My story is somewhat similar to PJ's.
My first actual canoe trip was in 2001, when I was looking for an alternative to backpacking (mostly in the Rockies) as my 60th birthday approached. That 2001 trip to Quetico sealed the deal and upon returning home, I began to cast about the internet seeking whatever information about canoeing that area I could find (I've always been a "know before you go" kind of guy).
It didn't take long to find the QJ site, where I lurked for a time, until joining up in 2003. It wasn't too long after that that DB asked me to become a moderator. I was a bit hesitant at first, feeling that I had little other than by backpacking experience to offer to what appeared to me to be a seasoned group of paddlers. However, a meeting with DB was arranged on I trip I had planned to Milwaukee and I was convinced to "sign on the dotted line."
Yep, I'm still here and checking the site on a daily basis. This is clearly a testament to the value of the content of the site, but for me there was the additional value of having "comrades in arms" to share the experience with ... some of whom it has been my pleasure to share several bush campfires with.
So I think it is safe to say that I will be hanging around here until the doors close or I draw my last breath.

dd