Isla de Margarita, Neuva Esparata State, VENEZUELA

Wikipedia: VENEZUELA

This trip marks our first time in South America, although barely. This was a typical resort based vacation. We were quite idle, didn't move around much and to be fair we never got more than a brief tasted of the culture of Margarita Island, let alone any exposure at all to the mainland of Venezuela. Only the Dominican Republic was explored earlier than this island (Simon Bolivar landed here 2nd) and yet there is hardly any evidence of 500 year old Spanish history.

Terry, Mike and Frank: Rescue in Paddle Prairie

We expected to fuel up with gas for the day at a 24 hour station in Manning, but it had stopped selling gas … so, … we moved to a lodge a few kilometres down the road. We pulled in and immediately realized that ...

Gas Pumps covered in plastic wasn't a good sign! 

Bobby Dodds ... a Brief Encounter

Bobby is the resident Information Centre 'Greeter' here in Grimshaw, Alberta. Bobby is an ex-trapper and he's in his 70's. We didn't ask, but he volunteered to tell us some of his life's story.

... he made a couple of fortunes (we never did find out how) ... he and his wife blew the last of it all in Australia ... he's not with the wife any-more ... she's in southern Alberta ... somewhere! Somewhere where it rains most of the time and he likes that!!!

Dave's World

Dave swears he saw one, two, three ... at least a dozen caymen. Well OK!, maybe just their eyes, so that's six. But they were big ... the eyes were BIG and they looked right at me!

KAYAKING: Organos River, COSTA RICA

Guides: Kat & Nate

Van Shuttle: With Crystal Seas from Costa Coral Resort, Playa Tambor > ORGANOS R., Playa Organos & return

Single & Double Kayak(s): Up the Organos for several kilometres and return - C1+ (surf landings)

View 2005 Organos River, COSTA RICA in a larger map

COSTA RICA: The Pacific Coast

We travelled the Pacific Coast from PANAMA north to NICARAGUA. We stayed at several different locations and had a few different travelling companions a couple of times throughout the trip. We were in 4 of the 7 provinces: Alajuela, Guanacaste, Puntarenas and San Jose. The weather was terrific . In general, we had sunny, hot, clear conditions for 51 days straight.

There isn't as much cultural diversity as in Panama and Cuba. The major cities of San Jose and Liberia aren't all that interesting ... architecturally, culturally or socially. There is no active indigenous Indian population left in CR. Most Indian artwork is imported from Panama. Local artisans create beautiful hand-painted ceramic tiles and pieces in exotic woods. Sunsets are always breath-taking. Driving can be an adventure - some dirt roads are extremely poor, mountain driving skills are a necessity. There are too many dogs and ATV's in this country. The indigenous breed of Spanish descended horses is beautiful.

Activities: sea-kayaking, hiking, cultural, snorkelling, catamaran sailing, swimming
Vehicle: Toyota Terios (rental)
Average Fuel Cost: 370 colonnes / litre (a bit more than $1 CDN)

Days: 51
Dates: January 10 - March 1
Activities: Cultural, Hiking, Photography

Distance: 3083 kms

COSTA RICA Photography

Demonstration Canoeing, Mississippi River, Burnstown, ON

My 2 Seconds of Fame

Cameraman: Al Joyner 
Solo Canoe: Langford Nahanni @ the dam in Burnstown, Ontario

A friend, Al Joyner, needed a demonstration paddler to contribute and participate in some footage he was shooting, for an educational video for the Canadian government ... I was asked and accepted, I got to pose a bit and it was fun.

Mississippi 2004  Photography

Crusty ...

Canoeing the Dumoine River, PQ: Lac Benoit > Driftwood Provincial Park

One of the Better Whitewater Training Rivers

LOGISTICS (ON / PQ, CANADA)

Partner: Greg Fox
Private Vehicle: Kanata > Deep River > Driftwood PP, Ottawa R., ON

Bus Shuttle: With Wanapitei CANOE from Driftwood PP > Lac Benoit, DUMOINE R., PQ

Tandem Canoe: Lac Benoit > OTTAWA R. confluence > Driftwood PP - CII+ / CIII, 5 days, 64 kms.

Private Vehicle: Driftwood PP > Perth & Kanata

View 2004 DUMOINE / Ottawa in a larger map

Frontenac PP, ON

A Day Hike

Frontenac PP Photography

Crusty ...

Lake Superior PP, ON

LOGISTICS 

Route: Mississagi PP > Site#35, Cresent Lk. CG, Lake Superior PP > Gargantua Bay
Paddlers: Chris, Heather, Fred, Helen, Dann

Visited the Agawa Rock pictographs, hiked a section of the Coastal Backpacking Trail near Sinclair Cove, hiked near Gargantua Harbour, paddled to Warp Bay, hiked the Gargantua Bay portage trail.

LAKE SUPERIOR PP Photography

Crusty ...

Canoeing the Petawawa River, ON: Cedar Lake > McManus Lake

LOGISTICS (ON,  CANADA)

Partner: Laird
Private Vehicle(s): Kanata > Cedar Lake, Algonquin PP, ON

Tandem Canoe: Cedar Lake > McManus Lake, PETAWAWA R., - CII+ / CIII, 8 days, 89 kms

Private Vehicle(s): McManus Lake, Algonquin PP. > Kanata

View 2004 Petawawa River in a larger map

BACKCOUNTRY: Canoeing the Wekweyaukastic / North French / Moose Rivers, ON: Wekweyaukastic Lake > Moosonee

To ... The BAY

LOGISTICS (ON,  CANADA)

Partner: Fred 
Private Vehicle: Kanata & Perth > Cochrane > Wekweyaukastic Lake

Shuttle Driver: Terry O'Neill drove Fred's truck from the put-in @ Wekweyaukastic Lk. and moved it to the Cochrane train station for our return trip.

Tandem Canoe: Wekweyaukastic Lake > WEKWEYAUKASTIC R. > NORTH FRENCH R.  > Moose R. > Moose Factory > Moosonee, ON - CII+ / CIII, 13 days, 245 kms

Train: Polar Bear Express from Moosenee > Cochrane
Private Vehicle: Cochrane > Kanata & Perth

View 2004 WEKWEYAUKASTIC / NORTH FRENCH / Moose River(s) in a larger map

Madawaska River, ON: Whitewater Training

LOGISTICS (ON,  CANADA)

Private Vehicle: Kanata > Jessup's Campground, Palmers' Rapid

Solo & Tandem Canoe(s): At Palmers Rapid, Madawaska River

Private Vehicle: Palmer's Rapid > Kanata
Dates: June 9 - 11, 2004 / June 21 - 22, 2003 / June 22 - 23, 2002

A bunch of us gathered several times at Palmers for some training.

Madawaska River Photography

Crusty ...

INSTRUCTION: ORCA CT Instructor Level 2 Certification: La Verendyre PP, PQ

A Certification

LOGISTICS (PQ,  CANADA)

Partner: Fred 

Private Vehicle: Kanata & Perth > Bear Creek

Accommodation: Bear Creek Outdoor Centre, Campbell's Bay, Quebec

Director: Jill Baxter

Instructors: Shawn Hodgins, Francis Boyes

Shuttle: Driver Mike from Bear Creek > La Verendyre PP put-in @ Lac Fusel and return

Route: Lac Fusel > Lac Fabrezan > up Riviere de Rapids > Lac Poulter > south end Lac Poulter > Lac Jean Pierre > Lac Richet > Lac Antostagen > Take-Out @ Secondary Road #20

Tandem / Solo Canoe(s): La Verendyre PP lakewater trip, PQ - flatwater, 5 days, 43kms

Certification Obtained: ORCA Canoe Tripping Instructor Level 2

Private Vehicle: Bear Creek > Kanata & Perth

Starz Azzurro Resort, Cabarete, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

We Enjoyed the People the Most

Wikipedia: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

LOGISTICS

Accommodation: Starz Azzurro Resort, Cabarete, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Currency: The official currency is the Dominican Republic peso. A small commission may be charged for exchanging CDN $. US dollars are accepted in some businesses.

The Dominican people are wonderful. They are sincerely friendly, happy and pleasant, but very poor. The only Caribbean country poorer is Haita. Our visit was focussed primarily around the resort and adjacent town area. We travelled the highway from Puerto Plata but never visited the city. The only part of the countryside we visited was during the bike tour. Subsistence farming is common and the people live at a very low standard. They do what they can to make any money at all and that includes trying to sell just about anything, however we didn't witness any begging. The tourist industry has caused much of the economic growth and a move to the coastal areas. Families have relocated from the farming and mountainous regions to find higher paying jobs.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 2004 Photography

Crusty ...

Royal Decameron and Gamboa Rainforest Resorts, PANAMA

Mucho, Mucho Sol ... Mucho, Mucho Calor

Wikipedia: PANAMA

We only saw a small part of this country in the two weeks we were here. Even though we were in three Provinces, we barely entered Cocle and Colon. The heat and humidity at the time of year we were here is very oppressive. Sizzling hot, temperatures ranged between the low 30's to low 40's C and the humidity was typically between 80 and 90%. 

KAYAKING: St. Lawrence River, 1000 Islands, ON

LOGISTICS (ON,  CANADA)

Double Kayak: Day trip in the Thousand Islands

View 2003 St Lawrence River in a larger map

St. Lawrence Photography

Crusty ...

Canoeing the French River, Georgian Bay Islands NP, ON: Western, Voyageur and Main Channels

LOGISTICS (ON,  CANADA)

Designation: FRENCH is a Canadian Heritage River
Canadian Heritage Rivers: FRENCH
Park: Georgian Bay Islands National Park

Private Vehicle: Kanata > Sudbury > Hartley Bay

Tandem Canoe: Hartley Bay > Western / Voyageur / Main Channels French R > Hartley Bay - CII, 6 days, 54 kms

Private Vehicle: Hartley Bay > Sudbury > Kanata

View 2003 French River in a larger map

FRENCH

FRENCH Photography

Crusty ...

Highland Backpacking Trail, Algonquin PP, ON

A Short Backpacking Trip

LOGISTICS
Route: Trailhead @ Mew Lk > Pewee Lk > Provoking Lk > Head > Harness Lake > Mosquito Lake > Fly Lake > Provoking Lake > Trailhead @ Mew Lk
Distance: 36 kilometres

This is an intermediate level trail. Hikers will be isolated at the back end of the large loop at a distance of approximately 15 kms from the MNR Office at Mew Lake. Hikers must be capable of carrying 35 to 65 lbs depending on personal needs and requirements. The terrain is mostly mixed forest with several small wetland area, small lakes with exposed rocky shorelines and trail grades that are fairly steep at times. The trail surface can be rooted and rocky in places. The bush is well-shaded with few sections exposed to direct sunlight. There are very few lookouts and views.

Highland Backpacking Trail Photography

Crusty ...

ORCA Flatwater Instructor Certification

Certifications

LOGISTICS 

Certification By: PMH Outdoors
Instructor: Bruce Hawkins
Courses: ORCA Flatwater Canoe Instructor, Lakewater 1

This course fulfilled all my expectations and I was successful at obtaining both certifications.

ORCA Flatwater Instructor Certification Photography

Crusty ...