Quest for the Bay (2002)

Quest for the Bay was a Canadian documentary television series which aired on History Television and the Public Broadcasting Service in 2002. It is the second entry of producer Jamie Brown’s “Quest series”, which includes Pioneer Quest: A Year in the Real West, Klondike: The Quest for Gold, and Quest for the Sea. Frank and Alana Logie, a couple who had previously participated in Pioneer Quest, made a cameo appearance during the first episode. It was the highest-rated program on History Television in 2002 and received favourable reviews from newspapers — most notably, the Edmonton Journal. RoseAnna Schick, the sole female crew member, wrote a personal account of the journey for Manitoba History later that year.

The five-part series was produced by Winnipeg-based Frantic Films and was filmed during the summer of 2001. It followed an eight-person volunteer team as they attempted to recreate the journey made by fur traders of the Hudson’s Bay Company during the 1840s by travelling from Winnipeg to Hudson Bay. The trip covered a distance of 800 miles and took the team though the heart of the Canadian wilderness. The crew members possessed only equipment used during the period, down to their food and clothing, and included a replica of a 40-foot wooden York Boat.