Ric Driediger began leading canoe trips near Churchill River in 1973. (Submitted photo/Ric Driediger)

By Derek Cornet

northern author

New book showcases nearly 50 years of stories along the Churchill River

Oct 4, 2021 | 2:40 PM

Stories from the Churchill is a new book written by Ric Driediger, highlighting his close to 50 years of guiding canoe trips along the mighty river.

“It starts out with the first canoe trip I was on and how I [went] from that canoe trip to having a career of canoeing,” he said. “I am a storyteller and anyone who comes through my office in Missinipe knows that I’m a storyteller. It’s hard for people to leave because I am busy telling them stories of routes, trips, and experiences. I have been encouraged by many people that I should write these stories down and publish.”

Driediger has been guiding canoe trips along the Churchill River since 1973. In 1979, he started a company called Horizons Unlimited and, in 1986, he purchased Churchill River Canoe Outfitters.

Although Driediger doesn’t personally guide trips anymore, he meets groups at the start and end of trips and he spends much of the year in Missinipe.

“The book talks a lot about my experiences in travelling on the land in the North, and I hope I convey my respect for the land and my respect for the First Nations people who travelled and lived in this land for so long,” he said. “I talk a lot about what it takes to guide a canoe trip and I think a lot of my philosophy of guiding comes through in the book. It’s quite a number of different things, but for the most part, it’s telling stories and using those stories to tell a bigger story.”

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Stories of the Churchill is Dreidiger’s second novel, his first being Paddling Northern Saskatchewan: A Guide to 80 Canoe Routes published in 2020. His new book also includes illustrations by Paul Mason, a friend, and fellow canoer from Quebec.

Ric Driediger’s second book Stories from the Churchill was published in September. (Chapters Indigo)

Stories from the Churchill can be found at Robertson Trading in La Ronge or the Lac La Ronge Visitor Centre in Air Ronge. It can also be purchased by online retailers.

“There is a lot of humour in the book and it was a lot of fun writing,” Dreidiger said. “I think people will enjoy reading it.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno