2019 Open House
This year's open house was a big success. We had over 70 new club members and 28 people sign up for training courses.
Welcome to all of our new members and thank you to everyone who made the night go so well.
Mark - RACCC Chairperson
Trip and Training Reports 2018
Click on links to read reports on club activities.
Family Trip to Fitzroy Provincial Park
FW Instructors Inspired by Becky
Point Grondine Exploratory Trip
Accepting Canoe Club Memberships for 2019
Memberships are being accepted for 2019. Click here for more information.
Some modifications to the Canoe Club membership procedures for 2019 are listed below.
1) Members only have to pay the membership to join the RA once unless they let it lapse in which case they have to pay it again. Members however will be given a three month grace period during which the RA membership fee will be waved.
2) Canoe Club annual memberships now run for 12 months from the date that a member joined. The RA will send a reminder email to a member one month before their Canoe Club membership expires.
3) If a Canoe Club membership is not renewed by the expiry date, there will be no grace period. The member will be removed from the Canoe Club membership list and their access to the Canoe Club website will be blocked. If they renew after the expiry date, their access to the website will be promptly restored.
4) New members will get a $25 discount on their course fee if they register for a training course costing $130 or more at the same time as joining the Canoe Club.
Lyme Disease 2018 Update
Click here for the most current information as of 2018.
Click here for an article published in 2016 on this topic.
Click here for the 2018 map showing risk areas for Lyme Disease in Ontario.
Click here and here (scroll to map at bottom) for some information on the prevalence of the disease in Quebec and the rest of Canada.
Click here for a presentation on Lyme Disease from CHEO in July 2018.
Adventure Smart:10 Essential Survival Items
According to Adventure Smart (more info here) - here are the 10 basic survival items to have with you in any outdoors situation, whether you're out for a few hours or few days. (Check out sample kit below)
(These are not the specialized/essential pieces of equipment that you would bring for a camping trip e.g. tent, sleeping bag, etc.)
1. Flashlight, spare batteries (and bulb)
2. Fire making kit: waterproof matches/lighter, fire starter/candle
3. Signaling device: whistle or mirror
4. Extra food and water
5. Extra clothing (rain, wind, water protection, toque
6. Navigation aids (map/compass)
7. First Aid Kit (know how to use it)
8. Emergency Shelter (orange??) :-)
9. Pocket knife
10. Sun protection (glasses, sunscreen, hat)
Baby It's Cold Outside
Here is an interesting website about dealing with cold that is funded by the government of Canada. Gerry G stars in the lost skiers episode.
Thanksgiving comes early on the Petawawa
From bad experience comes good stories…
Bruce H and I (Scott C) and two friends from Montreal did the Petawawa last weekend, Sept 21-23 2018. We dropped one car at McManus Lake and carried on to Lake Travers. While we unloaded, a somewhat contemptible canoe landed, carrying two men: one middle-aged and barefoot, the other a young adult, both dressed all in cotton and soaked to the skin. The canoe was a 14 foot fiberglass beast, complete with folding seatbacks, suitable only for kids fishing in artificial ponds. The gentlemen walked up the landing to talk with us, and their story emerged…
The enduring spirit of canoe trips
Click here for a nice Globe and Mail article on canoeing.
Trip and Training Reports 2017
Click on links to read reports on club activities.
Algonquin Week Long Trip Report
Stratton Lake – Family Trip Report
Results of Member Consultation
At the request of the club executive Helen organize a team of club members to find ways for club members to become more engaged with the running of our club. Their excellent work included surveying the club membership, researching volunteerism and paddle sports plus a face to face consultation session attended by over 30 club members.
This process produced a large number of good ideas for the club to pursue. Some of the ideas already have volunteers who will be implementing them while many others are waiting for champions to carry them forward.
The attached documents (login to see) provide information about the process and the results of the survey that was conducted. More information, including a list of ideas that are looking for champions will be provided in the future.
Red Cross Standard First Aid Course Report
June 3 & 4, 2017
This course was a great introduction to fundamental first aid techniques and scenarios. It was a mix of coursework and hands-on exercises/simulations that got your brain working and helped ingrain what you had learned. The instructors were knowledgeable, friendly, and were all canoe club members so they were able to tailor the course content to situations you might find on the trail/lake/river/mountain etc. I came away feeling confident of being able to help provide some basic first aid and CPR in either the city or backcountry, and had many lingering questions answered (what’s the proper way to treat a burn, how to tie a sling, should I be worried if a bug flies in my ear, etc). Highly recommended for RACCC members. (Written by one of ten course participants)
Paint Your Paddle Evening - May 24
Our first annual Paint your Paddle evening was sweet!
A small group of artists gathered at the RACCC boat house with paddles, paints, brushes and inspiration. Dot and Karen provided paddles (from Camp Oconto), paint, brushes and advice and then admiration for the designs and final results.
We painted to our hearts content on a balmy May evening with music in the background, kibitzing about designs and paintbrush techniques. And the results? Five beautiful, colourful, unique designs! You will see our cool paddles during RACCC outings this summer. No need to be envious, join in our next Paint Your Paddle event. :-)
PFD’s – Wear Them
Like many of us, I learned how to paddle back when PFD’s were big clunky uncomfortable things – but they provided lots of padding for kneeling and sitting. From time to time people would drown because they fell out of the canoe and couldn’t get their PFD’s on, but that always happened to someone else.
These days PDF’s are better made and come in many different styles so it is easy to find one that is comfortable to wear all day.
Please remember to wear your PFD at all times when paddling. Not only is it good sense, federal law requires that it be worn while on the water when on all club trips (which are considered Guided Trips, Section 303 of the Small Vessel Regulations, click here for more information).
Mark Scott
Chairperson, RACCC