Does anyone have any experience on these two water sources? I am in the beginning stages of planing a two month trip paddling the Red River of the North, Lake Winnepeg and on down the Hayes River to Hudson Bay; does anyone have any experience on these water ways?

I know a bit about the Red and the Lake. It will be a big trip! The Red is now dropping bellow flood stage and the Winnipeg floodway will be closing soon. Lake Winnipeg is still frozen and the north basin will have ice for a while. The south basin is relativly shallow and blows up fast, the north is big water. In the north bassin, you only have a few small settlements and once you hit the Hays, you will be on your own. Let me know how you make out. My goal is to do the Lake Manitoba shoreline, likely not this year but hopefully next.

One more thing I should of added. The Hay River meets up with Hudson Bay around York Factory which is in the southern den range area for polar bears. They will be on the move by late summer and mass in the Churchill area waiting for the pack ice to form in late October. This area has the greatest concentration of polar bears in the world during late fall and is a tourist draw but an area you don't want to paddle. Something you might want to plan to avoid!

I completed this trip with the person who started this thread. We kayaked from Winnipeg City to York Factory on Hudson Bay. It's over 600 miles and took us exactly one month. We did not see another kayak or canoe on the water the entire time. Very friendly people in the towns and villages. The lake is incredible. We had a good five days of amazing wind waves and surf. We also had days as calm as glass. The system of rivers and lakes that lead to Hudson Bay are manageable by a loaded sea kayak. We simply dragged our loaded plastic boats over the portages. Some monotony, and also some exciting rapids. Beautiful country along the river system.

A fantastic trip for a sea kayaker. Bring bug dope!