The Journal of Darren McGinnis - Outdoor Adventurer

 Journal Entries:  Darren's Bio     June 2003       July 2003      August 2003      September 2003       October 2003                   Arrival in Mexico

Background

Darren McGinnis was born in Thompson, Manitoba on Canada's birthday in 1972. 
Shortly after, his family relocated to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Within Darren's third year, the family moved again to Thunder Bay, in North-Western Ontario. Darren grew up in Thunder Bay and has always considered it his home. 

From the age of 12, Darren began working in the horticultural and landscaping business. First with a large Thunder Bay business and then starting his own, successful landscaping architecture and pool and spa business. During this period, Darren also majored in Economics while pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. 

In 1996, Darren passed on his landscaping business to his close friend and business partner in order to hire and train to become a full time Financial Consultant with one of the most prominent financial services firms in Canada. After working for two years in Thunder Bay, Darren decided to relocate to Edmonton, Alberta for the excitement of new experiences and to take advantage of the booming economy in Western Canada. His practice flourished in Edmonton and after four more years there was in the position to get bought out and sell the management of his clients assets. With three years of income in place, Darren decided that he would leave the corporate world for a while and experience adventure and nature more thoroughly and intimately. 

Darren had spent many years camping and fishing but had never experienced living in the wild for an extended period. He liquidated all of his material possessions and decided to take a long distance paddling adventure. 

In August of 2002, Darren and his faithful Pug Yoda embarked on a kayak trip that was supposed to take them from the Canadian border to the Mexican border. The trip ended prematurely when virtually all of Darren's gear was swept away in a storm on the Mississippi River. In the end, Darren had paddled over 2000 miles in under four months. Not bad for a beginner!! 

Darren will make contributions to this website in the form of journal entries from his various wilderness adventures.  Make sure to bookmark this page so you can be inspired by  nature in following the footsteps of Darren McGinnis. 



Contact Darren McGinnis: 

Darren the Kayaker & Yoda the Pug. 

1-380 Shuniah St. 
Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada P7A 3A6 

1-807-345-6336 
mississippidigger@hotmail.com