Half Marathon on Day 24 of the Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition

     Somewhere along the way I messed up on the number of days of the Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition. Adam phoned today from Pointe du Bois, Manitoba where they stopped to get Manitoba Fishing Licenses. We were discussing the number of push-ups Mike Swenson was up to and I asked if he had done 26 push-ups today. His plan was to do one push-up for each day of the Expedition and Adam informed me he had done 24 push-ups today. I didn't bother to correct him since the only disagreement they have had so far on the trip was a debate about what day it was. Now tonight when I look at my postings I see I somehow got off sometime. It isn't helping that my blog software is sometimes posting with the wrong date on it either.
     So, here we are on the 24th day of the Hudson Bay Expedition on Wednesday, June 15th. Pointe du Bois is one of the many places there is a dam along the river. According to Con-Tech Systems Website, "Pointe du Bois dam and powerhouse are located on the Winnipeg River, approximately 160 km northeast of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Con-Tech Systems Ltd. was contracted to supply Manitoba Hydro with the appropriate anchors for the dam and powerhouse. For the powerhouse, which is 135 metres long."

     The Voyageur Crew will have encountered a number of dams during their time on the Winnipeg River.  The following information was found online.

The Winnipeg River flows 235 kilometers from the Norman Dam in Kenora Ontario, westward to Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. Used by First Nations for thousands of years, the river system was important for trade, travel, harvesting, and access to settlements. The river was also a major transportation route for fur traders and early explores.

The first hydroelectric plant on the Winnipeg River was constructed by the Winnipeg Electric Street Railway near Pinawa in 1906. This plant operated until 1951, when it was decommissioned to improve water flow to other Winnipeg River Stations.

Six hydroelectric dams bisect the Winnipeg River in Manitoba, generating a total of 583 megawatts annually. From east to west, generating stations are located at Pointe du Bois, Slave Falls, Seven Sisters Falls, McArthur Falls, Great Falls and Pine Falls. All Manitoba dams are owned and operated by Manitoba Hydro.

Point du Bois is the oldest power plant still operating on the Winnipeg River. Construction took 20 years being completed in 1926. Stretching 135 meters across the river Point du Bois has 16 turbines and a capacity of 78 megawatts.