Embrace winter with the sport of ice canoeing. Teams compete on the St Lawrence Seaway each winter as part of Quebec’s Winter Carnival. They travel over ice, open water and moving ice flows. “An incredible challenge and physical feat,” writes the photographer.
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This photo is by Flickr user Jamie in Bytown and is licensed thorugh the Creative Commons.
The White Lightening by Granite Gear is an ultra lightweight and simple shelter tips the scale at just over a pound. The edges and center seam are bound with Tension Tape which allows the ultralight 30-D Sil Cordura Ripstop fabric to be stretched tight as a drum from eight points along its edges. After setup, the corners can be tightened without re-tying. Comes with micro cordage and stuffs into it’s own attached stuff sack.
$184.95 | www.granitegearstore.com
Ever wonder what it’s like to be rescued by the Coast Guard? Gordon Brown, Simon Willis and crew participated in this staged helicopter rescue to go behind-the-scenes with emergency rescue services for their new instructional DVD Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown Volume 3.
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Late fall is a great time for paddling—there’s no bugs, no crowds and no need for advance reservations. But the chilly weather comes with it’s own set of challenges. Help prepare for off-season paddling with the following tips.
Paddlers who are immersed in water loose body heat four to five times faster than in air of the same temperature. The ACA recommends that you wear protective clothing, such as a dry suit, if both the water and air temperature are below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. While canoeists never expect to find themselves in the water, a swim at those extreme temperatures can lead to hypothermia in just minutes. Protect yourself. In addition to the protective clothing you wear, keep spare, dry clothing sealed in a dry bag. Learn more about protective clothing for cold weather paddling at the ACA here.
Open water can turn to ice overnight if the temperature drops low enough. Shallow areas and sheltered waters are the most likely places for this to occur. Iced-in paddlers can try waiting for the sun to thin the ice or can try hacking their way out with an axe or branch. Using your paddle isn’t recommended (it could break and you’ll need it to get home) nor is ramming the ice with your canoe. Getting iced-in can mean having to walk out—plan your route accordingly.
Let the weather forecast aid in planning your late season trips. If high winds are expected, stay off large lakes. If the temperature is dropping, avoid travel through creeks that could ice over. The shorter days will also mean significantly less travel time for paddling as well as camp chores. Plan accordingly and bring an extra set of batteries for your headlamp.
Nights near the Canoeroots magazine office are currently 15 hours long, leaving only nine hours of possible sunshine. When the sun sets at 4:30 p.m., a cozy campfire might be the only way to avoid a 6 p.m. bedtime. If you have the option, and portages are short, consider bringing a bag of bought firewood. It’ll help lessen the impact on the forest around your campsite and allow you to enjoy more of the evening outside. Bring a firestarter with you (eg. birchbark or the store-bought synthetic variety), and keep it and your matches or lighter in a waterproof container.
By paddling in the shoulder season canoeists expose themselves to more environmental risk, that’s a fact. Don’t further increase your risk by trying for a marathon paddle or venturing into an unknown area. Now is not the time to push the limits of experience and ability.
Safety systems paddlers should follow on every backcountry trip still apply. Tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back. Have a bailer bucket, buoyant line and whistle on board. And wear a PFD on the water at all times—no exceptions. While a ditch kit is always ideal in the backcountry, it’s an essential in the off-season.
What are your tips and advice for late-season canoeing? Share them with us below.
This photo was provided by Flickr user steve p2008 and licensed through the Creative Commons.
What’s the one piece of gear you’d never go camping without?
To keep the long November nights at bay (almost 14 hours of darkness!), I make sure to bring a folding saw for cutting up fallen deadwood. A cozy fire makes all the difference for late season camping.
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National Geographic has announced the 2014 Adventurers of the Year, whose extraordinary achievements in exploration, adventure sports, conservation or humanitarianism have distinguished them in the past year.
The only kayakers amongst this year’s 13 honorees are Amy and Dave Freeman, founders of Wilderness Classroom, who completed a three-year, 11,700-mile journey by kayak, canoe, dogsled and foot around North America in April 2013. The trip, dubbed the North American Odyssey, was just the latest expedition undertaken by the Minnesota couple for the Wilderness Classroom Organization (WCO), a non-profit that creates curriculum for some 85,000 grade school children via its website and school assemblies.
Online voting for the People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year is now open and runs through Jan. 31, 2014. To learn more about each adventurer through photos, interviews and a video and to vote every day for the People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year, go to http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/adventurers-of-the-year/2014/. The adventurer with the most votes at the end of the voting period will be announced in February as the 2014 People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year.
Read more about the Freeman’s North American Odyssey in the Summer/Fall 2013 issue of Adventure Kayak
Adventure Kayak reader Dzintra Jones says, “My dog enjoys kayaking as much as I do out on Lake Isle in central Alberta!”
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This waterfall footage is from kayaker Martina Wegman’s trip to Iceland earlier this year with Mariann Saether, Shannon Carroll and Katrina Van Wijk.
“Lots & Lots of waterfalls, Geo-thermal activity, amazing hot springs and 24hr daylight!! With four chicks we went on a short park and huck trip and run some rowdy waterfalls and paddled between the ice blue icebergs.”
From Martina Wegman.
This weekend Canoeroots staff headed into Algonquin Provincial Park for a quick weekend getaway. Many of the lakes already have ice on them. Where will your end of seaon trips take you?
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Daniel Baxter shared this wonderful photo on Adventure Kayak’s Facebook page in response to our recent post on Greenland-style technique, “Master the Forward Stroke.”
“Eh, yep! Won’t…can’t…go back,” writes Baxter of his affinity for the Greenland blade, “I have paddled with 400 lbs in my boat, or more, with no problems. I have a big…huge…boat but slow no one down.”
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