Man reminisces on trek across a frozen Lake Erie into Colchester, Ont. 43 years ago - Action News
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Man reminisces on trek across a frozen Lake Erie into Colchester, Ont. 43 years ago

Forty-threeyears ago,Dave Voelkerwalked spent two days walking 48 kilometres across a frozen Lake Erie.

Dave Voelker spent 2 days crossing the frozen lake

David Voelker crossed a frozen Lake Erie in February 1978. (Submitted by David Voelker)

Forty-threeyears ago,Dave Voelkerspent two days walking 48 kilometres across a frozen Lake Erie.

On Feb. 25, 1978, Voelker left Cleveland, Ohio by himself and was set on reaching Colchester, Ont. in the next 48 hours. On his back he carried all that he would need, includinga tent, walkie talkie, and a tripod with a camera.

"I knew it was frozen across I had to give it a shot, I'm a bit of an adventure junkie,"Voelkertold CBC Radio's Afternoon Drive host Chris dela Torre.

He said the temperature that year had been below freezing for at least a month and to be certain the water was frozen through, he checked in with the coast guard.

A frozen Lake Erie as photographed by Voelker. (Submitted by David Voelker)

When he first started crossing he said he saw some ice fishers, but there eventually came a point of "absolutely nothing at all."

LISTEN:Dave Voelkertalks about what the journey across was like with host Chris dela Torre

"I was in my element," he said.

"I'm a bit of a loner tobegin with and being in the middle of a frozen Great Lake is the ultimate alone time, you're just left alone on your thoughts and I just reflected on what I was doing."

He said he wasn't really scared, but the adventure didn't come without its challenges. At one point he could tell an ice breaker had gone through the lake and it caused the ice to bunch up in odd places. He alsohad to check a compass to make sure he was headed in the right direction.

Eventually he made it to the other side and said a family witnessed his arrival. They then invited him in for dinner.

Voelker pitched up a tent one day into his hike across the lake. (Submitted by David Voelker)

Upon arriving in Colchester, he said he was relieved because he was so tired.

Afterwards he says he ended up hitchhiking back home and passed through Windsor to do so.

Some people still don't believe thatVoelkercrossed the lake, but he says he hopes the photos are enough.

"Even if people don't believe it I know that I did it," he said.