Log in to see minutes from the virtual executive meeting on January 13th, 2021.
Wed Jan 20 Club Chat and Zoom Primer (7-9pm)
The club chairperson, Steve Dolan, will be hosting a virtual chat with the membership. On the agenda are:
- a touch base with club members to see what they would like to see the club do as we approach summer, 2021;
- a zoom primer for people new to the platform;
- overview of the winter seminar series.
The virtual chat is intended to provide members an opportunity to practice Zoom in preparation for the winter seminar series.
If you are interested in participating, and are a club member, please notify Mark at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
See attachment below for basic guidelines on Zoom (you must be logged in to see the attachment). They will be reviewed as part of this discussion.
RACCC club members will be able to get the ZOOM joining information from the logged in part of the club calendar (click here) or by sending an email message to Mark at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please do not share them with non-club members.
RACCC 2021 Winter Seminar Series
The RA Canoe Camping Club (RACCC) will not be stopped by COVID! Once again, the club will have a diverse and interesting winter seminar series. The difference is that this year, the series will be held online using Zoom. They will be held on Wednesdays starting at 7:00 PM.
Except for the seminar on January 20, 2021 all seminars will be open to both RACCC club members and to non‑club members.
All seminars will be posted on the club calendar and on the club Facebook site as events.
RACCC club members will be able to get the ZOOM joining information from the logged in part of the club calendar or by sending an email message to Mark at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. As a security measure, and to help ensure that the number of participants does not exceed the limit of our Zoom account, please ask non-club members to get the joining information directly from Mark.
Non-club members can get the Zoom joining instructions by sending an email message to Mark at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The details will be provided 3 – 4 weeks before the seminar.
The RACCC is preparing documents and information sessions about the club. If non-club members would like to receive more information about the club, they can send a message to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will add them to our email list. They can be removed from the email list whenever they like.
General Zoom guidelines for the seminars can be found on the club website at https://www.raccc.ca/resources/club-events. A 1-to-2-minute review of the guidelines will be held at the beginning of the seminar.
Executive Meeting Minutes Nov 25 2020
Log on to see the minutes from the virtual executive meeting held November 25th, 2020.
Petrie Island to Lower Duck Island
November 29, 2020
When we met at 10 am it was 2 degrees Celsius and cloudy. We were hoping the sun would appear but were dressed for cold-water immersion. There was plenty of snow on the ground and our intended launch spot at Petrie Island was frozen over with ice! We launched into a bay at the end of the causeway to the island. The bay headed east but we wanted to go west so we paddled upstream through a culvert going under the causeway. We had a strong westerly headwind in addition to a current on the Ottawa River. We were paddling hard but going slowly. The winds were stronger than we expected. Our leader had checked out the area ahead of us, so we avoided channels without exits. Within an hour the wind had dropped. The shoreline had a few spots with houses but mostly there were trees, long grass and a few bulrushes growing. It looked quite wild for a city paddle. There were walking trails along much of the way and people were using them.
We stopped at a park area across from Lower Duck Island for lunch after about 9 km. We could see Upper Duck Island and the Blair Road launch ahead but we didn’t quite get to them. Now it was sunny and about 6 degrees Celsius. After eating, we turned around and headed back along the shore the way we had come. The current and lack of a head wind helped us go much faster. The water reflected everything. When we were approaching Petrie Island, we decided to paddle around the island and return to our launch. There were many natural sandy beaches on the island, far from the main parking lot and the developed area. Many people were exploring. The sun was getting ready to set as we finished the day. We were warm enough to be comfortable and had paddled 19.5 km. We loaded our canoes and gear, watched the sunset and took pictures of the solid ice around the causeway as we left just after 4 pm. Another wonderful paddle!
2020 AGM Minutes and Reports
The club held its Annual General Meeting on November 18th, 2020. Meeting minutes, financials, and reports are now available (Login to see attachments).
Ottawa River
Nov. 9, 2020
Just after 10 am we put our canoe into the calm, icy water of the Ottawa River from Massey Lane near Blair Road. There was a large parking area. It was a warm day but the two of us were in wetsuits. There was mist above the water.
We paddled west and upstream along the shoreline towards downtown. We could see Kettle Island across the river. There was a beautiful walking path along the river on the Ottawa side for much of the distance we travelled. Many people were taking advantage of the nice day to get some exercise. We passed the Ottawa New Edinburgh Club which is under renovation and wrapped up in plastic! We started to understand how “Rockcliffe” got its name. There were many cliffs made of sedimentary rock layers that could be seen from the water. We passed the Rockcliffe marina & restaurant. It floats on the river! We spotted several bright homes on the Gatineau side of the river including Dagmar’s. We enjoyed the mist at three waterfalls. We identified the Royal Canadian Mint, the Embassy for France, 24 Sussex Drive, and the National Art Gallery. We came to the first (Macdonald-Cartier) of four bridges where Ottawa King Edward traffic crosses to Gatineau. Barges were on the river to do repairs to the bridge. We spotted the Museum of Civilization with its distinctive architecture. We stopped briefly to look at the Ottawa Rowing Club with its beautiful blue and white paint job. We also spotted the Rockcliffe Yacht Club. One of us was surprised to see so many boating clubs on the river where land is expensive. They have been there for years. We saw the end of the Rideau Canal locks with its several steps in a row and the Chateau Laurier hotel. We paddled on towards the Parliament buildings, the Supreme Court building, the Royal Canadian Navy monument, and Victoria Island. It had taken about two hours to reach downtown and we stopped for lunch. We had a nice view of the Parliament buildings as we ate. It was about 22 degrees Celsius and sunny in the middle of November.
About 1:15 we turned around and paddled east along the route we had come. The water was still very calm and it reflected everything. Now we had the current pushing us along so we went faster. We arrived back near the end of Blair Road about 3 o’clock. We had paddled just under 22 km. We loaded our gear into our cars and headed home. A lovely November paddle with a bit of history and geography thrown in! If you have not seen Ottawa from the water, this trip is definitely worth doing. Watch for it being offered as a club trip next summer… Mark S
Executive Meeting Minutes 2020-10-21
Log on to see the minutes of the virtual executive meeting held October 21, 2020.
Kilmarnock to Merrickville
On October 25 a group of six club paddlers went on an "arctic expedition" from Kilmarnock Lockstation to Merrickville community beach and back - total distance about 22 km. Karen H. was expertly leading Salome S., Mark S., Paul H., Anatoly C. and Joanna D.
We expected cold air and cold water and dressed accordingly. All the way to Merrickville we paddled through a mostly wide and shallow, marshy part of Rideau River against an unpleasant chilly breeze. We were really looking forward to returning with a gale at our backs, but instead the wind died in the afternoon. Despite paddling by the Rideau Bird Sanctuary, we saw few birds, apart from a magnificent blue heron.
Our lunch stop on the beach was short, and paddling back was as energetic as in the morning. We made the whole distance in record time and headed to Stella Luna in Merrickville for celebratory hot chocolate and ... ice cream. We are all proud of having been part of what was likely the last trip of the season and of stretching the paddling season so far into the fall.
Submitted by Joanna (click Read More for photos)
Manotick to Kars
On October 17th, Karen H. led a group of six from the Manotick Municipal Boat Launch to the Kars Recreation Area and back, approximately 12 km each way. The group was composed of Anatoly C., Joanna D., Salome S., Jane M., Mark S., Francine L., and Karen H. as the leader.
The river was calm and the skies were blue as we departed from the boat launch in Manotick. The river remained calm most of the day except for a few windy spots, mainly as we got closer to Kars and on the way back. The skies displayed a mixture of sun and clouds throughout the day.
South Nation River
Oct. 16, 2020
Four club members and one guest met at the end of Lacroix Road near Casselman at 10:30 am. After a night of rain, the sky was heavily overcast. It was cool (9 degrees Celcius) but no rain fell. We were quickly on the water and paddled to the right, towards Casselman. The river is fairly wide but shallow, and curves back and forth between steep, high banks of silt and clay. Depending on the water level, the shoreline can be slippery but it caused us no difficulty. We were dressed in many layers which we soon removed as we warmed up.
Poonamalie
At 10am October 11, 2020 a well-bundled group of 8 club paddlers in 3 tandem canoes and 2 kayaks set off from the Poonamalie lock station, part of the Rideau canal system. It was a chilly 4 degrees Celsius but calm.
We paddled leisurely upstream, past several friendly homes on Bacchus Island, then west past the extensive cattail marshes on the north shore of Lower Rideau Lake.
Shortly after noon we reached the Tay River. The docks, ramp, lawn, picnic table, and washroom at the lower Beveridge lock were perfect for a lunch stop. There is a nice 5 minute walk to the upper Beveridge lock, with several historical panels and a view up the Tay River canal. By then, the temperature had risen to a balmy 9 degrees, warm enough to shed a layer of clothing.