August 15 2009 » Skeena Swim » Vancouver Sun
Protester swims B.C.’s second-longest river
By John Colebourn, Vancouver Province
Ali Howard is the first person to swim British Columbia’s second-longest river.
Howard finished her arduous 28-day 610-kilometre journey down the Skeena River Saturday at 12:30 p.m. reaching her final checkpoint at the Pacific Cannery docks in Port Edward, on the northwest coast of B.C.
She was greeted by hundreds of well-wishers and was later treated to a community banquet to celebrate the epic trip.
“This has been an extraordinary journey that I feel blessed to have been part of,” said Howard, who arrived on shore to a cheering crowd.
Howard’s swim took her from the alpine meadows of the Sacred Headwaters where the Skeena starts, to the tidal estuary where the river meets the Pacific Ocean.
She swam the Skeena to raise awareness of the fragile river system that she said is being threatened by coal bed methane drilling and pipeline development.
“The landscape of the Skeena is powerful beyond words, and I hope everyone who has been inspired by this adventure will find a way to protect their watershed for the future,” said the Ottawa native.
The 33-year-old water-polo player and resort chef began the swim on July 21.
She had no previous river-swimming experience, so she trained for two months on two of the Skeena’s tributaries, the Bulkley and the Suskwa.
During her swim on the Skeena, Howard spent four to eight hours a day on the river and was protected from hazards and the river’s cold water by a life jacket, drysuit and helmet.
She had a daunting task trying to navigate through the Skeena and said the last section was the toughest.
“The lower river was particularly challenging,” said Howard. “We knew dealing with the tides and the winds off the ocean was going to be tough, and the past few days have proven that the mighty reputation of the lower Skeena is deserved.”
During the swim, entire communities came out to greet Howard and share in her journey.
“I come away from this trip feeling truly inspired by the potential of our communities — of committed people living in places and working together to take care of their home. If there’s a place in the world where we can make it work, this is it,” said Howard.
Throughout the swim she said she was motivated by drivers honking and waving while they passed by on the highway.
Howard navigated the river’s narrow canyons with the help of professionals including a first-aid attendant, videographer and chef.
The crew followed her with equipment on whitewater rafts, which they traded for sturdy canoes once they got closer to the ocean.
The expedition cost about $30,000, with money raised from donations and sponsors.
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