These pictographs are found on the shore of Artery Lake in Woodland Caribou Provincial Park, Ontario.
This photo is provided courtesy of Ontario Tourism. Want to see your photo here? Send to [email protected] with subject line Daily Photo.
Daily Photo: Watercolors
A GoPro catches this sunset shot in pastels off the coast of Sydney, Australia.
This photo was taken by Flickr user Chris Walker Innerwealth and is licensed under Creative Commons.
Daily Photo: Loving it
Paddle hard. Party hard. Wear a yellow helmet.
This photo was taken by Flickr user abkfenris and is licensed under Creative Commons.
Solo Sojourn
For many experienced canoe trippers, there comes a time when you wonder what it might be like to go solo. The type of solitude that comes with a solo trip may seem too extreme for some; for others, the allure of unparalleled freedom and independence has had them dreaming of a solo for years. But how do you know if you’re ready to take the leap?
Before any solitary wilderness adventure, paddlers need to honestly assess their own experience and abilities. This is not the time to be padding your resumé. Do you have experience being a trip leader? This means being able to plan a realistic route, navigate by map and compass, and handle a variety of weather conditions in terms of solo paddling technique and risk assessment.
Risk
It’s undeniable that there’s more risk involved in heading out alone, but those risks can be mitigated with preparation and common sense. While it’s always important to leave a detailed trip itinerary with someone back home, it’s especially important when you’re on your own. Consider bringing along a means of summoning help should you become lost or injured, such as a personal locator beacon (PLB) or satellite phone. If you know that your route is within range of regular cellphone service, slipping the phone into your kit is a simple solution to providing a little peace of mind. Just be sure to leave it turned off except for emergencies, or you won’t have any peace at all.
Every solo tripper should carry a ditch kit, as a capsize or getting turned around in the forest can leave you separated from your gear. In your ditch kit carry basic survival tools, including…
To read more about how to successfully trip solo, check out Canoeroots & Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2013. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.
Little Explorers: Seeing Stars
The dark skies of the wilderness are perfect for stargazing. Most campers stare up at the night sky in awe, but aren’t exactly sure what they are looking at. Don’t stay in the dark. Impress your friends and family with your knowledge of the night sky using this quick guide.
Milky Way
Our home galaxy, the Milky way, stretches across the sky and though some part of it is visible every night, summer provides spectacular viewing. Best seen from very dark areas, look up and find a cloud-like band across the sky. It’s made up of about 300 billion stars. It’ll take your eyes 15 to 20 minutes to see their best in the dark—even flashlights and campfires can make the Milky way less intense.
Planet Dance
From August to October, Venus can be seen in the western sky near sunset. Even though it’s not a star at all, Venus is often called the wishing star because it’s the first light to appear in the sky at dusk. No single object has been misinterpreted as a UFO more often than the planet Venus.
Big Dipper
After sunset, look for the Big Dipper in the northern sky. It looks like a big spoon, with four stars making up the bowl and three more making up the handle. The big dipper is part of a constellation called Ursa Major (the big bear), which doesn’t look like a bear at all, no matter how you squint.
North star
Once you find the Big Dipper, draw a straight line through the two stars at the end of the bowl. Follow that line until you hit a very bright star, which is the North Star, or Polaris. This star stays in the same place all night and all year, which is why navigators have used it to find their way north for thousands of years.
To read the other three reasons to stay up late, check out Canoeroots & Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2013. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.
Your Best Night Ever – Outside
You might love an evening spent under the stars, but a night spent tossing and turning, checking your Timex every 15 minutes, can put a damper on your camping adventure. Too many sleepless nights will leave you slow, grouchy and a liability to your paddling mates.
“A phenomenon called the first night effect compromises our quality of rest on the first night in a new environment,” says Minnesota sleep specialist Dr. Courtney Whitney of the Whitney Sleep Center. “The exact cause isn’t known, but it may be a defense mechanism, increasing our awareness.” It’s not just your tent that creates this effect; any night in a new place, like the first night at a hotel or in a new bed, is likely to bring on sleeplessness.
According to Whitney, unfamiliar environmental factors, such as differences in temperature, comfort of sleeping surface, bug bites and unfamiliar sounds put your brain on high alert. “Even during sleep we are continually surveying our environment so we can readily respond to things, like a baby crying or a bear in camp,” he adds.
So what can you do to ensure you have a restful night cosseted in the expensive sleep system you just purchased?
This article appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2013. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read the rest here.
Get Rolling At The 2013 Ontario Greenland Camp
If you are interested in learning to kayak Greenland style, or would like to add a few more Greenland rolls to your repertoire, look no further. The Ontario Greenland Camp (OGC) is now in its fourth year and will be taking place this September in the Muskokas.
The camp begins on Friday evening (Sept 6th) at Camp Tamarack in Bracebridge. Spend the weekend (September 7-8) learning to roll, throw harpoons, paddle with a stick and try Greenland rope Gymnastics. Some of the world’s best mentors attend this event, and this year is no different – confirmed Mentors include: Maligiaq Padilla, Turner Wilson, Cheri Perry, James Manke, Chris Gmeinder, Tim Gallaway, Kam Truhn, Gwen Kloosterman, Scott Rosborough, James Roberts, and Dympna Hayes
Spend your weekend hanging out with other paddlers, learning to roll or adding more rolls to your list. All meals and accommodation are included for $399 ($360 if you book before Aug 20) – with world class instruction it isn’t a bad price.
If you’re a real Greenland Keener, you can show up an extra day early to partake in one of the full day clinics on Friday for about $200 extra. For more information or to book your spot, check out www.ontariogreenlandcamp.com
Optimus Vega Stove Review
If it’s weight savings you’re after, look to Optimus’ new Vega, which barely tips the scales at just six ounces and fits in the palm of your hand. This stove offers two modes for optimum cooking, a four-season mode and an efficiency mode. The simple folding design allows for increased stability, even with large pots. Setup is remarkably quick and easy. The Vega can boil a liter of water in as little as three minutes and will burn for up to 160 minutes at maximum output on just one canister. Chefs will be happy with the precise flame control for simmering.
$90 | www.optimusstoves.com
This article originally appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2013. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.
Jetboil Sumo Stove Review
Looking to cook for a group but keep it light on the portage? Jetboil’s new Sumo pairs convenience and efficiency for group backcountry cooking. The setup instructions leave a bit to be desired, but once you’ve put it together the first time it won’t take more than 30 seconds to do it again. The complete system weighs 16 ounces and can boil a liter of water in just over four minutes. Firing it up is easy thanks to an ignition button, and the whole stove system packs up and stores within the 1.8-liter cook pot—very compact.
$129.95 | www.jetboil.com
This article originally appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2013. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.
BioLite CampStove Review
Forget bringing fuel on your next trip; twigs and wood chips power this pint-sized, two-pound stove. You’ll feel like you’re living in the future as it converts heat from fire into usable electricity, recharging gadgets via USB while you cook. The CampStove’s heat output may vary based on materials burnt, but expect to boil a liter of water in less than five minutes. You can also pat yourself on the back for making an eco-friendly choice, by using renewable resources for fuel, you’re reducing your carbon footprint as well as keeping fuel canisters out of the landfill.
$129.95 | www.biolitestove.com
This article originally appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2013. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.
