys. In both cases, life sometimes changes your plans and you just have to adapt.

-- Camp Fire by the Ocean (Photo taken by John Baker)

The veterans I met on the trip all started careers in the military knowing that they’d serve and likely one day make the shift to civilian life. But, for many, this transition came with challenges they didn’t anticipate when they enlisted all those years ago.

They’d seen things they wish they’d never seen. Some had been hurt by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). For many, the emotional and physical injuries lingered. The things they experienced serving on our behalf continue to dominate their minds, making it extremely difficult to sleep, sometimes impossible to concentrate, or even, and likely most problematically, connect with the people they love. This experience, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), makes it hard to leave the past behind and move forward.

Moving forward for the rest of the trip also proved challenging. High winds and waves meant we made it only a few kilometres the next day before having to make an improvised camp the next night.

-- One of the Veterans – Ryan – Beside our Improvised Campsite on the ocean near Dildo Run Provincial Park (Photo taken by John Baker)

The following day, after a 14km paddle, we found ourselves on the edge of an ice field where even a small change in wind direction could drive our kayaks into certain danger – crushing our kayaks or stranding us on the ice. So, we took a moment to watch the seals chase their prey while bald eagles flew overhead, and we navigated around a few of the smaller icebergs on the edge of the field. 

-- Lynn and Grant – Near the Icefield Edge (Photo taken by Warren Robertson)

-- John and Grant With Expedition Near Icefield (Photo by John Baker)

The expedition faced the realization that now in near zero-degree temperature conditions and cold rain – that the ice would prevent us from completing our journey to Fogo Island. Plus, we had to backtrack all the way to our campsite from Day Two – to allow us to be picked up for the ferry.

-- Hiking around Fogo Island (Photo taken by John Baker)

And even the ferry journey was not a sure bet as we heard that it had suffered damage in the same icefield. But thanks to the experienced captain, we managed to finish the trip by enjoying the legendary hospitality of Fogo Island. 

-- Fogo Island Inn and the town of Joe Batt's Arm, NL (Photo by John Baker)

The expedition wrapped up with more camping in a local hall, hikes around the island, a shed party, a couple nights at the famous Fogo Island Inn, and several heartfelt group sessions to talk through the events of the week and issues in the lives of the veterans on the trip. We departed the island in helicopters as the ferry was pulled in for repairs that were needed after trying to break through the ice.

-- Three of our local Fogo Island tour guides (Photo taken by John Baker)

In the end -- despite a lot of careful planning by our truly amazing guides -- many things didn’t go as expected during the trip. Ice, wind and waves meant we had to adapt and work together to make the journey home, safely.

As for our veteran team members, many of them face a similar task as they transition to civilian life. Few expected to suffer from physical injuries or PTSD. I can’t pretend to fully understand their experience. But over the eight days, I did learn three key lessons that we all can learn from to help them complete their journey home.

#1: Listening Helps Heal: While Canada takes good medical care of our veterans, medicine isn’t enough. Pills or medical marijuana can help manage the effects of PTSD, but as one fellow put it, “It’s a mere band-aid on a bullet wound.” Healing requires more.

What almost all the veterans said they needed the most was an understanding community — a place where they could work through their challenges without being stigmatized or judged. The local Legion Hall might have worked for previous generations, but the vets I talked to needed more to help them address their PTSD and injuries. They need connect to the broader community. If you know a veteran, your willingness to listen, support, and accept will be greatly appreciated.

#2: Learning and Finding a New Purpose: As someone who has built a career around learning, I couldn’t help but notice that nearly all the veterans we met were engaged in learning. Many were doing a Master’s or a PhD degree or other training to help them find new skills and a new purpose. Each of the business leaders on the trip committed to continuing to work with one or two veterans as they look to build their network and move onto a meaningful civilian career. Helping veterans build their professional network is an important step in their opening up a successful and meaningful next chapter in their lives.

#3: Local Programming Needs Funding: Programs to support veterans healing from injuries and PTSD are also important. One excellent way to help is to support organizations like True Patriot Love (our expedition’s donation page) as they work to help meet the need of veterans and their families. I’m happy to report that our small expedition team raised over $478,000 to fund mental health and veterans’ transition programs across the country.

We are still looking for a little more to achieve our goal.

Veterans have given so much of themselves in the service of our country. We owe it to them to not just welcome them home, but also to help them heal, learn, adapt, and find their new purpose. Let’s show them how much their service means to us and our communities!

-- One of the Veterans – Rob – Climbing (Photo taken by Warren Robertson)