Man and Dog ~ Through The Newfoundland Wilderness by Justin Barbour

In April 2017, 29 year old Justin Barbour and his 9 month old Cape Shore water dog, Saku, set out on an island expedition like no other. Traversing and portaging almost 700 kilometers through the wilderness of Newfoundland on a west to east adventure, the  pair learned to survive on meager amounts of food, living off the land and surviving every type of condition imaginable. If this was not a true test of survival, surly the physical and mental prowess demonstrated from minimal human contact and 17 kilometer days would be. However, this was more than just an extreme expedition or a test of will; this was a personal and spiritual journey of interdependence, respect and love between a man, his dog, and the land they travelled.  Man and Dog ~ Through The Newfoundland Wilderness is the modern quintessential Newfoundland adventure the likes that hasn't been seen since the early explorers of the late 19th century.

Breaking through the riverside bush, I laid eyes on what awaited us. Prying the green fir boughs from my face, I spied open water and precarious ice on Burnt Pond River. Much of what was in my view was still frozen, but out toward a narrow channel, squeezed together by two points of land, was a clear opening across. With the snow now coming down sideways, I had to get out there for a closer inspection. I was reluctant to ease out on the disintegrating ice, but there wasn't much choice. Saku stayed close. It was black in places, and what looked to be dead standing trees in the cove had no doubt created more deadly air pockets. To our left a small stream trickled into the river, and we hopped over its four foot width and continued on the other side toward the channel, which was about 200 yards away.

                                                                                                                                        ~ Day 14

Driven by a love of sport and fitness, Justin Barbour's thirst for exploration and adventure was initially inspired by a canoe trip undertaken as part of a Physical Education degree at Memorial University. Fueled by a fascination with nature, this course stirred a "thirst for exploration and adventure" and, as Barbour himself has said, "rekindled my passion to move through the great outdoors by my own power and with everything I needed to survive within reach." Man and Dog is an easy to read memoir. Written in a conversational style, readers will feel as though they are camped out with Barbour, sharing a fire or a meal of trout soup. This book intimately details the day by day highs and lows, moments of euphoria and challenges experienced by Justin and Saku. From navigating the tuckamore of Shoe Hills to bushwhacking through the backcountry; traversing through the Long Range Mountains during a lingering winter to staring death in the face while rafting  down Salmon Arm; Barbour chronicles his thoughts and feelings and daily life or death choices  made during the four stages of his expedition. Always positive, readers will be impressed by Barbour's knowledge, passion, tenacity and meticulous attention to detail.  Though there were many mistakes made along the way, Barbour is quick to recognize them and even quicker to learn from them. Most impressive, however, are the thoughtful realizations, introspective comments and spiritual awakening that is evident throughout the entire memoir, gleaned from Barbour's pushed-to-the-brink experiences. 

The rush was still pulsing through my body. All I wanted to do was hold Saku, relax with him, and curl into a ball by the fire. So many thoughts ran through my head. Was I pushing things too hard? Maybe I had gotten complacent. Up to this point in my four years of wilderness travel, even after travelling hundreds of kilometers through some tricky terrains, I had yet to have any life threatening ordeals.......Now I had gotten my first real taste of nature's power and realized the Hydro rivers around here were not to be messed with. I had felt invincible living this life in the wild, but not anymore, not out here.....You learn by doing, and the opportunity, although a bit out of my skill range, was there. It was a small window, and I had every right to go after it. That's the thrill I chase. 

                                                                                                                                   ~ Day 35

Man and Dog ~ Through The Newfoundland Wilderness is a book for all to enjoy! Readers, whether nature lovers or city dwellers, will get to live the journey first-hand from the comfort of their own home and will, no doubt , be left to contemplate what their own big adventure will be. Boil the kettle and prepare to enjoy a mug up in the big open land. You will be left inspired! Man and Dog is a Flanker Press publication.