Want An Adventure?

There are those who claim an 'Adventure' occurs when the unexpected happens, and not the other way around. Others see the unexpected as an 'Accident'. Either way, it seems some people expect the unexpected. Some get lucky and walk away. Some don't.


I went paddling today. It was sunny, calm, warmish - about 16°C - the water definitely chilling down now that it's fall. I noticed a lady launch her rec-kayak... I didn't say anything other than 'hello'. About an hour later, the wind had picked up considerably, the clouds had begun obscuring the sun and there was a chill in the air. I was crossing the lake heading home when I noticed the lady in the rec-kayak (see the tiny dot mid-photo). It occurred to me she had no spray-skirt, no immersion gear and no pfd visible when I'd seen her launch. I hope she did now because conditions were changing quickly and she had a mile or more of upwind paddling to do before she got home.

I always worry when I see people out there setting themselves up for an 'Adventure'. Personally, I'd rather enjoy my outings and keep the unexpected events to a minimum.

Leg Work Today

The highest town in Québec is St Malo, less than an hour's drive from where I live. To look at the area, it's difficult to believe you are as high as you are. The land seems relatively flat and rolling. To really have a better idea, get on your bike...


Suddenly the reality of the place comes home. Those rolling hills seem to last forever. The open vistas are wind generators that somehow seem to always twist around to face you. Our roughly 40 kms peddle today turned out to be quite the leg workout.

Errr... Not Quite

Everywhere you look these days as you paddle along the shores of the lake, people are busy putting things away, cleaning up and preparing for the coming winter. It's part of the routine each year, but there are some people who just don't seem to be in the 'How It's Done' loop.


Take this item, a ride-on toy designed to be pulled behind a motor boat. Why is it being left under this tree? Surely that's not quite what you'd call 'winter storage'. I always wonder about these items: should I tow them home and have a boathouse sale in the spring?

They're Back...

Claire made the comment yesterday that the lake water looked cold. In fact, it's still rather warm. I heard that some people were actually in swimming - voluntarily! Not me. I'd rather paddle, thank you.


Today I decided to see what was floating in the water. Here are a couple of samples. The leaf is one of thousands having been shaken out of their summer homes in the trees.


The second photo hints of a transient. Canada Geese are beginning to show up again on their way - or not - south. As in recent years, these birds are staying on the lake until it freezes over completely in January. Unlike the olde days, they no longer follow predicable migration seasons, tending to linger wherever the food is. And they'll eat practically anything they can find. Another reason for No Trace camping. Pretty embarrassing to have a gaggle of geese following you from campsite to campsite!

Putting Some Colour In It

Coming around Black Point...
We've been having a streak of grey, rainy weather recently making it difficult to really appreciate the display nature has been putting on in the hills and valleys around here. Yesterday that changed. Here are a few examples of what I paddled in during my outing yesterday...

A home set ablaze with leafy colour.

The up-wind slog coming home.

Oops!

The temperature was down to an ungodly 7°C yesterday when I put the kayak in the water. Knowing it was chilly, I dressed in my Fall paddling gear for the first time since the summer. No more short-sleeves, no more partial spray-skirt. Now it was serious. I donned my Reed 'Stealth' jacket which has the spray skirt attached. I clambered into the boat, attached the shirt and then...


...I looked down. Can you see what I saw? I hope so. I was headed for a potential accident. Here's what I should have seen when I looked down...


... the pull tag on the spray-skirt showing and ready to grab if and when I should need it! One more little thing to check before pushing off, but, oh, so important. This particular skirt fits so snuggly that it's quite difficult to remove without access to the pull tag. With bare hands paddling in 7°C air, I would have been in serious difficulty trying to wet exit should I have had to - and you just never know. I fail rolls all the time, perhaps you do as well. Don't let a mistake like this happen to you!

The remainder of the paddle passed without incident!

The Things You See When Kayaking...

When I left home to drive over to the put-in the sun was peeking out through the clouds so I'd hope to have some photos of the Fall Foliage to put up on the blog today. Alas, the sun soon disappeared and stayed that way the remainder of the day. So no foliage pictures. Instead, I'll offer you these curiousities...


Yup, someone has been neglecting their canoe in this picture. Won't they be sorry to discover the stern section has totally disappeared? I hate to see neglect like this when it involves one of Canada's iconic symbols. Imagine if beavers let themselves go like this canoe. What then...?


The next picture is a great idea which never seemed to take off. Developed locally, the Surf-Bike was a brilliant attempt to get the hardcore cycling community out on the water. I've never tried one of these (note, the seat has been removed...), but I've seen the owners out on the water enjoying themselves, happily peddling along through the waves like it was a perfectly natural thing to be doing. I don't believe they are still being manufactured, but with the collapsing economy, who knows, those island dwellers out there may want to take up cycling to get to work...

One Way Or Another!

I'm not sure who owns this lovely craft. In fact, she remains at her mooring nearly all summer and never seems to be sailed, which is a pity. She's a beautiful craft and I'd love to see her under sail with a 'bone in her mouth' as the expression goes.


Not to worry however. There are those who use her on a regular basis! This kingfisher is often perched atop her mast gazing into the waters below for his dinner.

Inuit Myths For All

I recently came across a new site, a valuable resource for those interested in Inuit mythology and stories. Here's what the developers have to say about their mission...

"Storytelling traditions around the world are passed from generation to generation, linking people to their cultures and ancestors. Traditional stories are an important aspect of Inuit culture. Currently in the Arctic, however, many of these stories are not being passed on and are at risk of being lost.

"The Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) works hard to promote and protect Inuit culture. QIA has developed Inuitmyths.com, to provide a resource for Nunavummiut and people from around the world who want to learn more about the Inuit storytelling tradition.

There is actually a way to add your own myths for possible posting to the site making it able to grow and expand as time goes by. Check it out!

Knotty Bits

Most of us use our decklines to temporarily store our paddles and other gear while we're out paddling. The fact that the lines tend to lay flat on the deck can often make it a pain to quickly slip the blade under the line, especially out at the bow. Many people end up using plastic beads or - if you're really traditionally minded - carved bone or antler rings to keep the lines slightly off the deck. I've used another method: using the line itself by tying some inline knots along its length.


At the leading edge of the line, I tied in a knot just as the lines came off the forward anchor point.


About 30 cms along the line, I put another knot just ahead of the next anchor point running aft. Voila! The line is off the deck and ready for whatever I want to slip under it, including my mitted glove should I find myself in the water in my winter immersion gear. Things like that have happened!

The knot I use is simple to tie. Make a small loop in the line at the point you want the knot. A few centimeters from the curve of the loop, give the cord a few turns around the loop and then thread the bitter end through the loop. Pull tight and you've got yourself knotty bit! Repeat as needed.

Down Ta Maine.

Tropical storm 'Kyle' had its way with a little Greenland style event which a few folks down in Maine had planned for last weekend. Thanks to 'Kyle' the event got washed out and chilled out, and now has been re-scheduled for another weekend later in October. I was disappointed. I was looking forward to meeting some old friends and making some new ones. By Monday, I decided, why not go down to Maine anyway and at least paddle around a bit. So I did!


I put in off the dock in South Freeport and in no time came up against this imposing bow of a good size motor-cruiser. Lovely boat actually, but hardly my style. As I headed out towards Casco Bay, this lovely wooden schooner appeared. Not many of these ladies around anymore, so I was glad to come across her and take her picture for my scrapbook. I just love the lines of a schooner rig. I wish she's been underway!


I followed shorelines and watched the lobster boys do their thing for most of the day. It was fun to be on the coast again and just paddle here and there, enjoying the sights, smells and sounds. I didn't get to play with the Greenland crowd, but the trip was worthwhile. I'll have to go down there again this fall if the weather stays half decent!

What Next?

Looks like just another ball cap getting a little wet, doesn't it? Well, it is, but there's more. This cap has a solar panel on the brim - that's the clear looking bit - and it's got a series of LED lights along the brim. Now isn't that just what everyone's been looking for since we began living in caves way back when? Of course it is!

No more fumbling your way to the washroom in the dark, no more searching for the tent zipper to check on whether the bears have eaten your boat, no more feeling about for that lost flashlight or whether your bed partner's snuk off with someone else in the dark... They're all right there just a light beam away thanks to the cap you're wearing on your head!

This item will make its inventor a millionaire faster than you just read this. Why, or why, didn't I think of it first?

The Other Side of Alaska

PhD candidate Stacey Fritz (University of Alaska Fairbanks, Cultural Anthropology) and her traveling partner, Ryan Tinsley took a boat trip along the northern coast of Alaska last summer. Their web site tells a marvelous story as they encountered one adventure after another on their voyage, everything from bear encounters to the effects of rampant global warming. I recommend you follow their voyage via their pictures and text descriptions. It's well worth the visit!


What fascinated me most was the DEW line (Distant Early Warning) sites they visited as part of Stacey's PhD study. These sites were built during the Cold War days when Americans feared the sudden arrival of Soviet war planes coming over the pole to bomb their cities. When I lived in the Canadian arctic in the 1960's I sometimes dropped in on the local DEW line facility looking for a free meal. As I was with Inuit hunters, I would pretend to be one as well and like them, I 'couldn't' speak English. We'd point to the food items we wanted and generally joked and laughed our way through the meal and then left with fuller bellies than we'd had for days. Payment was usually in the form of walrus penis bones which the residents would send home to their buddies all decorated and prettied up.

Today the DEW line is closed and the contaminated sites are slowly being cleaned up whenever a big enough howl is raised. In Alaska, many of the sites are now lorded over by oil companies. Sadly, the fun loving days of the Cold War have been replaced by industrial security and big business rudeness, which is a pity. Visit the site!

PocketSurfer

There's an excellent review on the SeaKayak Photo site of a neat pocket-sized internet device called the 'PocketSurfer'. This item uses cell phone technology to surf the internet. Being battery powered it's useful for keeping in touch with friends and the local weather service while out paddling. Best of all, the cost in Europe is very reasonable, roughly $300 cdn to buy which includes 20 free browsing hours per month for the first year. After that, monthly 20 hour browsing costs are less than $100 cdn a year. Best of all, it works throughout Europe and Great Britain!

I'm looking for such a device and when I discovered it was made in Canada, I contacted the company, Datawind, Inc. Here's what they had to say...

"Unfortunately the Pocketsurfer is not yet available here. The primary impediment being the high cost of data calls due to lack of competition in the wireless industry. The device works just fine on the Rogers network but we have, as of yet, not been able to negotiate reasonable rates with them."

This is the same problem the iphone ran into here in Canada. High data costs. Canada is rapidly becoming a third world country for its lack of decently priced services. Gas companies in my area were recently cited for jointly rigging prices, yet the gouging continues unabated. Phone companies control all the communication media and obviously rig prices among themselves. No one has dared step outside the box and offer truly competitive services. We have a national election in full swing, but none of this is mentioned as an issue.

In the meantime, I plod along with beat-up roads, high gas prices, increasingly tightened international border controls when traveling, dial-up internet, fuzzy television, no cell phone and, now, no PocketSurfer. It seems that Europe, where one surfs and travels with fewer and fewer hindrances, people are moving rapidly ahead of us North Americans in so many ways.

Thankfully I paddle. It makes all the annoyances I suffer under disappear!

Slalom Course

Indian Summer, those warm fall days that suddenly appear just when you've resigned yourself to the end of summer and the slow descent into winter, have arrived! They make perfect paddling weather. Not too hot. Not too cold. Perfectly clear, crispy air and the water's still warm as well. I headed down the 'wild side' of my lake. It was covered with bubbles for some reason. A kingfisher led me on, around the point, into the next bay and then toward the farther point.

Crossing over to the eastern shore, I spotted a line of white buoys. A perfect slalom course. I normally paddle with the rudder down, but for greater nimbleness in the corners, I pulled it up and charged the line. There's lots of fun to be had here, edging corners, making quick adjustments with bow and stern ruddering with the paddle, whatever it takes to get the boat around the buoys without touching or missing one all the whole pushing for the greatest speed possible.

Great fun on a fall day!

Trapping Season Again!

Any good kayaker knows that no one lives from their efforts on the water. There just aren't enough resources for all of us out there and there are too many conflicting issues keeping us off the water. Thus we all look for alternative things to do.

In the fall, animals are looking for their winter homes after a long summer frolicking in the fields and forests. Where do they often find their winter abodes? They move in with us, naturally. We work hard to make ourselves comfortable, a fact not lost on our animal friends.

This leads me to my present acitivity. Setting out my fall trapline. It runs from the basement to the attic. Once it's laid out, I'll be making the trapline run most mornings to harvest the night's catch. Then it's sorting by species, size, pelt quality and so on before heading down to the local fur trader. That reminds me, I'm right out of stretching frames for field mouse pelts. If I want furlined neoprene paddling mitts this year, I'd better pick up a few frames right away!

Walrus Days of Summer

Nearly four weeks to the day that I left home for Georgia, I finally put my kayak back in the water and went for a paddle. It felt so good to be back in the saddle. There was enough wind that the waves rocked the hull and soon I was making all those unconscious checks and balances that an experienced paddler does so automatically to avoid a capsize. Leaving the beach and heading out, I had to think about what I was doing. Interesting. I didn't realize I'd lose the 'touch' so quickly, but it all came back fairly quickly.

I was aware as well that yesterday was the second to last day of summer, today being the end. There is definitely a nip in the air. The trees are losing their green chlorophyll, revealing the colours in the leaves which has been masked all summer. We'll be getting a hard frost any day now.

It reminds me of walrus hunting. For some reason, I have this image in my mind of being on an ice pan in Northern Foxe Basin years ago, cutting up two animals we'd caught for winter dog food. It was close to mid-night and the sun, for the first time that summer, had dipped for a moment below the horizon before rising again to continue on its circular journey through the sky. I reflected, at the time, that the brief arctic summer was quickly coming to an end. It was August 6th...

We get a bit more summer here at the 45th parallel, but once it begins to fade, it goes quickly. Before long I'll be skiing and thinking about where to go paddling this winter...

Don't Stop Paddling!

A year ago, I was out there paddling every day. I was attempting to paddle for at least an hour every day for 100 days without a break. I did have to skip a few days because of ice and things, but on Dec 27th, I went out on my 100th paddle. During that time I never felt better. No aches, no pains, nothing but good healthy fun.

This year I have not paddled since August, nearly a month on dry land. I have a runny nose, my right elbow aches and for a few days, my lower back gave me nothing but trouble. The answer is clear. Don't stop paddling!

I've been looking at this beautiful lake in northern Georgia during these past few weeks. It's a fun lake to paddle on, but I need more. I need to get home to my boats, my paddles and gear! I need to find some salty water, some big waves and I intend to find some. I'll be heading down to Maine at the end of September to do some Greenland style paddling with fellow 'skinny stick' fans. I can't wait and neither can my body!

New Arctic Books!

Here's a small part of what Donat Savoie has to say about Tivi's new book on his life in northern Quebec (Nunavik):

This book of Tivi Etok's interviews and stonecuts is a valuable source of wisdom and teachings, worth of close examination. NON-INUIT will find in these pages the story of a courageous and artistic life, and a model for us all. Various photographs that I had taken during my stay in the community are also included in the book (these photographs are now part of Avataq archives).

Sounds like an interesting addition to anyone's library if they have an interest in this part of the world. Years ago I had the chance to visit Tivi's home town and meet some of the great people there. I'm going to try and get a copy of his book and catch up on the area. Contact the Avataq Cultural Institute for information.

The second new book out is Among Inuit and Whalers on Baffin Land, 1883-1884, the collected diaries of Wilhelm Weike who was with the whalers in the late 1800's. He wrote his accounts at the suggestion of Frans Boas, the famous anthropologist who was also in the Baffin area at the same time. There is a large section following the actual diaries of explanations and additional descriptions including his relationship with Boas. Again, another interesting book for the arctic historian. The diary is available from Mindener Geschichtsverein (Minden Historical Society) in a translation by William Barr.

Widen Your News Sources

We like to think of ourselves as kayakers, but are we really keeping up? Here's your chance to read Sermitsiak, Greenland's daily newspaper. Find out what's really going on - if anything - in the qajaqing world! The hardcore among you can flip to the news in Greenlandic... I'm sticking with the English version for a while, until my Greenlandic skills improve. Enjoy!

Did I Mention?

I paddled this Boreal Design Narval kayak to Igloolik in the late 1990's. It was the first seakayak I'd ever bought and it turned out to be a perfect fit for a beginning paddler interested in pushing his limits into new and potentially adventurous regions. I flew the boat to Hall Beach and then followed the coastline for a week or so to Igloolik. My first foray into adventure paddling. When I hit the beach in Igloolik I couldn't have been a happier paddler.

I'd fulfilled a dream and discovered a whole new world of independence and adventure. When asked if I'd sell the kayak rather than return home with it, I declined. I was in love. How could I sell a kayak that had changed my life forever? Well, we all know that times change, things come and go and we move in unforseen directions. I'm ready to sell my Narval. In fact, it's been listed in a few places for the past several months and I've had a few 'bites', but no money has yet exchanged hands. That's okay. I'm a patient person. If someone really wants a good kayak to start their dream, then they'll find this boat. It has a proven record of success and has been well maintained. I'll even leave the polar bear decal on the boat. Proof it has been paddled in the arctic, tested in the ice, so to speak.

Wheels To Go

Having a tough time putting that new set of wheels together each time you head to the put-in? Or even worse, have you arrived back to find the tide has left you stranded a mile from shore and your wheels are back at the car? Did you even remember to bring your wheels?

Well there's an answer to all these troubles and it can be found in the picture above. I won't spoil the search, but check the photo carefully and you'll have the answer. Then it's only a question of heading into your home workshop and removing the wheel from your spouse's garden wheelbarrow and forging a suitable bracket to receive it on the stern of your kayak. You'll never be caught without your wheels again!

Paddling Baie Fine

Baie Fine, a name which probably goes back to fur trading days when large 30 foot birch bark freighter canoes passed by the entrance as they plied the waters of the Great Lakes. It's another of the many jewels of Killarney Provincial Park. It was also another destination I'd wanted to sail into during my sailing days, but it being narrow and a bit off the usual route, I could never convince my crew to enter its narrow mouth. So much for being captain...

This short video was taken last June when I finally got to see the bay in its entirety. Somewhat fjord-like and sparcely inhabited, it's a great place to paddle both for the clarity of its waters and the quiet natural surroundings. Right at the head of the bay is a narrow dog-leg channel, almost hidden from view. This deep water arm leads to an opening called 'The Pool' which is a favourite anchorage for yachts during the summer sailing season. In early June, I had the place all to myself although some cottages were open and a few folks were enjoying the same peace and quiet I discovered.

Moraito and Cameron, Guitarists

Youtube can be an ever flowing source of interesting videos, especially for those with hi-speed internet. something I lack at home where each byte of data is brought in by dog sled. Now that I am traveling in the land of easy access to hi-speed, I've been editing and uploading some of my paddling videos to YouTube.

While at the YouTube site, I've been watching new flamenco videos posted in recent months. Today I came across a really interesting one posted by 'titosiroco' in which Cameron, the famous singer, plays guitar with a very young looking Moraito Chico and another person who I don't recognize. I've embeded the video above so those interested in things flamenco can have a look. To me, this is a really fun video. To see these two heros of mine together in a very 'flamenco setting and especially to see Cameron both singing and playing guitar at the same time is amazing. I knew he could play guitar and that he knew Moraito, but to see it all together is special.

Philip Edward Island Video Tour

I've finally had some time to edit the video clips I took while paddling around Philip Edward Island last June. This is a large virtually deserted island in the northwest corner of Georgian Bay just on the edge of Killarney Provincial Park.

Unfortunately there are some gaps in the sequences. For example, I neglected to film any of the eastern end of the island, which is one of the nicer spots. Such is the plight of the solo paddler, I suppose, where there is no one to remind you to film and stop simply enjoying yourself! Nonetheless, the clips do give a sense of what the area is like and hopefully will encourage you to visit if you are wavering at all about going.

Before Tomorrow

Do you like watching films made by Inuit about their lives past and present? If you are a fan, I've some good news. Isuma Productions of Igloolik have announced that a northern Québec film company based in Puvirnitug named the Arnait Video Collective has released a new feature length film for us called Before Tomorrow.

Here is a short quote from their press release...

Before Tomorrow is the story of a woman who demonstrates
that human dignity is at the core of life from beginning to end, as
she and her grandson face the ultimate challenge of survival. The
film is an adaptation of the novel, 'For morgendagen', by the
acclaimed Danish writer, Jørn Riel.

The film, by Marie-Helene Cousineau and Madeline Ivalu will be celebrated at the Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 4-13). The film will be screened on Sunday, September 7 at 2:30 pm at the Scotia Bank Theatre 4.

Chignecto's Three Sisters

Around the corner from the 'Dory Rips' is a wall of cliffs which spread out to Cape Chignecto before heading northward into Chignecto Bay, one of the smaller bays which form the upper reaches of the Bay of Fundy. The bay has some great paddling which mixes spectacular scenary with the incredible tidal range for which the Fundy area is world famous.

I paddled from Apple River Bay about an hour before the tide rose to its highest point. Heading southward I passed through a small doable tide rip at the mouth of the bay and then worked my way along the coast toward the rock spires seen in the video above. I arrived just as the tide was beginning to turn and paddled in and around the amazing red and black formations all the while realizing it would be an 'up hill' paddle back to the put-in once the tide turned. The longer I spent at the Sisters, the stronger the opposing current would get.

I filmed as much as I could and headed back to Apple River. Fog began drifting in from further out on the Bay and I kept taking new compass readings hoping I didn't lose sight of the several headlands I needed to pass. Fortunately all went well and I got back to my put-in with little drama.

I considered returning from a closer put-in down the road to visit the Sisters at low tide when the area I just paddled could be walked. I decided in the end to save the area for another visit. It just wants to be savoured, not rushed through!

Dory Rips

As I'm en route to my sister's home in Georgia this evening, I thought I'd take advantage of the motel's hi-speed internet connection to finally upload some video footage I took while in Nova Scotia last July. This first offering - uploaded as a DVX file and looking dreadful on YouTube for some reason, is of the tide rip off Cape D'Or. This rip is caused when the incoming Fundy tide splits in two east and west of the Cape and then is turned back on itself and pushed back out into the Bay. The noise you hear on the video is partly wind sounds, but also the roaring of the waters as they rush past the Cape and out into the Bay of Fundy. The opposing waters, coming from three directions at once can create lots of fun for people with the skill and the nerve to play in such stuff. I filmed from the beach. Enough said.

Going Slowly

Have you been watching the Olympics instead of reading my blog? Naughty you! On the other hand, maybe you're better off. You could be out paddling and risking a 'quick death'!

If you've been watching the scene in Beijing, then the air quality will give you pause. It isn't the only Chinese city to have air quality 'issues', but it is one of the worst. I understand they are doing everything they can to improve the situation, but you can't help but think a lot of people are presently participating in their own slow death just by being there.

Still, it is clear that dying slowly by participating in an Olympic sport - or smoking like our little friend above - is more socially acceptible than dying relatively quickly by drowning while out paddling. It seems regulators don't like sudden unexpected deaths. Everything is done to ban people from indulging in those 'dangerous' activities. Far better to slowly die from poor air quality or from smoking, an activity which is still tolerated, if not actually advertised. But then, when did you see kayaking advertised in the mass media?

Photo from 'www.dellanave.com'

Sometimes It's...

WOW coastal scenary!


Sometimes it's a White Admiral come to land... aaahhh...


And sometimes it's just a couple of damselflies... having sex on the foredeck!

Whatever it is, wherever you are, paddling has to be time well spent!

So Summer

Paddling my local lake in the summer may not have spouting whales, imposing cliffs or dumping surf, but it does have band concerts. Basically the technique is to paddle over to the park, avoid the ducks, powerboats and swimming kids, pop the sprayskirt, lay back and relax to some seriously good band music.

The more advanced paddler can sneak up to the park retaining wall and get some kid to go over to the pop-corn machine for a bag or two of the buttery stuff. Oh, and demonstrating a few Greenland style rolls is considered bad form at these events. Too many older folks don't see your antics as skills, but cause for worry. So stay in your boat and enjoy the music and popcorn, okay? See ya in the summer!

Paddling Delights

Not all the thrill of kayaking comes from the paddling. Some comes from the shore features slowly passing by, some from the sea life which rises from the depths and some comes when from stopping on a beach to eat a lunch or setup camp for the night. I'm a beach-comber at heart and can bearly hold myself back from strolling along a beach to see what's washed ashore.

The crab shell in the picture came ashore - or got itself dropped onshore - on a small island near Taylor's Head, Nova Scotia. Not the most amazing find I've ever made on a beach, but one that proves every find can be a delight however tiny, even a crabby one!

International Polar Yahoos

In the first three months since it start-up last December, IsumaTV, the Canadian arctic based web site showcasing hundreds of "user-generated videos" by Inuit and Aboriginal film-makers from around the world, has been visited by nearly three million people. That's got to be success by anyone's count, but who's paying the bills?

Well, not some people. Canada's 'International Polar Year' committee doesn't see IsumaTV as worthy of their attention. They recently refused to give any of their $5.2 million grant funds to young Inuit to enable them to make videos about Global Warming right where it's happening on the front lines. No Inuit will be funded to record what's happening. Instead, the Sudbury Science center will get to make an IMAX film, a documentary will be made by non-Inuit on seabirds and another southerner will tell the story of an early 19th century 'explorer' and so on - the usual suspects from southern universities. Global warming? Relevant polar topics? I don't think so.

The Canadian arctic in recent years has become one of the world's most isolated places thanks to government neglect and disinterest. People living in northern regions are completely dependent on air travel as no roads lead to their homes. It now costs less to fly around the world than it does for a northerner to fly to southern Canada to visit relatives or have medical attention. Canada is about to build military seaports to maintain our sovereignty as though the tens of thousands of tax-paying Inuit and other northerners were only part-time visitors in their homeland. Does living north of the 60th parallel negate one's Canadian citizenship?

So I say, shame on Canada's International Polar Year committee. You're a sham. You have no serious interest in the polar regions of Canada. You are handing out money to southern Canadians so they can offset the high cost of playing tourist while northerners pay the price of the global warming you have inflicted on them. It's time to fund northerners so they too can properly tell their story!

Go-Camping

Perhaps more than any other recent posting I've done, I receive more hits from people looking for information on 'teardrop trailers' than any other item. Now that I have a two week 'camping' trip under my belt, I thought I would let people know how my 'teardrop trailer', my Go-Camp, worked out. To begin with, weighing in at about 450 lbs, it was easy to tow with my relatively small car. On smooth roads, it was easy to foget it was even there at times. There was a slight reduction in the gas mileage I achieved, but generally it was not much different from carrying the kayak on the roof rack. I really believe the kayak makes a bigger difference than the trailer.

The ability to drive into a camping area and not have to set up a tent or look for a well drained, flat piece of ground was also a blessing. Basically I could park and sleep in dry, comfortable conditions. I was concerned at first that not having standing headroom in the little trailer would be confining and awkward, but at no time during the two weeks did it bother me. It's roomier than my 2 man tent by far! I was also able to have some music at the turn of a switch and electric lighting which was convenient.


The little 'kitchen' unit I made to fit into the rear hatch of my car also worked out well. My 'teardrop' doesn't have a pop-up kitchen like many of them do, so this pull-out countertop and lower 'cupboards did the job instead. It made meal preparation easy and convenient. I think I made quicker and healthier meals as a result of having all the materials and ingredients readily at hand and simple to use in almost any kind of weather, including the rain we had at Murphy's Cove on the last couple of days.

I'm looking forward to other kayak trips with this handy rig!

The Road Not Taken

We came from far and wide, down this road and that. We came to paddle from Murphy's Cove to Wolfe's Island and beyond. A weekend of fun on the sea had been planned right to the last beer, but alas, the weather had other plans for us.


Heavy rain and stiff breezes saw to it that the road to the beach would not be taken. At least not by our boats. Coffee freaks and cribbage players were back and forth in great numbers visiting the little building - Murphy's court, you might call it - just out of sight on the right down this road. Sadly, the Pictou Paddlers and myself, well we folded our tents... err, well... and my trailer, and headed back up the roads the Some days just aren't made for paddling!

Taylor's Lower Lip

For those people who enjoyed paddling entire coastlines, Taylor's Head is one of the challenges to get safely around on Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore. As you can see in the above photo, the 'head' is more of a protruding 'lower lip' in the sense that seen here at about mid-tide, there are considerable shoals stretching out to sea, well beyond the headland itself. When I paddled out to have a look, there was only a slight breeze coming in from offshore together with a mixed swell pattern coming from two directions, but both were less than a meter or so in height. Even so, long lines of breaking waves broke well out from the head and often in unexpected places. To get around the shallow 'lower lip' even on this relatively quiet day, it required one to watch for a while to see what was going on before committing to a course through the obstacles. Even then, it seemed to be a gamble and I kept asking myself if I was really where I wanted to be to avoid getting suddenly heaved about by a wave which could suddenly decide it wanted to break over me.


To the north and east of Taylor head, there are a number of islands and shoals again to provide interest to any paddler wishing to explore and play in the relatively sheltered waters. One of the delights is to come around a point of land and suddenly and expectedly come across a beach which abruptly changes from cobbles to sand in the blink of an eye. I landed on one such beach for lunch before continuing my explorations.

Here a Sherbrooke, There a Sherbrooke...

I was born in Sherbrooke, Québec, so when the road along Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore led to the village of Sherbrooke, naturally I had to stop and have a look. The town is smaller than my birth place, but it has a history which goes back to just about the same period. Today many of the original buildings have been preserved as a living museum open to the public. Children can spend a few days at the village, dressed in period costumes and, together with similarly dressed adults, go about 'living' as their ancestors did years ago. A great learning experience!


One thing that caught my eye was a 'penny-farthing' bicycle being ridden through the village. I discovered that these bikes, with one very large front wheel and a tiny rear wheel are making a comeback of sorts. The ones being ridden in the village come from California. I didn't try one out, but they seemed to be very easy to ride and certainly given a commanding view of the road.

Ok, back to paddling!