The Mundane Adventures of Bryan

Winter Paddling on a Un-Winter-Like Day

2012-01-15T16:56:00.000-06:00

Mark & I went out for a paddle last Sunday, taking advantage of some weather that is very unusual for January. Mark posted some photos and you can find them here.

Since I rarely paddle in the winter, and since this type of prairie paddling is so different from what the folks on the West Coast experience, I decided to post an account of our paddle on WestCoastPaddler.com. You can find the post at the link here. Here is what I posted for those folks:

I was out for a paddle on Sunday on the South Saskatchewan River here in Saskatoon. My friend Mark (http://www.wildpaddler.ca) & I, he in his solo canoe (which he built himself) and me in my kayak, launched from downstream of the weir and paddled downstream for a little more than 4 kilometers. The upstream and upwind paddle was much slower. We were on the water for a total of an hour and a half and during that time the temperature rose from about 0°C to +4° according to Environment Canada. Winds according to EC were from the wsw 22km/hr. It was a beautiful sunny day and extremely unusual for January being that it was so warm.
The river was mostly open with just some shore ice on the far shore and on sandbars, though the amount increased the farther we went from the weir. Likewise, the amount of floating ice increased the farther we were from the weir, though most of the pieces were quite small and of no consequence.
I was dressed for immersion wearing a drysuit with multiple insulating layers of long underwear and fleece. My feet had thick wool socks, the drysuit booties, and Chota mukluks. I was too warm in the body while paddling, but tolerably so. I had a neoprene cap on my head that I wore under a brimmed hat. That brim was very helpful to reduce the blinding of the low sun which at it's peak would only have reached 15.7° above the horizon. My neoprene paddling gloves were a tad cool and one finger on each hand quickly became cold so I think I should add some pogies to the system. The activity helped keep my hands from getting overly cold and they never got any colder than they were in that first few minutes.
Toward the end of the paddle with Mark close at hand I decided to try rolling, my first rolls in these conditions. I started by lowering myself into the water using the bow of his canoe. If I was going to have a cold shock response or have an unexpected reaction, I wanted to be able to pull myself up quickly. That went well and I committed to the full roll. With blocks of ice floating overhead, I didn't spend a lot of time hanging around under the boat relaxing (as I usually try to do). The rolls went very well, and the cold was tolerable. These might have been my fastest rolls ever (the buoyancy of the dry suit over the insulating layers no doubt helped). My head was certainly cold, but my upper body did not even feel the cold. Once up, my head quickly warmed. Three rolls seemed to be enough to prove the point that I could do it in these icy conditions and we finished our paddle shortly thereafter. I wish I had taken the opportunity to go for a swim. With help at hand it would have been a good opportunity to really test my system of dressing for cold water immersion.
Unfortunately, I left my camera in the car. Mark did take a few pictures so I'll post a link if he gets them up.

Stuff That Works

2012-01-11T12:21:00.000-06:00

I heard this Guy Clark song again this morning played by Glenn on CFCR. It's a great song and I love the sentiment. (I've mentioned Guy Clark and his album Boats to Build before on this blog.) The song appears on his recently released live album, Songs and Stories.

p.s. This is my 300th published post!

Hwy 915 Into Stanley Mission Washed Out

2011-12-19T17:00:00.000-06:00

The road to Stanley has washed out in December, Holy Smokes! Too bad none of the articles I have found say anything about what caused the wash-out. I'm not sure if there was some unusual weather or what led to this. Stanley Mission is a favourite paddling (and even snowshoeing destination).

See the brief news article here: Hwy 915 into Stanley Mission washed out.

Solo, Vancouver to Alaska and Part Way Back

2011-12-15T01:28:00.001-06:00

This is the video diary of a novice paddler that kayaked from Vancouver heading for Alaska. It's about 2 1/4 hours longer than I knew a youtube video could be, but it's well worth it if, like me, you enjoy living vicariously through the grand adventures of others. It's an epic video to document an epic trip. I really enjoyed listening to his reflections and tales of his journey.

Watch it in HD if you can.

p.s. You don't have to watch it all at once!

Washburne

2011-12-14T20:57:00.000-06:00

I stumbled today across a link to the website of Washburne Marine Products. Washburne Marine Products was, at one time, the "umbrella" under which Randal Washburne operated his cottage industry activities making and selling kayak carts and other accessories. The company no longer operating, the website now contains some of the stories of Mr. Washburne, an early author in the early days of North American kayaking, boatbuilder, and someone who prefers to be out of the limelight. I have only read bits and pieces of the paddling-related articles on the website so far, but what I have read has been very interesting and I look forward to reading more. The retelling of his experiences from 30 years ago offers an interesting insight into the kayaking world.

One year I was invited to appear at a kayak symposium on Lake Michigan.... Brits Derek Hutchinson and Frank Goodman were the main attractions, and I discovered that due to the powerful influence of the primary kayak entrepreneur and guru, British style sea kayaks and style were the only ones allowed. He and his sycophants quickly discovered that I paddled something non-British and rolled infrequently, and they ignored me for the rest of the weekend. I gave one seminar on kayak navigation at which both attendees listened politely and left quickly. Otherwise I spent the weekend watching Derek teach elaborate recovery scenarios in which everybody’s kayak has sunk.

2011-12-01T11:03:00.001-06:00

This email went out to all of the Saskatchewan people on the Paddle Canada email list this morning. I'm a little surprised to see that simply copying and pasting here works.

December 1, 2011

PADDLE CANADA

PAGAIE CANADA

An Introduction from Saskatchewan Regional Director, Bryan Sarauer

Greetings!

I have joined the Paddle Canada Board of Directors as the Saskatchewan Regional Director in the last month, taking over from Jim MacDonald who recently stepped down from the position. I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself.

I am a canoeist, kayaker, kayak instructor, year-round camper, biologist, father, and husband. I am passionate about paddling and the outdoors, and I try to share that with the people around me, especially my kids. I am also continually learning - learning how to be a better paddler & instructor, learning how to lessen my impact, and learning about the world around me.

As a new Board member, I am beginning to learn what issues are facing PC, what projects it has underway or on the radar, and what concerns Saskatchewan paddlers may have. To that end, I would invite all Saskatchewan paddlers to contact me in the coming months in order to discuss what paddling issues are in mind and what should be on our radar. I want to learn what visions you might have for Paddle Canada and for paddling in general, and how I can help achieve those goals.

I look forward to doing what I can to enhance paddling in our province and across the country.

Cheers,
Bryan Sarauer
Regional Director for Saskatchewan, Paddle Canada

sk@paddlecanada.com

It's Official...

2011-11-23T21:32:00.000-06:00

Well, the period for comment has ended and so it is now official, I am the Regional Director for Saskatchewan for Paddle Canada.

Last month I was asked by PC secretary, Doug Taylor (who co-led a course I took last spring in BC with Viki, a former Sask Regional Director), to take on the role of Regional Director for Saskatchewan on the PC Board of Directors. The position was vacated by fellow paddler and instructor Jim MacDonald who is off paddling in Belize at the moment. (It's hard to sit on a board when you spend as many days paddling remote areas as Jimmy does.) After learning more about the role and level of commitment required, I agreed to be nominated in the position. A notice was sent to the Saskatchewan portion of PC's mailing list, calling for other nominees (there were none), feedback on me as a nominee was requested (as far as I know, there was no outcry of objection), and now the byelection process is complete.

So, I look forward to learning what issues are facing the Paddle Canada organization, and to learning how I can contribute to growing paddle sports within Saskatchewan and across the country.

What A Great Stripper!

2011-11-22T18:49:00.000-06:00

I found this today via Twitter on Water Fun Cartoons. It's a web site with a weekly paddling cartoon so go check them out. This one's for the boatbuilders:

Derek Hutchinson on Modern Sea Kayaking

2011-11-04T10:26:00.000-06:00

This video recently turned up on westcoastpaddler.com or via Twitter. It's Derek Hutchinson being interviewed on the beach during the 2007 West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium. He provides some pretty interesting perspectives on a variety of aspects of sea kayaking in Britain versus North America, and the 40 years ago versus now. Arrogant and out to lunch, or a genius and visionary pioneer? Some of each, I suppose.

Not coincidentally, here is an article from Adventure Kayak Magazine from 2008 that was posted today on the Adventure Kayak blog.

The Fat Paddler Talks About His Book And Depression

2011-10-04T21:37:00.000-06:00

In the video below, Sean Smith, author of the recently released book, The Fat Paddler, talks about some of his motivations for creating his blog and for writing the book. I have been an occasional reader of the blog for years and so this book is high on my "to read" list. It has been getting great reviews from around the paddling world (here's one and here's another).

Dave Learns About Boatbuilding

2011-09-30T13:44:00.001-06:00

David Letterman learns about boatbuilding and woodworking from "Parks and Recreation" actor, Nick Offerman. OK, I had no idea who that was, or what Parks and Recreation was, so I had to look it up.

Soggy Bottom Boys And Their Constant Sorrows

2011-09-16T10:18:00.000-06:00

(I posted this also over on the NSE blog, but it's so good I thought it deserved the re-posting.)

Great idea for a video, but their execution could use some work. ;)

What a great finish!

Thanks to Paddling.net for bringing this video to my attention.

Photos From The Broken Islands Group

2011-09-08T22:31:00.000-06:00

Last summer our family canoed on the west coast, paddling in to the Broken Islands Group, part of Pacific Rim National Park. It occurred to me this evening that I never wrote up a trip report or posted the photos from that trip. Here, at least, are some photos from this fantastic 5-day canoe trip in BC. The captions should help to explain some details.

A Song for the End of Summer

2011-09-01T18:11:00.003-06:00

Radiant Rivers Photo Contest and World Rivers Day

2011-08-24T17:52:00.001-06:00

Coldspring Paddling Instruction is helping the Saskatchewan Environmental Society to celebrate World Rivers Day by contributing a gift certificate for an Introduction to Sea Kayaking lesson as a first prize for their Radiant Rivers Photography contest. The following is information from the Saskatchewan Environmental Society about the day and the contest.

World Rivers Day – September 25, 2011
For more information about any of these events, contact water@environmentalsociety.ca, call 306.665.1915 or visit environmentalsociety.ca.

Radiant River Photography Contest – rivers all over Saskatchewan
In celebration of World Rivers Day September 25^th, the Saskatchewan Environmental Society presents the Radiant Rivers Photography Contest to highlight the beauty of Saskatchewan’s rivers. The photos must fit one of the three categories (action, tranquil, and sustainable). Participants must name the river featured in their photo and describe why water is valuable to them and what they do to protect water. All winning entries will be displayed as a travelling photo exhibit at locations around the province and will win fabulous prizes, including three outdoor adventure packages as first place prizes. Entries can be emailed to water@environmentalsociety.ca on or before September 26^th at midnight and winners will be announced the following week. For rules and regulations, please visit our website by clicking here. A big thanks to our sponsors: Sturgeon River Ranch, Coldspring Paddling, Phase 2 Foto source, Outter Limits, and Mister Print.

The following are Saskatoon-based events:

Park Clean Up – 9am Rotary Park
SES is joining Trash Dashers Saskatoon and the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-Up to pick up trash at Rotary Park in Saskatoon in celebration of World Rivers Day. Bags and gloves will be provided, so all you have to do is show up to help us keep our river valley clean and healthy. We will meet at the peace torch in Rotary Park at 9am, September 25th. See you there!

Nature Walk and Photo Walk – 1pm Peturrson’s Ravine
SES is hosting a nature walk with the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan along Peturrson's Ravine in Saskatoon. This river-side location was chosen to celebrate World River Day on September 25th. If you are a photo-enthusiast, we also encourage you to bring your camera along to capture some of our river valley's natural beauty.
We will meet in the parking lot, just north of the Regional Psychiatric Centre on Central Avenue at 1pm, Sept 25th.

Blue Drinks – 6pm Winston’s
Blue Drinks is like Green Drinks, in that it is an opportunity for environmentalists to meet up, make connections, and talk about environmental issues, but on September 25th, the discussion will be all about water in celebration of World Rivers Day. This pub-based discussion group is an informal, relaxed atmosphere, so come on out and talk about your local water issues!
We will be meeting at Winston’s Pub at 6pm in Saskatoon.

My Kayak Is Defective, It Won't Go Straight!

2011-08-10T12:53:00.000-06:00

This is a funny animated video about two ladies discussing why the one can't paddle her kayak straight.

Defective Kayak
by: Firstfoundation

Having similar problems? Contact Coldspring Paddling Instruction and we can help!

Paddling in Lightning?

2011-08-09T12:37:00.004-06:00

Here is a great article that was published today on Paddling.net by Tamia Nelson: Lessons Learned. Thunder? I Wonder… More Thoughts on Seeking Shelter From the Storm

The article discusses the danger of lightning storms in a very practical way. It considers the actions of some paddlers who reacted to the storm in a way that is familiar to many of us that have been in a similar situation, and provides thoughtful analysis. It also provides some sound advice which should be heeded by paddlers. Here's a brief excerpt as an example.

If you're paddling on inland waters, however, you should begin casting about for a refuge ASAP. Since buildings and vehicles are likely to be in short supply, you'll have to make the most of whatever the country affords. Give tall, solitary trees a wide berth. Avoid clearings, hilltops, and ridgelines, too. You don't want a room with a view, after all. You'll get the best odds when you hunker down among a uniform stand of not‑too‑tall trees. Are there no such trees to be seen? Then look for a sheltering valley.

In the excerpt above they mention finding shelter amongst trees that are not among the taller trees. At a SCC talk I once attended, the Environment Canada fellow that was talking to us mentioned that willows might be a good bet for waiting out a storm. They are low so as not to attract lightning, have many branches to protect you from being blown away, are well rooted, are not large enough to blow down and hurt you in a wind, and have no large branches to fall off. However, the willows aren't going to do much to improve your comfort level.

I would add a piece of my own advice to the article that was not mentioned. That would be to prepare for the storm before you ever head out for a paddle and bring with you day tripping gear. Day tripping gear should include a tarp and a number of other amenities that will make pulling to shore away from camp and waiting out a storm much more comfortable. By having a bit of gear with you (for example a day pack, tarp, rain gear, survival kit, food, small stove, fire kit) it releases you of the pressure to push to get back to camp. If you have left other people behind at a camp, they should know that you are going to seek refuge under the threat of a storm and they'll know you are OK and that they not need to worry while you are out in it and have not returned right away. With a few supplies with you, you can even spend a safe (but perhaps uncomfortable) night away from camp while you await safe conditions.

Here is a video from NOLS about lighting for those active in the outdoors.

Improve Your Kayaking the Hansel Way

2011-08-02T20:35:00.006-06:00

Bryan Hansel posted on PaddlingLight.com his list of 22 Ways to Improve Your Kayaking Skills Forever. It's a great list and I highly recommend checking it out for yourself here at http://www.paddlinglight.com/articles/22-ways-to-improve-your-kayaking-skills-forever.

I was going to repost an edited version of the list here to show which of the points I'm already doing or working on, or which I haven't done, but I'll let you head back to the original posting to cross-reference my checkboxes below. Note that just because I've checked the box it doesn't mean I'm done working on that item. Most of the list (all of the list?) are items that we need to work on throughout our paddling lifetime. Go ahead and see how many of the points below you can check off the list. What points would you add to your own version of the list?

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

In order to check #3 off of the list and avoid the Dunning-Kruger effect, visit ColdspringPaddling.com and give me a shout for some lessons!

Coldspring Paddling on Shaw TV

2011-07-26T17:11:00.000-06:00

Cool! Thanks to my neighbour, Kevin (who sells collapsible fishing boats - called Porta-Botes - through his company Adventure Portable Boats), Coldspring Paddling is being featured in an upcoming edition of Shaw Cable's t.v. show Big Summer.

A reporter and cameraman are coming to my course on Thursday to film a bit of us out on the water and to conduct the interview. Assuming that they decide to use the piece and that it goes to air, I'll let you all know where and when you can see it. (It's going to be hard to tune in over our rabbit ears but I'm going to try.)

Simple Pleasures

2011-07-19T17:55:00.001-06:00

A great song from David Myles on a hot summer day.

Dreaming of a Trip

2011-06-29T22:09:00.001-06:00

Bryan Hansel's recent solo kayak expedition from Port Huron Grand Marais, MN, in 45 days has me dreaming of paddling trips. Bryan's trip was nearly 1300 km and traversed the length of Lakes Huron & Superior. Now, that sort of thing is more than a little out of my league, and I don't envision myself taking off from my family for a month and a half, but, an adventure on a more reasonable scale is worth dreaming about.

Specifically, I've been thinking a lot lately about a circumnavigation of Lac La Ronge. Lac La Ronge is a large lake about 380 km north of Saskatoon, straddles the edge of the Canadian Shield and is surrounded by boreal forest. The southern portion of the lake is sandy and wide open, while the northern portion is rocky and full of granite islands. It may not be "Great Lake" big, but it's still pretty darned big at approximately 35 km across from the town of La Ronge on the western shore to the eastern side, and about 65 km from a bay in the southwest to the exit of the Rapid (Montreal) River in the northwest corner. It's large enough that standing on the shore in the town of La Ronge and looking ESE to the open lake, you see nothing but horizon.

View Lac La Ronge Circumnavigation in a larger map

A circumnavigation that generally follows the shoreline but is not strict about following the bays and completely skips Hunter Bay would be over 220 km. One could cut this down somewhat with a few more shortcuts in the northern portion of the lake, but at some point you would jeopardize being able to call it a "circumnavigation". Hunter Bay is a large lake unto itself (~18km x 19km) and adding a circumnavigation of the bay adds another 68 km to the trip.

Because of the large open nature of the lake, especially in the south end, I think this trip is best suited for sea kayaks rather than canoe. If you can figure on 25km per paddling day, the trip would take about 9 days. Add on some days for rest and being windbound, and we're at about 12 days even without Hunter Bay. It seems possible to do it in less time (30 km days, for instance), but that allows less time for fishing, repairs, rest & recovery, etc. and I would be reluctant to count on it. I should be able to carry 12 days of the food in the kayak, though I will probably need to pack more lightly than I am accustomed to. There are a few points where road access is nearby and so egress in case of trouble or re-supply are both possible. Overall, much of the lake should have a fairly remote feel to it, but there may be the occasional motor boat around, especially in the northern end of the lake. Lac La Ronge is a popular fishing destination so it would have that safety net of not being completely isolated.

I don't know if a trip of this scope would ever be in the cards, but it can be fun to plan regardless. In the meantime, I will keep working on my paddling skills in order that when the opportunity to take on a challenge like this, I have the skills to allow me to do it, and to do it safely. Perhaps I should start off with a mini-expedition, such as the circumnavigation of Candle Lake.

Note: All of the above is pure speculation. I have not gone over the topographic maps in detail and have not engaged in figuring out the logistics of such a trip. Do not use the above information to plan your own trip other than as inspiration!

Kayak Roll Practice in Pike Lake

2011-06-21T00:28:00.001-06:00

This is my first ever edited video where I spliced together a few videos and a handful of photos, then added a title page and credits pages. The videos and photos are of me practicing rolling my kayak at Pike Lake this past weekend. It was rather breezy as can be seen and heard in the videos.

To learn to paddle a kayak from a guy that can get back upright in his kayak most of the time, visit ColdspringPaddling.com.

Update: I've been getting some great feedback on my mashed up technique from the folks over on WestCoastPadller.com. Click here to see the discussion. An important point is that the above is NOT a how-to video. This is just me practising, and apparently my technique is a bit mixed up.

Dark Matters

2011-06-15T23:26:00.002-06:00

I might be a science geek, but this is pretty damn cool (from PhD comics)...

Dark Matters from PHD Comics on Vimeo.

Trailer Design IRL

2011-06-14T23:28:00.055-06:00

Last month I posted about the design for modifying my utility trailer and turning it into a kayak and canoe trailer.

I was trying to avoid having to shuttle kayaks in two loads for my lessons (I need 7 kayaks for a set of lessons) and also avoid having to overload the roof racks on my CRV.

CRV with a couple too many kayaks on one roof. The Thule racks are really good but still, I'd rather avoid this.

I took the trailer along with my sketches and required dimensions to a local welder (CJ's Welding near Clavet) and he went to work. About $1200 later (including the replacement of the trailer's leaf springs, which were apparently broken), and I have a trailer that will serve to haul up to 12 kayaks at a time on their sides, or 4 canoes sitting flat.

Room for 4 canoes or kayaks sitting flat. Or, with kayaks leaning toward the pillars there should be room for up to 12 assuming their decks are not too tall. The bars are 78" wide, the same as the Thule load bars on my vehicle. The welder added a plethora of loops for tie-down points, on the bar ends and at various points on the racks. The racks and the extra tongue bracing are all removable so that the trailer can serve for hauling stuff to the dump and similar mundane tasks.

My canoe & kayak at 17.5' and 18' respectively are among the longest loads this trailer is likely to see. The rack spacing allows the canoe to fit on the lower rack as well.

Close up of extended tongue with removable brace in place. The pin near the receiver pulls out in order to remove the barce. Note that the re-wiring was not complete at this point. I also want to add a jack to the tongue. In it's previous state the old trailer didn't need a jack because it was quite light. All the extra steel adds a lot of weight and the trailer is now fairly heavy. Plus, I might have occasion to unhook the trailer with a load of kayaks and that will be easier with the jack.

Close up of the trailer end of the tongue. The original tongue bracing is seen on top, and the original tongue was removed and a larger square tubing welded in it's place in order to act as socket for the telescoping tongue. When in short mode, the pins at the corners pull out as well as one near the receiver and the outside brace lifts off. The extended tongue can then slide back into the socket and pinned short.

A much nicer load distribution. My two kayaks on the CRV roof (with Thule racks), plus another 6 kayaks on the trailer (4 on the bottom, two sitting flat on the top bars). The two kayaks on the top of the trailer are relatively short. If I wasn't careful, I could run into a problem with the kayaks on the car hitting the kayaks on the top tier of the trailer.

I still need to figure out the perfect arrangement for ropes or straps for easily securing the load.

The center pillars have been padded with sections of rug to protect the kayaks and the kayaks are resting on foam blocks on the load bars.

So, let me know what you think of the end product!

NYC Bike Lanes

2011-06-09T09:27:00.000-06:00

Here's an interesting video illustrating some of the hazards of riding in the bike lane. Man, this guy is dedicated to his cause.

National Lifejacket Day, 2011

2011-05-27T09:49:00.001-06:00

National Lifejacket Day came and went & I missed it again (it was on May 19th). This is something I would help to promote if only I was reminded about it beforehand. To see my comments from last year's day, which I missed then too, see my post from almost exactly 1 year ago: http://pawistik.blogspot.com/2010/05/national-life-jacket-day.html. You can also see the CBC interview I did on the subject of PFDs (I checked and the link to the video still works).

I've entered the date into my calendar for next year, maybe I'll remember?

Trailer Design

2011-05-19T11:39:00.001-06:00

Coldspring Paddling needs a kayak trailer so that I don't have to transport 5 kayaks at a time on top of my CRV like I did last week (too bad I didn't take a picture of that, but maybe it's better to avoid photographic evidence). I have a nice sized utility trailer that I want to extend the tongue of and add trees to. I've been playing around with Google Sketch-Up to design my modified trailer. What do you think of the design? It should be able to haul at least 8 kayaks (would do 6 nicely as illustrated), or 4 canoes, or 4 kayaks & 2 canoes, and so on. It shouldn't be overly heavy or tall. Plus, there's a fair bit of room for gear in the 4'x6' box. Now, hopefully I can get Rod's help to build it!

Update (27/5/2011): My trailer is at a local welding shop for the modifications. He suggested stiffening the long tongue with a brace that goes upward from the tongue to the top of the trailer box. Also reinforcements are needed where the trees will bolt on to the trailer box. The trees will be removable, bolting into a socket that remains in the trailer box. Also, for simplicity, only one upright will be used for each tree (not two as illustrated), but with the cross bar joints strengthend with a triangular piece of metal welded in at the joint.

One More Round for the Sheepdogs!

2011-05-18T19:11:00.002-06:00

Well, the Sheepdogs have survived all the way to Round 1. Now vote & help this great Saskatoon band get to the top!

Playing At The Pool

2011-05-18T18:53:00.005-06:00

I was out last night with the Kelsey Kayak Club and decided to finish off my evening in the pool by going off of the 4' high diving board.

Boat Building Music

2011-05-16T22:22:00.002-06:00

Thanks to Rider over on the WCP forum for pointing out this video to the paddling community. I love Matt Mays & El Torpedo!

Matt Mays & El Torpedo "Building a Boat"

OR Water Bottle Parka Review

2011-05-16T21:49:00.000-06:00

Originally submitted at Outdoor Research

Works great!

By Pawistik from Saskatoon, SK on 5/16/2011

Pros: Insulates well, Effective, Simple
Best Uses: Day Paddling, XC skiing, Snowshoeing, Winter Camping

I've been very impressed with the water bottle parka used with a 1L Nalgene. I had made my own out of blue foam, webbing & duct tape. The DIY version worked, but I'm now ready to retire it or loan it out to friends in favour of the OR Water Bottle Parka. I used it this winter for snowshoe camping trips at -32°C and it kept my water liquid all day (starting with hot water). I used it this weekend in warm temperatures (sunny, but not hot) and it kept my iced tea cool all day.

In short, a great & effective product that does what it's supposed to.

(legalese)

PC Level 2 Course in BC

2011-05-16T16:35:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago I was in BC for a Paddle Canada Level 2 kayaking course. The course was run by Viki and Doug, who instruct with Kingston Sea Kayak Instruction and Comox Valley Kayaks, respectively. Viki and Doug work very well together and they put on a fantastic course, I can highly recommend them if you get the chance. It was tonnes of fun and I feel like I learned a lot. Rolling a loaded kayak in the current of Surge Narrows by the end of the course felt like a fantastic achievement!

Here is a slideshow of some of my photos and a couple of videos taken during the course. Enjoy!

If you prefer, visit the Picasa Web Album directly.

Goepel Passage Rolling and Rescues

2011-05-13T14:48:00.001-06:00

Here is a video from the recent kayaking course that I was on. This was filmed at the outflow of Goepel Passage, near Surge Narrows Provincial Park and the east side of Quadra Island, BC. We were practicing rescues, with one paddler heading out into the current across the eddy line, attempting to roll, then "wet exiting". The partner in another kayak was supposed to head out into the current and TX rescue the first paddler, emptying their kayak of water and helping them to get back in their kayak, all while floating down current in the tidal rapid. In the video here, you see the first paddler, Dave, head out into the current, perform two rolls, then flip a third time in order to wet exit the kayak. Meanwhile the second paddler, Mark (on the left side of the video), heads out to rescue Dave. Unfortunately, Mark may have got his edging wrong as he crossed the eddy line because he too flipped, but unintentionally. That meant that I had to stop filming and go rescue one of the paddlers (Dave) while one of the instructors (Doug) went to retrieve Mark. That is, after all, why I was positioned downstream from the others. It turned out to be an excellent practice of real-world dumps!

For pictures from the course, see my earlier post.

Help the Sheepdogs Get Through to Round 1!

2011-05-13T14:28:00.002-06:00

Keep on voting for the Sheepdogs!

Last Saskatchewan Pirate

2011-05-09T23:24:00.001-06:00

This one's for you Dave!

Here's a great song to sing while paddling at the end of a long day in a head wind.

Last Saskatchewan Pirate, originally written and performed by the Arrogant Worms and brought home to the prairies by Captain Tractor.

Coldspring Paddling Instruction

2011-04-28T07:23:00.002-06:00

I think paddling season is officially here so it seems like a great time to announce the launch of my new kayak paddling instruction company, Coldspring Paddling Instruction. Check out the new website, created with help from paddler and kayaking instructor David Johnston of Swim River Design.

Kayaking Connections

2011-04-27T12:12:00.000-06:00

I just searched for "Doug Taylor kayak" and turned up this blog: http://vancouverislandcircumnavigation.blogspot.com/. Doug Taylor was one of the co-instructors on my Level 2 kayak course from last week. Doug circumnavigated Vancouver Island in '08, which is the subject of that blog that I linked to. Doug paddled around the Island with Jonathan Reggler who is, coincidentally, my grandma's doctor in Courtenay. Go figure, it's a small world. Especially if you paddle.

Sheepdogs & the Rolling Stone

2011-04-13T19:10:00.000-06:00

Only 1 more day to vote for your favourite band to put them on the cover of The Rolling Stone.

Go Sheepdogs Go!

Topographic Maps in Google Earth

2011-04-03T10:35:00.000-06:00

Here's a pretty neat tool I recently came across. You can now view the Canadian topographic maps via Google Earth. This tool allows you to view the maps as a "layer", overlayed on the satellite photos. That means you can switch back and forth between the maps and the regular satellite view, or set the map layer to be semi-transparent so that you can view the satellite image through the topographic map. It will make measuring distances on topographic maps a snap.

Start playing with it for yourself by downloading it here: http://www.gelib.com/natural-resources-canada-toporama.htm

Thanks to Martin for letting us know about it!

Headlamps - Joining the Modern Era

2011-03-30T19:52:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Badger Paddles & Algonquin Outfitters, I have a new headlamp coming my way!

For 15 years or so I have been using a Petzl Zoom Zora, a large headlamp that can use either a halogen or standard bulb, and has a 6 volt battery that is strapped onto the back of your head. Although I've been satisfied enough over the past years with the headlamp, a perpetual problem has been that the headlamp gets turned on in the pack (the lens rotates to turn it on and off) and the battery is quickly drained. So, for trip use, I need to bring at least a couple of the flat 6V batteries (which are getting more expensive) along, just in case. Also, because the bulbs are conventional bulbs, they eat batteries even through normal use (especially the halogen bulb), when compared to the LED lights that are available today.

So, after seeing a promotion recently on the Algonquin Outfitters blog, I realised that a new LED headlamp was the perfect thing to spend my $50 gift card on. The gift card was recently won in the "Badger High Water Marks" contest that I took the top prize in (see my winning blog post here). After going through the Petzl web site, I decided that the Tikka Plus2 was the perfect one for me. It has a bright white LED bulb with various output settings, plus a red LED so that I can maintain my night vision & not blind my camp mates. Batteries should last MUCH longer than on my old Zoom Zora and hopefully it does not turn on accidentally quite so easily. The long battery life will be especially appreciated since I seem to have folks around (ie, kids) that like to borrow my flashlights. Another nice feature to further reduce my battery consumption is that I can later add the Petzl "Core" rechargeable battery system if I choose to.

I also wanted to mention the fantastic service that Gord at AO gave me. He has little to gain by going out of his way for me since, with me in Saskatchewan & they in Ontario, I am unlikely to become a regular customer. However, not only was he very friendly by phone and email, he went out of his way to help me through my indecision (I was initially thinking of spending the gift card on a pot set) and to get the Tikka Plus2 on it's way to me, just in time for my upcoming kayak course in BC! By rights, he should have charged me a good ten bucks for taxes and shipping, above the value of what my gift card covered. However, he chose to simplify things and called it square. So, this post is my small way of repaying those good vibes.

World Water Day

2011-03-22T12:33:00.004-06:00

Today, March 22nd, is World Water Day. What are you doing to celebrate?

Water in the air, water in the river. Otter Rapids in the early morning fog.

Solid, liquid, gas - this picture should be cover the bases for World Water Day. Nistowiak Falls from February 2010.

TC Vessel Registration Update

2011-03-12T23:05:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago I wrote about the new regulations from Transport Canada regarding the registration of canoes & kayaks. Well, it seems that they have backpedaled (back paddled?) just a bit from the earlier registration requirements.

At the Transport Canada Procedures for Registration of Small Non-Pleasure Vessels in Canada web page, there is a link that reads "Note for human-powered non-pleasure vessels (e.g. canoes or kayaks)." Following the link brings you to a page which includes the following statement:

Note: Transport Canada is currently reviewing the Vessel Registration and Tonnage Regulations for human-powered non-pleasure vessels and examining the feasibility of exemptions for certain groups, so that registration is sensible, efficient and fair for all Canadian boaters.

So, it would seem that everything is on hold for the moment until they get things sorted out. It looks like the efforts of Ralph, Alan, and numerous other folks at the forums of MyCCR.com and WestCoastPaddler.com have been effective in bringing this issue and their concerns to the fore. They seem to have gotten the attention of not only the media, but also the Minister of Transportation. However, that doesn't mean that the issue is done with, not yet.

Surge Narrows, Here I Come!

2011-03-09T18:00:00.001-06:00

Five weeks from now I'll be at Discovery Islands Lodge, on Quadra Island at Surge Narrows for a Level 2 kayak course. Looks like fun!!!!!! (p.s. Watch in HD, if you can.)

Coincidentally, PaddlingInstructor.com also posted just this afternoon another video from Surge Narrows. Check it out at the link.

My New Paddle is Coming!

2011-03-08T00:10:00.000-06:00

My new paddle is on it's way here! You may recall that late last fall I entered and won the Badger Paddles High Water Marks contest with a posting about myself on this blog. I just received the following from Fiona at Badger Paddles:

Hi Bryan!
Just wanted to let you know that your paddle finally shipped today! I do apologize for the delay in getting it to you but things have been truly hectic around here and your paddle got a little lost in all the melee. Badger is in great demand... so I thank you for your patience!!! .... I have also attached a photo to this email for you.
I truly hope you "dig" your Sliver, Bryan!!! Thanks so much for your online support from the very beginning (you were the first person to ever mention Badger in a blog!) and please know that we wish you many safe and happy voyages! And the best of luck in winning the trip with, the Happy Camper, Kevin Callan!
All the best to you and yours,
Fiona

My new "sliver" from Badger Paddles!

Now I just need the weather to warm up a tad! (It's currently -18°C which is a good 10° warmer than it was at 9 am this morning when I was walking the kids to school.)

Have You Licensed Your Canoe or Kayak Yet?

2011-02-26T00:43:00.000-06:00

TheStar Boaters fear they’ll be up a creek without a $50 licence

The above article refers to an issue that's recently come up in the Canadian paddling community, Transport Canada's new regulations that seem to require the licensing of canoes & kayaks.

This item also appeared in today's CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/02/25/ottawa-canoe-rules.html

I've been aware of the issue for well over a month now, and have resisted blogging about it, primarily because I was waiting to see what it all means, and hoping for clarification of several points. To that end I have been reading the information put out by Paddle Canada, and PaddlingInstructor.com, as well as following closely (but not getting mired into) the conversations at Canadian Canoe Routes and West Coast Paddler.

These rules are confusing, and there has been a great deal of confusion of how these rules will affect local paddling clubs (like the SCC), Guides, Scouts, schools, and other organisations that are important for introducing canoeing and kayaking to new paddlers.

As an instructor, it's not not the end of the world for me. As someone who occasionally volunteers to take the less experienced out on the water in canoe and kayak, this could be a very big deal. I've been hesitant to take a stance while I've been trying to figure out what it all means. However, I'm more and more of the opinion that this is a bad thing for individual paddlers, and for paddling culture in Canada.

During discussions of these new rules it gets brought up that it will be impossible to enforce. That may be, but they don't need to enforce it at all for it to be very important. It suddenly becomes important when something bad happens on a trip, course or minor excursion, and you are deemed to be a leader.

The good thing here is that they perhaps seem to be backtracking a bit, based on the comments from Chuck Strahl, Federal Transport Minister as reported in the above CBC article.

So, if you paddle, especially if you take others paddling, look into this and form an opinion for yourself. Keep an eye on how this is progressing and if your not satisfied or if this has you worried, consider writing a letter expressing your concern to your elected representatives. Also, spread the word. I think very few of us even know about these regulations at the moment, though the news is spreading.

Tough Decisions

2011-02-18T14:50:00.000-06:00

Rather than write a blog post, I'm supposed to be packing for a winter camping trip at the moment. A group of us from the Saskatoon Snowshoe Club are to be leaving Saskatoon for Prince Albert National Park in the morning. However, I've had a cold for the last few days and things are not currently getting any better. Late this morning, about 19 hours before Bob & Jeff were to meet at my house to pick me up, I finally concluded that I could not go and made the decision to back out of the snowshoe trip.

It really sucks to back out of a trip like this. It's not just that I really want to go (despite the -34°C overnight low that is forecast), but the feeling of letting others down. In a group like this some of the gear is shared. My pulling out now means that Mike no longer has a place to sleep. Of course he can borrow my tent and stove, but it's really too much for one person to haul in (3 is ideal, 4 will fit and for 2 it's a palace). So, I called one of the other people on the trip and suggested that he and his tent partner join Mike in my hot tent. However, I hardly had the words out of my mouth that I was pulling out before he was telling me that his tent partner was sick and if I was pulling out, she would be too and therefore he wouldn't go either. So, our group of 7 quickly diminished to 4. A phone call to Mark later and now he's out too. That leaves 3, maybe.

So, now I feel responsible for starting the cascade that has essentially killed this trip. But, the more I think about it, the more I know it was a decision I had to make and the correct decision was made.

Had I gone, I might have been on the upswing by then and could have had a great time. However, it seems just as likely that my energy would be low and I'd be dragging my ass to keep up with the group and pull my own weight (not to mention that 100+ pounds on the sled behind me). It also becomes a safety issue. When you are fatigued you are prone to bad decisions. When fatigued due to sickness that effect is likely worse. Also, because I am with a group, my bad decisions may not only affect myself, but also the rest of the group. Another concern I had was the cold weather (did I mention -34°C was forecast?) and the potential effect my sickness might have on my ability to thermoregulate and combat the cold. I don't presently have a fever or the chills, but if that were to set in, I'd rather be at home than in a tent.

Anyway, I could go on listing various scenarios and discussing the repercussions of a decision to go despite a head full of mucus, but I think I'll go make myself a hot toddie instead.

Put The Sheepdogs On The Rolling Stone

2011-02-16T20:01:00.000-06:00

Great local band and hot sensation The Sheepdogs have been selected as one of 16 bands that have the potential to earn a place on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine (not to mention a deal with Atlantic Records and a bunch of other cool stuff). They are the only Canadian band among the 16. Help them out and show some love for this fine Canadian band and their great classic rock sound.

Paddle Canada Kayak Course in the Broken Group Islands

2011-02-03T20:37:00.002-06:00

Here is a video I came across recently while checking out the SKILS web site. It's a film by The Hurricane Riders of Vancouver while the group was taking a Paddle Canada Level 3 kayak course in the Broken Group Islands. The Broken Group is where I paddled last summer with my family (what a great experience) - trip report forthcoming! Watching this video makes me want to rush out and take an advanced sea kayaking course, especially one that's situated in the Broken Group. Featured in the group is Michael Pardy, the instructor trainer that helped to teach my instructor's course last spring.

p.s. The lost kayaker was part of scenario training, not a real situation.

Sea Kayak Snow Launch

2011-02-02T12:20:00.002-06:00

The Hurricane Riders enjoy a Snow Day in Vancouver (or thereabouts, maybe Deep Cove?). This sort of thing has gotten pretty mundane with whitewater kayaks, but these folks are "paddling" full fledge sea kayaks. Really, when was the last time you saw someone catch air with a sea kayak? Looks like fun!

Name Change

2010-12-13T19:18:00.001-06:00

You may have already noticed, but I decided to change the name of this blog. I decided that "Bryan's Boat Building and Paddling Blog" was neither interesting nor terribly accurate. Hence, my blog will now be referred to as "The Mundane Adventures of Bryan", at least until I change my mind again. That name is purposely non-specific, leaving me wide open to discuss whatever I want. However the subject matter is not going to change, I'll still write about undertaking my small adventures, the Roughriders making it to the playoffs, cycling in traffic, travelling with family, things that annoy me, boatbuilding, and more. All pretty mundane stuff, but that's what interests me.

What A Winning Week

2010-12-09T00:05:00.000-06:00

The last seven days have been pretty lucky for me. It started last Wednesday when I was listening to CFCR 90.5 while at work. They mentioned on air to call in for the chance to win a pair of tickets to Sundog, a local craft fair. I got through first and won the tickets (enjoyed by my wife and a friend). Then, the same day, I received word that I had won a Littlbug Sr. wood and alcohol burning camp stove courtesy of a contest being presented by Littlbug Enterprises and Wintertrekking.com. Yet a third lucky stroke that day occurred when I received an email from someone I've never met or heard of, informing me that I had been selected as the recipient of a $14 million inheritance. Following that stunning windfall there was a lull of several days, but today I learned that my entry into the Badger Paddles High Water Mark contest was also a winner. There will soon be coming my way a new paddle & paddle sock courtesy of Badger Paddles, and a $50 gift certificate from Algonquin Outfitters!

Wow, maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket or something, but I don't want to push it. Besides, I've got that $14 million coming my way - I sent them all my credit card and banking info and am now just waiting for the cash to be deposited.

I'm really looking forward to trying out the Littlbug stove to see how it performs for me. Maybe I can reduce my reliance on white gas and my MSR stove, burning small branches and twigs instead. I also now get the fun exercise of deciding on what paddle to select from Badger. I think perhaps the 'Tripper', or maybe the 'Badger Tail' or the 'Badger Paw'. Any of those in an oiled walnut or cherry would be nice indeed. And, what to get with the gift card? I will have to phone Algonquin Outfitters to find out what my options are with that one, but at the moment I'm inclined to put it toward a new pot set if it's available for me.

Oh, and before I forget, go here to see the blog post which served as my entry into the Badger contest! It was a fun way to enter a contest and gave me a chance to write about myself in a way that I wouldn't normally. I have to give credit to Rob & Jay, because I think the photo of Rod golfing and the photo of me soaked after a capsize may have been what tipped the scales in my favour. Maybe I'll let them cook me supper on my new stove. ;)

Winter Riding's Here Again!

2010-11-22T18:43:00.016-06:00

Thankfully, I did not have Yehuda's troubles today. (Click the image to see the full-size version at Yehudamoon.com)

Well, winter riding has arrived here in Saskatoon. I still have to tweak my layering a bit, but things worked out pretty well this morning. Long underwear, wool army surplus pants over jeans, a Roughrider shirt (of course), wool sweater, and a couple of fleece layers under a cycling shell jacket, winter boots, a balaclava a liner toque and my winter helmet (ie an older helmet with all the vents taped closed).

Green Over Red

2010-11-21T23:07:00.000-06:00

The Riders are Grey Cup bound for a rematch of last year's contest against the Montreal Allouettes. There are at least a million people who are damn near ecstatic about that.

However, some of the Stamps don't seem too happy about for some reason: http://watch.tsn.ca/cfl-news-and-highlights/clip378536#clip378536

A Paddle During the Dying Moments of Autumn

2010-11-11T08:26:00.003-06:00

I got out for a paddle late last Sunday afternoon. It was a warm November day and was a day that marked the tail end of our late Indian Summer, a warm spell we had been enjoying for the previous week or so. I was able to take some advantage of the warm weather both Saturday & Sunday getting out for short paddles on the South Saskatchewan River on both days. On Saturday my wife & I launched kayaks borrowed from the Saskatoon Canoe Club and paddled through the southern portion of Saskatoon. On Sunday I went out alone, paddling through north-central Saskatoon. I was test-paddling a CD Sirocco loaned to me by Viki of Kingston Kayak Instruction. Back in June she recommended that I try out a kayak that fit me better than my wife's guillemot which I paddled during the lessons I was taking.

"White" Water Kayaking

2010-10-30T13:47:00.000-06:00

Using the term "whitewater" rather literally, these paddling enthusiasts have extended their season considerably.

Snowkayak WM 2010 Lienz in HD (Helmet-Cam) from Lukas Strobl on Vimeo.

Thanks to the Saskatoon Whitewater Club for the link.

Sea Kayaking TV

2010-10-29T09:49:00.001-06:00

There is a great series of videos called Sea Kayaking TV that have been put up on YouTube recently courtesy of the folks over at Heliconia Press. I'm at home sick today with a cold so have been spending my time watching the videos and from what I've seen thus far, they look pretty good.

There are several playlists to choose from which cover topics including rolling, bracing, launching in surf, a variety of strokes, kayak tripping, and more. There is also a video which covers the "paddle float reentry". I highly recommend that the fellow who was the subject of one of my postings from a couple of weeks ago watch that particular video. And, for those of us that can relate in some small way to the fellow in the water, we should probably watch it too (and take some lessons) even if only as a refresher.

Hey, I just found something else kinda neat. In the "Sea Kayak Navigation and Signaling Devices" video they show a nautical chart, and they just happen to show the exact place we camped and paddled this summer in the Broken Group Islands, BC (trip report still on it's way).

Saskatoon Bike Map

2010-10-27T18:22:00.000-06:00

The folks over at Saskatoon Cycles have created a bike map which allows Saskatoon cyclists to submit reports of good bike routes, accidents, problem intersections, etc. Not only does this tool then allow folks like me choose where to cycle and which areas to avoid, it will also hopefully be of use to the bike advocacy people of Saskatoon Cycles and the city planners to see where the current situation is working, and where some improvements are required.

I have submitted a handful of reports, both the good and the bad. The more people that add their reports, and comments on existing reports, the better.

Check it out at http://www.saskatooncycles.org/?page_id=160

Scary Fast

2010-10-25T22:16:00.003-06:00

Today while searching through my email for a friend's cell phone number, I came across something I had written to him last winter regarding a HDPE camping toboggan I had built. In the spirit of getting excited for snow (60% chance of snow tomorrow, but it won't stay) and the coming camping season, I thought I'd share the passage here.

Originally written February 8th, 2010:
I took the new toboggan out to Diefenbaker Hill* last night after Amigo's (the local pub). It is Scary Fast! On the hard-packed snow of the hill I was rocketing down and running out into the soft untracked snow at the bottom, well beyond where most of the sleds were stopping. I tested both sleds, the old & new and the new 'boggan won out by an average of 45' of sliding into the soft stuff. The new sled was so fast that I'm sure I was younger at the bottom of the hill than I was at the top due to some sort of space-time anomaly. Unfortunately, the climb back up again more than made up for any gained youth and after about 9 runs I was feeling decidedly elderly. Even more so this morning as I felt the delayed effect all those jarring bumps on my skeleton. Too bad pulling a 70 pound load up a hill will still be pulling a 70 pound load up a hill, no matter how slippery the sled is.

Zoe & I about to ride the same sled on a MUCH smaller hill in Stanley Mission while we wait for the others to get the vehicles.

*Here is a video showing how Mark (the aforementioned friend) "sleds" down Diefenbaker Hill:

Badger's Who's Who of Devoted Paddlers Contest

2010-10-19T22:53:00.005-06:00

The folks over at Badger Paddles are having another contest. This time they are making us work a bit for our entry though and there is an exam! Here then is my contest submission and the completed exam.

Badger's Who's Who
Take-home Exam Questions:
_________________________________________________

Real Name: Bryan

Entry Name: Pawistik
Approximate Age: Not as old as I might feel, aka late thirties
Country: Canada
# of Years Paddling: Maybe about 19 years of serious paddling (where I had some clue what I was doing).
How many boats in your fleet? Only four - two home-built kayaks, a Swift Yukon canoe plus a Clipper Ranger canoe. Of course I'm always hoping to expand that fleet.

Three of the boats in our fleet on the rail portage into Kingsmere Lake (Prince Albert National Park).

Our Swift Yukon, the Sea Flea, and our old Ranger 17 along the Kingsmere River.

Oil verses Varnish? My paddles are varnished, but one of these days I'm going to make (or buy) a paddle with an oiled finish since people seem to swear by it.
Where do you paddle? Northern Saskatchewan & beyond. Churchill River, North & South Saskatchewan Rivers, Torch River, and even the Pacific Ocean.

Early spring paddling on the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon. The canoe pictured is the Saskatoon Canoe Club's Swift Osprey, the paddle is one I built.

Are you, or have you ever been, part of the paddle sports industry professionally? Moving in that direction - I'm now a Paddle Canada certified kayak instructor (hey, if you want to learn to kayak, give me a call!). Coldspring Paddling Instruction
Do you have a blog, facebook or twitter account where you advocate for the power of self-propusion? Right here, of course! (http://pawistik.blogspot.com/)
Favourite wood and paddle shape? Cherry or walnut, Otter Tail. Although I don't have one, a cherry or walnut Otter Tail paddle is just about the sexiest thing out there.
If you were a Badger WaterColours Paddle - what colour would you be? Dark Blue
Have you ever tipped your canoe & how did that happen? Never of course. Except for a bunch of times. Most recently I was paddling solo and pulling in to the portage above a Class 3 rapid (Trout Rapids) on the Churchill River while doing a lovely hanging draw leaned way out on the paddle and heeling the canoe over very gracefully. It was late afternoon after a long paddle and the water was calm, the weather in that protected spot was calm with sunshine and dark clouds and a bright red canoe. It really was a beautiful sight. Then the unsecured food barrel (positioned lengthwise in the canoe's bow) rolled over and I was suddenly and unceremoniously dumped in 2 feet of water.

Getting out at the portage a tad early. Photo courtesy of Jay.

What is your favourite wilderness tripping meal/paddling snack? Curried lentils with added dried fruit and sunflower seeds is pretty good. Especially when accompanying some nice fried walleye. However, when the lentils are consumed by three gassy men sharing the same tent there can be some unfortunate consequences.
Do you solo? I just spent a week on the Churchill River paddling 150 km solo in a custom-built solo expedition canoe. (A trip report is coming soon! Look for it at http://northstarexped.blogspot.com/).

Solo on the Churchill River, September 2010. Thanks to Jay for the photo.

What’s the best advice you have to give to a beginner paddler? Just get out and paddle and don't be afraid to try a few new things in a controlled environment. And take some lessons.
What 3 words best describes the way you feel about paddling or that inspire you the most to get out on the water, year after year?? Fun, relaxing, beautiful.
Where does your heart truly lie: Wooden/Canvas, Composite (i.e. Kevlar, Fibreglass etc.), Plastic or Aluminum? Cedar strip.

Lauren takes Mom's kayak out for a paddle.

Who took you out for your first time paddling and what was your age when your took your first adventure in a canoe/kayak? Not sure - may have gone out by myself or with my younger brother in a rented canoe at the local lake where my grandparents had a cabin, maybe about 10 years old.
Who was your best paddling partner or inspiration? My kids.

Me and the girls. Staircase Rapids, Devil Lake 2009.

Do you know of or can you describe a canoe/paddling game? Canoe golf.

Photo courtesy of Rob Kunz & Eclipse Photography. Rod follows through in Canoe Golf. See our NorthStar Expeditions blog for more such shenanigans. Be sure to zoom in for the close-up.

How tall are you and what length of paddle do you prefer? 6'2" and I don't know what paddle length I prefer. The voyageur-style paddle I built is really long - best for deep water so something somewhat shorter is what I would build my next paddle. The highly inaccurate "hands over my head with elbows at 90° bends" method indicates a shaft length of about 38".

"Voyageur" paddle built following the plans and instructions from the book by Warren & Gidmark.

Have you ever tried Stand Up Paddling? Nope, nor am I very interested (though just a couple of nights ago it figured prominently in a dream I had).
Do you have nicknames for your boat(s), paddle(s), and other gear? If so - what are they? No, I guess I'm not that imaginative. I was going to name the kayak I built Kisiskatchewan or something similar but my wife vetoed that since she couldn't pronounce it.

Well, that's my entry. Wish me luck!

How Not to Use A Paddle Float

2010-10-11T00:30:00.002-06:00

This Youtube video is an excellent reason why paddlers should take lessons before heading off on their own. At least this fellow is trying out his skills in a controlled environment with at least two people on the dock that could assist him if necessary. A paddle float reentry is quite easy when you do it right and there are a number of things that this fellow is not doing right. Come join me for a paddle sometime and we can talk about it and practise before you need it for real.

Edit Update:
So now that we've seen how NOT to do the paddle float entry, let's have a look at doing it in a better way:

For more videos like this, see the Sea Kayaking TV channel on YouTube.

Photos from September Canoe Trip

2010-10-10T22:47:00.000-06:00

I've posted some of my photos from September's NorthStar Expeditions canoe trip on the NSE blog. You can find the posting at http://northstarexped.blogspot.com/2010/10/nse-2010-trip-few-photos.html.

Here's a handful of photos to whet your appetite:

Saskatoon Snowshoe Club

2010-09-30T21:40:00.012-06:00

Hi folks, with the absolutely gorgeous fall weather that we are having here in Saskatchewan at the moment (finally!) I thought I'd post to point out that the Saskatoon Snowshoe Club is getting ready for another season of fun. Mark has moved the web site over to blogger to make it easier to update. At the website you can find a link to the membership form. There are currently no fees so sign up and join a group of like-minded winter enthusiasts.

National Drink Beer Day!

2010-09-28T07:19:00.005-06:00

Thanks to the good folks over at 365 Foods, I now know that it is National Drink Beer Day! Woohooo!

Thankfully, I am always prepared for this sort of contingency. Currently I have some very nice Paddockwood beer chilling in the fridge to enjoy this evening. The toughest part will be deciding whether to choose the 606, Czech Mate, Black Cat or Béte Noir. I also have some homebrew in the fridge, but supplies are getting low. I need to set up a system to brew all grain like they show in the post at 365 Foods.

Cheers!

Flight Delay

2010-09-15T23:01:00.000-06:00

The above photo (click for a larger version) was taken while we waited for the fog to clear in Missinipe before starting a recent fly-in canoe trip. This was a NSE trip and I'll be sure to post a link here once the reports and pictures go up there.

Canada Nature Escapes

2010-08-31T22:25:00.008-06:00

I came across this promotional video recently from Canada Nature Escapes, a Saskatchewan-based group of small businesses that are offering "nature-based" tourism. I thought the video was pretty interesting because I have canoed, skied and tobogganed at many of the locales depicted in the video. Watch it in HD if you can.

Land of the Living Skies

2010-08-12T22:20:00.001-06:00

I came across this video for a song by Nathan Rogers and thought I would share.

The Case for Eating Insects

2010-08-10T12:04:00.000-06:00

Here is a recent article that was forwarded to me by the President of the Entomological Society of Saskatchewan. I found it interesting and thought you might too. On a semi-related note, I found this past weekend that peanut butter & Nutella on a bagel makes for an excellent camping breakfast, especially when washed down by some fresh unfiltered Okanagan apple cider! So, what do you suppose the insect component of that meal was?

The case for eating insects – Eatocracy - CNN.com Blogs

Lessons Learned From a Bad Day on Blackstrap

2010-08-09T12:26:00.008-06:00

Here is an interesting article that appeared in the recent Star Phoenix. It makes the case for, among other things, receiving proper paddling instruction and interviews Kevin from Eb's and Viki from Kingston Kayak Instruction (see here for a recent post relating to lessons I took from Viki).

For those not from the region, Blackstrap Lake is a long narrow prairie lake set in a valley. Winds can come up quickly and would be funnelled and intensified within the valley.

Lessons learned from a Bad Day on Blackstrap

View Larger Map

How NOT to Pack a Kayak, Part II

2010-07-25T19:39:00.000-06:00

A couple of months ago I posted this short Youtube clip about a fellow that exercised poor judgement in their approach to kayak packing. Well, after seeing a photo on Lee's blog, apparently they are in good company. Head over to the link for the second instalment in the developing series of how not to pack your boat.

One Helluva Sock

2010-07-22T12:53:00.001-06:00

A while ago Fiona over at Badger Paddles sent me a sample of one of their "paddle socks" to test out and review. Well, I've been using the sock a bit now and am pretty happy with it. It's long & stretchy and easily accommodates my very long voyageur canoe paddle. It even contains about 3/4 of my greenland kayak paddle, with the kid's kayak paddle thrown inside too.

Soon, the sock will be protecting a couple of my paddles all the way to the west coast and BC's Broken Group Islands and back again. I'll post a follow up report on the sock at that time and let y'all know my thoughts on it then.

I Rolled, I Rolled! - I mean it this time!

2010-07-11T00:16:00.002-06:00

I Rolled! No really, I mean it this time! (See my post from a couple of weeks ago.)

Last night at the tail end of the pool session for some kayak lessons I was assisting with there was time to just mess around in the kayaks. I was again playing with the paddle float for bracing and pseudo-rolling. I was concentrating on not putting much pressure on the float end of the paddle and bringing my head up last. At the prompting of one of the students I tried without the float, and it worked! I had full success about 6 times rolling on the right side! I'd screw it up some of the time and always it was because I forgot to bring the head up last or was otherwise putting too much pressure on the paddle. When it worked, it worked very well. I could not believe how effortless it was. It was a VERY good feeling.

Now, to practice, practice, practice until it becomes totally natural on both sides and in all conditions.

In the meantime, I gotta go finish getting my stuff together because I have kayak lessons to teach in the morning.

Bryan H. says I should start working on my butterfly roll next. (The video below is of some random person on Youtube doing a "butterfly roll".)

A+S+T/RC+c=X

2010-07-09T09:58:00.002-06:00

In the name of passing along valuable information of use to the canoe & kayak tripper, I am sharing this with all of you. Skuntz over at the Canadian Canoe Routes forum has come up with a formula to calculate and quantify the age old decision, "repair or replace?"

A+S+T/RC+c=X

where A=age, S= sentimental value, T=time to dick around with repairs, RC=replacement cost and c=comfort.

There you go. Plug in the number and find out if fixing up that bit of camping gear is really worth it. Let's see now, I have a leaking MEC sleeping pad. A=3, S=0, T=0, RC=$100, ....

Again?....Sheesh!

2010-07-02T15:07:00.001-06:00

I can't believe it happened again, for the second time in a row excluding the pre-season. Sheesh.

On the other hand, it was one helluva game and their inability to count just added to the drama. My brother had called me to ask if I wanted to go and an hour later we were on the road to Regina.

I Rolled, I Rolled!

2010-06-29T12:38:00.004-06:00

Last night I taught the second half of an introductory kayaking clinic at Erindale Lake (a local suburban pond). After the class I decided to spend a little time out playing on the water. I went through some of the exercises described in the book Sea Kayak Strokes by Doug Alderson (I have access to an online version through the library at my workplace). These exercises had me progressively building the motions to perform a kayak roll, with a paddle float on my paddle throughout. Initially I was in a high brace, then laid on the back deck while in the high brace, then moving my body out beside the kayak, then eventually tipped right over and moving back to the upright high brace position. This progression of movements worked very well for me and allowed me to work toward building these motions into my muscle memory, so that they can hopefully become automatic. The next step was to be completely upside down, then using the paddle (with paddle float) to get back to that upright high brace position, rolling the kayak underneath me using my hips and trying to keep my centre of gravity low and remembering to bring my head up last. Rolling up from completely submerged proved quite easy when done this way, however I was still reliant on the paddle float so was cheating.

I'll be heading out to practice again soon - this time I'll be focussing on reducing the amount of pressure that I'm putting on the paddle float. Hopefully Jay can come out with me and we can work through some of the exercises together. With any luck, after a couple of sessions we'll be rolling our kayaks without the cheat of using the paddle float.

If you have any tips or tricks, please leave me a comment!

See an update at this link!

Saturday Sunset Co-op

2010-06-17T10:37:00.000-06:00

Lee over at awholebunchofings.blogspot.com has come up with an interesting idea. He is encouraging paddlers to head out on Saturday evening (or dawn) and photograph the sunset (or sunrise). Paddlers can then send their photos in to him, and he'll post the likely splendorous results.

Lee says:
So here's what I'm askin:

Spread the word! feel free to copy paste/ link/feed etc this elsewhere!!
Saturday head out on the water; all day till sunset or 5 minutes prior.
Take a pic of the bow of your boat and the sunset
Come home later that night fire me a email with your pic.
Sunday log in to [Lee's] blog and HOPEFULLY see pics of the same glowing globe setting from other paddlers perspectives across this wonderful world we live on.

I don't think I'll manage to participate, unless I get up really early to go for the sunrise option (sunrise this morning was at 4:45 am). However, I think it's a neat idea so maybe a few folks who see it here will agree and participate.

A sunset photo from last summer on Kingsmere Lake.

Slow-Witted Prey Floating in Oil

2010-06-15T21:51:00.001-06:00

Click the link for the full sized Yehuda Moon!

Instructor's Course Guest Starring Michael Pardy

2010-06-13T22:15:00.002-06:00

This will be a very short post because I'm darned tired. I just finished a Paddle Canada "Kayak Instructor Introduction to Kayaking" course. It was a three day course, running all day Friday, Saturday & Sunday and included classroom sessions, on the beach sessions, and lots of paddling (at Pike Lake). The course was operated by Viki of Kingston Kayak Instruction. Viki is herself becoming certified as qualified to teach instructors so had Michael Pardy here assessing her. Viki is a very good instructor and I've enjoyed her courses in the past, but having the added element of a paddler and leader of the caliber of Pardy here in Saskatoon was something remarkable. I only wish I could have taken even greater advantage of that resource. Although right now I feel burned out from the sun (a rare thing here lately) and being on the water, I would have eagerly taken a few more hours of his time if I had the opportunity.

I'm proud to say that I have received a conditional pass (as did all 6 of us in the course), and following the submission of my yet to be received homework assignments, will be officially a flatwater kayak instructor qualified to teach the Paddle Canada Introduction to Kayaking 8-hour course.

Fancy Schmancy Peanut Butter Jars?

2010-06-01T22:42:00.005-06:00

Sammy over at Gearpods.com recently got in touch with me about sending a sample of their product my way for testing. Probably I could have considered his post on the blog as spam, but I was intrigued. "That's a fantastic idea" was my quick response. At least, that's how I responded after figuring out what a "Gear Pod" is.

You see, I received Les Stroud's book Survive! a while ago as a gift. Since then, I've been meaning to put together a survival kit (or perhaps multiple kits) in a waterproof container. The kit would come in handy if I (or the folks I were paddling with) were separated from my gear or had some sort of emergency that left us stranded. My container of choice so far: a plastic 2kg peanut butter container (sans peanut butter, even though that in itself would be a useful survival item). The kit would contain a variety of means of starting fires in adverse conditions, some means of providing shelter (a sheet of plastic or an emergency blanket, either of which would have multiple uses), signalling devices, and a variety of other useful items (fish hooks, wire, string, fish line, safety pins, bags, tape, button compass, etc.). I tried and the peanut butter container can be squashed into the bow or stern of my Swift Yukon canoe.

So, back to Sammy and Gear Pods. These Gear Pods are essentially, waterproof containers to do the same sort of thing I had in mind for the peanut butter jar, only they are intended to be more versatile and tougher. They also cost a bit more (it's hard to compare prices to free recycled plastic jars). They sell the Gear Pod jars either empty in a variety of sizes, or as part of pre-packaged kits. Some of the kits are specifically survival-oriented, while others are first-aid, shelter, or food oriented.

Sammy has my address and has promised to send me samples to test out over the coming months. I don't actually know anything more specific about what is being sent but I look forward to putting the Gear Pods to the test over the summer. I will have the opportunity to take them north to the shield and boreal forest of Saskatchewan, and out to the saltwater of the West Coast, and next winter, into the extreme cold of a Saskatchewan winter. So, stay tuned for updates and eventually a Gear Pod review!

National Life Jacket Day

2010-05-28T00:14:00.027-06:00

May 20th last week was Red Cross National Lifejacket Day. I didn't hear anything about this occasion until late that night. Coincidentally, on the same day there was an unfortunate accident on Echo Lake in south eastern Saskatchewan. A group of school students was out on the lake when two of the canoes capsized due to sudden winds. One of the students that ended up in the cold water was not wearing a life jacket or PFD and apparently needed to be resuscitated by the RCMP. Thankfully, everyone was eventually OK though 4 students were treated at hospital for hypothermia (they were in the water for an hour).

So, with that event calling to attention the importance of PFDs, I received a phone call from CBC television the following morning, asking to talk to me about life jackets. I am the "Publicity Director" for the Saskatoon Canoe Club and I guess based on that they figured I was the guy to talk to. Coincidentally, I was home with nothing better to do than to build a deck (Lauren was in daycare for the day). After discussing the issue of paddlers and life jackets on the phone for a few minutes, they asked if I would be willing to do an on-camera interview. I agreed and 90 minutes later I was down at the boathouse.

The reporter and cameraman chatted for a bit, asking general questions about the SCC, it's policies, and it's equipment. The cameraman recorded a ton of video throughout, then they did a 3 or 4 minute interview. The questions were pretty straight-forward, and I answered as best as I could. One question threw me off a bit though - they asked if there was a story I could share relating to when I was thankful to be wearing a PFD. Of course, there are several things I could have mentioned (wiping out in Farside with Rob, wiping out in Corner Rapids with Rob photographing, wiping out with Rob....), but the only thing I could think of immediately was some lame story about the first time I went down Otter Rapids - I was so excited to be running the rapids that I had completely forgotten to zip up & buckle my life jacket. At the end of the interview she asked if there was anything else I would like to add. Of course, I couldn't think of a single thing to say.

It was only later while I was out for a paddle on the river that a whole host of ideas came to mind. I should have talked about proper PFD care (keep it out of sunlight, treat it with a protectant such as 303, clean it, dry it, check for damage, check it's buoyancy, check for breakdown of the fabric, and replace it when it's old), getting proper paddling skills, having the right equipment on board, wearing the right clothing, dressing for immersion, being aware of the weather and your surroundings, and not over-estimating one's skills. They were still at the boathouse filming extra footage so I stopped back in and talked to the reporter about my concerns. They were willing to re-shoot the interview, but advised me that they thought what they had was good enough, that it was PFD's specifically they were most interested in, and that the segment was going to be severely edited anyway.

So, I got back into the kayak and continued my paddle. The cameraman was in the area shooting for about an hour, shooting film inside the boathouse of the equipment, taking close-ups of the PFDs, shooting film of me paddling off into the high winds and chop on the river, etc.

When I later saw the video, I was rather surprised to have seen my interview cut down to that one lame story. You can find the video at http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Local_News/Saskatchewan/ID=1500771460. Early in the piece are several kayakers shown out on the water without PFDs. One of them is Jimmy. It looks like he might even be teaching some lessons, something I would hope he would have better sense than to be doing without a PFD, especially on such a windy day on the river (perhaps that footage was shot some other time).

The news video also shows a fellow who talks about mandatory wearing of PFDs, something that has been coming up recently. I certainly hope the lawmakers in Canada do not decide to go that route. Although I am a strong advocate of proper PFD use, I believe people should be able to use their own judgement based on the conditions in which they are paddling. Perhaps it should be mandatory for school groups or situations involving groups of kids, but there are situations where I do not feel it necessary to have mine on at all times (calm waters, warm water, no kids on board, etc.)

Exploding Beer, Part II

2010-05-26T23:04:00.001-06:00

The following was written a couple of years ago, but never finished and so never published.

I had my second exploding beer experience this evening and for the second time I have coated the exposed floor joists above a furnace room with yeast-laden beer. This evening's experience, thankfully, wasn't near the mess or volume (in both senses of the word) as last time.

A few years ago I decided to brew a nice strong beer well in advance of Christmas, a "fallen angel trippel" (trippel=knock you on your ass) from Paddockwood Brewing. This "christmas beer" was flavoured with lots of tasty chunks of orange peel and numerous spices. Since a trippel is a big strong beer finishing out at over 10% alcohol, a helluva pile of strong healthy yeast is required so that they are so busy they can rip through all that candy sugar-supplemented malt and race to the finish before they even notice that they fermented themselves into a toxic concoction of their own waste byproducts (ironically, ethanol, that lovely waste product of fermentation, is toxic to yeast). In order to get so many yeast just rarin' to go, I started with a sort of mini batch of beer (ie a starter). Once that was growing nicely, I then tossed those billions of happily churning and very active fungi into the larger 5 gallon batch of my christmas beer, slapped the airlock on and forgot about it for a few hours. At some point in the day I checked on the beer and was amazed to see how quickly this batch of beer took off (I know that was my goal, but it was truly amazing to see) with a nice bit of foam (krausen) accumulating on the surface, the beer churning violently within from the yeast activity, and the airlock nicely bubbling away. Happy that things were proceeding so well, I returned upstairs for lunch. I think I was enjoying a nice rye bread sandwich when I heard it. A giant "WOOP!" from the basement, followed by a steady "fwoosh". I flew down the stairs in time to see the last of about 3 gallons of beer foaming out the top of the carboy in a yeasty orange and spice flavoured geyser, with a judicious portion of the beer dripping from pretty much everything in the room. It seems that the krausen had risen to the airlock and began coming out of the airlock. The airlock had then become plugged with the chunks of orange peel that were in the wort, trapping the CO₂ that was being produced by the rapidly fermenting yeast (CO₂ and alcohol are the waste products of fermentation, the process by which yeast consumes sugars for energy in the absence of O₂). Not only did that begin to build up pressure behind the airlock, but it also caused a good deal of the CO₂ to go into solution (just as it does when carbonating the beer after bottling). That pressure just continued to build up in the carboy until it released with a dramatic explosion, perhaps a couple of hours after first becoming plugged. The pressure in the airspace of the carboy caused the initial loud noise I heard and shot the airlock and carboy to the ceiling, with a good measure of the krausen to boot. Immediately after the explosion and the release of the pressure, an awful lot of CO₂ came suddenly out of solution. This then caused the subsequent geyser of wort shooting out of the carboy and the loss of gallons of precious Belgian beer. Not to mention more mess.

Other than losing about half of my batch of beer, and making a sticky mess of my basement storage room, the beer itself suffered no ill effects. It finished out at a respectably high alcohol content of over 10%, and tasted great after it had over a year to age. As I recall, it was a little rough the first Christmas, but mellowed a lot with lots of time and was excellent by it's second Christmas. Such a big beer with a high alcohol content is not something you want to drink "green", but rather is to be put away to the back of the storage room and forgotten about for a very long time.

This evening's explosion was similar, but smaller in every way. I did not notice the noise, just the mess. The airlock and bung had gone missing, having ricocheted off into some dark corner of the furnace room. The beer was "smaller" (lower sugar content in the wort and thus lower alcohol in the end product), and the pressures involved must have been lower as not nearly so much beer was lost. However, there still was a mess on the floor joists in the ceiling above.

So, having learned my lesson twice now, I really should start using a nice big blowoff tube in my carboys!

Lauren's a Winner at Campgirlz.com

2010-05-26T22:21:00.000-06:00

I've been meaning to post for a few months now about a new website out there called Campgirlz.com. As a father of a couple of young daughters, I'm interested in the Campgirlz website because I hope to get those daughters interested in an effort to counter the Barbie & Disney crap out there that they are exposed to. Campgirlz.com isn't just for kids though, it's targeted at female campers of all ages.

Back in April, Campgirlz.com had a photo contest. No particular criteria were imposed and Lauren & I went through our photos and picked one from last summer during our Kingsmere trip to submit (I let things get too close to the deadline and missed the opportunity to have Amelie pick out a picture too). Well, lo & behold, Lauren was picked as a winner! For her efforts, Lauren won a bandanna and hat (both from Gander Mountain), a Campgirlz.com t-shirt and a pencil! She is sharing the t-shirt which was a bit large for her with her older sister.

You can find the announcement at http://www.campgirlz.com/?p=435.

Lauren playing with her award-winning Polly Pockets on Kingsmere Lake.

How NOT to Pack a Kayak

2010-05-04T00:05:00.001-06:00

We'll be heading to the West Coast this summer and that trip will have us paddling with others that will be in kayaks. Since there is no drinking water available where we are going, we'll have to bring our own fresh water (5 days x 6 people x 3L/day = 90L of H₂O!). When we go to pack our canoe and the two kayaks we'll have to keep this little video in mind. Does this paddler look ready to take on the swell of the open Pacific Ocean to you?

Badger's Blog: How to Maintain Oiled Gunnels and Wood Paddles

2010-04-21T21:27:00.004-06:00

Badger's Blog: How to Maintain Oiled Gunnels and Wood Paddles

Having a look at the Badger Blog has reminded that I need to get my seats & thwarts oiled before the season starts!

Pulled Pork

2010-04-18T02:34:00.004-06:00

I'm smoking a pork butt for supper on Sunday. I am going to update this post as I go.

The subject: 9lb Pork butt, bone in. $3.59/pound. Purchased at Prairie Meats. I'm not sure if this is a good price, or a bad one. (After reading on the 'net, it seems that this is not a good price. Our American neighbours can get it at well under a dollar per pound while folks out in Ontario are paying about $2.50 - I'll keeping my eye out for sale prices for future pork endeavours, perhaps talking directly to my local hog producer.)

The recipe: http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?p=99#post99

For advice on the timing, I've been referring to various posts at http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/ which suggest that pork butt can take anywhere from 12 to 24 hours before it's ready to pull. The variance is due to the size and shape of the meat, the smoking/cooking temperature, the fat & connective tissue content of the particular pieces of meat, and more. Affecting the cooking temperature are factors like outside temperature, wind, sunshine, etc. The experts at the aforementioned forum also suggest that it is MUCH better to have your butt done early and to let it "rest" longer than to be waiting on the meat to reach an internal temperature of 190°F.

So, here's how things are playing out:

Saturday, 8:00 pm - Applied pork rub following recipe at http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?p=99#post99. The recipe calls for a 1/4 cup of freshly cracked pepper. That's a lot of pepper to grind by hand so I connected the cordless drill to the pepper grinder in order to do it in a more efficient (and manly) manner.

Sunday, 12:00 am - Took the pork out of the fridge, applied more rub. Set up smoker in the back yard and loaded smoker with several rocks to help hold & recover heat when the door opens. Filled water pan with boiling water to help the cabinet (and the rocks) heat up. The ambient temperature is about 6°C so the heat setting on the smoker cabinet is full bore in order to combat the cold of night. Also have the smoke generator turned on to pre-heat it, and to help warm the cabinet.

1:00 am - Put pork into the smoker and loaded 4 hours, 40 minutes worth of wood "bisquettes". Used 2/3 apple, 1/3 hickory.

1:40 am - Checked the smoker temperature before heading off to bed - the cabinet thermometer is already reading at about 185°F! That's a quicker rise than I expected considering the big slab of meat is still relatively cool and moist, and it's not very warm outside. Rather than head off to bed as planned, I'm staying up to tweak the temperature in order to have the cabinet running at the desired 200 - 210°F. The heat control on my Bradley smoker is a simple slider, with not temperature setting. Thus, it requires some monitoring and adjusting in order to hit a target.

My desire to get a PID temperature controller has just jumped up a couple of notches! In the meantime, I make an adjustment, wait a fair bit of time for the cabinet to react and stabilise, then check and make another adjustment. This is repeated until the target is reached. However, changing outside temperatures or wind affect this, and the changing food inside the cabinet also affect this so it's a moving target.

In the meantime, I have had the time to write all of the above....

2:15 am - The cabinet is at close to the same temperature as 35 minutes earlier, perhaps just a few degrees higher. So, it seems like I can safely head off to bed now for a few hours.

7:15 am - I had the alarm set for 6 am, but apparently I didn't turn it on. Got up to check on things, and all seemed OK. Temperature is stilll low at about 190°F so it's not like it's goign to burn up too soon. Back to bed...

9:00 am - Checking on things again.... Temp still at about 190 or 195. Refilled water bowl with boiling water and inserted probe of digital thermometer.

Overnight low was about 1°C for several hours. Current temperature is 11°C, it's calm and the sun is shining.

4:50 pm - Guests will be here in less than an hour, and the butt isn't done yet! The internal temperature is 169°F and I need it to be up to at least 175 (higher is better) before I pull it. I think I'm going to have to put it in the oven to finish it off. I don't know, do I leave it alone for another hour or so (the cabinet is at about 230°F), or do I take preemptive action?

While I was at it, this afternoon I did two "Bacon Explosions" similar to what I did last fall for the Grey Cup. I used another hours worth of apple wood smoke on that. One is stuffed with bacon, fried onion & mushrooms, and the other has less of the same, but a can of green chilis added. That stuffing is wrapped in pork sausage meat, wrapped in a woven bacon wrap. I'll follow up with photos.

6:00 pm - Bacon Explosion for an appetizer!

Jay digs into the Bacon Explosion - Fried mushrooms, onions & bacon wrapped in pork sausage meat, wrapped in woven bacon.

6:15 pm - I left the pork in the smoker and it reached 178°F, then I took it out, wrapped it in foil, then a towel, and put it into a small cooler (the FTC method - no, I'm not making this up!). There it "rested" about 20 minutes before I unwrapped it all and used a couple of forks to pull the pork. Oh, man was it ever moist and tender - literally falling apart! Of course I sampled as I went, and oh man, was it good.

6:40 pm - Supper's on!

Pulled pork ready to eat.

Not my best picture, but damn, that was a good sandwich!

Not Jay's best picture either, but I think that's one happy pork-eater.

17 hours of cooking created one of the best meats I have ever prepared. Was it worth the sleep deprivation? Hell yes. My sandwiches at work have been pretty darned good at work all week too. In fact, I think this stuff might be getter better with age. My only comment would be that perhaps bacon-wrapped bacon is a bit much for an appetizer that is followed immediately by a massive feed of more smoked pork. Today (Wednesday) I vacuum bagged the remaining leftovers and tossed it in the freezer to keep for a later date. The second bacon explosion was also vacuum bagged and I'll bring that with me tomorrow night and re-heat it in Jay's oven during his birthday celebration.

Next time.... put it in earlier, set the smoker to high (depending on the weather), and go to bed while the smoker and the pork take care of themselves.

Summer Plans

2010-04-14T21:24:00.000-06:00

Our family is making plans for summer paddling. It looks like we will find ourselves in the Broken Group Islands, Pacific Rim National Park, for a few days in July.

Here is a map of the area.

Here is a video showing off some aspects of the Broken Group. Also note the "related videos" on YouTube. It looks like I have more viewing ahead of me (or I'll just wait to see it for myself).

And here is a link to a neat little video that shows the scenery, and fog, very well.

Burning Hell Paddles to the Dawson City Music Festival

2010-04-05T14:47:00.022-06:00

This is pretty cool, I heard recently on CBC Radio 3 that The Burning Hell will be playing at the Dawson City Music Fetival (#1 on the list of music festivals I want to visit some day!) this summer. What's cool about that is how they are getting there. They will first drive across the country to Whitehorse, an epic journey in itself. However, not satisfied to do things the usual way, they will then be hopping into canoes and PADDLING the 730 kilometers to Dawson City down the Yukon River. What a helluva way to do it!

In related news, The Burning Hell write on their blog about why Bruno, SK, has the "coolest indie music scene in Canada." You can read all about it at http://www.wearetheburninghell.com/node/106. Here's an excerpt:

Sorry Montreal: your glory days are over, and no amount of fires or arcades or little moustaches, tight pants and 80s sunglasses can save you. Bruno, Saskatchewan is the best indie music scene in Canada.

Who knew?

And in other news, I just realised the The Burning Hell member Mathias Kom is half of a duo with Kim Barlow known as Spring Breakup. Kim & Mathias played a house concert in my basement last year.

It's Springtime & Time To Ride

2010-04-03T18:04:00.000-06:00

OK, so some of us haven't quit riding all year, but the number of excuses not to ride is rapidly dwindling with the warm springtime weather. My kids and I have been out quite a bit lately and my younger daughter (4) really loves being the stoker behind me on her Adams Trail-a-Bike. It's so much easier to pull than the trailer and she pedals too. My older daughter (7) loves riding her own bike but enjoys stints on the Trail-a-Bike too. When she's back there, I can really feel her contributing which is something I don't detect with the younger one. Our range so far with the older daughter riding her own bike is a 6.6 km return trip to the grocery store. I look forward to seeing that grow over the summer.

I came across this video over at bicyclesmile.com and thought I'd share it with you here. Gives lots of warm happy "springtime with the kids" feelings.

The Canadian Gold Medal Hockey Song

2010-03-08T00:16:00.001-06:00

Lessons Learned: Nistowiak Falls Trip

2010-03-07T22:36:00.005-06:00

After our trip to Nistowiak Falls in northern Saskatchewan, the group shared via e-mail some of the things they learned on this trip. It's a way to think about and document these ideas so that we don't have to re-learn them again next time. Here is my contribution to the discussion:

12 km is a long way with a heavy load through hills, but it can be done. On the flats (lake travel) it would be easier, and without skidoo tracks would be much harder. (Note that I do think the way we broke it up into 12km & 8km was the best possible arrangement given our goal of the falls).
I think I could manage even solo with the current canvas tent (17 pounds, sleeps 3-4, co-owned by Rob & I) and stove (25 lbs with stove pipe, 22 gauge, built hours before the trip by Rod), though I would not attempt to go very far. A smaller stove and tent would of course be better for solo or tandem travel.

Camera batteries don't work well when really cold. Always keep a spare battery in a pocket so it can be used.
Black spruce boughs work well as a bed/floor, but takes a lot of time to collect with our spindly northern trees.
Black spruce firewood produces a lot of sparks. These embers come out of my current chimney (4 lengths of 5" x 18" black stove pipe, plus two elbows) and can fall onto nearby stuff, including the tent. One ember burned a nickel-sized hole in the tent.

I will add a length or two of 4" 26 gauge galvanized pipe, and a reducer to the stove pipe - the extra stovepipe will nest inside the existing pipe inside the stove.
~~I may also add a spark arrestor to the stove pipe.~~ I've since learned that spark arrestors can be a problem, even dangerous.
A heat shield or piece of canvas to protect sleeping bags, pads & other gear inside the tent while the stove door is open may also be useful.
The hole burned by the ember was still burning when I noticed it, but it was progressing very slowly (or not at all I - I didn't leave it long enough to measure it's rate of progress). It also smelled bad. Both good signs.
For more about the stove, see the post at http://northstarexped.blogspot.com/2010/03/making-wood-stove.html

My sleeping system worked: thin MEC overbag, -12C MEC down bag, and a Serratus vapour barrier liner. I think this is the first time I've ever used the VBL even though I've brought it on numerous trips. The wool long undies absorbed what minimal sweat there was and I woke up barely damp. I was able to wear the same long underwear that morning.
It is very important to have kindling and everything ready to light the stove fire long before bed time. Matches, along with a striking surface must be at hand too. I quickly lost all dexterity trying to light the fire with bare fingers and non-functioning lighters.
Lighters don't work when it's really cold.
The fire-starters I made using paper towel & vaseline worked very well. (See here for a pictorial "how to" - http://wintertrekking.com/index.php?topic=333.0).
Even at -30°C I don't need a heavy winter jacket.

My layering system worked - on the coldest morning I was wearing most of what I had brought, but not yet everything.
That included a fleece sweater, wool jacket, a polypro midweight layer, and wool long undies on top, covered by a nylon shell jacket.
On my legs I wore three layers - wool long undies, heavy fleece pants, and wool army surplus pants.
Before heading out on the trail, some of these layers were removed.
Some day I want to replace my nylon shell with something like this.

Body glide works.
You can chop a hole in ice, even when it's nearly 3 feet thick, using just a medium sized axe. But...
For getting water through thick ice, an ice chisel would be helpful.
I must look at garage sales more carefully for old axes (and ice chisels). Bob's old Hudson Bay axe was very nice.
A vent at the top of the tent might be helpful to vent warm, moist air. That would likely speed drying.
There is a huge temperature gradient in the tent when the stove is going - the closer to the wall, the cooler it is; and the higher, the hotter.

I need to think more about food.

Gummies are really hard when frozen.
Cubed cheese worked but sliced cheese froze together.
Chocolate covered coffee beans are still damn fine in GORP.
Some people get tired of eating frozen food.
Soft, oily cookies would be good snack/lunch items.
I should cut up meats into cubes the way I did the cheese.

The milk crate at the front of the sled works well as an easy access "glove box", but without a top things can get lost.

I need to learn how to tie better knots! (One or two of the knots on the lashing lines of the toboggan came loose. Others had similar troubles too.)
Long and low is a good way to haul gear.
There is skill involved in driving a 10 foot toboggan.

The downhills can be lined with bow and stern lines much as you line a canoe in rapids.
Steeper downhills can be ridden, steering done with the ropes and using the snowshoes like skis on each side.
Allowing the sled to overrun its ropes when heading downhill allows the ropes to act like a brake.
Ropes and strap allow quite a few options for towing.
Arms wrapped backwards in the ropes act like shock absorbers and help take up the slack rather than having the ropes yank me suddenly off my feet when the sled stops.

That toboggan can haul a lot of stuff! After the trip I weighed most of it, and came up with some estimates for the rest:

Sled - 20 lbs
Stove with pipe - 25 lbs
Gear duffle (part) - 30 lbs
Food box (part) - 20 lbs
Food - 5 lbs
Beer - 5 lbs
Clothes, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads - 20 lbs
2 full water bottles and a thermos - 6 lbs
Boots - 4 lbs
Other miscellaneous gear - 5 lbs
That's a whopping total in the neighbourhood of 140 lbs!

My steel thermos works well. Filled with coffee at a gas station in La Ronge, the coffee was still (luke)warm a full 24 hours later even though the temperatures were -30°C.
My homemade blue foam water bottle insulator works well. Yes, the water does start to freeze inside but it lasts a few hours on the trail in cold temperatures (time enough for me to finish the uninsulated water bottle).
Don't stick your hands in front of the end of the stove pipe to warm them up when wearing polypropylene gloves.
Leave other people's "juice" bottles alone, don't try to do them any favours.
Nistowiak falls is worth it!

That, more or less, is my own personal list. Below are some of the highlights from things others in the group shared, including some of the more humorous points. Keep in mind that our group was composed of experience levels ranging from novice to more experienced and the reflections offered below are going to be affected by that somewhat.

"I need to rethink my lunch menu. I knew that smoked salmon would freeze but I thought that I would at least be able to break pieces off. I was wrong, a knife was needed to cut pieces."
"I need to keep a knife on me at all times. For now I think that I'm going to keep a small folding knife on a lanyard around my neck."
"Bob's (Norlund) axe is a delight to use, I need to get one similar."
"I'm going to look into getting a vapour barrier for inside my sleeping bag for those cold nights"
"I can certainly appreciate the benefits of a hot tent."
"I learned to change into dry clothes asap."
MEC "hut booties are the best investment ever."
"Cheese in cubes would work, I didn't bring any cheese, but cheezies are like cheese."
"Wine in a (tetra)pak" not bottles.
"Baileys."
"Instant coffee."
"Beef Jerky and cheezies are the only things that didn't freeze...muffins were crumbly/edible and yummy"
"Bryan's whisky seemed to be 'less solid' than my wine..."
"Freeze suppers to size of pots."
"I need 2 pair of gloves[inners] for when one gets wet."
"Nalgene with blue foam really works...hot/warm drinks when it's really cold is a 'gawd send.'"
"Tie my bloody stuff in properly."
"I learned the temp was...minus stupid f...ing cold."
"Chopping wood keeps you warm."
"A nalgene of boiling water in your sleeping bag is a must at night."
"It is hard to find good food for lunchtime which doesn't freeze."
"I LOVE Bryan's hot tent."
"Pulling 80 lbs is too much for day 3."
"My boots do not keep my feet warm at -30 especially when just standing around camp."
"The falls were amazing and worth all the discomfort."
"Black fleece pants are easily confused with other people's black fleece pants of the same make and model!"

Nistowiak Falls by Snowshoe

2010-03-07T19:42:00.003-06:00

Over the recent Family Day Weekend I went with a group of 5 others to visit a popular scenic destination in northern Saskatchewan, Nistowiak Falls. This is the third time I've been to the falls, the difference this time being that it was winter and we travelled by snowshoe rather than the more typical summertime canoe trip.

The trip was organised by Mark Lafontaine, who has written his own account of the trip on his blog at http://wildpaddler.blogspot.com. We planned for a 4 day trip, with a total distance to cover of 40 km, starting and finishing in the community of Stanley Mission. Our goal for the first day was the shores of Iskwatikan Lake and a distance of about 12 km. That would leave us an 8 km trek to the falls on the second day, for a 16 km round trip with a light load. The third day was planned as a day of local exploration, relaxation, rest and recovery. On our fourth day we would head back home again via the same route.The forecast for the trip was for nothing but mild weather with lows in the -15 range and highs that had me concerned about getting wet from melting snow (not a good thing when winter camping). Well, that's what was expected anyway...

An embedded map showing the community of Stanley Mission, approximately 500 km North of Saskatoon:

View Larger Map

Stanley Mission is a Cree community of about 1,400 people on the shores of Mountain Lake, part of the Churchill River. From Stanley, the Churchill flows eastward through Stanley Rapids into Drope Lake and Nistowiak Lake beyond. Stanley Mission is a common start point for canoeing and fishing adventures, a common trip being to paddle downstream to Nistowiak Lake in order to view Nistowiak Falls. The falls themselves are not part of the Churchill River, but rather the Rapid River. However, they are located just a couple hundred metres from where the Rapid River joins the Churchill River at Nistowiak Lake.

(Click image for a full-sized version)

Our group stayed in a motel in La Ronge on Friday night so as to be ready to start our journey early on Saturday morning. Our first sign that the forecasters had got it wrong was the groan with which our vehicles reluctantly started outside the motel in the pre-dawn of Saturday morning. After a few delays and with our vehicles safely parked at the RCMP depot, we started out form the easternmost point of Stanley, a peninsula that juts out into the Churchill River. The temperature when we started out was cold, about -25C, and despite the sunshine a fog hung in the air from the nearby open water of the river. The fog made for a really great visual effect, forming an undulating layer about 20 to 30 feet above the ground and only about 10 to 20 feet thick. My camera batteries were too cold for the camera to work (having spent the night in the car) so some of these initial photos are courtesy of Zoe & Mark.

From the road, looking toward the peninsula where we unloaded the vehicles and started off.

Mark, Zoe, Bryan (me!) Laurie, Bob & Mike ready to go. Mark & Zoe's photo.

Fog in front of the church at Stanley Mission. Mark & Zoe's photo.

Me, setting out with my loaded toboggan. Mark & Zoe's photo.

Following the skidoo trail away from Stanley and under ribbons of fog. Mark & Zoe's photo.

This trip was my first one using my new UHMW (ultra high molecular weight polyethylene) plastic toboggan. Made from a 1/4" thick, 10' by 16" piece of plastic, there is a little about 9' of loadable space behind the front curl. Unlike the pulks of the others which are being towed by ropes through metal or plastic conduit as poles and connected to a harness, I used rope. I connected the rope via small carabiners to a beefy fanny pack that doubles as harness, or to a 36"' length of 2" webbing (a tump). The webbing strap could be positioned in any of a variety of ways, including across my chest or over one shoulder and down to my side and is a more traditional way to pull this high tech old-fashioned toboggan. When using the fanny pack, I had my hands free to use ski poles to help myself push up the hills. However, when going up one steep section, the buckle of the pack came apart and the 140 pound sled slid backwards down the hill, nearly taking out Bob in the process.

Loaded toboggan parked just off trail during a snack break.

As seen in the previous photo, my load had a milk crate at the bow, two duffel bags amidships, then the stove and a grub box (wannigan) at the stern. The milk crate served as a sort of "glove box" for the sled - a place I could toss loose items and keep spare mitts, a shell, snacks, coffee and water handy. However, being open topped, it's easy to lose items and I think some sort of easy to access lid may be better. The duffels are narrow enough not to overhang the sides, one containing my clothing and sleeping bags, the other containing miscellaneous camping gear. The stove contains the stove pipe and legs inside and the bungees holding the stove down are also holding the extra pieces of elbow. Finally, the grub box contains most of the food for two of us and also had enough room to contain my extra boots. My small shovel is strapped on top and an extra sweater is tucked under the bungee cords. The load is secured with bungee cords across each section, and a rope zigzags across the duffels to help ensure their sides don't overhang the sled. One major advantage of this system is the load height. My load was mostly under 12" tall, and whatever extended above 12" was very light (that grub box on the back was only 3/4 full). That means it's stable and does not easily tip when going over an obstacle. Also, the undulating nature of the sled allowed it to climb over obstacles one section at a time while the remainder of the sled remained fairly flat on the ground. This is in contrast to some of the other sleds which were shorter and piled much higher.

The first leg of our route out of (and into) Stanley Mission as recorded by GPS, click for a larger image. The purple line is actually from our way out, with the white lines being what was recorded on the way in. I was using regular and weak AA batteries initially and the GPS did not start working consistently until those were swapped for fresh lithium batteries.

Our path followed a skidoo trail away from the Churchill River overland for 10 km to Iskwatikan Lake, crossing a handful of small lakes (the largest being Bow Lake), sloughs and beaver ponds along the way. The path was usually fairly narrow, about one snowmobile wide, and was well travelled. Occasionally we were overtaken or met a snowmobile on the trail which required that we make haste and get off the trail in a hurry. My toboggan was sometimes difficult to get off of the trail quickly and required a certain amount of clear space in the bush into which I could head into. However, off trail, the sled handled and negotiated surprisingly well through the underbrush and between the trees.

The hills on our route were generally short and steep, with the trail undulating over ridges. However, there were a few brutal long, though not overly steep, sections to climb. It was going up those hills that I really noticed the weight on my sled (later weighed and approximated to be 140 pounds, about 60 pounds higher than anyone else!). This being my first time using the new toboggan, it took me some time to really learn to drive it. There are some skills involved, especially for managing the downhills. When towing with my arms wrapped behind me in the ropes, I found that they work as a sort of shock absorber allowing me to take up some of the slack when the sled was catching up to me, and to absorb the shock when the sled slowed. Also, when the toboggan ran downhill, it would run over it's ropes which would then act as a brake and usually keep the sled from catching up to me. For other downhills I found that by holding the tow ropes and the stern rope at the same time, I could walk the sled downhill, much like lining a canoe down a rapid. I was also able to walk the sled downhill from behind while holding onto the towing ropes (which is why I had made the ropes over 10 feet long so that they would reach all the way from the bow to behind the sled).

Walking the sled downhill ahead of me.

Another look at the toboggan. There is a short rope on the front allowing something to grab other than the long towing ropes when desired. There are also a pair of eye bolts attached to u-bolts that go through the tow bar. The eye bolts are attachment points for rigid poles similar to that used on my pulks, as system I wanted to try out but I forgot the poles at home. The eye bolts are fitted into a short piece of garden hose to keep them from dangling down.

A short video of me learning what happens on the short steep hills when the sled abruptly stops, but I don't.

Second leg of our route into Iskwatikan Lake and our campsite (click for a larger version). There were was a high ridge to cross to reach the lake.

Elevation profile of the route as generated by MapSource v. 6.15.

Elevation profile recorded by the GPS. This is after some of the most obviously out of whack points have been cleaned up, but a couple remain.

Bryan, Mark, Bob, Zoe, Mike & Laurie enjoying the sunshine after arriving on Iskwatikan Lake. This photo was taken for us by a Stanley Mission family that also stopped for a rest en route by skidoo to their cabin, another 58km farther. Mark & Zoe's photo.

After travelling along the shore of Iskwatikan Lake for about two kilometers we found a place along shore that looked promising for a camp. The spot we eventually settled on was back a bit from the shore, tucked into the black spruce in a spot that would have been horribly buggy and damp in the summer. However, in the winter it serves just fine.

Our evening around the fire was a tad cool as the temperatures never did get very warm that day (in contrast with the forecast) and the evening temperatures were around -25C. It was off to bed relatively early since it would be another early morning the next day. Mike & I retired to the hot tent and got the stove going again (we had it running earlier in the evening for a while after camp was set up) while we prepared for bed.

Mark's thermometer at some point in the first evening. Mark & Zoe's photo.

My sleeping system included a thermarest pad with a shorter foam pad underneath (and a layer of spruce boughs), a -12C MEC bag, a MEC overbag, and a vapour barrier liner. The latter was being used for the first time. I've brought it along a number of times but never felt it was cold enough to warrant it's use. I've also been somewhat put off by the thought of sleeping inside a non-breathable plastic bag which surely must feel damp and clammy. I wore Stanfield superwash wool long undies, thin merino wool liner socks, and a toque to bed and not only was it not clammy and damp, but I was comfortably warm all night. Except my face; that did get cold and I rectified it sometime in the night or early morning by pulling on a fleece hood & face covering.

We awoke to -30C temperatures so I quickly (no, make that 'reluctantly') set about getting the fire ready. Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of firewood and kindling ready to go, so I found myself scrambling for wood and snapping branches into shorter pieces of kindling, and gathering my fire lighting supplies. I then learned that my lighter would not work at -30, it was too cold. Switching to matches, I could not find anywhere to strike my "strike anywhere" matches. The stove was too new to have any rust or rough spots, and we were sleeping on a bed of moss and snow covered in pine boughs, not a rock anywhere. Of course, striking one match against the other always works, but by now I had lost all dexterity in my cold hands and I could not manage to get better than sparks before wrecking the heads. With thoughts of the Jack London "To Build a Fire" story in mind, I switched back to the lighter which I had been sitting on in the meantime in order to warm it. Thankfully, this time it worked and I was able to get the stove lit, but not before becoming quite chilled. I returned to the sleeping bag while I waited for the tent to warm with the fire and while listening to Mark getting the main campfire going outside.

Breakfast by the campfire. Mark & Zoe's photos.

Our plan was for a quick breakfast before hitting the trail, but camp duties take longer in the cold and some got quite cold in the early morning hours. Also, some had a cold night with sleeping systems that were insufficient at minus 30. Eventually we did get underway and those that were chilled could begin warming themselves through activity.

Sunrise near camp. Mark & Zoe's photo.

The falls were 8 km away from our camp and we followed the skidoo trails on Nistowiak Lake. At one point there are a couple of islands that one must go between so we exercised a fair degree of caution in that area. Although we were on a lake, it is part of the Rapid River there is potential for current around points and between islands. We spread our group out so that no more than one person could run into trouble at once. We also carried ropes or throw bags to assist in a rescue form the water if need be. Thirdly, we stuck to the snowmobile trails where others had passed safely before us. The snowmobiles pack the snow and decrease it's insulative value allowing the ice to freeze more thickly.

Once in the vicinity of the falls, we followed the trail inland. This trail starts well above where the river exits the lake, unlike the usual canoe portage. We toured down to the first rapid that marks where Iskwatikan Lake spills into the Rapid River, then continued on to the top of the main waterfall. There, we found ourselves in awe. The waterfall plummets 10m and in doing so throws up a large amount of spray. In the winter cold that spray freezes to everything it touches and as a result the scenery of the waterfall is an ice-covered wonder. The sheer quantities of ice that entombed the trees was incredible. The colours of the ice, and the rainbows in the bright winter sun were visually impressive. At the moment that each person reached the top of the falls they knew the cold and long trek was worth it. A written description and even photos won't really do it justice, you are just going to have to take a trip there for yourself.

Mike looking out toward Iskwatikan Lake from the top of the first rapid.

The first rapid exiting Nistowiak Lake, about 300 m above Nistowiak Falls.

The pool below the first drop and above Nistowiak Falls.

Zoe enjoying the scenery of the first rapid.

Mark heading back out on the trail toward Nistowiak Falls.

En route to the falls.

Looking back toward the first rapid while en route to the falls.

There was some confusion over which way to go (which led to our side trip to the top rapids). But, being skilled and experienced woodsmen, we were able to read the signs of nature to find our way.

Mark, Zoe, Mike & Laurie take in the scenery at the falls.

Some of the huge masses of ice formed by the spray being thrown up onto the trees and rocks.

The first drop of the falls.

Rainbows in the sunshine.

Mike absorbing the spectacle.

Mark heads down toward another vantage point.

Lunch above the falls.

We spent about an hour at the waterfall, taking in the scenery, basking in the sunshine, and eating a frozen lunch. We did not explore down to the bottom of the falls, or Fissher Rapids below, and being concerned about getting back to camp with a wide margin of remaining daylight, we got back on the trail across Iskwatikan Lake. The temperatures for the return trip had warmed up to about -15C and we had a slight tail wind, very nice travelling conditions. We were heading into the declining sun and I was glad to have my goggles with me. In fact, several folks developed a good sun tan on the trip and my wife commented later that I had a lot more freckles. Sunblock would have been warranted given the amount of light that was being reflected off of the white world around us.

Brilliant sunshine and sundogs.

Bob and Mark lead the way.

Some of the Iskwatikan Lake geography.

Mike and Laurie. Laurie must be finally warm - no toque or mitts!

Heading toward a narrows between the islands.

The group spreading out for safer ice travel.

Mike. Mark & Zoe's photo.

Mark & Zoe and a valentine's message.

Wolf tracks near camp. Mark & Zoe's photo.

Mark & Zoe's photo.

Back at camp on our second evening we endeavoured to put up a lot more wood in order to be better prepared for both evening fires and for the coming morning. Zoe sawed and sawed and sawed. The rest of us collected, dragged and split, spelling Zoe off the saw for short stints. Mike & I also collected a bunch more spruce boughs in order to improve our bedding in the tent. We enjoyed a beautiful evening in camp with a gorgeous sunset and I think the temperatures actually continued to rise a bit. Mark noted that he thought the weather had turned (for the better) and he would later be proven correct.

Mark & Zoe's tent.

Setting sunlight on the trees.

Sunset over the water hole. Mark & Zoe's photo.

Bob by the campfire with a gorgeous sky beyond.

Laurie dressed to stay warm while relaxing by the fire.

Mark & Bob tend to their suppers while discussing the best methods for thawing frozen wine and why glass bottles of wine are not ideal.

Valentine's evening at camp.

After supper by the fire, we retired to an evening in the hot tent with the stove burning, something we should perhaps have done the previous evening when the temperatures were much lower. The tent easily accommodates 6 relaxing folks.

Because of the cold earlier in the trip we had decided to pack up and head out on our third day, originally planned as a day to relax or explore near camp. That was decision was made in the cold of the second day, and I think some were relieved. There was concern it seems over how some would keep warm during the relative inactivity of our rest day. So, it was another early morning the next day in order to break camp and get started on the long haul out. Our second morning broke much warmer than the previous one and life in camp was pretty comfortable. After packing everything up and loading the sleds, we struck out on our return to Stanley Mission.

Making a few adjustments before leaving Nistowiak Lake and entering the overland skidoo trail to Stanley.

The return trip was nearly as hard as the trek in, but the weather was sunny, calm and pleasant. The temperatures were certainly climbing. We were in a bit of a hurry to ensure we made it back at a reasonable hour in order to pick up our vehicles from the police station. Once we got out in the open near the town of Stanley Mission we became aware of a stiff breeze blowing.

Some of the exposed shield capped in snow.

A look at the trail.

A lunch break of tea and gorp in a sunny spot en route.

Emerging from the trail into a bay near Stanley Mission.

Our trail passed a bit less than 1km south of the Holy Trinity Anglican Church.

Open water of the Churchill River near Stanley Mission. Amachęwęspimawin Cliff is in the background.

After retrieving our vehicles from the police station and loading everything in, we began the long drive home. The drive was uneventful, except that Mike was feeling the full effect of flu-like symptoms he began to feel on the trail. Thankfully, there were no unexpected stops on the side of the road to account for this. I did make one extra stop in an effort to help some folks change their tire on their half-ton. It was one with the spare stored underneath the vehicle and released by inserting a crank and turning to lower the cable. Unfortunately, something was stuck or broken because nothing I could do helped. It was about then that the lady mentioned none of the previous 6 guys that stopped had any luck either. Thankfully, a tow truck from La Ronge arrived about the time I was leaving.

Back at home, I was generally tired as hell for the next few days, literally wiped out. My muscles were sore, but not overly so, and time in Mike's sauna may have helped alleviated some of the aches in that regard.

All in all, it was a great trip. I learned that some of my untested stuff worked very well at minus thirty, and I learned that I could withstand an arduous but adventurous trip. I still think it would have been better with the extra day in there to rest up a bit and enjoy life around camp before heading out, but I know better now what my limits might be. I have a long list of things learned from this trip, something the group all shared with each other by e-mail after the trip. I'll re-format and paste the list in as a post of it's own.

Our complete route in and out from Nistowiak Lake. Click on the image to view full size.

For a list of Lessons Learned, see the post at http://pawistik.blogspot.com/2010/03/lessons-learned-nistowiak-falls-trip.html.

The Good Life

2010-02-25T14:18:00.000-06:00

It's a beautiful sunny Thursday afternoon and I'm sitting out in the background right now, enjoying a beer. It's a Kilkenny beer that I recently towed 24 km by sled on my trip to Nistowiak Falls so it's good to be enjoying it at a worthy moment (the story of that trip is coming in a post of it's own). I have the canvas tent set up in the back yard, and my daughter & I just finished a lunch of perogies and sausage, leftovers fried in a pot on the wood burning stove. At the moment it's t-shirt warm in the tent despite the half open door. Life is good.

Hot tenting in the back yard.

Cooking lunch.

A well-traveled beer to go with lunch.

St. Gregor sausage and fried Baba's perogies. Can it get any better?

My lunch mate.

Ready for dessert.

Sunlight through the trees shining as seen from inside the tent.

This Is Canoeing

2010-01-28T19:32:00.001-06:00

This is a trailer for a new video coming out from Cackle TV Productions. The trailer does a very good job of piquing my interest in the videos.

From the production company's web site:

“THIS IS CANOEING” is a 2-disc celebration of canoeing, showcasing top single-blade paddlers in their pursuit of remote wilderness journeys or challenging white water. Multi-award winning film maker, Justine Curgenven captures the essence of canoeing in 12 short films. From open canoe slalom races to 1,000 mile birchbark expeditions, Justine provides insights into the diversity of the sport and the influential people who tell it’s story. Immerse yourself in this globe-trotting 3 hours of adventure to world class canoeing destinations in Canada, the United States, Scotland & Wales.

FEATURING;

KEVIN CALLAN – BECKY MASON – PAUL MASON – MARK SCRIVER- ANDREW WESTWOOD - KAREN KNIGHT – BOB FOOTE – RAY GOODWIN - WENDY GRATER - CHRIS COOPER – DAVE ROSSETTER – ELI HELBERT - JOHN ‘KAZ’ KAZIMIERCZYK – HAILEY THOMPSON – CAROLYN PETERSON

You can pre-order your copy of the videos at the Cackle TV web site. There is also more information about the videos, including information on the featured paddlers and the waters they are paddling.

Forecast For A Winter Trek

2010-01-13T17:05:00.007-06:00

I'm heading with a group for an overnight snowshoe and camping trip to Prince Albert National Park this weekend. The forecast is for pretty mild weather, but we're still a few days out so there's room for change. Let's have a look at what the two main forecasters are predicting for the area for the weekend. I'll revisit this next week, after we come back.

I've taken screenshots from the website of both forecasters (just after 5 pm), cropped and rearranged them a bit, and posted them here.

First, the forecast provided at www.weathernetwork.com:

And now, the same from Environment Canada at www.weatheroffice.gc.ca:

So that's the forecast, lets see what reality brings....

Keep My Fingers Away From That Blade

2010-01-10T23:49:00.000-06:00

Many of us that work with table saws and wood have heard of the SawStop over recent years. It's a table saw that can sense when it's no longer cutting just wood, but is cutting flesh, and stops it self rather dramatically to protect your hands. Most of us have seen the videos that show what happens when a wiener is used as a substitute for a human finger to demo the SawStop. However, this was a new take on the demo video for me. Watch the video, it's worth a few minutes to see.

Winter Camping Gear List

2010-01-09T22:22:00.001-06:00

This is an attempt to publish my winter camping gear list which I use Google Docs to keep in a spreadsheet format. You can view the real version here, where it should appear as a normal spreadsheet and will be kept up to date. I'm getting ready to head out on a couple of trips this winter so I've been getting my list in order.

Note that one could write a book chapter on some of the items on this list such as sleds, boots, tents, etc.


	Individual Item	Group Item	Comments
Cooking
Stove		X	1 per 4 people
Matches & lighters	X		Everyone should have a few fire starting methods on hand, all the time
Fuel		X
Fire starter	X	X
Cooking grate/bars		X
Gloves		X	Leather gloves for handling pots, and working the fire.
Pots		X
Pot lifter		X
Spatula		X
Dish soap		X	Warm in a pot of the warmed dishwater to use. For dishes - you may just scrape pots with snow to clean them.
Pot scrubber		X
Dish towel		X
Food pails		X
Cutting board		X	can use lid of the food pail
Tinfoil		X
Thermos		X	1 per two people, can be used for hot drinks on the trail, have something hot and ready for the morning, etc.
Cutlery	X
Plate/Bowl	X


Insulated mug

Camp Gear
Tent	X		Included as individual item since each person needs to make sure they have shelter
Ground sheet	X
Axe		X	1 per 4 people, sharpened. Also useful for getting water through ice.
Folding saw		X	1 or 2 per 4 people
Tarps		X
Rope		X
Snow shovel		X	1 per 1 or 2 people
Sleeping Bag System	X		Cold-weather bag suitable for the coldest weather. Could be a -12C bag plus an overbag, vapour barrier liner, fleece liner, etc.
Sleeping pad	X		it's a good idea to double these up or use a shorter foam pad under a thermarest
Big duffels/packs	X
Duct tape		X
Lantern		X	Good item for a group - it gets dark early so most cooking and many camp activities sill be done int the dark
Flashlight or headlamp	X		If using a metal light - wrap end in duct tape if you are like me and occasionally use your mouth as 3rd hand to hold it. I usually bring a headlamp and a maglight with spare batteries for each.
Maps		X	1 full maps set per - or two people.
Compass	X		Know how to use it.
GPS	X		Does not replace compass and real maps.
Plastic bags		X


First aid kit		X	Kit sized for the group, multiple kits is better.
Multitool &/or knife	X		I bring one of each.
Toiletries	X		Don't bother with deoderant and toothpaste - it doesn't work well frozen.
Toilet Paper	X
Sunscreen	X
Emergency blanket	X

Transportation:
Snowshoes	X		Bring shoes appropriate for the conditions. If weight is not a major concern, I'll bring a smaller pair for camp/bush use
Skis	X		I might also bring both skis & snowshoes, but usually just snowshoes now.
Ski Poles	X		Even if snowshoeing, poles can be helpful.
Sled/Pulk	X		Ideally with poles and some sort of harness system to help with hilly terrain.

Personal Optional Gear
Camera/tripod	X
Binoculars	X
Chair	X		Dependant on space/weight limitations, but some sort of device to sit on is good.
Small foamie	X		For sitting on, kneeling on, standing on when changing footwear, etc.
Notepad & Pencil	X
Alcohol	X		Dependant on space & weight. Remember alcohol decreases cold tolerance.


	Medications/pain killers	X


	Clothing Stuff:
	Boot System	Winter boots with removable liners or whatever is going to work for you. Need something for trekking & also camp work, and evening use.
	Camp booties
	Heavy socks	1 or 2 pair
	Midweight socks	2 pair
	Liner socks	Polypro or whatever
	Vapour Barrier Liners	aka plastic bread bags to keep your feet from sweating up your boots, unless your boots breath or you can dry them out at night
	Jacket/Parka System	Breathable shell & insulating layers, might be a separate parka for sitting around the fire and in the morning, or it might just be more layers. Anorak shells with a fur-ruffed hood are very popular.
	Sweaters	I like wool. Multiple layers is good with a thin sweater and a thicker sweater
	Pants	I like a good camping pant with lots of pockets
	Wool/fleece pants	Insulating layer
	Shell pants
	Long undies (top & bottom)	2 pair of bottoms, a dry pair to put on in the evening and a pair for when sweating
	Underwear
	Scarf	Scarf is the equivalent of Arthur Dent's towel.
	Neck Tube
	Toque	I bring a thick wool toque and a thinner toque.
	Mitts & gloves	I bring a few options


	Polypro liner gloves
	Wool liner gloves
	Overmitts/Shell mitts
	Balaclava
	Ski goggles/sunglasses	It's bright out there and you will damage your eyes without GOOD protection.

Snowshoe Building Videos

2009-12-21T18:59:00.000-06:00

I recently came across this series of videos taken during a snowshoe building workshop. The video was filmed in Stanley Mission (near where I paddle and where I hope to head off on a snowshoe trip later this winter) and the language used throughout is most likely Cree. An interesting look at building simple snowshoes (of the same type as mine) using only hand tools. These folks start right from the log and go through the whole frame building process. Despite any language barriers, the videos are very interesting and sufficient to figure out how to build the frames (more or less), but the lacing would require a much more in depth look for me to understand it.

The whole website is interesting, showing numerous aspects of Dene and Cree culture, including language and crafts such as birchbark basket making.

Link to the videos at the Gift of Language and Culture web site here.

An Experience In Bacon

2009-12-10T19:18:00.007-06:00

A couple of months ago I posted my discovery of something called a "Bacon Explosion". A couple of weeks ago I finally was able to make my version of the recipe as my contribution to the put-luck supper at a Grey Cup party.

A "Bacon Explosion" is a meat creation comprised of bacon and sausage meat, where the sausage meat is surrounded in a woven wrap of bacon and the bacon and sausage rolled together. The meat is then smoked and slow cooked. There are as many variations on this theme as there are folks that have made it, with various fillings used, and a variety of spices or sauces. Further, the type and degree of smoke can also be varied.

For my version I decided to use a filling of bacon, onions, red peppers and mushrooms, using inspiration provided by Dunkin'.

For my sausage meat I originally bought some frozen plastic wrapped breakfast sausage meat at the local Sobey's grocery store. They only had one 500g package though, and I needed 2 kg. So, I also bought some mild Italian sausage in casings from Superstore. After cooking up a bit of the meat from Sobey's, I'm glad they didn't have more of it as I found it to be very salty & very fatty. The Italian sausage, thankfully, was neither. Below, the sausage meat has been stripped from it's casings and the first few slices of bacon fried up and chopped for use in the filling:

Some nice, healthy vegetables for the filling:

I should have taken a couple pictures prior to this next step. The bacon was laid out in a mat and woven together as per the instructions at the BBQ Addicts web site. On that woven bacon I sprinkled some rub that I had on hand. On top of the bacon I laid the sausage meat, forming the meat into a thin layer. The meat was not formed as one thin sheet and laid on top, but rather pressed into place piece by piece. I think that approach led to the cooked product not holding together well. I should have rolled it out into a layer, then somehow transferred it into place. The next layer was the chopped bacon and cooked vegetables.

The filling was seasoned with more of the rub and a generous amount of President's Choice Chipotle BBQ sauce (really decent stuff, by the way).

I should have had a photographer present during the rolling process. I rolled up the stack of layers, trying to keep everything as tight as possible.Getting the thing to roll up and keeping all the filling inside was easier said than done, but the next one should go better (not that this one went badly).

Below, I'm adding more of the rub seasoning:

A couple of hours in advance of the Grey Cup game, I brought the smoker over to Rob's place and set up in the back yard. A tarp was set up to protect the smoker from the wind, and a thin blanket wrapped around the smoker to help get the temperature up in the cool weather. The meat was smoked with maple wood at about 225°F.

After 4 hours of smoking, the Bacon Explosion is ready to come out at half-time.

Ready to eat:

Below, a picture of me slicing up my contribution to the potluck supper:

The creation was very tasty. In fact, we were so busy eating that no one could take a picture of us enjoying it. It was not as fatty as I might have expected. Slow cooking at those temperatures (200 - 250 F) melted a lot of the fat out of the meat. It did shrink a certain amount and firmed up. In the future, I'll try to make sure it is rolled tighter and that sausage meat is better consolidated so that it holds together better during the slicing.

Paul Quarrington

2009-12-07T12:55:00.013-06:00

Author, screenwriter, and folk/blues musician, Paul Quarrington is dying of cancer. Quarrington's book, Fishing With My Old Guy is one of my favourites and I've enjoyed several of his other books as well, such as Whale Music and King Leary. I have thought that someday I'd like to spend time fishing with Paul Quarrington and David Carpenter, both literary fishermen (and not ones of the large-boat catch-your-limit-fast sort). Today over lunch I read his latest article for the National Post, the second instalment in his "Cancer Diary". Quarrington continues to be a very gifted person and this article is another fine example. He struggles to remain with us for a while longer, and for that we should be thankful.

January 21st, 2010 Update: Paul Quarrington's journey with cancer ended today. To quote from paulquarrington.org:

His brave battle ended on January 21, 2010. He passed peacefully at home in Toronto in the early hours surrounded by friends and family. It is comforting to know that he didn’t suffer; he was calm and quiet holding hands with those who were closest to him.

Contributions to the Quarrington Arts Society are being accepted in his honour; visit http://www.quarringtonartsociety.ca

Rules of Winter Cycling

2009-12-07T10:00:00.006-06:00

It was -31°C with a -40°C windchill (9 km/hr head wind) this morning. It took me an hour to get the kids to school and the sitter, then in to work. Never mind the amount of time it took to get suited up this morning (and to figure out my 'system' anew this year). I guess my winter cycling season is officially here.

Three Golden Rules of Winter Cycling:

No Whining
No Whining
No Whining

From Yehuda Moon & The Kickstand Cyclery