Skating Party Sat Jan 25 6pm
Members and friends are invited to skate on the canal at their convenience. Post skate social at Catherine’s house anytime after 6:00pm with potluck dinner about 7:00pm.
Hot apple cider will be provided.
Bring food item to share, with list of ingredients for those with food sensitivities.
Party will take place freeze or thaw.
Click here for more information.
Arctic Fauna & Flora Seminar Wed Jan 29 7pm
Courtside B Room, RA Centre
The Firth River from Margaret Lake to the ocean one of the world's wonders. National Geographic naturalist, Serguei Ponomarenko, will give a presentation on the amazing scenery, flora and fauna of this little-known part of Canada.
This is part of the winter seminar series. Free admission for members and non-members. Doors open 30 minutes early for socializing.
Click on attachment below for full winter seminar series schedule.
 RACCC_Seminar_Series_2020.pdf | [ ] | 991 kB |
Past President Judy Patterson Passes Away
Some long time members with the YCCC from years gone by will remember Judy Patterson. Judy lost her battle with Cancer on Friday December 6th 2019. Judy was in her mid 60s.
Ted Blake Award Winner
The winner of this year’s Ted Blake award is someone who has worked in the background of the club for many years.
The club is lucky enough to have a website that has an amazing number of different features that allow for the sharing of information, communicating with club members and even signing up for trips and events. It is hard to imagine our club functioning as well as it does without our website.
Minutes from RACCC AGM October 23, 2019
Executive Meeting Minutes 2019-10-03
The minutes from the executive meeting of 2019-10-03 are attached. Login to see the attachment.
FW Introduction Solo Canoe Certification Weekend- Aug 23-25 2019
A report by Nathalie M
During this weekend course, participants of all ages and backgrounds from aspiring summer camp counsellors to RACCC instructors-in-training gathered at Gracefield Camp in Quebec to obtain ORCKA or Paddle Canada flatwater intro solo canoe certifications. Seventeen participants, instructors and assistants were divided into three groups with excellent instructor to student ratios. The camping weekend allowed us to paddle in calmer waters each morning and evening. In between paddling sessions, we learned course theory and joined in extracurricular activities like archery, napping in hammocks, hiking, kayaking, swimming, stargazing and singing by the campfire. Everyone participated in a synchronized solo canoe dance and some even discovered how to roll swamped canoes in the warm, shallow waters of Lac Castor.
Thank you to the ever flexible and resourceful instructors Karen H., Jennifer H., Mark S., Suze C. and Dot B. who volunteer their time and go above and beyond to ensure all participants are well fed, sheltered and have the resources and support required to get the most out of every course.
Click on Read more for a 2nd report on the weekend plus some photos and a video.
Algonquin NW Tim and Nipissing Rivers Loop Trip Report 2019
Main Objectives: Trout fishing, experience Algonquin, and travel a new route. SEE ATTACHMENT.
| Trip report | [Trip report] | 3145 kB |
Chiniguchi 2019
The Chiniguchi route is on crown land northeast of Sudbury. Going after the middle of August allowed us to avoid the kids' camps that use this route earlier in the summer. The weather was remarkably good with just a bit of rain and not too much wind while paddling. On the way out, we had multiple passes overhead by an Ontario Government aircraft which seemed to be practicing water bomber manouvers.
Click Read More to see photos of the trip.
New Kayak
By now many of you will have noticed that the club has a new sea kayak. This is thanks to club member Margaret M. who kindly donated hers to the club. We are all very grateful to her for her generosity.
Mark Scott
Chairperson
French River 2019 Trip Report
Our 10 day trip started on Sat Jul 27 and we returned Mon Aug 5. It included Henry N (trip leader), Mike B, Xuan Q and Cory D. This was my (Cory) first time on the French River, with the other three having been to the area many times.
We had an amazing trip, with great weather and calm waters. Each day included some easy paddling, swimming, lots of relaxing and nightly campfires. I also enjoyed some fishing, photography, listening to podcasts, reading Dune by Frank Herbert, and watching the show Zone Blanche/Black Spot which I had downloaded from Netflix to my phone. I might not have had a toilet, running water or electricity, but there was no shortage of things to do!
For a funny story, read about the "barrel challenge" on day 9, which was a great way to end the trip.
La Verendrye Circuit 34 July 25-28 2019
Sonia, Maria, Catherine and I (Lynn) drove to LeDomaine after work on Thursday July 25, bought our $16.75 pp/night (!) permits for canoe-camping access plus mandatory rescue insurance, and tented overnight on the lawn in front of the office. Next morning we drove the 41 km north to the SEPAQ campsite called Portage, unloaded, and shuttled one car to the SEPAQ campsite called Grand Barrage. We also looked at the sideroad leading down to the east end of Lac au Barrage and confirmed it was too rutted for our cars. Finally we put-in and started paddling east across Lac du Portage.
Circuit #34 is squarish in shape, a 44 km 3-day loop, with about 1250 m total portages. It is roughly 1/3 large lake, 1/3 smaller lakes and 1/3 channels and meandering creeks with beaver dams. We stayed on a lovely, blueberry-covered island campsite 34-23 the first night. Too early for blueberries though. The second day included 3 stretches of shallow meandering creeks through beaver dammed marshes … delightful, with dragonflies, jewelwings, swamp roses, some white-winged crossbills, lots of work. The first creek out of Lac Moran is very shallow. We sloshed and lined the boats through the twisting channel. We carried some of the gear over the portage but almost regretted it at the end when we had to carry packs through quaking muck to the canoes at the creek’s outlet to Lac Quenelle. In mid-afternoon, we emerged from the marshy creeks into a stiff breeze on Lac Duman and stopped to rest at campsite 34-43. It was early but grey clouds were building, the heat was oppressive, we were tired and the campsite was pretty good except for mediocre swimming. We stayed for the night.
That left us with 17 km to paddle on our third day, including 4 km down the length of Lac Nizard. Fortunately, Sunday was fresh and sunny with a light breeze. The Ruisseau between Lac Duman and La Nizard was bigger and much easier than the previous creeks. We lunched at a lovely site 34-51, watched a bald eagle, and stopped for our final swim on the rocks at the east end of Grand Lake. We pulled into the Grand Barrage campsite shortly after 3pm and returned to Ottawa about 9pm.
We enjoyed Circuit #34 very much. The creeks are interesting but challenging at low water levels. The solitude feels remarkable. We saw only 4 people fishing in small boats on Lac Nizard and Lac Duman, and one other paddler, otherwise no one for three days. Only 2 squirrels.
With thanks to Catherine for photos. Click Read More to see the photos.