Irish Creek
April 12 2022
The day was forecasted to be sunny and a warm 16C (it actually was our hottest day this year at 17.7C) with a moderate wind. It was Suze and Catherine’s first paddle of the year, though Karen had been out several times.
Irish Creek is a shallow, marshy creek which flows north into the Rideau River at Kilmarnock, best paddled in the early spring. We put in at Roses Bridge Road, about 5 km from the Kilmarnock lock station. Even in “high” water, waterlilies just starting to sprout, we occasionally touched bottom with our paddles. We paddled upstream, under bridges, around bends, over beaver dams, alternating with no wind, head winds, cross winds and tail winds.
For a quiet shallow creek there were lots of things to see. Highlights of the trip were: 6 trumpeter swans, 2 deer, several turtles basking in the sun, a beaver lodge and 2 beaver dams, lots of Canada geese leading us up the creek, mallard ducks, a loon, bright red dogwood among the cattails, and the biggest waterlily roots I have ever seen, looking like giant snakes or octopi.
It was a great first day on the water. (Click on "Read more" to see additional photos.)
Catherine J
Clyde River - April 2 2022
Beautiful day to be on the water on such a pretty whitewater river. It is a gem in Lanark county and the shuttle is easy. Water level was just perfect to play in with tandem and solo boats for a first outing of the season (for my paddling partner and I). Six of us participated plus one guest. We got passed by a group of kayakers. A couple of pools were still frozen. Thank you to Peter for organizing this.
Click here for a video.
Judith
Executive Meeting Minutes March 21st 2022
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Changes to Policies – COVID-19 - March 2022
As Club members are aware, the provincial government has recently relaxed some requirements relating to providing proof of vaccinations as well as to the wearing of masks in indoor settings. The RA Centre has informed us that it has relaxed its requirements for proof of vaccination and masking but has permitted clubs to determine their own requirements if they apply to all of the activities of that club.
A number of members of the Club have expressed concerns that there remains a significant risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus, in its various forms. While vaccinations and the wearing of masks indoors (and while near others) do not provide complete protection, they do reduce that risk. As a result, the Executive (Club Council) has implemented the following policies applicable to Club activities for the 2022 season:
- 1. Proof of Vaccination: Members joining the Club will not be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19. However, in order to participate in Club activities, members and their guests will be required to show the activity leader proof that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (see note below). The proof must be a government issued paper or electronic document. Participants failing to provide such proof will be excluded from the activity. These requirements apply to all Club activities, including canoeing and kayaking trips and training programs.
- 2. Exemptions: The requirement for proof of vaccination will not apply to Club members and guests providing proof of a medical reason for not being vaccinated (in a form that accords with guidelines issued by the Ontario Ministry of Health). In addition, children under 12 years of age will not require proof of vaccination.
- 3. Mask Wearing: Anyone entering the Boathouse or another indoor setting as part of a Club activity is required to wear a mask that covers their nose, mouth and chin. In addition, a person providing training may require that participants wear a mask during all or any part of the activity.
The virus and the scientific knowledge relating to it are evolving. The Executive will be monitoring these changes and reviewing potential changes to the policies as the situation evolves.
Note: Provincial regulations establish what it is to be “fully vaccinated” based on vaccines approved by Health Canada. Currently, this includes two doses of the Pfizer-Biontech mRNA vaccine, the Moderna Spikevax mRNA vaccine or the AstraZeneca vaccine or a single dose of the Janssen vaccine.
Executive Meeting Minutes March 1st 2022
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Paddling Trips For 2022
With the bone-chilling weather that we have been having, preparing a canoe trip for the summer may be the last thing on your mind. Nevertheless, as with last year, canoe camping reservations are expected to be snapped up quickly. Reservations for areas like North Frontenac and Haliburton Highlands are already open for the season with many choice spots already taken. The opening of reservations for places in National Parks vary by park. For Ontario Parks, you are permitted to reserve up to five months from the starting date of your trip and many of these spots go quickly. You are encouraged to reserve your trips early. This year make it a Club trip!!!
Solo Trip Summary– 21 Days
27 June – 17 July, 2021
One of my earliest memories of the outdoors is fishing on ice with my Dad on a small trout lake near Algonquin Park. I call it “trout lake”. It was a bright sunny winter day, and although the fish were not biting, we could see nice trout passing just under the ice. As the fish were not biting, Dad wanted to leave. The sight of those trout swimming by the ice hole has created a lifetime passion in me to try to understand trout behaviour. My big curiosity that day was that since the trout were active and swimming so openly by the ice hole, why would they not take the bait? I was so disappointed when we left, but that experience has driven my passion for trout fishing. Although I have had much success in catching trout in some challenging situations, this question continues to “hook” my curiosity to understand the trout’s secret world. With trout, expect the unexpected!
When I planned this trip, even before posting the trip on the RACCC website, I was determined to go even if it meant going alone. That is exactly what happened. I posted the trip a month before departure, and didn’t get a single inquiry. The reasons are likely the long duration of the trip, and the large number of difficult or long portages along the planned route; more than thirty portages, one over 2km. The trip was physically and mentally demanding, but it really was the adventure that I had long dreamed of.
Open the attachment to continue reading this trip report.
Centennial Lake Trip Report Oct 2021
On Oct 8th two club members drove one hour and 40 minutes to Centennial Lake, south of Calabogie. We found the launch on County Rd. 65 (Centennial Lake Road) just as it crosses the lake. We arrived to find a heavy mist covering the lake. After getting everything ready to go, we sat in our lawn chairs and waited for the mist to clear before turning on our solar flashing light and proceeding.
This was an exploratory trip so we carefully read our maps and watched the scenery. We did not have a GPS with us. We headed towards Big Island and intended to circle it in a clockwise direction. Twice we had to stop to figure out the way forward -- once, because the fog blocked our view across Wilson Bay and once because the way to go was not obvious to us. We followed the shoreline closely. Usually it was easy to follow our map.
Barron River Trip
September 30 2021
Imagine a perfect fall day when the air is fresh and cool, the breeze is gentle, and the leaves are just coming into their autumnal glory. Now imagine a fantastic canoe trip through a spectacular canyon in Algonquin Park. Now put them together and imagine it’s your first ever trip with the RA Canoe Camping Club, your first paddle in Algonguin Park, and your longest-ever canoe trip. That was my experience when I adventured with trip leader Mark S, Karen H and guest Marcia H when we explored the Barron Canyon recently.
CROTCH LAKE TRIP
SEPTEMBER 15-17, 2021
Sunny blue skies and warm breezes greeted the five members of the RACCC on Wednesday September 15 as we headed west along Hwy 7 to Crotch Lake, a short drive north of Sharbot Lake along Hwy 509 and Ardoch Road. Karen H, canoeist extraordinaire, led our group consisting of Lynn O, John F, Bridget D and myself, Jane Maxwell. After 1 ½ hours on the highway we reached Tumblehome Lodge where Karen had arranged for us to leave our cars and begin our journey.
Bill and Ann’s ELF Petawawa Adventure
The plan was for four days on the Petawawa over Labour Day weekend from Lake Travers to McManus. Early in the week came the email, “Pet soooo loooow... :(“. From the graph for the river gauge, sure enough. It was lower than when Ann and I did it last year. But, a call to Becky Mason reassured me. She said the river had never been too low to travel on. You had a couple of options, step out of the boat and walk beside it or bring a pole to pole the canoe along.
Well the river was low and we blazed a trail of red vinyl as we went down the river but we only portaged the canoe at Crooked Chute. Pretty much a mandatory portage. It was a fantastic solo trip for Ann and I, but I missed my paddling partners of old, Scott, Jaclin, Isabelle, and Brian to name but a few.
Read more: Bill and Ann’s ELF Petawawa Adventure: Labour Day Weekend
St Lawrence Seaway at Ingleside
Four keeners met at the boat house on August 29 despite a weather report for possible thunder storms for the St Lawrence Seaway where we were planning to paddle for the day.
We had a leisurely start (isn’t 9am leisurely??) and as three of us had not met before, a nice opportunity for introductions to our new friends whilst loading up a club canoe.
The second canoe has a lovely story. Its owner Bob is a retired minister and as his retirement gift his congregation bought the necessary materials and arranged for him to build himself a cedar canoe with an experienced canoe builder. The result is a 90lb beauty. It is red - they go faster don’t they? It has a flat stern to accommodate an electric motor. Bob has a great system to load and unload the canoe onto his car by himself with use of a small trolley and a rotating support that is attached to his tow hitch, and holds the canoe above the trunk of the car. The nose of the canoe is on the ground while Bob lifts the stern onto the support, then rotates it through 45 degrees as he lifts the bow around to the front of the car to put the canoe on the roof rack.