Andy Kaknevicius discovered Lake Superior while stations with the Ontario Provincial Police about three-hours drive to Thunder Bay. In retirement, he's created a documentary series on the Big Lake neighborhood. We chat with Andy about his passion and pleasure with our region.
LSM: Can you give me a little nutshell biography of you and a note about what drew you to become a videographer in your retirement?
AK: Born and raised in Toronto I had opportunities in my youth to vacation on the French River, Ontario and at a Lithuanian youth summer camp on Georgian Bay. Growing up, there were several adventures between Parry Sound and Sudbury that introduced me to fishing and exploring the great outdoors.
My love for the outdoors followed me into a 38-year career with the Ontario Provincial Police
starting with a duration posting in Ignace, 150 miles west of Thunder Bay. It was there that a passion for the outdoors, fishing and numerous visits along Lake Superior captured my soul and love for the North. I was fortunate to have served in numerous special units, Tactics and Rescue, Intelligence and many others. There were several training opportunities such as Search and Rescue, Winter Survival among others, and missions of all sorts in central and northern Ontario. From slugging it with a map and compass in deep forests to flying the coast in helicopters, I often wondered, “Wow, I get paid for this?” Of course there was an element of danger and ugliness, but it was outdoors and far from the city.
Time passes and the last 20 years of my career was dealing with intelligence units primarily fighting organized crime. It was there I developed skills in photo/video surveillance and productions. At the same time I grew my own production capabilities and created hundreds of fun videos, coincidentally for the very youth camp I attended as a kid, and the Lithuanian community in Toronto.
LSM: How did you come to discover Lake Superior?
AK: Just one look, that’s all it took (Linda Ronstadt) … and many more afterwards. It was mostly work related. I was awe inspired every time I saw the coast between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie. It kept me coming back for more and more.
LSM: Why do you think it is that you are drawn here again and again?
AK: The beautiful geography and coastlines, the feel and deep breath of a cool pristine onshore breeze from the Lake, the sounds of the water lapping the shoreline, or crashing on the rocks, the wilderness surrounding the Lake, and the animals. The PEOPLE. The way of life in small town Ontario, especially in the North is nowhere near the stress of the big city. It is relaxed, it is friendly. Just thinking about it soothes the soul. And now an extraordinary passion to discover more, record it and creatively show and share the stories.
LSM: After completing the Circle Tour – did you do it twice? – can you distill one unifying trait of our Big Lake neighbors?
AK: As far as the mini-documentary series is concerned, I technically completed the circle only once, over 21 days. However, I made two additional trips weeks apart to Sault Ste. Marie, Wawa and the Algoma Canyon.
The one unifying trait among the Big Lake Neighbors. RESPECT. Respect for the natural resources, history, development, tourism and education, preservation and respect for each other. There is evidence of it everywhere. Lake Superior Magazine has highlighted many, many examples of it over the years.
LSM: What advice about the circle tour might you give a first timer? (e.g. amount of time to allot, what to bring, etc.)
AK: The best advice I could give anyone planning a Lake Superior Circle Tour would be to take your time. Check out the main locations/attractions for sure, but take some side trips and explore the small towns and harbors. Get off the highway. Ask questions of the people living in the area. Ask for those treasured local sights and history that you would not normally see in brochures or off the highway. You will in short order find yourself overwhelmed with things to do and discover. One of Ontario’s mottos is “Yours to Discover”, it clearly applies to Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan as well. Don’t be in a rush to finish the 1,300 miles in one trip. Go back every year.
LSM: What will happen next with your documentary series? How long is each segment and what kinds of topics do you touch? Are you done ... or just getting started with your trips to the Big Lake?
On July 9th, the first introductory episode to the series was posted on YouTube and shared with the Lake Superior Circle Tour Group facebook page. The first season will be housed on my YouTube channel pending its own dedicated channel. There are approximately 12 episodes and several new ones in the queue for development that will be released weekly starting in August. The episodes range anywhere from 10 - 30 minutes.
Some of the features include:
Bahwating - The Gathering Place
Remembering Jackfish (a Ghost Town)
Agawa to Wawa
Ojibway Legends
The Sleeping Giant
Fort William Historic Park - Reenactment/Tour
Grand Portage
Bishop Baraga - The Snowshoe Priest
Duluth - Industry Compliments Tourism
Glensheen Mansion
Marquette Maritime Museum
Whitefish Point Shipwreck Museum
The Soo Locks, Sault Ste Marie
Agawa Canyon
Several Waterfalls
Numerous travel stops and stories.
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
LSM: What do you miss the most now that you're away from the Lake?
The people and their stories. The history. Life on and around the Lake.
LSM: And finally, is there any question you wish I'd ask you?
AK: “Why create a mini-documentary series about Lake Superior?”
I wanted to fully immerse myself in a perpetual growing passion to produce from soup to nuts, with all the creativity I can muster, a documentary style series that will entertain and educate, that can be shared on social media platforms, and that may inspire contacts, access and future stories, in particular of those people, businesses and places that may be overlooked or cannot afford to have someone tell their story. Lastly, to develop potential support and expand production to give people everywhere an opportunity to experience some of the “Majesty and Lure of Lake Superior.”