Share your experiences about trips you did, ask for info about trips you dream about...
Need suggestions for 1-2 week canoe trips in Quebec province and/or books on subject. Most of my trips have been in Ontario or Boundary Waters. Could be fly in and out or drive to start of trip. Prefer river trip with Class I and II rapids. Also prefer not seeing a lot of other trippers. Thanks for your help.
After enjoying the webinar by Sandro on the Bonaventure, I have thought that it would be a great spring trip to plan. If there are other interested people who would like to plan, in the hope that next spring will be safe enough to reasonably take on such endeavour, please contact me so that we might remotely start up discussion. I would add the Spanish River in July also or other suggestions!
Long range forecast for next Friday to Sunday
(At least for Southern Ontario)
Looks amazing!We have officially dubbed it
"A hell of a long weekend!
(for obvious reasons, it is ground hog months)
Do something !
Ok First thing we need to do is make sure everyone has a "camp fire"
For your virtual Fire.
Almost all carriers (sat & cable) still have a fire place channel
On Rogers Ignite 917
On Bell Vibe it is 1539
So check your local carrier to get your fire Ready!!!!
Remember post pics and share!!!!!!!
Let's go "CAMPING!!!! "
(But a a safe socially responsible distance from others at your own home!
Don't forget you can virtually interact with your many friends via a multiple of ways now!!
See you at your local virtual park this weekend!!!
Missing this a lot this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZzKsVwNun0
Jeff
I see you Amanda.
This is the gauge to watch for the Humber River: 02HC025
We need 4 cubic metres per second for a successful run and rain is in the forecast. Maybe later in the spring, one can be squeezed in.
With all the closures and state of emergency just enacted this is another great opportunity for wilderness training.
With social media on fire you can really get some great insights on how people handle themselves when there is pressure on.
On any type of outdoor trip #$%$ can hit the fan.
It can be weather, injury or natural events like forest fires.
You can see by their posts that if they are panicking now, what would they be like on a trip?
Like everyone else I have had tons of planned activities delayed.
NOT CANCELLED!!
Just delayed.
I am also "slightly" involved in senior care but have also offered help to other seniors in my area.
And like many others my age who are seniors helping other seniors we also have our own issues, I am concerned, but not panicked. It does not help.
So take this as a training exercise for your trips.
Adapt, adjust, change your plans.
And dream! about how much more you will cherish your trips when you do go.
I imagine many more people will be stopping and taking in the little things much more after this is all over.
Jeff
We are an "experienced" group of paddlers from Toronto who love wilderness but are now at the stage of life where long portages and technical whitewater are not in the cards.
We're looking for great 7 day (ish) canoe routes which offer lots of wilderness scenery. Ideally in the Ont-Que vicinity. Our list so far:
Temiskaming'Kipewa
La Verendrye
South Shore of Lake Superior
Quetico
Wabikimi
South Shore of Manitoulin
Also wondering about the Bowron Lakes in BC.
Grateful for any recommendations, trip notes, etc
Many thanks,
Rob
In the age of social media where Readers digest stories seem like epic novels there is no way to do Emil Maschek’s story justice, but it is a start.
And it is another story from the 50’s and 60’s that todays paddlers should know about.
Emil’s story is absolutely amazing and enthralling!
From his escape from eastern Europe after WWII finding and reuniting his family in West Germany through his paddle history and on to present times.
Emil’s first kayak race was with a boat he built himself in 1961 at Lock 22 in Peterborough, Ontario.
His boat building soon became his passion.
Emil was a very integral part of the evolution of design in canoe and kayak both recreational and racing that started in the 60’s
He also received National and International recognition for his designs.
From the recreational side of paddling Emil has a special spot in his heart and immense respect for another long time paddler that is no longer with with us that you should learn about.
Herb Pohl, author of “Lure of Faraway Places” Edited by James Raffan.
Emil designed, built and modified the boat for Herbs adventures and there are images of it in the book.
Emil was a student, teacher, coach and professor of all paddling disciplines and his passion was more than incontestable if you met him.
When I visited him it was even more evidence of this passion. From the collection of photographs and slides we looked there were images of many different people and paddle activities, some of which I have spent a fair bit of time searching for.
I first met with Emil in 1967 and became his Padawan (google that for you non Star wars fans :) ) in 1968 when I got my first kayak and he escorted us down the Grand River from the bottom of the Gorge to West Montrose. There would be many river runs down the Credit after that.
Emil was a Canadian Champion and represented Canada at the 1969 worlds at Bourg St. Maurice in France in K1 DR. where he finished 37th.
It was not until the 1979 worlds when another Canadian bettered that placing, and I was proud to do so!
I am just going to put a few images that only tell a small part of Emil’s story. Just like so many other paddlers of the time they did some pretty amazing things in all paddle sport.
This is just another reason why we need to find, save and share these stories and at the first reunion at Minden on the 15th, this is hopefully the start of a very worthwhile project by our paddling community.
Sorry don't have a photo album set up yet.
Just a link to a few facebook pics
Just getting a few ready for next weekend. :D
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220123066211574&set=pcb.10220…
Join or follow us on our facebook page and help us in our search!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/255062685431683/
I am still finding lots of holes to fill in my search for 50's & 60's White water paddling history.
One of them is the open boaters.
I know that this time period played a major roll in how open canoe paddling/instruction developed in our province.
Before many of todays groups were founded many of these open boaters were involved with the kayakers of the time, many with the Ontario Voyageurs Kayak Club. (OVKC)
Going through old membership lists I discover that when I was a kid they had members like George Lust founder of the Wilderness Canoe Symposium (now named in tribute to him)
These paddlers influenced me a ton and helped take me on a paddling journey around the world.
We need to save these stories and images of their contribution to our WW paddling history.
If you know of any I invite you to join this cause of recording and saving their stories.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/255062685431683/
Jeff
PS this will be an on going project because we know this information may be a little slow coming out as personal treasures are found.
We had 11 boats out today, 2 solo and 9 tandem. Lots of humans and one dog. One large tree looked like it was going to cause a portage but we all managed to squeeze through the branches. We had one portage at Cheltenham except for one brave paddler....see video: youtu.be/amKIQGppA0o
All rapids run successfully. Lots of good food and stories back at Rick and Diane's place.
