Strange Micro-Climate Around Fort Mac?

I was having a look at satellite photos to check on the snow melt in the prairies and wondering if the Saskatchewan Rivers were opening up. Indeed, the North Saskatchewan River seems to be opening up. All of the prairies are covered in snow with the exception of southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan. Then I noticed a peculiar dark patch surrounding Fort McMurray. It seems that this one spot in northern Alberta has also had it's snow melted, or the snow is dark in colour. It just happens that the area closely corresponds to the bitumen sands (aka tar sands) and the oil processing facilities there. Go figure.

Daily satellite image from 24/04/2013 viewed as a Google Earth overlay. The dark region is in stark contrast to the white of the remainder of northern Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The image above is a cropped view of the satellite image (find the original at http://lance-modis.eosdis.nasa.gov/imagery/subsets/?subset=AERONET_Fort_McMurray.2013114.terra.250m) from yesterday viewed via Google Earth. The river heading south to north is the Athabasca River and the Clearwater River joins at Fort McMurray flowing west out of Saskatchewan. The brown area amounts to about 90 km north and south, and about 35 km east and west.

By the way, the above effect is not simply due to urbanization. The larger cities of Edmonton & Saskatoon look much more white than the area around Fort Mac.

A Damn Shame

This is a bloody shame and to me is wrong in so many ways.

CBC Sask: National parks cut cross-country ski trail workCuts mean end to ski trails at Prince Albert National Park and Riding Mountain National Park

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2012/11/06/sk-cross-country-ski-trails-national-parks-121106.html

"One of the services we've reduced or cut back on or ended for this year is the track setting for the ski trails," Alan Fehr, the park superintendent for Prince Albert National Park, told CBC News Tuesday. "And some of the backcountry camping services, we've cut those as well."

I love Prince Albert National Park in the winter. It's quiet and the ski and snowshoe trails are super. Snowmobiles are not allowed, so it is one of VERY FEW places in Saskatchewan where we can ski and be assured of not encountering a skidoo on the trail, or have a skidoo or quad wrecking the tracks.

What we SHOULD be doing, is encouraging more people to utilize the parks in the winter, not discourageing them. We are becoming fatter, lazier, and more out of touch with the real world and these cuts are a huge step backward. I am so disappointed.

This is a blow to those of us that enjoy the outdoors in winter without the noise and smell of an engine, it's a blow to society as a whole in terms of physical fitness, mental health, and connection to the natural world, and it's a blow to the business owners who benefit from having such fantastic skiiing (literally) on their doorstep.

Weather: Frontal Analysis & More

Maybe it's the farm background, maybe it's biking to work each day, but I try to pay attention to the weather. I like trying to figure it out (though I usually can't), and I like looking at what's going on. Here's another tool in my quiver that I learned about this week from "nootka" on the West Coast Paddler forums.

You can find a variety of information at http://weather.unisys.com and it's pretty neat stuff.

This shows the fronts, where they are currently, and where they were for the past 12 hours.The image below should show the current fonts. (Or go to http://weather.unisys.com/surface/sfc_fronts.php?inv=0&t=cur to see it on the Unisys website.)

Current frontal positions in North America. Image source comes from http://weather.unisys.com/surface/sfc_fronts.php?inv=0&t=cur. 

Of course when you look at this it will all be different, but currently there is a giant cold front that has been sweeping across North America for a few days now. Yesterday, it brought very high winds to the prairies (it's still windy today, but not quite so bad) that blew my father and brother's crops away, very literally. It's amazing how quickly a good crop can go from good to nearly gone in a few hours.

Here's another map that shows the surface data: http://weather.unisys.com/surface/sfc_map.php?inv=0&t=cur&region=wc - by going to the link you can select your region, the type of map, & the information it shows.

Surface data with Canada selected as the region. Image comes from http://weather.unisys.com/surface/sfc_map.php?inv=0&t=cur&region=wc.

There is a fair bit more at the website to explore and I've only just started poking around the http://weather.unisys.com website.

Silence Is Not an Option

Cold Water Boot Camp

This evening I read the updated story about a paddler that died on April 1st in a lake in Washington state. In the article, one of the people interviewed mentioned a "Cold Water Boot Camp" video that they make their paddling students watch. A little googling brought me to http://www.coldwaterbootcamp.com. Wow, what a great website. Watch the video contained in the download section (for me, it worked best to download a high quality version and watch it offline), it's a 10 minute program that delivers the message. There is also a 30 minute version on DVD which I am considering ordering.

The video program features Winnipeg professor, Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, aka "Dr. Popsicle." Dr. Giesbrecht has been informing outdoors people like me on the dangers of cold water for quite a number of years. I've seen several of his videos on YouTube and even on the Rick Mercer Report (this video is hilarious). However, this is the first time I've seen his Cold Water Boot Camp program.

Be sure to also watch some of the individual videos under the Boot Campers section. They are very informative. There are a number of things I took away from those individual videos and interviews - for one thing, the messages coming directly from the individuals really hits home. Another thing I noticed, is just how much effort it takes the rescuers to get the swimmers out of the water. Watch as they pull the swimmers in and imagine how it would be for another boater (canoe, kayak, motorboat - take your pick) to assist you if you were in the water. And in this case it was trained rescuers pulling a swimmer up onto a very stable boat with a low, smooth rounded gunwale. Doing the same thing into a canoe, or a fishing boat - good luck. Also, when the swimmers are pulled from the water and interviewed on the boat, note how bloody cold they are, and how they actually get colder than they were in the water.

There are a couple of important take home messages that I'll be better incorporating into my own paddling lessons after watching this video, some of it I knew already and all of it has been reinforced:

1. It's not hypothermia you need to worry about, it's cold shock, then incapacitation.
2. You will never live long enough for hypothermia to be a concern without a life jacket or PFD on.
3. It's ALWAYS cold water season in this part of the world.
4. Swimming in cold water is very, very hard.

To summarise the effects of cold water and the time you have to deal with the situation, Geisbrecht coined the phrase "1-10-1"

1 - 10 - 1

1-10-1 is a simple way to remember the first three phases of cold water immersion and the approximate time each phase takes.

1 - Cold Shock. An initial deep and sudden Gasp followed by hyperventilation that can be as much as 600-1000% greater than normal breathing. You must keep your airway clear or run the risk of drowning. Cold Shock will pass in about 1 minute. During that time concentrate on avoiding panic and getting control of your breathing. Wearing a lifejacket during this phase is critically important to keep you afloat and breathing. 

10 - Cold Incapacitation. Over approximately the next 10 minutes you will lose the effective use of your fingers, arms and legs for any meaningful movement. Concentrate on self rescue initially, and if that isn’t possible, prepare to have a way to keep your airway clear to wait for rescue. Swim failure will occur within these critical minutes and if you are in the water without a lifejacket, drowning will likely occur. 

1 - HYPOTHERMIA. Even in ice water it could take approximately 1 hour before becoming unconscious due to hypothermia. If you understand the aspects of hypothermia, techniques of how to delay it, self rescue and calling for help, your chances of survival and rescue will be dramatically increased. 

For more on my own experimentation with cold water, see my post from last month.

Sage in 50 Words

In order to keep track of my business expenses for Coldspring Paddling Instruction, last fall I started using Sage Simply Accounting. I am not an accountant, and using the software has proved to be anything but simple for me. Sage does have some basic tutorials online, but they only get you so far. They have lots of advanced courses on offer, but it's hundreds of dollars for those courses and the software, and my wife, tell me that I don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on becoming my own accountant (rock and a hard place, I don't have hundreds of dollars to hire one either).

This week I received a newsletter from Sage. In it, they called for users to describe what the new name they are releasing for the software this year, Sage 50, means to them. Well, I was feeling a bit grumpy and felt I needed to respond. Here is that response.

My submission for Sage in 50 words:

The name Sage 50 means to me and my business that I am not nearly old enough to use or understand Sage 50. Or perhaps, that Sage 50 is only 50% value for my company, or that I’ll only make 50% use of it, or understand 50% of it.

Perhaps not quite what you were looking for, but it honestly reflects my impression of the new name. After spending last weekend working on my taxes and bookkeeping, I realize that Simply Accounting was not really designed for the home-based business that is too small to hire an accountant and where there is no background in accounting. Yes, it's more powerful, but at this point I'd prefer user friendliness. I'm a smart guy and I am not afraid to learn, but the training that Sage University offers is well out of my price range and I cannot consider it at this point (I cannot fork over hundreds of dollars of the money I'm not making this year to learn to keep better track of the money I'm losing as a start up). The free training included gave me a start, but really was too basic to be very much help. I should add that it's not [necessarily] the software that I need training in so much as accounting. Software I can figure out.

Regards,
Bryan Sarauer

Coldspring Paddling Instruction

Think I'll win their contest? I'm not holding my breath.

On that note, I'm going to spend this morning going over the stuff I entered for 2011 and see how much was lost when I restored from a backup that wasn't as recent as it should have been (that was a computer failure, not a Sage software issue). 

What A Great Stripper!

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:

Radiant Rivers Photo Contest and World Rivers Day

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.

Paddling in Lightning?

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.

Dark Matters

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

Dark Matters from PHD Comics on Vimeo.

National Lifejacket Day, 2011

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?

World Water Day

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

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.

My New Paddle is Coming!

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?

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

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

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.

Name Change

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.

Badger's Who's Who of Devoted Paddlers Contest

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.

My daughter 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!

Flight Delay

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.