Journey on the Grand River

Videographer and Climate Advocate Tom Ostapchuk is the brainchild, producer, and star of the documentary “The Grand”, featuring an eight-day paddle down Southern Ontario’s longest river from the headwaters in Dundalk to Port Maitland, where the Grand River empties into Lake Erie. 

When not building tools to manage EV chargers in his daily work, he is a video producer and founder of Yellow Boat Media, crafting authentic stories for sustainable businesses.

After paddling along open water for hours, I came upon a maze in the river. Multiple islands created channels that wove underneath large tree canopies with drooping branches.

It was quiet for a moment. I could hear the water lapping against the side of my bright yellow kayak as I stopped paddling to take it all in. I had escaped all sense of being in southern Ontario, suddenly finding myself in a wild place. This was where the Grand River winds through the shoals of Haldimand County.

In 2022 I paddled the entire 300km Grand River, from the source in Dundalk to the mouth in Port Maitland. I experienced each variation of the river: the early winding waterways, the whitewater of the Elora Gorge, and the wide expanse through Haldimand County. I passed historic buildings and secluded wilderness along the way.

Along this stretch I was greeted by soaring eagles, turtles sunning on logs, minks squirming into the reeds, and a fat beaver waddling along the bank. At night I heard coyotes yipping through the woods while I lay in my tent. It felt like I was in a far-off wilderness, rather than being only a few hundred metres from country roads and communities.

I reached Cayuga and was dwarfed by the looming Old Cayuga Railway Bridge and treeline. The river had slowly widened here, once a major commercial waterway when steamboats carried passengers and cargo up and down its length.

After Cayuga the river turns due east and the wind that day howled head on, pushing waves over my bow, unrelenting as I drove forward. If I did this stretch again, I would get out earlier in the morning before the wind picked up. While my head was down struggling against the wind, I hadn't realized I'd crossed into an area known for showcasing the remaining Carolinian biome.

Wetlands spread out around me with reeds and trees pushing out of the water that had expanded into what felt like a distinct lake. The sky felt huge, clouds floating by lazily while distant windmills turned. Pulling into Byng Island Conservation Area was a sudden contrast again as I found myself in quiet, narrow waterways overlooked by relaxing campers.

My journey took me through the remaining wetlands of Dunnville and out through the mouth of the Grand River to Lake Erie. 

Finishing there, after paddling the full length of the river, put the whole trip in perspective. Our backyard is bigger and wilder than most people realize.

Two day trips that I would recommend: