familiarity for long periods of time. Getting into an epic adventure with my sister combines my best friend with what I love most. She is a ‘yes’ woman, and down for anything. Hitchhiking in the Yukon, napping midday by rapids, or getting on a flight to wherever is cheapest, with her, brings me intense joy. She is so easy to be around.”
Out of everything these sisters have done so far, and it is a crazy and long list - too long to mention all their adventures together and solo- taking on the Yukon River Quest ranks at the top of the heap for them both.
It was an easy decision for sisters Lauren and Danika to take on the Yukon River Quest - a challenging 715-kilometre canoe/kayak race down one of the most historic water systems in Canada.
They simply found out about it and both instantly wanted the experience. They started and finished the YRQ in June-July 2011, finishing in less than two-and-a-half days. It kicked their asses, in a good way, and left them with lasting memories.
Over the race, they experienced electrolyte imbalances, visual and auditory hallucinations and both gastric and respiratory infections. They paddled their canoe for 33 straight hours. They shot Level III rapids at 3 a.m. They ate cold spaghetti out of a bag while passing out in their tent from exhaustion. At one point, Lauren was sick and running a fever, Danika made her rest with her head on the bow. Danika then proceeded to tell other paddlers who they came across that Lauren was her hood ornament.
“God that was awful,” Lauren said. “We did it and it is one of our most prized memories. I will never forget seeing the finish line of that race and looking back at my sister with my bottom lip quivering, saying ‘We’re here’. What an incredible experience in an incredible place with unbelievably incredible people.”
The YRQ left a significant impact on the lives of the sisters. It was a huge boost for Lauren.
“Finishing the YRQ made me more confident in general,” she said. “Right before we left for the Yukon, I read an article about the top ten toughest races in the world, and YRQ was right up there. It terrified me, but having Dee with me made it easier. I think it's made me more comfortable with leaning on people around me to accomplish goals. In short, it made me realize my limits are far past where I believed them to be. I need to remind myself of that sometimes.”
For Danika, the YRQ showed her what she already knew - that her and her sister can overcome a lot together.
“That was the dumbest and most amazing thing we’ve ever done,” she said. “That experience mainly just whet my appetite for more! The pure wildness, emptiness and vastness of the landscape was the most raw thing I’ve ever felt. Physical and mental exhaustion crack you and expose you in your most real state. I think it brought Lauren and me closer as teammates because I know I can depend on her to keep me going. I know she’s not going to falter under any circumstance. The most lasting impact is the deep trust I have in her that she will never falter, even when we’re both on the brink.”
Joel and Mary-Lyn Anderson are proud parents. They love their kids. The tight and unbreakable bond and relationship the sisters have give the parents peace and comfort, especially when the girls are unleashing their wild side.
“They have always just loved each other,” Mary-Lyn said. “The girls have each other to go to for anything and we know this. They are there for each other and stick together. They appreciate what the world has to offer and they want to experience as much of it as they can. There are many more adventures in their futures.”
The sisters have distinct personalities, but they have always meshed well, especially in a crisis. A few years ago, they were volunteering as nurses in Haiti. Lauren fell in a hole and cut her leg badly. Danika was there to treat the wound. Then, Danika got cholera and Lauren helped get her back on solid ground.
“Lauren has a quiet confidence,” Mary-Lyn said. “She is big on what is right and doing the right thing for herself and others, and she is caring and giving. Danika is a bulldozer with a fighting spirit and she is just tenacious and gets what she wants.”
The sisters have traits from their parents, but the adventurous side in them both sheds light on the family tree.