Warrant Officer Lillian Blois Receives Her Regional Expedition Pin! — Issue 9

Advanced Expeditions are offered to cadets who have completed their Silver Star and Gold Star Expeditions. Warrant Officer Lillian Blois ’26 was one of 18 cadets selected in the Maritimes to participate in the advanced Regional Expedition in New Brunswick.

The expedition took place from October 11 to 19 on the Fundy Footpath. Cadets first spent a couple of days preparing for the hike at CFB Gagetown, including packing the gear that needed to be carried in their rucksacks for the duration of the journey. It was a challenging hike, traversing more than 60 kilometers on a hilly and rocky trail along the Bay of Fundy.

Lillian sat down with me this week to share her experiences.

Lillian: I felt nervous at first and really excited at the same time to go because I’d never been on a Regional Expedition. I really love going outside, camping, meeting new people, and trying new experiences.

Capt. Skafte: Could you tell us about what you did to prepare for going to the Fundy Footpath?

Lillian: The first couple of days we learned about the route we were taking, what we should expect difficulty-wise, how to prepare for the weather, what tent groups we would be in, and got our GORE-TEX gear, tents, and equipment.

Capt. Skafte: Was hiking the Fundy Footpath a challenge?

Lillian: It wasn’t too hard but also not too easy. It was constantly up and down, and there was rarely any flat ground. It was a challenge at times as we hiked over the course of six days and five nights.

Capt. Skafte: What were some of the experiences that you had on the expedition?

Lillian: We were constantly crossing rivers, which is where we got our water. Since we didn’t carry our water, we got it from the river and pumped it into our water bottles. We had filter systems to purify the water. It was a really nice view hiking along the Bay of Fundy! We split up the group equipment to share the weight of what we were carrying. You need to be physically fit!

Capt. Skafte: What’s your biggest takeaway from going?

Lillian: I made friends. It’s like one big family. You’re all living together and only a tent away from others. You get to know each other really well by the end of the expedition!

For her accomplishments, Lillian received her Regional Expedition Pin, which she proudly wears on her Cadet Highland Uniform.

Very well done, Lillian!