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Ok, What now?
My latest blog post looking at our options to get out for or camping and outdoor trips.
You may not like it but it is where we are in the world right now.
https://jeffmccollalifetimeoutdoors.wordpress.com/2020/04/20/ok-what-no…
Jeff
Well I got the letter off to the Government and the Parks people using my position of Conservatopm Chair of the Wilderness Canoe Assoc. (volunteer position) Looking for some answers and suggestions for our outdoor communities in this time.
It was actually really hard, under normal circumstances you would place your statements and back with various layers of evidence to support your arguments.
In point you would write a small novel.
I know most of of us are looking for some much better information on the Governments & parks plan so we can make plans to get back out there.
Under this Covid 19 pandemic things are very different.
If we want to to get answers we must be able to submit something that will be read, and hopefully open a dialogue to get more information and maybe get our points across.
In these times you have to understand that they don't have time for long winded reports, or rants.
So I started with my small novel (shorter than normal :) ) whittled it down a lot and then gave it to my Wife Anne that in her job writes reports for Executives that do get read.
So in the end it was short, concise and covered the major points that many of us are looking for answers.
(Anne made me look very good ;) )
Hopefully it will open the door for more open and discussions on what may happen in the months ahead.
We just have to remember these are very tough times.
Latest Blog post RE: COVID 19
We can get through this!
Let's get through this together!
Feel free to share and come up with and share ideas
https://jeffmccollalifetimeoutdoors.wordpress.com/2020/04/02/we-can-get…
Latest blog post
Looking for Sunsets
Almost all are paddle areas and many are in Ontario Parks.
https://wp.me/pa5lOR-7E
Jeff
Here is a link to the club's new promotional video, posted today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfMq9atT0wQ
This is the first video to appear on the club's YouTube account. I have watched it several times myself, because of course, it has all of my favorite people in it!
Link to my latest blog post.
"stuff" happened this year to make it very tough to get away.
Not our health or bad stuff for us, but circumstances have forced us to stay close to home without a lot of effort to make sure someone else was in the area.
Even though I had to turn down a couple of guiding opportuniities and had to cancel trips I would usually run.
I am ok with what we have to do.
It is part of life.
Just thought I would share how we look for our "fix" of outdoors and keep ready to go should the opportunity for a longer trip happens.
Jeff
My wife and I have to replace our tripping canoe after 20 some years. I want something lighter than Royalex (yes, I know it's no longer available for new boats) so we have been looking at H2O's Voyageur model in Brute Force layup. This is a deep, 17 footer that comes in around 50 lb. Before purchasing, we would like to hear from someone who has taken this boat down a river and had some experience in knocking it around a bit. Please respond if you have had any experience with this boat.
Are deet-containing insect repellents harmful? If you are an outdoors person, you are well acquainted with this decades-long debate. When it became known that in addition to fending off tiny winged bloodsuckers, deet was absorbed through the skin and into your body, many people became concerned. (Note for recyclers: you can recover 10% of what you apply in your urine.)
Well now it's been reported in a recent paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that the chemicals in the sunscreen that we slather on each summer are also absorbed into your body.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2733085
There is also an interesting commentary on the medical website, Medscape.
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/913130?src=wnl_tp10n_190607_mscped…
Similar to the situation with deet, the effects of this absorption is anyone's guess. In either case, there are no scary red flags at present, but it does give you something to think about.
Fortunately, there is a convenient alternative to both the bug and sun repellant; just put on a long sleeve shirt, long pants and wide brimmed hat, and keep enjoying your summers outdoors.
So 11 years of battling for paddle rights in Canada came to fruition yesterday June 21, 2019.
Omni Bus Bill C-69 received Royal Assent!
The part that concerns all us paddle craft people is now known as -
Canadian Navigable Waters Act
https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/bill/C-69/third-reading#enH1…
Many of you would be much more familiar with the environmental assessments that have been in the news recently in relation to this bill.
But for those of us from all outdoor groups across the country that made numerous submissions over the years, we have a reason to celebrate!
No it is not perfect, but the changes make a huge difference in what is recognized what can be paddled and by what.
There are many paddle issues that still need addressing and many paddle issues that are still open to interpretation, but this is a great start!
Through most of these years the members of the Wilderness Canoe Association and their Board have let me represent them and the interests of them and all paddle craft in this serious issue to our rights of accessing rivers and I thank them for giving me this great opportunity.
The achievement to get these changes to be given Royal Assent to this act is truly inspiring and I was only one of many of a great team. This team covered virtually every outdoor group, all had the same goal and even though we all represented our own interests, we were all surprising on the same page as to what changes we were looking for.
During this Canada week, go for a paddle!
I ask you to do this as a tribute to the thousands of people who worked countless hours to bring all paddlers to this point!
Jeff McColl
Conservation Chair
Wilderness Canoe Association.
So the numbers are coming in on the effect of Ontario budget cuts.
Halton Conservation has reported their Prov. funds have been cut by 50% I am sure the same applies to other Conservation areas and reserves.
So to help all paddlers if you are accessing Conservation areas and reserves paddle and camp "no trace"
If the area does have an admission fee don't try and skip out on it.
The people that enforce the rules will paint us all with the same brush if you don't.
If we want to keep these areas easily accessable to paddle we have to be responsible and do our part.
Jeff
