Hello all, I’m posting on behalf of the Thunder Bay Museum, where I work as Curator and Archivist. (I’m also an occasional paddler and hope to post my own trip reports here in the future.)
Wendell Beckwith is a figure no doubt many of you, particularly those regular paddlers in Wabakimi, are familiar with. For those who aren’t, Wendell was a scientist and inventor who lived alone on Best Island on Whitewater Lake, pursuing what he referred to as ‘pure research’. Though he’s been described as a hermit, the reality is he was anything but, forging a relationship with the local First Nations peoples (who helped to keep him alive), and a variety of other regular visitors, including many canoe tripping groups. His cabins are still routinely visited by canoeing parties paddling through the park, although by now they are in considerable disrepair.
The Thunder Bay Museum partnered with filmmaker Jim Hyder to create a film about his life, and I thought I would post it here as it will no doubt interest many on this forum. The film is entirely free, and is a non-profit venture supported by a variety of valuable partners. You can watch the film and read a bit more about Wendell here:
http://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/beckwith-film-projectFeel free to message me with questions or comments, you can also get in touch through the museum (
info@thunderbaymuseum.com).
Happy viewing,
Michael