Canoeing in Conroy Marsh, ON, CANADA

A Day Trip with Friends

LOGISTICS 

Shuttle: Black Donald Lake > Silgrey Rustic Resort, Boulter

Put-In: Conroy Rapids, York River

Tandem Canoe: Conroy Marsh - FW, day trip, 16 km

Take-Out: Burnt Bridge Road where it crosses the Little Mississippi River

Gerry's cousin and husband own White Pine Lodge on Black Donald Lake. We all gathered there, spent a night in the cabins and did a day trip into the Marsh ... pleasant paddling and just 'way too many laffs'!

FRANCE / GERMANY / SWITZERLAND

FIRST Adventure in EUROPE

Wikipedia: FRANCE

Wikipedia: GERMANY

Wikipedia: SWITZERLAND

 

LOGISTICS

Hosts: Monsheim, GERMANY with Edith & Rainer Bals, Schopfeim, GERMANY with Cornelia, Deiter & Felix Raps and Laax, SWITZERLAND with Deiter Raps

Air Travel: Air Canada from Montreal > Paris, FRANCE

Train: Paris > Mannheim, GERMANY

Private Vehicle: Mannheim > Monsheim & surrounding area

Train: Monsheim > Schopfeim

Private Vehicle: Schopfeim & surrounding area > Laax, SWITZERLAND > Basel

Train: Basel > Mannheim, GERMANY

Private Vehicle: Mannheim > Monsheim > Frankfurt

Air Travel: Air Canada from Frankfurt > Montreal, CANADA

Places: Paris  Versailles  Mannheim  Monsheim  Speyer  Ludwigshafen  Worms  Bacarach  St. Goar Braubach  Annweiker  Kallstadt  Schopfeim  Basel  Frohnd  Zell  Goetheanum  Freiburg  Ottmarsheim Haut-Koenigsbourg  Riquewihr  Luzerne  Laax Chur  Falera  Frankfurt

Background: We first met our German hosts on last year's Wind / Peel Rivers canoe trip in Yukon. They invited us to visit them ... it would be a convenient way to introduce us to a small region of Europe they said ... and, they certainly were not mistaken. Wonderful hosts and great tour guides ... we had a blast! The majority of our accommodation was in private suites at their homes and each shared us for part of the trip.

Canoeing the Rhine River, GERMANY: Bacharach > St. Gore

Castles & Class I+

LOGISTICS (GERMANY)

Private Vehicle: Monsheim > Bacharach

Shuttle Vehicle: Bacharach > St. Gore

Tandem Canoe: Bacharach > St. Gore - CI+, day trip, 16 km

Private Vehicle:  St. Gore > Monsheim

View Rhine River, GERMANY in a larger map

Hiking the East Coast Trail, NL, CANADA

We'll Return for More of the ECT!

LOGISTICS

Private Vehicle: Tim's Lake > Kanata & overnight at J & K's.

Airport Shuttle: J drove us to Ottawa International Airport and stored our truck 

Air Travel: Porter Air from Ottawa, ON > Halifax, NS > St. John's, NL & return trip

Trail Accommodations / Hosts: (1) Points East, Pouch Cove / Elkie proprietor

                                                  (2) Harbour House, Petty Harbour

                                                  (3) Brown Rabbit Cabins, Tors Cove Pond / Isa & Bill proprietors

Synopsis: We hiked with a group of eight, some old friends and some new. We spent some time in St. John's before hiking the trail and then a couple of days in Trinity at the end of the trip before returning home. Our accommodations were all good, any shuttle arrangements to and from trailheads worked out, the weather co-operated, we ate some good food, drank the local beers and absorbed a small bit of Newfoundland & Labrador culture.

East Coast Trail Photography

Canoeing in Algonquin PP, ON, CANADA: Rock/Louisa Lks. Loop

Old Friends on an Old Route

LOGISTICS 

Private Vehicles: Tims Lake & Ottawa > Algonquin PP and return

Put-In: Rock Lake

Tandem Canoe: Rock Lk > Pen Lk > Clydegale Lk > Pen Lk > Galipo R > Welcome Lk >

                            Harry Lk > Rence Lk > Frank Lk > Florence Lk > Louisa Lk > Rock Lk

Distance: 45 kms

Portages: (8) 16.7 kms

Take-Out: Rock Lake

Excerpt from KANOE TRIPPERS Adventure Journal:

'It isn't often that we get an opportunity to relive our life experiences from a previous time and place. This canoe trip gave me that chance. '

KAYAKING: Cabonga Reservoir, La Verendyre PP, PQ, CANADA

Double Blades

LOGISTICS 

Private Vehicles: From our homes > Le Domaine, La Verendyre and return.

Put-In: Cabonga 5

Tandem Kayak: Cabonga 5 > Site 25-228 > (3) nights @ Site 25-208 > (2) nights @ Site 25-232 > Cabonga 5

Distance: 94.85 kms (gps)

Portages: (2) 0.13 kms (gps)

Take-Out: Cabonga 5

View Larger Map

Crossroads Guitar Festival, Chicago, IL, USA

FIRST Really BIG Music Concert

LOGISTICS

Private Vehicle: Tim's Lake > Windsor, ON > Chicago, IL, USA > Austinburg, OH > Niagara Falls, ON, CANADA > Tim's Lake 

Excerpt From KANOE TRIPPING Journal:

I don't usually write up an Adventure Journal entry for entertainers, but this venue was different for us. The first time we've attended a large stadium 12 hour outdoor concert. The line-up of musicians was amazing, the sound quality and general organization at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois was superb, food quality was fair, food pricing was exorbitant, the heat and humidity were oppressive ...  12 hours went by too quickly ... this festival was an outstanding musical event!!!

Crossroads Guitar Festival Photography

Sandals Royal Hicacos, Veradero, CUBA

 

Diving The 'Bay of Pigs'

Synopsis: This was our third trip to CUBA and our most enjoyable. We found the time went faster on this adventure than in any other 'southern' country we've visited. Unlike our first trip to CUBA, in 2005, we didn't do much travelling around this time - most days were spent laying around the pools, reading and walking along the beach. 

Canoeing the Takhini / Wind / Peel Rivers, YT, CANADA: McClusky Creek > Taco Bar

Helen's Choice for BEST River Trip EVER

LOGISTICS (YT, CANADA)

Van Shuttle: Whitehorse > Mayo

Air Charter: With pilot Ernie of Black Sheep Aviation from Mayo > McClusky Lake

Outfitter: Adventure Tours Yukon Wild

Guide: Georg Saure

Mandatory Portage: McClusky Lk. > put-in on McClusky Creek

Tandem Canoe: McClusky Creek, WIND R.  > Taco Bar, PEEL R. - CII+, 16 days, 270 kms

Air Charter: With pilot Ernie of Blacksheep Airways from Taco Bar > Mayo 

Van Shuttle: Mayo > Whitehorse
DVD Available: Get copy from Store

View Takhini / WIND / PEEL in a larger map

Bear Man

I was sitting outside the Yukon Visitor’s Center in Whitehorse. We were waiting to watch a Bear Awareness video and I noticed a man stuffing clothing under his shirt. 

I tried not to be too obvious but my eyes were drawn to him. 

The Geography Student

Location: Yukon Territory, Canada - We're at the Mt Logan viewpoint about 50 kms north of Kluane Lake on the Alcan Highway, 150 kms south of the USA / Canada border.

The Alcan is the original name for the Alaska Highway and I prefer it. Mount Logan is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest peak in North America. The mountain was named after Sir William Edmond Logan, a Canadian geologist and founder of the Geological Survey of Canada.  Mount Logan is located within Kluane National Park and Reserve in southwestern Yukon. 

Super Club Breezes, Paradise Island, BAHAMAS

Wikipedia: BAHAMAS

We were here for a brief stay only, April 20 - 23.

It's always difficult to get a truly realistic feel for anywhere, with such a brief stay, but, in general, we found this region of New Providence & Paradise Islands to be clean, well-cared for, expensive, quiet and safe. Locals are friendly and polite and ther isn't the presence of obnoxious panhandlers and street vendors that are so often encountered in other Caribbean countries. We did notice a couple of timeshare salespeople along the beach and in Nassau but they were mostly 'soft selling'. There appears to be a lot of new residential, commercial and tourist development and also some renovations of older resorts and properties. 

INSTRUCTION: PADI SCUBA Certification: Henry Morgan Resort, Roatan Is., HONDURAS

FIRST Time SCUBA Diving

 

Wikipedia: HONDURAS

Why didn't someone tell me about this 30 years ago? I would have started diving then! It's like being in a giant fish-tank ... what a natural high! 

Canoeing in Wabakimi PP, ON, CANADA

The WORLD"S Largest Wilderness Canoeing Region ... and Gerry caught fish every day!

LOGISTICS 
Private Vehicles: All our homes to Armstrong, ON

First Night's Accommodation:
Air Charter: Air Mattice
Planes: Single Turbo Otter & Beaver
Pilot(s): Don Elliot, unknown
Tandem Flatwater Tripping Canoe(s): some CI+, high water, some travel on the Allan Water & Caribou rivers
Paddlers: Karen, Gerry, Heather, Fred, Helen, Dann
DVD Available: Get copy from Store

We booked an air charter with Mattice Lake Outfitters and flew into Granite Lake. Flight time was 08:45 am. First time in a single-engine Turbo Otter for both of us. We found out at the end of the trip that this plane was built in 1956. The two Beavers used by Mattice Lake Outfitters are built in 1951 and 1953. All aircraft are in fine shape.  The flight in was about ½ an hour.  Staff load all the gear and secure the boats to the aircraft pontoons. We’re with Fred & Heather and Karen & Gerry will fly in one of the Beavers. The flight in gave us a good aerial perspective of the type of terrain we’ll be paddling through over the next 2 weeks …… the Northern Boreal. Gear and boats were offloaded on the water – a first for me. Thankfully we had calm conditions.

Canoeing in Frontenac PP, ON, CANADA

Jan & Keith's FIRST Canoe Camping Trip

LOGISTICS 

Private Vehicles: A short, approximately 10 km drive from home to the park.

Tandem Tripping Canoe(s): lake paddling, no portages

Frontenac PP Photography

Point Pelee NP, Leamington, ON, CANADA

To The Southern Tip of CANADA 

  

Helen stayed behind to care for her father who was recovering from shoulder surgery. I was joined by friends Karen & Gerry and Margo & Cary for a couple of days of walking, birding and some paddling.

Point Pelee NP Photography

Crusty ...

Melia Cayo Santa Maria, Jardines del Ray, CUBA

A Favourite Country

We felt isolated at this resort and for that reason alone, we would probably not return. I would recommend it to others though – it ranks quite high when we compare it to all the others we've stayed at. It’s a perfect location for anyone who doesn't need to do any tours or leave at all. The closest towns are back on the mainland – a journey back across the 48 km causeway. Most activities are focussed on the resort. Any tours that leave the resort are for full days or in some cases multi-day. We weren't able to travel the Cuban countryside or visit the small towns and villages like we did in 2003 because of our isolation.

Rooms On The Beach, Ocho Rios, JAMAICA

Ja Mon!

Wikipedia: JAMAICA

This may be our last chance at a quick getaway for awhile ... we'll begin construction of a new home when we return. We hesitate to commit to only one week trips, because there is never enough time to do anything other than become moderately acquainted with any area. This last minute hotel based trip to Jamaica was certainly no exception. But we did experience enough wonderful Jamaican scenery, people, food and music to convince us to return someday.

Ocho Rios, JAMAICA Photography

Crusty ...

Punta Cana Princess Resort, Punta Cana, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

               
 

Santo Domingo is an ancient Caribbean seaport city of firsts, discovered by Christopher Columbus it became the first capital of the new territories, the first to have Spanish coinage, a fort, a monastery, a cathedral, a university, a hospital and a palace.

Santo Domingo is where Madrid's rulers in 1512 set up the highest level of its judicial system since the Middle Ages, the Spanish Colonies' first royal appellate court.

Canadian National Adventure Racing Championship

Safety Boat

LOGISTICS 

Private Vehicle: Home > Timmins

Wanapitie Suburban / Boat Trailer: Timmins > Lady Evelyn PP 
Partner(s): Unknown bow paddler & co-driver

Shuttle: Moved 15 canoes in a single load to the start of the paddling segment

Portage: One miserable portage, poorly marked & documented, partly by atv through heavy marshland 

Tandem Canoe: lake paddling

Wanapitie Suburban / BoatTrailer: Lady Evelyn PP > Wanapitie Outfitters Base 
Private Vehicle: Wanapitie Outfitters Base > Home

                        

Shawn Hodgins from Wanapitei Canoe contacted me to work this race.