tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179669932024-03-07T03:01:14.883-06:00The Mundane Adventures of BryanTales of boatbuilding, family, paddling, music, camping, football, snowshoeing, kids, cycling, and whatever else suits my fancy.Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.comBlogger358125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-32830525636199991262022-11-15T13:34:00.006-06:002022-11-15T13:34:53.648-06:00NASA Worldview<p>Here's another mapping tool that's pretty neat to play with. I use it for monitoring ice out/freeze up conditions, checking out forest fires, and more. </p><p><a href="https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/">EOSDIS Worldview (nasa.gov)</a></p>Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-37154740839032391922021-09-22T01:13:00.004-06:002021-09-24T11:29:13.482-06:00Toporama MapsI keep forgetting where to find this, so I might as well make a blog post so that you and I can both find it.
<p>The Government of Canada's Toporama mapping site is a handy resource for trip planning. It lets you view the topographic maps for anywhere in Canada. <a href="https://atlas.gc.ca/toporama/en/index.html">https://atlas.gc.ca/toporama/en/index.html</a></p><p>This link should take you right to the Weaver River, for example: <a href="https://atlas.gc.ca/toporama/en/index.html?id=map1&extent=-611690.9304509925,790756.9769041018,-597451.0269711857,795519.4864291208&legend=762eb7ed-0001-242f-6fcf-af08f5605eb1,0,0,1;e5511402-0002-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,0,0.7;cc7fde4c-0003-1cf2-8358-7ca86eefb13c,0,0,1;762eb7ed-cccc-242f-6fcf-af08f5605eb1,0,1,1;8a57b0ba-c004-f03d-7cd4-b3d9b35a8b83,0,0,1;4118b52e-66fe-6b4d-b826-a8f309338f76,0,0,1;e5511402-0029-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7dg,0,0,1;e5511402-0029-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0028-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,0,1;e5511402-0628-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0528-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;8a9bb0ab-0005-32b1-6715-be42194945aa,0,0,1;e5511402-0027-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0026-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0025-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;8a9bb0ab-0021-32b1-6715-be42194945aa,0,1,1;e5511402-0023-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0022-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;8a9bb0ab-0018-32b1-6715-be42194945aa,0,1,1;e5511402-0020-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0019-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;8a9bb0ab-0014-32b1-6715-be42194945aa,0,1,1;e5511402-0017-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0016-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0015-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;8a9bb0ab-0010-32b1-6715-be42194945aa,0,1,1;e5511402-0013-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0012-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0011-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7de,0,1,1;e5511402-0011-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0009-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0007-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1;e5511402-0004-5cbe-0d3c-f537c612b7df,0,1,1">Weaver River Map (Forbes Lake to Weaver Lake section)</a>. </p><p>You can select and print off your map areas, which is nice. There are also measurement tools. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcrHsISalcMtuHN2eHZkjHJ7Z-qpxOs_qsMRzkGdAwNlOlagh3ZjlvIywx3xVFP-E_Tv3sLvvozWOMaH6SylGQeWhliPRa-uONO9KqYrxXLeRCINBMSrG44a5I_dxJWVysk6wXQ/s1251/weaver.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1251" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcrHsISalcMtuHN2eHZkjHJ7Z-qpxOs_qsMRzkGdAwNlOlagh3ZjlvIywx3xVFP-E_Tv3sLvvozWOMaH6SylGQeWhliPRa-uONO9KqYrxXLeRCINBMSrG44a5I_dxJWVysk6wXQ/w640-h306/weaver.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>aBryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-24515118835827807472020-08-25T09:33:00.000-06:002020-08-25T09:33:18.612-06:00We're all saying it wrong...<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="et" dir="ltr">Misused word of all time - Kajak, sealskin hunting boat.<br><br>Kajak = ha - yuck<br><br>came by on Kajak - Kajakkut<br>Present tense using Kajak - Kajavunga<br>past tense came by Kajak - KajakkoKauvunga<br>Our kajak - Kajavut<br>My Kajak - Kajaga</p>— angusandersen900 (@AndersenAngus) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndersenAngus/status/1298274238923595782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-63959609791147106612020-08-21T23:06:00.001-06:002020-08-21T23:10:40.582-06:00Restaurant Patios of Saskatoon<p> After commenting on a Twitter post that featured the ice cream shops of Saskatoon I was spurred to create a similar map of the restaurant patios & decks of Saskatoon. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Where can you grab 2 scoops this weekend? <a href="https://twitter.com/MmeGarg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mmegarg</a> created an ice cream map and its taking her on an adventure around the city. You can join her: <a href="https://t.co/vGjhkMunK0">https://t.co/vGjhkMunK0</a>. <a href="https://t.co/wYwVV8XelX">pic.twitter.com/wYwVV8XelX</a></p>— Leisha Grebinski (@LeishaCBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeishaCBC/status/1294283528390221830?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><p><i>Note the link was wrong in that first tweet, the real <a href="https://t.co/L7SwUP0mQt?amp=1">link to the ice cream map is here</a>. </i></p><p>I'm more interested in beer & a burger on a patio and I can never think of where to go on those rare occasions when my wife and I want to head out to eat. Summer is beautiful and should be spent outdoors as much as possible, so we definitely prefer patios. Plus with the whole COVID-19 thing going on, we'd prefer not to hang out in a crowded restaurant when we could be hanging out on the patio. So, here's my map of where to get some food and drinks outside in Saskatoon! </p><p><iframe height="480" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=1mszyWA6w2grJX337E92XRfGGFflMA_GR" width="640"></iframe><br /></p><p>Let me know if I've missed any and whenever new ones are added I'll try to keep it updated. </p><p>Now, get out there and enjoy supper or a beer on a great restaurant patio after going for a paddle on the South Saskatchewan River. </p>Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-54820764350760647362019-04-16T22:19:00.000-06:002019-04-16T22:19:19.793-06:00River Safety DayLast year I participated in River Safety Day, spearheaded by the folks behind the Prairie Lily and Inland Marine Technologies. I attended a few of the planning meetings and got to spend some time that afternoon playing in and on the water doing some rescue demos. It was a great day on the water, even if my capsize was a bit contrived. They created the following clip to promote this year's event.<br />
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Last year I took part in the River Safety Day that was spearheaded by the folks behind the Prairie Lily and Inland Marine Technologies. It was a great day to play in and on the water, even if my capsize was rather contrived. <br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwS3idQFB6c/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">At River Safety Day last year, we capsized a vessel for demonstration purposes. Be sure to join us May 4, 2019, for River Safety Day, where you can see other great river demonstrations ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ #YXE #ShareTheRiver #riversafety #watersmart #besafeonthewater #livingyxe #riverfun #saskatoon #watersafe #saskatooning #yxeliving #saskatoonevents #bridgecity #riveradventures</a></div>
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A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/riversafetyyxe/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Saskatoon River Safety</a> (@riversafetyyxe) on <time datetime="2019-04-15T23:35:00+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Apr 15, 2019 at 4:35pm PDT</time></div>
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<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-44862419211792470092018-02-14T17:38:00.000-06:002018-02-15T09:52:16.376-06:00February PaddlingI got out for a paddle this morning since it was quite warm and I didn't need to be at work. It ended up being a short paddle (~45 minutes) since the wind came up pretty strong, but it was good to be out on the water. It was a really nice start with no wind at all. Later when the wind came up I was enjoying the challenge and the waves, but being out on the water alone in 0°C weather with strong gusting winds removed the margin of safety that I want to keep at all times when I paddle.<br />
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PalYbro, an acquaintance on Twitter, spotted me while he was biking down the Broadway bridge and posted this short video clip: <i>(Follow the link to see the tweet & the video since embedding here doesn't seem to be working.)</i><br />
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Life is but a dream, eh <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanSarauer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BryanSarauer</a>? <br />
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Extreme low-fi warning but just wanted to celebrate someone embracing all <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/yxe?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#yxe</a> winter has to offer. <a href="https://t.co/IMjb1hVeZD">pic.twitter.com/IMjb1hVeZD</a></div>
— palYbro (@palYbro) <a href="https://twitter.com/palYbro/status/963829824522412032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Here are a few photos and a short video from my outing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WIBhmVR8HRA/WoSDqm-KSUI/AAAAAAACSDY/06_5UP1x_CoMdI9QYzupNz_moQUG3l4MACKgBGAs/s1600/20180214_100545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WIBhmVR8HRA/WoSDqm-KSUI/AAAAAAACSDY/06_5UP1x_CoMdI9QYzupNz_moQUG3l4MACKgBGAs/s400/20180214_100545.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dead calm on the water before I set off. (Glad to see the newly applied Princess Auto reflective decal is doing such a good job of reflecting the camera flash. The decals are applied to both sides of both blades, vertical on the power face, horizontal on the backside.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to seal launch. Unfortunately, someone's been doing too good of a job of clearing the snow and sanding the boat launch. That made for a less than smooth slide down onto the water. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_8WeLpLAVZYS5_iLiLBd-fBa_dxR1SLwtb1PfFF64XVzkiFd9PfyOmQ4-POW6OxUmFhTSQgjT4r1QnJo97EIh45XcxzJgWAaJzW6-K4EGz86Y3ZoQXCu0uuzfPLS24gu2TguqQ/s1600/20180214_103937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_8WeLpLAVZYS5_iLiLBd-fBa_dxR1SLwtb1PfFF64XVzkiFd9PfyOmQ4-POW6OxUmFhTSQgjT4r1QnJo97EIh45XcxzJgWAaJzW6-K4EGz86Y3ZoQXCu0uuzfPLS24gu2TguqQ/s400/20180214_103937.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting closer to the point where I turned around. The wind is coming up a bit, but is still fairly mild. Plus, it was a tail wind. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bYAOocvmwjRjWcSq7rhHcT0e28LIqH0klT62v0__FJwJRS3zcspYgEirLSPj7MYsct22l8urilOsA9v4LxJiy1tFuS8xv6L99cDc28f3yijl64sAL1SIFZMAN6C3I0yy7GfEWQ/s1600/20180214_105101%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bYAOocvmwjRjWcSq7rhHcT0e28LIqH0klT62v0__FJwJRS3zcspYgEirLSPj7MYsct22l8urilOsA9v4LxJiy1tFuS8xv6L99cDc28f3yijl64sAL1SIFZMAN6C3I0yy7GfEWQ/s400/20180214_105101%255B1%255D.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On my way back to the start. Snow pelting me giving a nice snowy look to the event. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCXgCwgyv5LK2wAYyVyQ3w4oeyUw0yQPfGy1z0GspRnW-oYxp5JpH2WJzVwJTN4Gcztvad2-mQxd7Y-RPplIeuZf7I7KxDtAcjt4SZp7h2k9Zv9hvRQPp7YXl22JOKxZU-seeVA/s1600/20180214_105731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCXgCwgyv5LK2wAYyVyQ3w4oeyUw0yQPfGy1z0GspRnW-oYxp5JpH2WJzVwJTN4Gcztvad2-mQxd7Y-RPplIeuZf7I7KxDtAcjt4SZp7h2k9Zv9hvRQPp7YXl22JOKxZU-seeVA/s400/20180214_105731.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Things were starting to get pretty fun. The wind came up quite a bit more than you can see from the photo, but I was busy paddling, not taking pictures with my phone. :)</td></tr>
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Now I'm off to Victoria in a few days for a family vacation and I intend to do some paddling while there. I'll be packing my drysuit for sure! </div>
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By the way, this paddle amounts to at least 16 months of paddling at least once a month, all in Saskatchewan. Assuming that I get out again in March, this will be the 2nd winter in a row where I paddled outdoors at least once a month all winter. </div>
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Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0Broadway Ave, Saskatoon, SK, Canada52.1230449861012 -106.6588878104980752.1181704861012 -106.66897281049808 52.1279194861012 -106.64880281049807tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-79386290204949548952017-07-13T14:36:00.000-06:002017-07-14T13:37:58.695-06:00Lazy Cabbage Rolls RecipeHere is a recipe that I've made a couple of times for trips and it's worked really well. Be careful not to overdo the quantities. Although I've seen it elsewhere (can't recall where), it has been posted by "Tripper" on the MyCCR.com forums. I'm putting it here so that I can find it again more easily the net time I'm looking for it. I'm making it today, getting ready for net week's Reindeer Lake kayak trip.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=38377">http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=38377</a><br />
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My modifications will include using a <a href="http://canada.thrivelife.com/tomato-sauce.html" target="_blank">powdered tomato sauce purchased from Thrive Life</a> (I highly recommend their freeze-dried and dehydrated products for camping foods) and using minute rice.<br />
<h2>
<b>Lazy Cabbage Rolls</b></h2>
<ul>
<li>1 - small head of coarsely cut cabbage (dehydrated)</li>
<li>2 - large cans of tomato sauce (dehydrated and ground into powder)</li>
<li>1 - can diced tomatoes (dehydrated)</li>
<li>1 - pound lean cooked ground beef (dehydrated)</li>
<li>1 - package of Uncle Ben's precooked heat and serve rice</li>
<li>1/3 cup - dried onion flakes</li>
<li>Some - salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika</li>
</ul>
<br />
NOTE:<br />
When drying the cabbage, fill the trays up! The trays should be overfilled. Cabbage dries really well and you'll end up with next to nothing after it dries. You should end up with one medium freezer bag of dried cabbage for every single head of cabbage dried.<br />
<br />
Layer the cabbage on each tray very thickly. One head will fit in a four tray dehydrator and look very overfilled as the trays will not nest properly if at all. Trust me, it will not look that way the next day after it dries. Cabbage dries down really small.<br />
<br />
Dry the tomato sauce as leathers and grind them into powder using a blender or other similar device. Turning it into powder speeds up the re-hydration process. Store the powder in it's own bag. <br />
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<h3>
<b>How to Cook</b></h3>
Rehydrate the cabbage, diced tomatoes, ground beef and onion flakes in a single pot with warm water.<br />
<br />
After about four hours or soaking bring the mixture to a boil to cook the cabbage. Cook until the cabbage is heated well but not cooked to the point of being soggy. El Dante is best.<br />
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Drain the water off into a separate pot leaving enough water equal to half the height of the mixture in the pot.<br />
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Stir in the tomato sauce powder a bit at a time. As the sauce thickens, slowly add in small amounts of the drained water as needed while adding the tomato powder until you get the desired consistency. Always add water sparingly. It's easier to add a bit of water than it is to boil it off.<br />
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Then add in the the package of rice, some salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika to taste.<br />
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Gently heat for another 5 to 10 minutes and serve.<br />
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<br />Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-75013094045158394692017-04-18T11:18:00.000-06:002017-04-18T11:19:15.724-06:00The List: International Version<i>The following is something that's been languishing in my drafts folder for years. I's not doing any good there, so I might as well publish it as is, even if I haven't quite finished it or polished it.</i><br />
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Some time ago I <a href="http://pawistik.blogspot.ca/2012/07/list.html" target="_blank">published a list of places I want to paddle</a>. I am definitely Canadian-centric and all but one of the destinations picked for that list are located here in Canada. However, my dreaming of paddling goes beyond our borders and I was reminded of this when a Norwegian paddler (and moose hair researcher) visited our lab a while ago. So, in honour of Knut, here is my international wish list of paddling, again in no particular order.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><b>The Fjords of Norway</b>. The west coast of Norway looks simply stunning and I would love the opportunity to paddle there. Perhaps we can travel to Norway under the guise of visiting my wife's Norwegian relatives. </li>
<li><b>St. Kilda</b>. These <a href="https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=St.+Kilda+scotland&hl=en&ll=57.812761,-8.588905&spn=0.035068,0.071068&sll=-37.867512,144.978981&sspn=0.05197,0.071068&t=h&hnear=St+Kilda&z=14" target="_blank">remote Scottish islands</a> are the featured location of the stunning video <i><a href="http://www.seakayakwithgordonbrown.com/About2.html" target="_blank">Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown, An Instructional Journey Around the Spectacular Islands of St Kilda</a></i>. What can I say? The subtitle doesn't lie. </li>
<li><b>New Zealand</b>. Rugged fjords, mountains, wildlife. </li>
<li><b>Australia</b>. Home of kayaking greats like <a href="http://fatpaddler.com/" target="_blank">Fat Paddler</a> & <a href="http://gnarlydognews.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Gnarlydog</a>, the Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania and so much more. I should really break this out into 5 or more individual items on this list. </li>
<li><b>Cape Horn, Chile</b>. Way beyond my skillset, but man the southern tip of South America looks awesome with a coastal environment that's just about as rough as it gets. Those fjords and islands looks so inviting, in a harsh way. </li>
<li><b>San Francisco, California</b>. Golden Gate Bridge, my buddy Cam (nearby in Sacramento), and a hotbed for California sea kayak activity. </li>
<li><b>Homer, Kenai Fjords, Kodiak, etc., Alaska</b>. Lots of potential destinations, all of them pretty awesome. To be inspired, have a look at the video I shared a <a href="http://pawistik.blogspot.ca/2012/08/from-kodiak-to-homer-alaska-by-kayak.html" target="_blank">some time ago here</a>. </li>
<li><b>Iceland</b>. Hmmm, maybe remote fjords are a theme here?</li>
<li><b>Isle of Man</b>. Another branch of my wife's family is Manx and it looks like this "self-governing British Crown Dependency" would be pretty cool to circumnavigate.</li>
<li><b>Belize</b>. Since this made the <a href="http://pawistik.blogspot.ca/2012/07/list.html" target="_blank">first version of the list</a>, I better keep it on the international version. Jimmy's pictures still look pretty cool. </li>
<li><b>Baja</b>. A winter feeding ground for grey whales and abundant sea life. Sounds good to me.</li>
</ol>
Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-999283967249045662017-04-18T10:39:00.001-06:002017-05-17T10:36:04.037-06:00Freya Hoffmeister - North American Circumnavigation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ib1AYk9YDPw/WPY9EmPHAiI/AAAAAAAB_oc/dFR6MkzvBrMaadZXr6AHXEovMM5nv-BMQCLcB/s1600/Logo-Trip_Freya-03-724x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ib1AYk9YDPw/WPY9EmPHAiI/AAAAAAAB_oc/dFR6MkzvBrMaadZXr6AHXEovMM5nv-BMQCLcB/s320/Logo-Trip_Freya-03-724x1024.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://freyahoffmeister.com/" target="_blank">Freya </a>is doing it again - she has set out on yet another circumnavigation and this time she has her eyes set on North America. She set out from Seattle on March 23rd, 2017 heading northward. She plans to do the circumnavigation in a a couple of legs, the first of which has her heading toward the arctic in a clockwise direction around North America.<br />
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I've been reading along as she posts to her blog and it's created some very enjoyable reading - I love living vicariously through adventurers like Freya. You can read her blog here: http://freyahoffmeister.com/posts/<br />
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As I write this, she is approaching the northern tip of Vancouver Island (Day 23). I decided to create a map showing her progress because, well, I like maps. :)<br />
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<iframe height="480" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=1B7IfE-_DWQK_k582ETsWf6M_D-Y" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;">~ UPDATE: Freya has uploaded her track so far, and it seems to be updating with the camping locations as she goes, rendering my map above both inferior and redundant. :) Check out her version here: <a href="https://fusiontables.googleusercontent.com/embedviz?q=select+col2+from+1h2vMAo6H1yO7eRDeXfdFP1uUnTDOL06MUeAtDUws&viz=MAP&h=false&lat=63.6722663543392&lng=-114.11640625000001&t=3&z=4&l=col2&y=3&tmplt=4&hml=KM">https://fusiontables.googleusercontent.com/embedviz?q=select+col2+from+1h2vMAo6H1yO7eRDeXfdFP1uUnTDOL06MUeAtDUws&viz=MAP&h=false&lat=63.6722663543392&lng=-114.11640625000001&t=3&z=4&l=col2&y=3&tmplt=4&hml=KM</a></span></b><br />
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Early in her trip she crossed over from Port Townsend, WA, to Victoria, BC. I was surprised with how easily she tosses off a crossing like that.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=48.272581,-123.185922&z=10&t=t2&markers=||line=on%20width=2%20color=ff0000%20linesymbol=off%20dash=off||48.127143,-122.922592||48.115684,-122.939072||48.185775,-123.097000||48.388862,-123.306770||48.410403,-123.395348||48.422822,-123.392944||48.425328,-123.386593||48.425328,-123.377151||48.424986,-123.372173||48.426809,-123.369770||line=off" width="650"></iframe><br />
<small><a href="https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=48.272581,-123.185922&z=10&t=t2&markers=||line=on%20width=2%20color=ff0000%20linesymbol=off%20dash=off||48.127143,-122.922592||48.115684,-122.939072||48.185775,-123.097000||48.388862,-123.306770||48.410403,-123.395348||48.422822,-123.392944||48.425328,-123.386593||48.425328,-123.377151||48.424986,-123.372173||48.426809,-123.369770||line=off" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">Open this map full screen.</a></small>Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-10118324040775075582015-10-08T12:16:00.000-06:002016-08-22T20:14:42.074-06:00Go Vote!Here is a post I made earlier this morning on facebook expressing my opinion regarding the current political party leading and shaping the Canadian government. <br />
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I have a strong negative opinion about the current governing political party. Here are a few of my top reasons:<br />
<ul>
<li>Gutting of the sciences (AAFC, NRC, EC, etc.) and muzzling scientists is high on my list.</li>
<li>Lack of environmental stewardship and leadership.</li>
<li>Cronyism and corruption.</li>
<li>Turning our prisons and treatment centres into warehouses of criminals and diminishing treatment.</li>
<li>Removal of the Navigable Waters Protection Act (in a budget bill, no less).</li>
<li>Cuts to Parks Canada.</li>
<li>The treatment of anyone who expresses environmental concern as a terrorist.</li>
<li>Abuse of our parliamentary system, from proroguing Parliament to giant omnibus bills.</li>
<li>A general refusal to speak with or answer to the media, a media that is a venue for communication with the people who Harper is supposed to answer to, us.</li>
<li>The general degradation of what I love about being Canadian, I feel this country has become more mean spirited and taken a general turn for the worse over the last decade.</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
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I have a strong negative opinion about the current governing political party. Here are a few of my top reasons:...<br />
Posted by <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=17966993#" role="button">Bryan Sarauer</a> on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bryan.sarauer.3/posts/10153580672755259">Thursday, 8 October 2015</a></blockquote>
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Regardless of whether you agree with me or disagree, please </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>vote on October 19th. Your vote matters!</b></span></div>
Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-17882365873821865432015-04-29T11:35:00.000-06:002015-04-29T11:57:52.189-06:00Vinessa Currie, One Helluva Woman<i>A good friend of mine died on Friday night. She was driving to Saskatoon with her family to take part in the Saskatchewan Paddling Symposium the next day. Vinessa was a founding member of the Common Currents Paddling Association and part of our small organizing committee. The following is an extended version of what I wrote for the <a href="https://sites.google.com/a/saskpaddlingsymposium.com/commoncurrents/memory-vinessa" target="_blank">Saskatchewan Paddling Symposium website</a>. </i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGMX5bxjFf7S5ZGk9HzA8hrfY3vtZ4-rpS4HdLHY9aw5W8QJcaO0Kxkkb-QWFWmgh2wHRmGpkYNEN53WLQUmb9KHcjNgeSxl9-Da3dV1anGP3UJmSnZOEZx1Tr0NTT08TPLIxag/s1600/BD-97.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGMX5bxjFf7S5ZGk9HzA8hrfY3vtZ4-rpS4HdLHY9aw5W8QJcaO0Kxkkb-QWFWmgh2wHRmGpkYNEN53WLQUmb9KHcjNgeSxl9-Da3dV1anGP3UJmSnZOEZx1Tr0NTT08TPLIxag/s1600/BD-97.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vinessa speaking at the 2014 Saskatchewan Paddling Symposium that she instigated. Here she displays her ever-present smile in one of it's more subdued forms. </td></tr>
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<b>Passion. Vitality. Energy. Excitement. Enthusiasm. Laughter. Rather busy at times. But above all, passion. </b>These are some of the words and phrases that come to mind as we remember Vinessa Currie-Foster. <br />
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On Friday, April 24th, 2015, the night before the <a href="http://www.saskpaddlingsymposium.com/" target="_blank">Saskatchewan Paddling Symposium</a>, Vinessa was en route to Saskatoon for the symposium with her young family. Tragically, she never made it to her destination and the paddling world, her family, friends, and all who knew her, are left to mourn her passing. Vinessa’s death hung heavy over our hearts throughout the symposium, yet she would have loved to see so many people together, celebrating paddling, and being brought closer as a paddling community, reaching out to embrace new members in that community. <br />
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Without Vinessa, there likely would not be a Common Currents Paddling Association or a Saskatchewan Paddling Symposium. It was her bright vision which lit the spark that brought the 2014 Saskatchewan Paddling Symposium into being, and it was the success of that initial event that brought Vinessa and the rest of us together in its wake to create the Common Currents Paddling Association as a vessel to continue to bring the paddling community together. This was just one of her pursuits. She was also involved in Nature Saskatchewan (Education Director), Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan (Vice President), Leave No Trace Canada (Master Educator course provider), Saskatchewan Outdoor and Environmental Education Association, Tourism Saskatchewan, Canada Nature Escapes and more, not to mention running <a href="http://www.clearwatercanoeing.ca/" target="_blank">Clearwater Canoeing</a> full time. <br />
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Just 35 years old, Vinessa was a force to be reckoned with. She was passionate about paddling, the north, wilderness, Saskatchewan, history, and passionate about her family. Not only was Vinessa a rising pillar in the paddling and tourism community, she was also a mother, wife, friend and sister. She will have a legacy in the people she has inspired to do great things, and her legacy will be reflected through her children and family. Those of us who have met her twin boys know that they, too, have a fair share of their mother’s energy. <br />
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Over $3800 plus the donation of a canoe was raised during the paddling symposium, money that will go to helping Vinessa’s family in the aftermath of her death. If you wish to contribute to helping her family, there is a GoFundMe campaign started http://www.gofundme.com/syv7tc and there is a trust account in memory of Vinessa set up at the CIBC in Maidstone, donations to that account can be made at any CIBC branch with the transit/account #00378/72-70933.<br />
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We also hope to be able to create something in Vinessa’s memory that will endure for the long term, but what shape that takes has yet to be determined. If this is something you wish to contribute towards through ideas, work or a donation, please contact us at info@saskpaddlingsymposium.com. <br />
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<br />Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-67307676349339019892015-04-07T22:51:00.000-06:002015-04-07T22:51:10.186-06:00Saskatchewan Paddling Symposium, April 25thHi folks, the Saskatchewan Paddling Symposium is less than three weeks away! April 25th is going to come very, very fast. But, everything IS coming together very nicely, albeit a tad hectically. I am super excited.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Check it out at <a href="http://www.saskpaddlingsymposium.com/">www.saskpaddlingsymposium.com</a> and see you on April 25th!</b></span><br />
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<br />Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0Exhibition, Saskatoon, SK, Canada52.099124223562193 -106.6769027709960452.089371223562189 -106.69707277099603 52.108877223562196 -106.65673277099604tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-32090074413605159952015-04-02T15:03:00.001-06:002015-04-02T15:03:37.991-06:00Pogies vs. Gloves for Coldwater Paddling<div>
I've had some discussion (argument) recently with a knowledgeable fellow about wearing pogies versus gloves while cold-water paddling. The other fellow dismissed pogies as not adequate and argued that gloves are better because they keep your hands warm if you end up in the water, a valid point. Pogies are attached to the paddle shaft and if I swim, I'll have to take my hands out to perform the rescue and now have bare hands. The argument goes that you should always have something on your hands. </div>
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Here's the thing, for me at least, gloves don't work. I have thick neoprene gloves and I'd much rather wear the pogies (mine are NRS Mambas). In the gloves, my hands get wet and cold. Once cold they will stay cold. Further, have you ever tried to do anything wearing thick neoprene gloves? It's hard. Grabbing deck lines is hard. Performing any sort of task is difficult, even when the hands are warm. Once you have cold hands in cold neoprene, they become practically useless for hanging onto anything smaller than a paddle shaft. </div>
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By contrast the pogies act like a good set of warm mitts. My hands are toasty warm even when wet. I can pull the pogies off, perform some task with bare hands, and get them back in the pogies fairly quickly to re-warm or perhaps before they get cold. And my hands do re-warm in the pogies. In a rescue situation I now start out with warm dexterous hands, can get myself back in the kayak with a minimum of trouble, and get my hands back on the paddle shaft and back into the pogies. Gloves slow my rescues and keep me in the water longer. </div>
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For me & my large hands, pogies + thin gloves does not work well since my pogies fit snug enough to make getting them on with gloves tough - and they do need to fit properly. However this may be a good option for some people. </div>
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I should note that I do bring gloves with me when I cold-water paddle, and I keep them accessible. </div>
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Whatever you do there is one major point that I would like to make - MAKE SURE IT WORKS FOR YOU. Try different combinations. Practice your rescues in the conditions you paddle. It's one thing to conclude that something works, but you have to ensure it still works when the sh!t hits the fan. Go for a swim then make sure you can still use your hands.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXD3pZbZe-Gh3pE8XGBxRKQV81otczuYylCih6K3pRAIr8_2jsp5nOx1Nrk3ykzW927c9uCJ7ArmmF76dB9MGnIeHgfJGsNtTTXzcfxPYxpMhUyaF_CRPyjoL1Fu47Kfxb3zj3g/s1600/DSC_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXD3pZbZe-Gh3pE8XGBxRKQV81otczuYylCih6K3pRAIr8_2jsp5nOx1Nrk3ykzW927c9uCJ7ArmmF76dB9MGnIeHgfJGsNtTTXzcfxPYxpMhUyaF_CRPyjoL1Fu47Kfxb3zj3g/s1600/DSC_0146.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going for an icy swim close to shore is a good way to verify that your clothing system actually works, without getting in over your head. If it passes this test with a few minutes in the water, move on to rescues to ensure that you can still help yourself. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I enjoy paddling in conditions that many call "crazy", but I won't do it with the deck stacked against me. I paddle what might be considered dangerous conditions, in a very safe manner. </td></tr>
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Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-8502464749916276232015-03-30T14:55:00.000-06:002015-04-02T14:58:21.078-06:00Sunday Afternoon Paddle - And a Visit From The Water Rescue TeamI finally managed to take advantage of the warm weather and get out for a paddle on the South Saskatchewan River yesterday afternoon. The air temperature was a high of 11°C (cooler on the water I expect) and there was a fair south breeze as a headwind for the first half of the distance I paddled. The water was ice cold, literally since I was paddling among chunks of ice. Most of the river was ice-free (excepting many small bits and occasional larger chunks) in the section that I paddled since the weir breaks up the ice.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQZBwxyzhaI/VRmy0CvWk9I/AAAAAAAASgU/GXI6XtWRbUw/s1600/DSC_0133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQZBwxyzhaI/VRmy0CvWk9I/AAAAAAAASgU/GXI6XtWRbUw/s1600/DSC_0133.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View upriver shortly after launching.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L_mg_7S590c/VRmy0ANSZdI/AAAAAAAASgU/HmuafTyt8TM/s1600/DSC_0137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L_mg_7S590c/VRmy0ANSZdI/AAAAAAAASgU/HmuafTyt8TM/s1600/DSC_0137.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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As I set out, I was passed on the river by a fellow in a kayak (Dagger Alchemy 14) wearing only a tank top & combat pants - no PFD, no wet suit, no protection from the water of any sort. He had launched a few hundred metres farther downriver from me. I launched at the north end of the city and paddled upriver towards the weir.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xvZ66_IJlZg/VRmzuVMM3sI/AAAAAAAASgc/MMIqIha91GY/s1600/DSC_0141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xvZ66_IJlZg/VRmzuVMM3sI/AAAAAAAASgc/MMIqIha91GY/s1600/DSC_0141.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fellow paddler visible along the on-shore ice across the river. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHM0vqmrnegiHvuB9z44coMuxDcU8d3DkvRGRN0pqa41AHNbfMtctrqfmF9SuL0C2i-yNmqjxyQLIQ3uvvvalh_jlLpbrErcZwvJGbI8Xaa0iDLJN-s_Fi71hwFr4-pOJatDIfQ/s1600/DSC_0143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHM0vqmrnegiHvuB9z44coMuxDcU8d3DkvRGRN0pqa41AHNbfMtctrqfmF9SuL0C2i-yNmqjxyQLIQ3uvvvalh_jlLpbrErcZwvJGbI8Xaa0iDLJN-s_Fi71hwFr4-pOJatDIfQ/s1600/DSC_0143.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View upriver while underway.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is still March, after all.</td></tr>
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As I approached the area downriver of the railroad bridge and the weir, there were suddenly a huge number of sirens all around. I was across the river and noticed firetrucks at the weir on the west side, then driving slowly along the road on that side of the river (Spadina). I paddled across to see what the fuss was and was hailed by fire-folk in drysuits. They told me they had a report of a kayaker in the water in distress and asked if I'd seen a blue-green kayak or paddler - someone spotted something as they were driving over a bridge and called 911.<br />
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The only person I'd seen was the fellow who went past me in the blue kayak - but he was still in his kayak since I could see him just upriver a couple hundred meters from me. They launched their water-rescue boat just upriver from where I was and roared off downriver to look for the person in distress. Meanwhile I hailed the other paddler and asked if he'd seen anyone else in or on the water (he hadn't). We then paddled together back toward the place I had launched, and I also gently advised him on more appropriate paddling attire. I told him that if nothing else please wear a PFD to make the body recovery much easier for the rescue folks. As we paddled back the rescue team pulled up on their return upriver to again ask us if we'd "seen any bodies". We hadn't. <br />
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My theory is that someone saw a floating chunk of ice in the river which could have had a blue-green look and could have been kayak shaped. Maybe they linked that with the fellow in the blue kayak and thought that he ended up in the water. It's not a very good theory, but I'm not sure what else might have happened. <br />
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At the end of my paddle I did a roll and even went for a swim. I can confirm that the water is very cold, and the drysuit works very well. Drysuits cost a fair bit, but they are a great investment in comfort and safety. A used or clearance drysuit can be a great way to greatly enhance your safety on the water and to extend your safe paddling season.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QmJjKEzxWdIhHavWg04achdMSVoIfcXfqEdUW9AbiAlcZl1BGR5SOZb-si3sQrFPzV3sejqAu2zmyW8P1N_Gzpbc-lhMzKbOBTZeIVZsMIF5469U4zVk4TC0fozhzvgy_VWpdw/s1600/DSC_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QmJjKEzxWdIhHavWg04achdMSVoIfcXfqEdUW9AbiAlcZl1BGR5SOZb-si3sQrFPzV3sejqAu2zmyW8P1N_Gzpbc-lhMzKbOBTZeIVZsMIF5469U4zVk4TC0fozhzvgy_VWpdw/s1600/DSC_0146.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice day for a swim, as long as you are wearing a drysuit and plenty of insulating layers. </td></tr>
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By the way, here is what I wore for my paddle. I was warm above the water (not hot) and comfortable in the water for several minutes.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Merino wool long-sleeved top</li>
<li>Level Six <a href="http://www.levelsix.com/products/hot-fuzz-men-s-fleece-unisuit?variant=388193644" target="_blank">Hotfuzz one piece fleece "unisuit"</a></li>
<li>Thin wool socks</li>
<li>Thick fuzzy synthetic socks (feet get cold resting against the bottom of a kayak in icewater)</li>
<li>Level Six <a href="http://www.levelsix.com/products/emperor-drysuit?variant=388193120" target="_blank">Emperor drysuit</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nrs.com/product/2029/nrs-mystery-storm-hood" target="_blank">NRS Mystery storm hood</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nrs.com/product/2451/nrs-mambas" target="_blank">NRS Mamba pogies</a></li>
<li>Ball cap</li>
<li><a href="http://www.gul.com/boots/all-purpose-boot-5mm_bo1276-a4bkre-j1.html" target="_blank">Gul sailing boots</a> (designed for sailing, work well for paddling and available at a <a href="http://ebsadventure.com/" target="_blank">local paddling shop</a>)</li>
<li>Neoprene spray skirt</li>
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Here is a Google Earth estimation of my paddle. 6.5 km paddled. The weir is marked at the south end (bottom) of the image. You can see where I looped back to chat with the firefighters hailing me from shore, and where I paddled back to join up with the fellow in the blue kayak.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NzXT13OcO60/VR2s_4YUkbI/AAAAAAAAShw/pqZRHMHwZMU/s1600/March29-2015%2BPaddle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NzXT13OcO60/VR2s_4YUkbI/AAAAAAAAShw/pqZRHMHwZMU/s1600/March29-2015%2BPaddle.JPG" height="640" width="604" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fairly approximate representation of my paddle path. The blue dots represent the very approximate path of the fellow in the blue kayak. </td></tr>
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Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0University of Saskatchewan - North Management Area, Saskatoon, SK, Canada52.159928024324685 -106.6156196594238352.155057524324683 -106.62570465942383 52.164798524324688 -106.60553465942382tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-51774130733985597212015-01-28T15:41:00.000-06:002015-01-28T15:41:15.491-06:002015 Saskatchewan Paddling SymposiumI am on the organizing committee for the second annual Saskatchewan Paddling Symposium happening on April 25th in Saskatoon at Prairieland Park. . It's shaping up to be a great event with some great presentations, demos and speakers lined up. I happen to be in charge of booking the exhibitors so if you want to show support for the Saskatchewan paddling community and show of your wares, let me know! <br />
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<a href="http://www.saskpaddlingsymposium.com/"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">www.saskpaddlingsymposium.com</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VpAmqkAL_x0/VL7LvLoegRI/AAAAAAAARow/U5OUF9lK7io/s1600/symposium_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VpAmqkAL_x0/VL7LvLoegRI/AAAAAAAARow/U5OUF9lK7io/s640/symposium_poster.jpg" /></a></div>
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p.s. That's my daughter on the poster for this year's event. :)Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-71847553822331874102014-11-12T14:18:00.000-06:002014-11-12T14:18:02.625-06:00My Wild CanadaI suppose I should have posted this beforehand to help spread the word, but I guess I'm not quite that on the ball. This afternoon I had the opportunity to guest-host a My Wild Canada Twitter Chat. It was a lot of fun and my topic that I chose was a focus on paddling safety.<br />
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<a class="twitter-timeline" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mywildcanada" data-widget-id="532626974334676992">#mywildcanada Tweets</a><br />
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Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-46716389679747103602014-09-18T09:44:00.001-06:002014-09-18T09:44:27.201-06:00EcoFriendly Sask: Saskatchewan Nature BooksI contributed the paddling section to the list of books that EcoFriendly Saskatchewan compiled. Check it out on their blog. It looks like I still have a few naturalist books to add to the list.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ecofriendlysask.ca/2014/09/saskatchewan-nature-books.html?spref=bl">EcoFriendly Sask: Saskatchewan Nature Books</a>: Birds Atlas of Saskatchewan Birds , Alan R. Smith Birds of the Elbow, Frank J. Roy Birds of the Saskatoon Area , Anna L. Leighton, Hi...<br />
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<i>My list of Saskatchewan paddling-related books is actually somewhat longer than the EcoFriendly Sask version. I'll post that list at a later date because I think it's worth sharing.</i>Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-27261707444062450962014-09-02T14:30:00.001-06:002014-09-02T15:19:32.152-06:00Surviving After a Paddling AccidentLast week while packing for a canoe trip I was contacted by Global Saskatoon to comment on how to survive after a mishap on a paddling trip. In addition to being a <a href="http://coldspringpaddling.com/" target="_blank">paddling instructor</a>, I am the <a href="http://paddlecanada.com/" target="_blank">Paddle Canada</a> representative for Saskatchewan, and am a co-author of the <a href="https://www.adventuresmart.ca/" target="_blank">AdventureSmart</a> paddling safety awareness program called PaddleSmart. <br />
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The interview follows on the recent tragic death of David Dice along the Churchill River, a section that I paddled in 2010. I do not know the details of what happened, but according to news reports David was found below Needle Falls on Kinosaskaw Lake. Shortly after David was found by fishermen, his wife Enid Dice was found upriver somewhere along Needle Rapids. She had been there without supplies for 8 days. The reports don't offer much for details, though they do mention she had a fire going (it will make your life easier to have some reliable means of starting a fire on your life jacket or in a pocket, and redundancy is good!). The Dices are very experienced outdoorspeople and paddlers, and David's early death is a loss to the paddling community. My condolences go out to all of those grieving David's death.<br />
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<a href="http://globalnews.ca/video/1533357/surviving-eight-days-in-the-wilderness"><span style="font-size: large;">http://globalnews.ca/video/1533357/surviving-eight-days-in-the-wilderness</span></a><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="437" src="http://globalnews.ca/video/embed/1533357/" width="670">Your browser does not support frames. <a href="http://globalnews.ca/video/1533357/surviving-eight-days-in-the-wilderness">Click here to view the frameless video.</a>.</iframe><br />
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A few more details were reported via CBC: <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/details-emerge-on-sask-couple-s-tragic-canoe-adventure-1.2750011">http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/details-emerge-on-sask-couple-s-tragic-canoe-adventure-1.2750011</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><blockquote class="tr_bq">One of the first people to speak to Enid after the ordeal was Ric Driediger, owner of <a href="http://www.churchillrivercanoe.com/" target="_blank">Churchill River Canoe Outfitters</a>, who was also one of the last people to see the couple before they set out on their trip.</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">He says he learned, from Enid, that the couple's canoe capsized as they were navigating a set of rapids on the lake known as Needle Falls*.</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">They were separated and Enid swam to shore with her husband's backpack that had a sleeping bag and an emergency fire-starting kit. There was no food, however.</blockquote></blockquote>*<i>I wonder if this statement as reported is correct. It seems more likely that they were running Needle Rapids (C2+ to C3), about 2.25 km above the falls, or the outlet from Sandfly lake (C3), a further 1 km above Needle Rapids. It seems unlikely that they would have been running the falls (C5), but the earlier sets of rapids are manageable for the canoeist with skills in rapids. This also makes sense since Enid had no gear other than what she swam to shore with and was separated from her husband who was reportedly found on Kinosaskaw Lake in the eddy below the falls. Were the capsize to actually have occurred at the falls, she would have been mere meters from her late husband, the overturned canoe and much of the gear including the SPOT. </i><br />
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A map of the region:<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="650" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=55.703140,-106.011587&z=14&t=t5" width="650"></iframe><br />
<small><a href="http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=55.703140,-106.011587&z=14&t=t5" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">Open this map full screen.</a></small><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_n8BjoefL-U/TK629iUdzjI/AAAAAAAARCw/oCHr9RIr5mk/s1600/P9031573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_n8BjoefL-U/TK629iUdzjI/AAAAAAAARCw/oCHr9RIr5mk/s1600/P9031573.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aerial view of the rapids at the outlet of Sandfly Lake. We portaged these.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vQqv7RFiIWc/TK63SDYwltI/AAAAAAAAQxY/nWOr44AkJ-I/s1600/P9031594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vQqv7RFiIWc/TK63SDYwltI/AAAAAAAAQxY/nWOr44AkJ-I/s1600/P9031594.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Class 3 rapids at the outlet of Sandfly Lake.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSJXq50_AUaJR9IbfVlerrGwbsYhHgjQ2AHhgxrdB6PB1EWzWdLbuQH5kW73CquIF7ZPXS60Oz_x-yZ4dtCo-ycsg2-_nB8sW68Lb3XmgkZAUm9YZV-aULSvlMLWWwTuaxvajMg/s1600/P9031601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSJXq50_AUaJR9IbfVlerrGwbsYhHgjQ2AHhgxrdB6PB1EWzWdLbuQH5kW73CquIF7ZPXS60Oz_x-yZ4dtCo-ycsg2-_nB8sW68Lb3XmgkZAUm9YZV-aULSvlMLWWwTuaxvajMg/s1600/P9031601.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uppermost portion of Needle Rapids from the spot where we scouted the set. This is the river left channel. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuMEbuAz9b1lz1zPUTXsxi5STcFJaNRQZcURAhYgHRxI9U0WDBV4Lhfgxvgcm64p12zlwiNFxq428VkLmGEOKi3ZzRv0Bpyk6FsEy1FdkpznXcm9LufMgd4YOMn2Mls6JS7CBzg/s1600/P9031600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuMEbuAz9b1lz1zPUTXsxi5STcFJaNRQZcURAhYgHRxI9U0WDBV4Lhfgxvgcm64p12zlwiNFxq428VkLmGEOKi3ZzRv0Bpyk6FsEy1FdkpznXcm9LufMgd4YOMn2Mls6JS7CBzg/s1600/P9031600.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jay & Rod scouting Needle Rapids. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">David & Enid's Blog: <a href="http://digipac.ca/blog/">David and Enid's Travels</a></span><br />
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Here are some items you should consider having with you, or on you, whenever you head out paddling. Most of these items can be fit into a small pouch that can be attached to the life jacket or contained in a pocket. These items are described as "<b>The Essentials Plus</b>" in the PaddleSmart program:<br />
<ul><li>Transport Canada Required Items:</li>
<ol><li>Life jacket</li>
<li>Whistle</li>
<li>Throw bag</li>
<li>Bailer</li>
<li>Waterproof flashlight</li>
</ol><li>Other Essential Items:</li>
<ol><li>Fire making kit</li>
<li>Signalling device (e.g. whistle, signal mirror)</li>
<li>Extra food and water</li>
<li>Extra clothing</li>
<li>Navigation & communication devices</li>
<li>First aid</li>
<li>Emergency blanket or shelter</li>
<li>Knife</li>
<li>Sun protection</li>
</ol></ul><div>In the pocket of my PFD I have a small pouch that in the video linked above has had the contents spread out. The contents include a signal mirror, granola bar, fishing line, snare wire, ~20' of thin cord, orange bandana, emergency blanket, lighter, & fire starter. In the canoe or kayak I also almost always have extra clothing, rain gear, some form of shelter (tarp &/or a <a href="http://shop.whitesquall.com/products/bothy-bags" target="_blank">bothy bag</a>), extra food, water (though we can usually drink our water from the lake), first aid kit, more lighters, matches and fire starting stuff. </div>Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-28705664064376114032014-08-13T11:17:00.002-06:002014-08-13T11:17:47.049-06:00Kayak AssholeThis is pretty hilarious. Enjoy! <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/slEK6bdQd_A" width="480"></iframe> Thanks to the Kayak Yak blog for sharing! http://kayakyak.blogspot.ca/2014/08/kayak-asshole.htmlBryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-85412531570466609112014-07-03T09:56:00.002-06:002014-07-03T09:57:36.693-06:00Lack of Wilderness SkillsThis was an interview on CBC that <a href="http://www.kevincallan.com/" target="_blank">Keving Callan</a> recently did. It's a great piece and raises the concern over a diminishing lack of wilderness skills that seems to be occurring across Canada. It seems that if you camp without a trailer with attached deck and gazebo, you are really roughing it. I would also say there is an ever-increasing reliance on "stuff", and the skills seem to come a distant second. Kevin mentions getting training, and while <a href="http://www.coldspringpaddling.com/" target="_blank">I wholeheartedly support that notion</a>, I do think that people just need to make the effort to get out there and "do it". <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Org15qSH9Z0" width="640"></iframe>Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-21885985078863793362014-04-21T13:33:00.000-06:002014-04-21T13:42:13.188-06:00Near Real-Time Satellite ImageryI had a hard time finding this today while trying to check on ice conditions. It's a link to near real-time satellite imagery that is updated daily and it can be used for monitoring snow cover, ice-out, forest fires, and more. I've linked to it several times on my blog but the old links don't work anymore. So, here is the latest url for your (and my) enjoyment:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://earthdata.nasa.gov/data/near-real-time-data/rapid-response/modis-subsets">https://earthdata.nasa.gov/data/near-real-time-data/rapid-response/modis-subsets</a></span></div>
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For Saskatchewan, select the "North America" link, then hover over the map to select the 'Waskesiu' image set. </div>
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I was trying to see if the South Saskatchewan River has broken up at all outside of Saskatoon but it's too cloudy to tell in the most recent image (from yesterday). I'm pretty sure that if I could see the river, I would see a white line indicating ice, not a black line indicating water.</div>
Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-53288626421121361742014-04-18T14:08:00.001-06:002014-04-18T15:31:32.756-06:00Photos of My New Chestnut PalI promised in my last post that I'd get some photos up so here they are. (Here is the original post: <a href="http://pawistik.blogspot.ca/2014/04/i-bought-new-canoe.html">http://pawistik.blogspot.ca/2014/04/i-bought-new-canoe.html</a>)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qh73wYuez9k/U1GAOL-iYwI/AAAAAAAAP-0/j38SvvF37NA/s1600/IMGP1854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qh73wYuez9k/U1GAOL-iYwI/AAAAAAAAP-0/j38SvvF37NA/s1600/IMGP1854.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still loaded after bringing it home last night. Yes, it's snowing again.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1UD_Uyc3B6I/U1GAOytNklI/AAAAAAAAP-8/-DZJ07hs4aY/s1600/IMGP1855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1UD_Uyc3B6I/U1GAOytNklI/AAAAAAAAP-8/-DZJ07hs4aY/s1600/IMGP1855.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cracks in the canvas.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vVbvyXJqNow/U1GAPvfIO5I/AAAAAAAAP_E/k_JOopktqH0/s1600/IMGP1856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vVbvyXJqNow/U1GAPvfIO5I/AAAAAAAAP_E/k_JOopktqH0/s1600/IMGP1856.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It will need to be re-canvassed. </td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fv136UQWuCY/U1GAQpt9Q-I/AAAAAAAAP_M/qSuLHBbYvDw/s1600/IMGP1857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fv136UQWuCY/U1GAQpt9Q-I/AAAAAAAAP_M/qSuLHBbYvDw/s1600/IMGP1857.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JK3OBLvHn9w/U1GASFJEJEI/AAAAAAAAP_c/6lAT0WdPwdU/s1600/IMGP1859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JK3OBLvHn9w/U1GASFJEJEI/AAAAAAAAP_c/6lAT0WdPwdU/s1600/IMGP1859.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looks great from this angle! Importantly, the hull is fair and true and there is a minimum of damage to the wood of the hull itself. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C9tsprADE08/U1GATvFZfEI/AAAAAAAAP_s/9PkumCeitYI/s1600/IMGP1861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C9tsprADE08/U1GATvFZfEI/AAAAAAAAP_s/9PkumCeitYI/s1600/IMGP1861.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is some damage to a rib up toward the stem. The glass and epoxy will need to come out and the rib likely replaced.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6SAwRgwdASg/U1GAUOCie6I/AAAAAAAAP_0/6I91zv2gul4/s1600/IMGP1862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6SAwRgwdASg/U1GAUOCie6I/AAAAAAAAP_0/6I91zv2gul4/s1600/IMGP1862.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWfSW6GZNNhhhE3iegvM72h50C0sEXpQ6QRuJVO4zpSeXARNHvm_O5SrqeCsIp95NrEmJ-vdEaL_d6Ax2GYhtQvPGq2adwdnA-Be2XJUsYncrSnTV5cR6j02fkoItONT5BlDk1Q/s1600/IMGP1863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWfSW6GZNNhhhE3iegvM72h50C0sEXpQ6QRuJVO4zpSeXARNHvm_O5SrqeCsIp95NrEmJ-vdEaL_d6Ax2GYhtQvPGq2adwdnA-Be2XJUsYncrSnTV5cR6j02fkoItONT5BlDk1Q/s1600/IMGP1863.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bow deck plate with the Chestnut logo. Add new deck plates to the list of repairs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T31bHMx4oRo/U1GAViRLdkI/AAAAAAAAQAE/K23Xlc_9IVk/s1600/IMGP1864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T31bHMx4oRo/U1GAViRLdkI/AAAAAAAAQAE/K23Xlc_9IVk/s1600/IMGP1864.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gunwales are pretty soft in some spots. A result of outdoor storage.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5eVtnG_ZizQ/U1GAYCb9G_I/AAAAAAAAQAc/PirjxwUE-7U/s1600/IMGP1867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5eVtnG_ZizQ/U1GAYCb9G_I/AAAAAAAAQAc/PirjxwUE-7U/s1600/IMGP1867.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yup, it needs a bit of work.</td></tr>
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<br />Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-544933980766624662014-04-16T13:06:00.001-06:002014-04-18T14:11:48.013-06:00I Bought a New Canoe!Well, OK, it's not a <i>"new"</i> canoe, not by any stretch of the imagination. But, it's new to me. I am now the proud owner of a 1973 <a href="https://canoeguybc.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/the-chestnut-pal-wood-canvas-canoe-a-restorers-guide/">Chestnut Pal</a> 16' canoe, and a significant restoration project.<br />
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When this canoe came up in the local classifieds, I was only tentatively interested. However the longer I thought about it, the more the idea of owning a classic cedar canvas canoe got under my skin. The Pal was atop my list of models that I was interested in - at 16' long it's small enough for me to paddle solo, yet can accommodate two paddlers on day trips - it's likely use in my hands. It's a classic and versatile prospector design that should handle a load well and be manoeuvrable in moving water. It also happens to be the same age as me (who is also in need of some restoration work). <br />
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It's in decent shape but with a fair bit of work needed - the varnish looks fairly good on the inside but with many cracks (from drying out of the wood?), and the paint is bright on the outside. However, the canvas has cracked so it will need to be <a href="http://canoeguybc.wordpress.com/2013/11/29/how-to-stretch-canvas-on-a-wood-canvas-canoe/" target="_blank">recanvassed</a> and then the canvas filled and painted. Before I get to the canvas though, there is a broken rib that should be replaced that has been <a href="http://canoeguybc.wordpress.com/2014/01/19/how-to-remove-fiberglass-from-a-wood-canvas-canoe/" target="_blank">repaired with fiberglass and epoxy</a>. I am hoping the ends of the ribs are in good shape and will not need to be trimmed and scarfed. The stems look OK at first inspection, but I'll need to get in there for a closer look. I also hope that the planking checks out OK. The varnish will either need to be <a href="http://canoeguybc.wordpress.com/2014/03/30/how-to-strip-varnish-from-a-wood-canvas-canoe/" target="_blank">chemically stripped or (hopefully) cleaned</a> and scuffed prior to a new application. The gunwales have rotted after years of outdoor storage so I'll not waste any time there with any salvage attempts. <br />
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I have already signed up to be a member of the oft-cited <a href="http://forums.wcha.org/forum.php">forums</a> of the <a href="http://www.wcha.org/">Wooden Canoe Heritage Association</a>, and I am pretty sure that this blog will be my new best friend: <a href="http://canoeguybc.wordpress.com/category/repair-and-restoration-tips/">http://canoeguybc.wordpress.com/category/repair-and-restoration-tips/</a><br />
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Once I have the canoe in my hands, I can better asses the damage and what needs to be done. I then have an important decision to make:<br />
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<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Restore to original, or customize to suit?</span></li>
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The purist in me says that it must be restored to preserve the original, but the practical side of me says to make it the way I want. Keep the heritage, but customize the canoe to suit my needs - a concept that's likely sacrilege to some. Not adhering to the original opens up some options, but on the other hand this is a classic canoe and no matter what I do will never be light and fast so I might as well just stick to the original. If I restore to original the decisions are pretty simple - just repair everything to factory specs. However, if I want to customize it, there are some decisions I'll need to make:<br />
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<ul>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">Colour?</span></b> Green & red were the factory colours, and it's currently a beautiful green. Blue is nice, yellow too, but red is fastest. </li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">Keel? </span></b>A shoe keel 3/8" thick & 2 1/4" wide is currently present as per the original. But it's not strictly needed and <a href="http://canoeguybc.wordpress.com/2013/08/31/does-my-wood-canvas-canoe-need-a-keel/" target="_blank">Mike makes a some good arguments for leaving it off here</a>.</li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">Yoke?</span></b> The original has only a flat thwart. A contoured yoke would make the portage more comfortable.</li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">Seats?</span></b> The original has cane seats and the seats in this canoe are due for repair or replacement. They have quite a small caned area, and if replacing I could enlarge the seat for more comfort when paddling heeled over.</li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">Gunwales?</span></b> There may be potential to pare down the gunwales to save some weight. </li>
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I'd love to hear from you on what approach you think is best, and why. I am only just starting to learn about cedar canvas canoe restoration, so if you have any resources (books, websites, etc.) for me, please send them my way. Of course I'll document the restoration here on the blog, though I probably won't get into the project until the fall or winter.<br />
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A couple of initial pictures:<br />
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The rest of the photos can be found at http://pawistik.blogspot.ca/2014/04/photos-of-my-new-chestnut-pal.html</div>
Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-14727011450037471572014-03-27T01:30:00.000-06:002014-03-27T01:36:49.371-06:00Saskatchewan Canoe Symposium<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=17966993" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Mark your calendars! On April 25th we are having a fantastic event to celebrate all forms of paddling in Saskatchewan. In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of one of Canada's oldest and foremost caone outfitters, <a href="http://www.churchillrivercanoe.com/" target="_blank">Churchill River Canoe Outfitters</a>, we are gathering as many folks as we can from far and wide to get together and share campfire stories and tales of adventure. We'll be looking at the history of paddling in Saskatchewan, the current state of paddling in our region, and take a look forward to an exciting future!<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.saskpaddlingsymposium.com/" target="_blank">www.saskpaddlingsymposium.com</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.redcanoes.ca/paul/index.html" target="_blank">Paul Mason</a> (accomplished paddler, <a href="http://www.redcanoes.ca/paul/thrillofthepaddle.html" target="_blank">author</a>, creator of <a href="http://bubblestreet.ca/" target="_blank">Bubble Street</a> cartoons, and son of famed paddler, Bill Mason) will be visiting from the Ottawa Valley along with many other paddlers young and old. Ric Driediger of <a href="http://www.churchillrivercanoe.com/" target="_blank">Churchill River Canoe Outfitters</a> will be giving the keynote address.<br />
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In addition to a fantastic supper at <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/preview?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&channel=sb&ie=UTF-8&q=tcu+place&fb=1&gl=ca&hq=tcu+place&cid=345303946228832586&ei=ZMAzU7XLJvXRsQT014CQCw&ved=0CKUBEPwS" target="_blank">TCU Place in Saskatoon</a>, there will be exhibitor displays (including Coldspring Paddling, of course) and a "Show & Shine" for paddle-craft of various sorts that folks want to show off (I better put a fresh coat of varnish on the cedar-strip kayak!). <em>Have a canoe, kayak or other non-motorized craft that you want to show off? Then sign up to put it on display!</em><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--AcpY604Juw/UyxgErOhmzI/AAAAAAAAP9k/GW574k30m0o/s1600/Sask+Paddling+Symposium+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--AcpY604Juw/UyxgErOhmzI/AAAAAAAAP9k/GW574k30m0o/s1600/Sask+Paddling+Symposium+Poster.jpg" height="494" width="640" /></a></div>
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Some of the vendors & organizations involved in supporting this event or attending as exhibitors (so far, and not necessarily complete):<br />
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<li><a href="http://www.churchillrivercanoe.com/" target="_blank">Churchill River Canoe Outfitters</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.clearwatercanoeing.ca/" target="_blank">Clearwater Canoeing</a></li>
<li><a href="http://maskwapaddles.ca/" target="_blank">Maskwa Paddle Co.</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.classicoutdoors.ca/" target="_blank">Classic Outdoors</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ebsadventure.com/" target="_blank">Eb's Source for Adventure</a></li>
<li><a href="http://escapesports.ca/" target="_blank">Escape Sports</a></li>
<li><a href="http://montrealriveroutpost.com/" target="_blank">Montreal River Outpost</a> (same folks you've seen <a href="http://pawistik.blogspot.ca/search?q=kisseynew" target="_blank">mentioned on this blog as Kisseynew Canoe Company</a>)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.coldspringpaddling.com/" target="_blank">Coldspring Paddling Instruction</a> (yup, we'll be there with bells on!)</li>
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~We'd love to have more exhibitors join us so if you're interested in a table or booth at the show, give them a shout: <a href="http://www.saskpaddlingsymposium.com/">http://www.saskpaddlingsymposium.com/</a> - see the "Be an Exhibitor" tab.<br />
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<br />Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0Saskatoon, SK, Canada52.1333972 -106.6832385000000251.9774712 -107.00596200000001 52.2893232 -106.36051500000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17966993.post-57780733467562370172014-02-28T11:49:00.000-06:002014-02-28T11:49:09.076-06:00Kate Weekes Kickstarter CampaignA few years ago we hosted <a href="http://www.kateweekes.com/" target="_blank">Kate Weekes</a> for a house concert. We loved meeting Kate and loved her music. Now she's ready to put together the next album and in order to do so running a <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/29236323/kate-weekes-2014-cd-project" target="_blank">kickstarter campaign to fund the recording session</a>. <br />
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Kate lives in Whitehorse, Yukon, and writes music that appeals to me as a paddler and outdoorsperson.<br />
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If you read this blog, then you probably have an interest in the north, paddling, the outdoors. If you enjoy this blog, odds are good you'll enjoy Kate's music, too. Give her project a boost and contribute $20 or more and get yourself some great music in the process. <b>Win - win.</b><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/29236323/kate-weekes-2014-cd-project/widget/video.html" width="640"> </iframe><br />
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Maybe it's time we host another house concert!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from http://www.kateweekes.com/ Photo credit: John Quinsey</td></tr>
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<br />Bryan Sarauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501746182504085427noreply@blogger.com0