King Family Bursary supports father-daughter paddling documentary

We are delighted to award the 2021 King Family Bursary to Scott Parent, who will create a documentary film about a paddling expedition and environmental journey with his daughter Acadia.

Scott Parent is a paddler, photographer, and film maker raised in Pentanguishene and 12 Mile Bay, and now living on the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula. Scott has lived most of his life on Georgian Bay and worked as a commercial fisherman and paddling guide. In 2011, Scott completed the first solo unassisted stand-up paddleboard crossing of the bay from Lion’s Head to the Western Islands, and on to Sans Souci. In 2015, he and a partner made the crossing in the winter.

In 2019, Scott set out on a stand-up paddleboard to trace the ancestral route of the Metis Migration from Drummond Island, Michigan, to Penetanguishene. This time he carried precious cargo: his 9 year old daughter, Acadia Parent, along with enough expedition gear to last a month. Together they paddled nearly 500km across Lake Huron’s three bodies of water: the North Channel, Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. Their journey took them across the most remote corners of the region.

“Turning 9 at our house calls for an epic of sorts. For Acadia this turned out to be this expedition, experiencing the region from one end to the other first hand, and earning it herself. Learning the navigational art of Wayfinding, learning about listening to the water. But also learning about the historic migration of the Metis people, our ancestors, and the people’s history of the region. We also learned a great deal about the threat of pollution facing Lake Huron.”

The pair collected water samples along the entire route for micro-plastic contamination research. They carried a deep water sampler with them and collected some of the first deep water data collected for Lake Huron. They also documented their entire journey together, for the purposes of sharing their experience and their findings.

“This was an unforgettable and transformative experience for the both of us. We hope that the documentary touches people’s hearts in a good way. We have to acknowledge this beautiful region of ours is facing certain challenges, and how we relate to the water and the land can make the difference for future generations.”

Watch a preview of Scott and Acadia’s documentary

Read about the journey in Scott’s own words.