Discussion about Trips, Events, etc.

At our recent AGM some questions were raised about our club liability insurance. Specifically, members had questions about who was covered, and under what circumstances. Apologies for the delay in getting back to people on this. However; the brokerage had just changed carriers for the sports liability program, and had to finalize the particulars of the coverage being offered.

The policy coverage amount remains at a robust $5,000,000. It provides liability protection to organizers, officers, and directors against any negligence claims for incidents occurring during any club sanctioned events, such as trips, workshops, or meetings. Essentially, any club event listed in our outings program is covered. Private trips by members, whether they are organized totally outside the club, or through postings on our Bulletin Board, are not covered.

The plan does not prevent us from accepting non-members on a trip. We have a long-standing club policy that non-members are welcome on one or two trips to see if our organization is right for them before they commit to joining. That policy is not affected. If we allow a non-member on a sanctioned event, and an incident involving that person occurs, the organizers, officers, and directors are protected.

In order to be covered, the organizers, officers, and directors must be members in good standing at the time of the incident to be protected. So get those renewals in promptly!

We are pleased to be able to offer our outings organizers, officers, and directors this personal protection. We very much appreciate the dedication and commitment you show the club. Your generous donation of your time, enthusiasm, and personal skills benefits us all. While the WCA has an outstanding record of running safe, responsible activities, we would not want any member volunteering to do work for us to have to worry in the least about being personally liable in the event of an unfortunate accident.

Bill Ness & Mary Perkins
WCA Outings Committee

A total of 9 boats and 18 paddlers came out to paddle the upper Credit River on April 1st. Despite the date (April Fool's day) no one got fooled and all showed up at the put in on time. The paddle from Inglewood to Glen Williams took about 4 hours including a lunch stop. One boat decided the pace was a bit slow and were not seen again after the first rapid. Even though the weather was not the most cooperative (hail, misty rain, 4 degree temp) it was still a fun run. Following the paddle we had a chance to warm up and share food and conversation at the lovely home of Janet Kuzniar.

This was the spring canoeing season that never was. The Lower Credit wasnt' even paddlable this spring, and last weekend we found the Moira at a level that we would normally expect at early May. All the HWY 7 rivers had become hiking trips. The Trent Waterways people had turned of the tap to the Gull earlier in the week.

So it was that Good Friday found 20 hard-up river paddlers congregating at the HWY 169 bridge over the Black River south of Washago to run the last bit of water with a semblance of whiteness anywhere in southern Ontario. We had a potpourri of every craft imaginable- tandems, solos, kayaks, and even an inflatable kayak. Apparently, we were not the only people thinking that this was spring paddling's last gasp, as several other groups also pulled up as we were unloading.

While the Black was about as low as one would want to run it at, the spring weather was a treat, and it was just great to be out in a boat on a river. However, the water was still pretty chilly, as a few over-exuberant people playing around found out. Even at its modest flow of 25 CMS, the Black still has some interesting spots to play and have fun, and to sit back on some warm rocks having lunch in the spring sun with a bunch of great people. Who could ask for more. It really was a good Friday.

WCA Annual General Meeting
Saturday March 3rd, 2012
KOFFLER SCIENTIFIC RESERVE AT JOKERS HILL

Registration required – please see details below or click on the following link (or paste into your web browser): http://www.wildernesscanoe.ca/content/wca-annual-general-meeting

Please join us for the WCA 2012 Annual General Meeting on Saturday March 3rd, 2012 at the Koffler Scientific Reserve (KSR) at Jokers Hill. Located on the Oak Ridges Moraine just north of Toronto, KSR is owned by the University of Toronto and focuses on a sustainable future through research and education on the environment, in the environment.

In addition to our business meeting, the Director of KSR, Dr. Arthur Weis, will provide a history of KSR, and tell us how scientists from the University of Toronto and other institutions in Canada and abroad are using the resources of KSR to expand our knowledge base in biodiversity, ecology and evolution. We will also do a walking tour of the Reserve (including the old-growth forest) and have access to their hiking trails. Lunch will follow at a local restaurant in Kettleby (lunch is optional; individuals pay for their own lunch; menu includes deli sandwiches and hot Italian home style dishes). The afternoon is free for hiking on KRS’s trails (and maybe snowshoeing or cross country skiing if there is enough snow).

Why attend? Learn more about the business of the WCA; provide input on the club's future direction; socialize with other outdoor enthusiasts; learn about KSR and enjoy their hiking trails.

Register: We need to know how many members will be attending the meeting and lunch. Please click on the link below to register by February 29. Please note the registration is through our online store; there is no cost to attend the AGM, but it will appear as if you’re “purchasing” attendance at the AGM.

Location: The Koffler Scientific Reserve is located at 17000 Dufferin Street, King City, ON, L7B1K5. It is on the west side of Dufferin, north of Sideroad 19 (Mulock Dr) and south of Hwy 9 (Davis Dr).

Date/Time: Saturday, March 3. Door’s open at 8:30 and meeting starts at 9 am. We expect the business part of the meeting to end around 11 am; the talk and tour of KSR to end about noon and lunch to start about 12:30. The afternoon is free for exploring the KSR trails.

Questions: Please email any questions to geri.james@bell.net.

Cost: There is no cost to attend the meeting (optional lunch is extra and paid by each individual). However, we do require you to register online through the WCA online store (see link below).

REGISTER online by Feb 29 by clicking on the following link:

http://www.wildernesscanoe.ca/content/wca-annual-general-meeting

Well, only one more month and it will be time for us to dust off the paddling gear for another canoeing season. We’ve had a few early birds already posting spring and summer trips, anxious to get on the water again. On behalf of all our members, we would like to thank them and the other outings organizers who so generously donate their enthusiasm and experience organize these outings and workshops for us all to enjoy. We hope as a member of the Wilderness Canoe Association you will take advantage of these wonderful opportunities to go new places, renew WCA friendships, and meet new people to share outdoor adventures with.

If you already are an established club organizer, please take a moment at your earliest convenience to check your calendar and see what outings or clinics you would be able to organize for the quickly upcoming spring paddling season. You can either post them yourself using our simple to use website facilities; or if you prefer, send them by email to one of us and we’ll see that they get on the schedule.

If you are an active paddler, but haven’t yet organized an outing, we would strongly encourage you to consider becoming an organizer. The WCA strives to provide an extensive and varied outings program for us all to enjoy, but our ability to do so depends on each of us putting something in to our club paddling community. All this involves is taking a few fellow WCAers out for a day or weekend to a local river or lake where you love to paddle. Both you and they will have fun. And we make the WCA a much more exciting and interesting club to belong to. We all benefit.

Wishing all of you a fun and safe paddling season.

Bill Ness
Mary Perkins
WCA Outings Committee

Paddle the Don River – May 6, 2012
Join us for the annual Manulife Paddle the Don River day on Sunday May 6, 2012. This 2-3 hour paddle starts at Ernest Thompson Seton Park (enter via Wilket Creek Park on the west side of Leslie Street, north of Eglinton Ave East) and winds its way south for about 10 km to the Keating Channel at Lake Ontario. Members of the WCA will be helping out as volunteer weir watchers along the way.

The river is flooded for this event so there will be moving water, swifts and rapids. There are three weirs; the first two must be portaged and the third may be run. Bring your white water canoe, paddling gear for cold water, and a camera. The river offers a unique view of the city landscape, city wilderness and maybe wildlife.

The takeout is located at 170 Villiers Street at the northwest corner of Villiers Street and the Don Roadway. Here you will find free entertainment and food and drink for purchase (or you can bring your own lunch). A free shuttle bus will take you back to the start where you can pick up your car and drive back to the takeout to pick-up your canoe.

This event is free, but you must register in advance. It fills up quickly, so register early. You can also help raise money to support regeneration projects within the Don watershed by completing a pledge form from the website.

Go to http://www.paddlethedon.ca/ for more information and to sign up for 2012 event notifications. You can also contact Gary James at gary.james@sympatico.ca and 416-512-6690.

I'm organizing a trip down the Harricana River the summer of 2012. Looking for experienced paddlers.
You can contact me below.

dcrosby@bmts.com

Don Crosby

Looking for a trip to the Hood River summer 2012. Any plans?

I met some WCA people in the Elora Gorge on Sunday June 19th and spoke with someone who is doing the Hood in August. I didn't catch his name and am wondering if anyone has a contact for him.

Erwin

Water levels on the Petawawa were higher than memory for the May Long weekend,
at Rollway Rapid the House Rock at the ledge was totally submerged by a gigantic pillow wave.
Here is a short video of Rollway wildwater fun, with friends we met on the river and us,
Jay & Frank Knaapen running last !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j0jPqE0Xpo