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Across the Labrador Plateau

Photo: Frank Wolf
Frank Wolf's journey

‘Kitturiaq’ film trailer from Frank Wolf on Vimeo.

 
In Kitturiaq, adventurer and award-winning filmmaker, Frank Wolf, documents his three-week journey across the Labrador Plateau through rarely travelled land. Wolf shared the experience of juggling the duties of director, videographer, editor, producer, expedition leader, camp cook and sherpa with Canoeroots’ readers in the Spring 2013 issue and has just released a trailer for the feature length film. 
 
Wolf had never ventured to the most eastern part of Canada’s mainland before arriving for his expedition. “Nunatsiavut and Nunavik are places I’d never been so like any traveler I was drawn to experience a place completely new to me, and then share what I learned on film,” says Wolf. 
 
The gruelling 21-day expedition across the lonely tundra challenged him as he battled endless bugs and long portages. 
 
“Like any good trip, it was full of surprise and adventure that can’t necessarily be anticipated. Unexpected was the high quality of whitewater on the unknown Natikamaukau River that feeds into the George River in Nunavik, and spending time with the Innu at Mushau Nipi learning about their lives and culture,” says Wolf.  “The knowledge shared by the Inuit and Innu is a big part of the film.”
 
“Not so enjoyable, perhaps, but still rewarding, were the days of dragging the canoe over the Labrador Plateau as we found many of the lakes and rivers marked on the maps too shallow and rock-choked to paddle…and then of course there were the clouds of mosquitoes and their cousins the black flies- the ‘kitturiaq’ which the film is named after.” Wolf notes that difficult times also made for good filming, as did his daily encounters with caribou, bears and other wildlife in the vast Labrador landscape. 
 
Read more about Wolf’s expedition in Canoeroots’ Spring 2013 issue—download it via your Apple or Android device or view free online.
 
Wolf is expecting to release Kitturiaq this October. Never one to sit on his laurels, Wolf has another adventure planned for the summer, this time an attempted row through the Northwest Passage (www.thelastfirst.com).

Weekly Whitewater News, April 11, 2013

Photo courtesy of Ledger-Enquirer.com
Chattahoochee River course

This week in whitewater news: a California kayaker helps rescue family from a floating SUV, World Kayak announces Nashville kayak event and a new whitewater course is scheduled to open on the Chattahoochee River. 

Kayak rescue SUV copy

 

Kayaker Rescues Family from Floating SUV

 The Contra Costa Times reported that kayaker Mark Divittorio helped save a California family from their SUV after it veered off the highway and plunged into the American River on Thursday. Divittorio helped bring the family’s three daughters to shore and activated emergency services who rescued Christian and Tricia Lemler from the SUV’s front seats within minutes. Divittorio credits his part of the rescue to his kayaker’s instinct after years of risk assessment and planning for the worst on the river.

Read the full story here.

 

(Photo courtesy of Contra Costa Times)  

 

WK rock island open

World Kayak Announces Nashville Kayak Event

The first ever TSRA Presents: The World Kayak Rock Island Open will take place on April 27th and May 11th. The event includes freestyle, downriver freestyle, timed race and boater cross competitions. With guaranteed water levels from the Tennessee Valley Authority the folks at World Kayak are excited for days of paddling and free prizes.

 Register here for races or here for the Freestyle Cup.

 

 

(Photo courtesy of World Kayak)

 

Chattahoochee River course

Whitewater Course Opening on Chattahoochee River

A new whitewater course that’s been in the planning and research stage for more than a decade will open this May on the Chattahoochee River. The course is part of a river restoration project that’s attracted millions in funding and is expected to draw 188,000 people down to the river for kayaking or rafting.

Read the full story here

 

(Photo courtesy of Ledger-Enquirer)

 

Have a whitewater news story you’d like to share? Email it to [email protected].

 

 

Weekly Kayak News, April 4, 2013

Photo:Virginia Marshall
Weekly Kayak News, April 4, 2013

World Record Skinny Dip

Nudist Organizations invite you to celebrate the tradition of skinny dipping in support of July’s Nude Recreation Week and National Take A Nakation Month. Participants have a worthy cause: a World Record Skinny-Dip across North America to beat the 2010 record set at The Guinness World Records Skinny-Dip for the largest number of people simultaneously in the water without swimsuits. The American Association for Nude Recreation (www.AANR.com) and The Naturist Society (TNS) (www.naturistsociety.com) are co-Sponsoring the record-setting event. TNS and AANR plan to coordinate skinny-dipping events at clubs, beaches, rivers, lakes, rented pools and back yards throughout North America on Saturday 13 July 2013 at 1:00 pm Local Nudist Time, as a dramatic finale to Nude Recreation Week (July 7-14, 2013).

SkinnyDip

First-time skinny-dippers are encouraged to attend and “shyness can be accommodated” according to spokespersons at TNS and AANR. In case you’re curious about just how popular skinny dipping is in North America—or how two independant orgainzations could possibly exist for this cause—the AANR estimates some 52 million individuals enjoy clothing-optional recreation throughout North America. Says an AANR press release: “For over 80 years AANR has advocated to protect the freedoms, the rights and choices of all people to participate in nude recreation.” Amen.

To locate appropriate event sites and learn how to participate at the location nearest you, visit: http://www.naturistsociety.com and/or http://www.aanr.com/world-record-skinny-dip.

 

 

KayaXpedition Returns to Chesapeake

Chesapeake, Virginia, will hold the second annual KayaXpedition festival June 8-9, 2013, at waterways throughout the city. Featuring opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels to participate in paddling events. The festival will include guided kayak tours, instructional courses and demonstrations, kayak fishing and a competitive 6-mile race that will benefit Team River Runner, an organization that supports paddling activities for wounded warriors. Registration for the festival is now available online

 

 

Big Year for Lake Michigan Water Trail

The Lake Michigan Water Trail project began in 2011 with collaboration between paddling groups in Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois, along with community, business and government organizations. Since then, the groups have been working to identify launch sites, camping spots and other attractions, and 75 miles of the trail is complete and open on the southern shore of the lake.

This year, coordinators are calling upon kayakers to get out and blaze new segments on the Water Trail, which will eventually circle 1,600 miles around Lake Michigan. “We’re encouraging people to pick a leg over the summer and paddle (it),” said Dave Lemberg, an associate professor with Western Michigan University and the coordinator for the 1,200-mile Michigan segment. As part of this new Trail Blazer initiative, “We want people to record and photograph the put-ins and take-out points and get shots of the in-between,” Lemberg says. “We’re looking for GPS coordinates, too. Paddlers would submit all that to a website. The first would be listed as the segment trailblazer.”

When finished, the 1,600-mile trail will become a National Water Trail. “The Lake Michigan Water Trail will be (to paddling) what the Appalachian Trail is to hiking. It will be the longest continuous-loop water trail in the world,” says Dan Plath, president of the Northwest Indiana Paddling Association, one of the founding groups in the Lake Michigan Water Trail Association. Via Michigan Live.

Photo coutesy Ken Braband.

How to Paddle ‘Til You’re 50

Photo: Jakob Kaefer
Kayak technique

I want to be like John Pilson. Recently, I watched Pilson compete in the fifth annual Jerry’s Baddle kayak race on the Green River Narrows. The incredible thing about Pilson’s very respectable performance is that this was his first-ever race…and he is 50 years old. Pilson is among a growing number of paddlers who are pushing class V limits and paddling stronger than many kids half their age. Those of us who want to paddle at a similar calibre for our entire lives can learn several important lessons from these veterans.

 

Know when to walk

 

Many paddlers decide that once they’ve run a rapid once, they have to run it every time. This is a dangerous mentality, especially when it’s an ego-driven decision fuelled by the presence of other paddlers. According to a NOLS study referred to me some years ago by whitewater risk specialist Fergus Coffey, the top two human factors leading to accidents in the outdoors are: 1) the desire to please others, and 2) attempting to adhere to a predetermined schedule. Your decision to run a rapid should be based on many different variables, including: river level, group size, group mentality, daylight window, personal abilities, personal feeling that day, weather and more. Expedition kayaker and extreme race champion Tommy Hilleke once told me that he has a mental conversation with his three children before he runs anything scary. If he can’t justify the danger to them (and himself), he walks around it.

 

Wait for safety

 

The social trends of kayaking are interesting—and sometimes frightening—to watch. Recently, it’s become cool to be the first to do something, often at the expense of safety and common sense. Running huge waterfalls blind with newbies following. Running big drops before other paddlers have ropes ready, are back in their boats after portaging or, in extreme cases, before they even get out of their boats above the drop. This is a trend that has nearly resulted in several fatalities over the past year, and will most certainly have dire results if things don’t change.

 

Quality, not quantity

 

Paddling every day of the year will not make you a better boater than paddling one-sixth that amount smart. When I have ignored warnings from my body telling me not to go paddling, I have regretted it every time. A painfully perfect example of this occurred during training for the 2007 extreme racing season. I paddled so much in preparation for the fall races that I developed debilitating tendonitis in my control forearm. The injury took me out of contention for the season, and could have easily been avoided by not overtraining.

Paddle when it feels right, and paddle smart. Run quality whitewater in your comfort zone on a regular basis, and step things up to the very top of your ability level only once in a while.

 

Account for mental fatigue

 

The day after I ran the intimidating, class V+ Toxaway River in North Carolina for the first time, I went out for a what was supposed to be a mellow run on the familiar, class IV Chattooga. I got worked! Running fringe rivers takes it out of you, and you need to allow time for your mental abilities to bounce back. One of my favorite ways to recover from a long, stressful day of creeking is to soul surf on a big, glassy wave the next day. The more you practice, the better you become at keeping yourself in the right mental state for longer, multi-day trips.

Aging yet adept boaters like Pilson are inspirations, proving that whitewater is a lifestyle that does not have a retirement age. Remember, paddle smart and paddle forever.

 

Chris Gragtmans is a Canadian freestyle and extreme paddler who lives in Asheville, NC. He has contributed to the sport through his creek racing, membership on the Canadian Freestyle team, first descents and videography.

This article originally appeared in Rapid, Summer/Fall 2010. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.

Professional Kayakers On What Makes The Perfect PFD Kit

Man paddling yellow kayak
What do these experienced paddlers always keep close at-hand?

Finding a balance between preparedness and bulk isn’t easy. Lucky for you, we talked to seven experienced paddlers about what their time spent in the kayak has taught them they should have in their PFD kit—and what’s better stowed in a hatch or left behind altogether.

So, what are the essentials?

Justine Curgenven

ADVENTURE FILMMAKER

PFD SHE WEARS: KOKATAT MsFIT

PHILOSOPHY: “I don’t like a lot of weight in my PFD. I consider the environment and go with as little as possible accordingly.”

WHAT SHE CARRIES: Hydration pack, camera, compass, energy bars, basic first aid kit, duct tape, camera lens cloth. If conditions warrant, a VHF radio, light and knife.

WHY? “I prefer to be comfortable and perform well rather than to be so encumbered by all my equipment that something is more likely to go wrong.”

Christopher Lockyer

OWNER OF COMMITTED 2 THE CORE

PFD HE WEARS: KOKATAT RONIN PRO

PHILOSOPHY: “Keep it simple. Be aware of what you need—you can’t have everything immediately accessible.”

WHAT HE CARRIES: Hydration pack, locator light, energy bar, folding knife, grease pencil, Denso tape, river gloves, mask for CPR, whistle, compass, sunscreen, lip balm.

WHY? “For 10 years I carried a lot more stuff—small repair kit, immersion bag, VHF radio, flares—where the hell do you put it? It’s a 50-pound PFD. And if you’re in the water all the time, all of it gets soaked and ruined. So now I prefer to tuck that stuff away.”

Woman (left) and man (right) both wearing PFDs

Shawna Franklin and Leson Sommé

OWNERS OF BODY BOAT BLADE

PFDs THEY WEAR: KOKATAT MsFIT TOUR

PHILOSOPHY: “My PFD is completely clean on the outside. I believe in having a clean body, clean boat.”—Leon. “It depends where I’m paddling.”—Shawna.

WHAT THEY CARRY: Hood, sunscreen, candy bar, grease stick, small repair
kit, aspirin, whistle, knife. If conditions warrant, a VHF radio. Shawna also carries a strobe light and hydration pack.

WHY? “I started with no PFD, and then a friend gave me one and I went whole hog with five pockets. But as I paddled and coached, I realized how little I used on a regular basis.”—Leon.

Ryan Rushton

OWNER OF GENEVA KAYAK CENTER

PFD HE WEARS: PEAK UK ADVENTURE ZIP

PHILOSOPHY: “Two words: simplicity and access, so the more multi-functional items, the better.”

WHAT HE CARRIES: Waist tow—rope stored in PFD pocket, laser flare, compass, knife, lip balm, sunscreen, small first aid kit, flares, VHF radio, gutter tape, light at night.

WHY? “From a group leadership standpoint, you need to be on your game. Most often I need the tow rope, compass, first aid kit and roll of tape.”

Marsha Henson

CO-OWNER SEA KAYAK GEORGIA

PFDs SHE WEARS: ASTRAL HYBRID, KOKATAT MsFIT

PHILOSOPHY: “I think of the most important things for the day and the paddle, and everything else goes in the day hatch where I can reach it.”

WHAT SHE CARRIES: Lip balm, sunscreen, whistle, small first aid kit, orienteering compass, nose clips, light, small knife, snack. If conditions warrant, a VHF radio.

WHY? “I really dislike crammed pockets. Because of the salt, sun and heat, everything has to be checked frequently.”

Two men wearing PFDs

Jeff Allen

CO-OWNER SEA KAYAKING CORNWALL

PFD HE WEARS: KOKATAT SEAO2

PHILOSOPHY: “Ease of movement is a big factor. I don’t want to be encumbered by my PFD.”

WHAT HE CARRIES: Flares, VHF radio, knife, roll of insulating tape, CPR face mask, neoprene gloves, compass, chocolate bar, whistle, headlamp, military waterproof pencil. On an expedition, an EPIRB. He also added a crotch strap to prevent PFD ride-up in sea survival situations.

WHY? “I spent a couple of hours in
 a survival tank with two-meter wave action. It was a lesson learned on the inadequacies of a swim aid [versus] a survival vest.”

Daily Photo: Different Strokes

Photo:Virginia Marshall
Daily Photo: Different Strokes

A chilly April weekend brings an unusual sort of paddle strokes workshop to the Ontario woods. That’s James Roberts of Ontario Sea Kayak Centre up on the ladder, capturing footage for video analysis. On a widescreen. Indoors. With a mug of hot cocoa.

 

Daily Photo: I’m Ready!

Photo: Judy Burgschmidt
Saskatchewan

“Love Canoeroots magazine…not just for the tips, blogs, articles, pics, but for the sharing of the passion for paddling!!!” writes Judy Burgschmidt. “We are sitting with 3 feet of snow in our yards, and the rivers are frozen with a foot or tow of ice….BUT we know we will be paddling soon! This pic is from the Sturgeon Weir River in Saskatchewan, one of the many historic canoe routes just a five hour drive away to put it. We were all loaded up after an awesome night and loving the black rock of the shield.”

This photo was taken by Judy Burgschmidt. Want to see your photo here? Send to [email protected] with subject line Daily Photo

 

Lodge Camp Dutch Oven Review

Photo: Lodge
Lodge Camp Dutch Oven

This gear review was originally appeared in Canoeroots and Family Camping magazine.

There’s bad heavy metal and there’s good heavy metal. Bad heavy metal is Def Leppard. Good heavy metal includes AC/DC and Lodge Camp Dutch Ovens. Lodge has been doing their thing for 115 years (longer even than AC/DC). Prepare breakfasts, breads, dinners and cakes all with one pot. With a flanged lid for resting coals on top and legs to keep the oven from smothering coals underneath, these ovens are designed to spend long evenings nestled in hardwood coals. Available in 2- to 12-litre sizes, from 8 to 16 inches in diameter.

From $50 to $160 | www.lodgemfg.com

This article appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Spring 2009.

 

Paddling in Papineau-Labelle

Photo: Kevin Callan
Travelling weather.

This article originally appeared in Canoeroots and Family Camping magazine.

Papineau-Labelle is known to some as Quebec’s Adirondacks. Though it’s not as mountainous as the ‘Dacks, the area boasts turquoise-colored lakes surrounded by prime hilltop hiking terrain. Better still, the park is less then a few hours’ drive from Montreal or Ottawa. Created in 1971 as a wildlife reserve, it protects a total of 770 lakes just begging to be looped together.

Papineau-Labelle has more than a dozen entry points. Access point Pie IX is where you get your permit and access to Lac des Sept Fréres, the main starting point for loops of two to four days with portages from 300 to 1,000 metres. Try plying Lacs Montjoie, Marceau, Primeau, Clement, Ogilvy, Mercier, Lartigue and Diamond back to Lac des Sept Fréres.

Bring your fly rod. All the park’s lakes are stocked with lake and speckled trout, and the Rivère de Sourd (one of the best spring weekend river trips in Quebec) is an angler’s paradise for spring brookies.

 

Need-to-know info:

 

Canoe Rental

Tuckamor Outfitters, www.tuckamor.ca

Topographic Maps

31 J/03 Duhamel, 31 J/04 Bouchette, 31 G/13 Low

Papineau-Labelle Information

1-800-665-6527

www.sepaq.com/rf/pal/en

This article appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Early Summer 2009. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.

Alberta’s Best Backcountry Canoeing

Photo: Megan Kopp
Fish beware.

This article originally appeared in Canoeroots and Family Camping magazine.

Lakeland is a wildland getaway on the edge of the boreal forest that’s home to Alberta’s best backcountry canoe circuit (rebuttals welcome). The route may come with a few quirks (such as motorized aluminum fishing boats towed by ATVs into all but McGuffin Lake), but the park’s draws include easy access, uncrowded backcountry campsites, outstanding angling and frequent flyovers by white pelicans, red-necked grebes and raptors.

Access is 55 kilometres east of Lac La Biche at the Jackson Staging Area (Mile 12 on Touchwood Lake Road). Load a nearby canoe cart and follow the portage trail for 3.2 kilometres to the dock on the north arm of Jackson Lake. From there it’s less than a one hour paddle to a large, grassy campsite on the eastern shore (if you arrive late you can stay at Touchwood Lake Campsite). In the morning, duck under the Isthmus Bridge separating Jackson and Kinnaird lakes and follow the western shore to Kinnaird Island’s campsite. Solitude-seekers can strive for McGuffin Lake by following the southeastern shore of Jackson Lake through several scenic ponds to a 600-metre portage.

No need to adopt a minimalist approach. Canoe carts are available free of charge where needed. 

Need-to-know info:

 

Canoe Rental

Totem Outfitters in Edmonton. www.totemoutfitters.ca

Map

Online at www.gateway.cd.gov.ab.ca/pubsandmedia/lake_land_pp_map.pdf

Park Information

www.gateway.cd.gov.ab.ca/siteinformation.aspx?id=280

This article appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Early Summer 2009. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.