Saturday, February 9, 2013

New Web Site Announcement

I'm pleased to announce the publication of my latest website, CanoeLessons.ca.  I am a Paddle Canada certified canoe instructor and have been teaching tandem and solo canoe lessons every spring.  Now I've made it easier for those interested in canoe lessons to register for one of my courses.  CanoeLessons.ca is an online source that allows people to register for one of my scheduled canoe lessons or to contact me to arrange private lessons.

Spring 2013 Canoe Lesson Schedule

Learn to Canoe Clinic - June 9th
Learn to Canoe Clinic - June 23rd
Learn to Canoe Clinic - June 30th

Intermediate / Advanced Tandem Certification Course - July 13 - 14

For more information visit CanoeLessons.ca or email wildpaddler@gmail.com


Canoe Trippin

Well, it's been a long winter and even longer since my last post but since spring is just a couple of months away I thought I'd share my canoeing adventures from last summer. 

As usual we did our annual thanksgiving canoe trip.  This time we went to a long time favorite, Robertson Falls on the Churchill River in northern Saskatchewan.  We've camped at this spot many times for Thanksgiving and on more than one occasion it has snowed on us and this trip was no exception.  The weather was cool and damp pretty well the whole weekend, if it wasn't raining it was snowing.  Finally on the last day, half an hour after we broke camp, packed the canoes and headed for home the clouds disappeared and the sun came out.  Again this weather pattern has happened on other Thanksgiving trips.

We pretty well stayed close to camp and even closer to the camp fire for most of the time, staying warm and dry for the most part.  The rain was mostly mist so as long as we had a large fire burning it evaporated before it hit the ground.  We had three tarps set up to duck under in case the rain came with force and we even had a wind break set around the fire which helped deflect some of the heat.

In order to maintain a large warm fire we made several wood runs with the canoes.  In all we brought in 5 canoe loads of wood, of which we burned around three.  

We did venture out one afternoon, when the drizzle stopped, to take a tour over to Twin Falls for some photos.

As usual the food was second to none, we usually have a large pot luck style Thanksgiving meal.  As usual everyone out did themselves.


The fog offered some very nice views considering the cool temperatures.


As a distraction from the cold I taught the group how to light a fire in the soaking wet woods using a fire steel.


Our camp showing the many tarps used as wind breaks and to store items under.  We had a full days worth of wood stashed under the orange tarp.


Zoe and Taiga in front of Robertson Falls.


Taiga had a great time exploring the woods around camp.  Here she is recovering a bone that she buried earlier.


Group photo in front of the fire.  


Chocolate chip cookie carnage.


Thanks giving meal.


Resting in the warm sun on the trip back to the vehicles.