INSTRUCTION: Basic Sea Kayaking: Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, ON

Women's Sea Kayaking

LOGISTICS (ON,  CANADA)

Dates: July 6 - 10
Paddlers: Chris, Donna, Peggy, Helen
Put-In: Killbear PP
Route: Put-In > Pancake Is. > Franklin Is. > circumnavigate Franklin Is. > Takeout at                             Killbear PP
Instruction: Basic Sea Kayaking skills

Lake Huron Photography

Hiking in Frontenac PP

Day Hiking

Hikers: Ellen, Randy, Helen, Me
Trails: Little Salmon Lake, Akron Lake Loop
Distance: 28.7 kms

KAYAKING: Vargas Island Circumnavigation

Sea Kayaking

LOGISTICS (BC,  CANADA)

Outfitter: Wild Heart Adventures
Guides: Kim Crosby, Adam
Route: In Clayquot Sound, from Tofino > a circumnavigation of Vargas Island > Tofino
Kayak: Seaward Tandem F-glass
Accommodation: Vargas Island Inn
Photography: Scanned analog from journal pages
Purchase: $2900. Cost included shipping from BC to Ottawa, re-gel the hull, replace all deck bungees and detail. Trailhead in Ottawa, delivered the boat to our home in Kanata. We used the kayak for many years before selling it in 2014 for $1500.

CLAYQUOT SOUND Photography

RAFTING : Tatshenshini / Alsek Rivers, YT & BC, CANADA and AK, USA

FIRST Rafting Expedition

LOGISTICS (BC,  CANADA)

Designation(s): TATSHENSHINI - ALSEK are Canadian Heritage Rivers, World Heritage Site
Canadian Heritage Rivers: TATSHENSHINI
Canadian Heritage Rivers: ALSEK
Air Travel: Vancouver > Whitehorse, YT

Vehicle Shuttle: Whitehorse > Shawashee (Dalton Post)

Outfitter: Nahanni River Adventures

Guides: Ron Morrison, Trent Abbott, Pepi Krajc, Jeff Faulkner
Rafters: Lesley Brooks, Tom Irwin, Mona Whitaker, Roger, Carol and Eric Pearson, US
Rafts: Commanche, Heffi and Hualapai

Put-In: confluence of Klukshu Creek 

Expedition Raft: Tatshenshini, YT > Alsek River confluence, BC > near Dry Bay, AK  - CIII, 11 river days, 255 kms
Elevation Drop: 2000 metres

Take-Out: Couple of kms upstream of Dry Bay, AK
Portage: Take-Out > Dry Bay, AK

Air Travel: Dry Bay, AK, USA > Whitehorse, YT, CANADA
Photography: Scanned analog

Booth Lake Basecamp, Algonquin PP, ON

Second Annual O'Kane Family Canoe Trip

Booth Lake Basecamp Photography

Tea Lake Basecamp, Algonquin PP, ON

Brooks Family Camping Weekend

Tea Lake Basecamp Photography

RAFTING : Ottawa River, ON

Sport Rafting Daytrip

Ottawa River Rafting Photography

Louisa Lake Basecamp, Algonquin PP, ON

Basecamp Canoeing

Louisa Lake Photography

INSTRUCTION: Open Tandem WW Canoe Course: MKC, Barry's Bay, ON

INSTRUCTION

Open Tandem White-water Canoe Course Photography

Grande Lake, Algonquin PP, ON

Basecamp Canoeing

Grande Lake Photography

Madawaska River: Snake Rapids

A Whitewater Daytrip

Paddlers: Karen, Gerry, Helen, Me
Location: Lower Madawaska River
Accommodation: The Cabin, Norcan Lake

River Description: Snake Rapids - 9.5 km long, 8 sets CII/II+, several swifts

Madawaska 2000 Photography

Florida: Clearwater, Silver Springs, Key West

Visiting With Mae & Earl

Dates: February 19 - March 05

Days: 16

Activities: Cycling, Hiking, Kayaking, Snorkelling, Walking, Cultural, Photography
Photography: Old, poor quality, scanned images ... sorry!

Post Description: This happened too long ago and I can't remember the details. Read the photo captions, the story is in the photography and it's 'mostly chronological'.

Photography

Algonquin PP: Winter Hiking

Winter Hiking

Accommodation: Blue Spruce Cabins, Oxtongue Lake, ON
Hikers: Janice, Dave, Helen, Me
Location: Algonquin Provincial Park
Trails: Mizzy Lake, Fen Lake, Blue Spruce, Whiskey Rapids, Bat Lake
Distances: Hiked 20.2 kms, Skied 27.5 kms

Photography

Hiking in Algonquin PP

Long Weekend Hiking & Cycling

Accommodation: Mew Lake Yurts
Campers: Sue, Chris, Helen, Me
Location: Algonquin Provincial Park
Cycling: Rail Trail (25km)
Hiking: Centennial Ridges (10km), Hemlock Bluff (3.5km)
Other: Visited the Haliburton Wolf Centre

Photography

Canoeing the Barron River

Family Canoe Trip

Campers: Peggy, Tom, Helen, Me

Description: 18 km round trip, several portages under 500m, 1.5 km hiking trail, a spectacular canyon

Photography

Backpacking the Itijjagiaq Trail, Katannilik TP, Baffin Island, NU

Katannilik Traverse - Exploratory

LOGISTICS
Hikers: Wendy Grater (guide, Blackfeather), Sally Manning (guide), Karen Tippett, Gerry Irving, US
Pack Weights: Helen 56 lbs, Dann 86 lbs (From scales prior to trek). Everyone carried equivalent amounts.
Location: Katannilik Territorial Park
Photography: All from K&G. scanned analog
DVD Available: Get copy from Store

Publicity: Our trip was featured as article " Meta Incognito " by Sally Manning, Up Here Magazine, April 2000

Petawawa River: Whitewater Training

Basecamp Canoe Camping

Private Vehicle: Kinburn > Lake Travers, Algonquin PP

Campers: Chris, Rick, Helen, Me
Rapids: Big Thompson several times for practise

Photography

INSTRUCTION: Canoeing the Dumoine River, PQ: Lac Robinson > Stonecliff, ON

Our FIRST Whitewater Course

LOGISTICS (ON / PQ, CANADA)

Private Vehicle: Kinburn > Des Joachims, PQ

Bus Shuttle: Des Joachims with Blackfeather > Lac Robinson, DUMOINE R., PQ
Course: Blackfeather Canoe Clinic
Instructors: Kristen Hayes, Scott, Jamie Gupthill, JF Carrey

Tandem Canoe: Lac Robinson > Dumoine R. > Stonecliff, ON - CII+, 4days, 30 kms.

River Speed: 5-7 kms/hr
Private Vehicle: Stonecliff > Kinburn
Certification: ORCA Level 1A

Our first day was spent travelling to camp and setting it up, we arrived late. Second day we practised a number of strokes at a set of CI where the Dumoine empties into the lake. On the third day we shuttled further upriver a few kilometers in the van. We ran a CII just below Le Grande Chute and then continued downriver through several more sets, ending back at Lac Robinson and camp for the night. On the final day we paddled out about 25 kms more, running a dozen sets of rapids; CI > CII+ ... never dumped.

DUMOINE Photography

N'Awlins

Microsoft Conference ... Gertie, Helen and Me

Photography

THIRD Road Trip NORTH of 60

Logistics: Kinburn, ON > MB SA AB BC YT AK MO WY SD WI MI

Vehicle: 1994 F350 RC LB SRW 4x4 7.3l diesel with 1988 Maple Leaf Camper

Days: 50

Dates: August - September

Activities: Overlanding, canoeing, biking, hiking, photography

Distance: 16000 kms (est.)

Photography: Old, poor quality, scanned images ... sorry!
CANADA Territorial Park: Tombstone YT
CANADA National Parks: Banff, Glacier, Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho 
CANADA National Historic Site: Barkerville BC

Post Description: Read the photo captions, the story is in the photography and it's 'mostly chronological'.
Event: 24th Wedding Anniversary

We headed across Canada and met up with Mae, Earl, Sue & Chris at a Provincial Park near Prince George, B.C. We travelled together for a few days, then Sue & Chris headed back to Vancouver while the rest of us travelled on to Whitehorse. Mae & Earl headed back East from Whitehorse while we continued North. 

We did some of our best hiking ever in the Rocky Mtn Parks of Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho and Glacier. One of the most memorable trips was the Glacier Crest Trail in the Illcillewaet Glacier. This was a 9.6 km return trip and it took about 4.5 hours to complete - this included a lunch break at the 'emergency' cabin at the summit. A series of increasingly steep switchbacks to the top and a final elevation of a little over 2000 ft. We met several hikers from Holland at the top and during our lunch break we were scolded by the resident 'marmot' and 'pika' populations.

Photography