Ode to a Moose
(Or our adventure on the Bonnechere River)
Some of us started our adventure Monday, June 13th, setting up camp on a lovely, riverside campsite in the beautiful Bonnechere Provincial Park. It was sunny and warm. There was significant current this time of year. We paddled upstream towards Jack’s Chute to build up our appetites for supper and a campfire. Afterwards we were serenaded by a family church group that sang their hearts out from a nearby site, in a friendly competition with the resident bullfrogs.
Parks Canada Learn to Paddle or Camp
Parks Canada is running their free Learn to Paddle program at Hartwell Locks again. The lesson provided is 90 minutes and there are spots available. You need to register ahead of time. Click here for more information.
Parks Canada is also offering Learn to Camp free kids workshops (Manotick, Nepean, Barrhaven etc) and family overnights in Manotick (cost $142.75 per group of 4-6 people). Click here for more information.
Enthusiastic Intro to Lake Tandem Canoeing participants paddled rain or shine!
Kudo's to all the participants and instructors in the Introduction to Tandem Lake Canoeing course, June 11-12, 2020
Participants said:
- "it was wonderful spending the weekend outdoors with everyone .. rain and all."
- "it beat all expectations."
- "It was a great pleasure sharing the weekend with you."
-" It is a wonderful Canadian experience for me"
**A number of participants want to practice some more, so they are organizing a day trip. Well done gang!.
Instructors send 3 cheers to the participants:
"It was a real pleasure to work with such a motivated group who kept paddling - rain or shine!"
"They all made great improvements over the 2 days."
Note; There's more to this course at the July 5th Pool session which focuses on canoe rescues and water safety!
The next Intro Tandem Lake Canoeing Course is July 5, 9-10, click here more info. Come paddle with us - It's worth it!
Thanks to Lee Ann S for the pictures!
Read more: Enthusiastic Intro to Lake Tandem Canoeing participants paddled - rain or shine!
Murphys Point Canoe Trip
June 11, 2022
On June 11th, six of us went on a canoeing trip starting at Big Rideau Lake. We canoed all around the Point reaching Noble Bay. There were many turtles where we started. They were lying on a log while we canoed by. We saw turtles with a map-like texture. You might also see them in Hogg Bay. They are called Northern Map Turtles because of the pattern on their shell. They can lay about 10-17 eggs each year. They are endangered and preyed on by raccoons, coyotes, and birds.
At the end of Noble Bay we portaged over to Loon lake. We all ate ice cream from the park store and enjoyed it in the hot sun before we headed out again. We saw a beaver’s dam. We did not see any beavers but looking at their lodge was incredible in itself.
Blocking Access to Club Website if Membership Expired
In 2020 and 2021, the executive decided to allow expired members from 2019 onward to continue to access the member only portion of the club website. It has been decided, on June 30 2022, to block access to the member only portion of the club website for any person whose membership expired prior to January 1 2022.
If your membership has expired, please consider renewing it prior to June 30. Note that to participate in club trips or training, you must have renewed your membership. To determine if your membership has expired, login to the website and then do this in the menu structure: Membership: Club Members: Your Membership Profile: About: Membership Expiry Date.
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Want to Receive Fewer Club Emails?
The RACCC website will send emails to every member to notifiy them of general news as well as Trip postings etc. You can change which emails you receive based on your preferences.
Petrie Island Family Turtle Trip 2022
On Saturday, June 4th thirteen new canoeists of all ages learned how to transport canoes and go canoeing at Petrie Island. Most of us were new residents of Ottawa and some of us were also new Canadians. We had the assistance of seven experienced instructors and trip leaders. Before lunch we took a short paddle near the canoe launch area.
At lunch, Mason, from the Friends of Petrie Island, told us about the Petrie Island turtles and answered our questions. Petrie Island has mostly painted turtles and map turtles as well as a few blanding turtles.
Executive Meeting Minutes May 10th 2022
Log in to see minutes from the virtual meeting of the executive.
Club Website Switched to New Server
Recently, it was necessary to switch the club website to a new server. If you visit www.raccc.ca and see this article, you do not need to do anything. If you do not see this article, you are probably viewing a cached version of the website from the old server and you must clear your cache. Click here for an article on how to clear your cache. The essential advice, however, is given below:
What to Know
- Clearing cache can fix some browsing problems, free up space, and remove saved versions of visited pages for privacy reasons.
- Most browsers let you clear cache quickly via Ctrl+Shift+Del (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac).
- Otherwise, try your browser's Settings, Privacy, or Advanced options.
To clear the cache, you can also try to logout of the club website www.raccc.ca, close the page for club website, close the browser, reopen the browser, open the club website and login.
If you notice that some functionality of the club website is not working, please report it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Info on Mileage Rates, Rental Rates and Use of Club Equipment on Private Trips
Mileage Rate 2022 The Club operates on a "friends driving friends" model. Based on this model, before any trip, driver and passenger(s) should make mutually agreeable financial arrangements to share the costs of driving. If a guideline is necessary, the Club recommends the cost of the trip be calculated at $0.50/km ($0.60/km for carrying two or more canoes), to be divided equally among the number of travellers, including the driver. A increase in the mileage rate is recommended by the executive for 2022 because of the greatly increased gas prices.
Rental Rates 2022
Kevlar FW Canoes - $15/day $8/evening
Ultra-Light Kevlar FW Canoes - $20/day $10/evening
Sea Kayaks - $15/day $8/evening
WW Tandem Boats - $30/day $15 Evening
WW Solo Boats - $20/day $10 Evening
WW Boat Skirts - $5/day .
Paying Fees
Boat rental and guest fees are paid at the RA East desk. Payments can be made in cash by credit card or with a bank card. Take white copy of the trip report to the desk with as they will need it for their records.
Use of Club Equipment on Private Trips The rule for private use is, "it is a privilege earned through active participation in the Club" and must be approved in advance by the appropriate co-ordinator. Please refer requests for private trips to: WHITEWATER REQUESTS must be approved by the Whitewater Coordinator (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). FLATWATER REQUESTS must be approved by the Flatwater Coordinator (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or the Family Coordinator (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Note that club trips and training events get priority over private trips in terms of equipment. It is best to turn up Tuesday evening at the shed between 7pm and 8pm to see what boats are available and make arrangements with Boathouse Volunteer. Failing that, contact the Assets Coordinator (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to determine the availability of equipment.
Time to Renew your Canoe Club Membership!
If you have not already renewed your canoe club membership for 2022, it will be especially easy to do so this year. There is no longer a requirement to fill out a canoe club registration form if a previous year's one is already on file with the RA.
Please click here to review the Canoe Club COVID policies for 2022.
There is also a Covid waiver that must be completed online at www.racentre.com/raccc-waiver-adult (adults) or www.racentre.com/raccc-waiver-minor (under 18). If you filled out the waiver in 2020 or 2021 you do not need to fill it out again for 2022.
Avoid the rush later in the season and rejoin today! The club plans to have a busy paddling season for 2022 just like they did for 2021 and 2020.
For new members, click here for information on joining the club.
To join or rejoin the canoe club, call the RA membership desk at 613-733-5100. The desk is staffed:
Monday to Friday 7:00am to 10:30pm
Saturday & Sunday 7:00am to 9:00pm
Also, the RA East Desk is now open and you can come in and do business with our membership staff. The East Desk hours are:
Monday to Friday 7:00am to 10:30pm
Saturday & Sunday 7:00am to 9:00pm
RACCC Sweep-Safety Boat Team - Jock River Race (Reminder: wear your PFD!)
Huzzah to the organizers of the 2022 annual JOCK RIVER RACE! And to RACCC for once again providing the Sweep-Safety Boat Team for this annual race (for the past 20 years!)... please see our special message to ALL paddlers (below)
The 2022 Jock River Race was held on Saturday, April 16, with a record 173 boats and 248 paddlers! It's fun and extremely well organized. Held annually, since 1971 on a lovely stretch of the Jock R, winding for 12.5 km through farms, forest, fen and marshes. There's a mix of current (some class 1 rapids) and slack water/meanders. Paddlers are in canoes, kayaks and SUP's of all kinds - a mix of serious racers and recreational paddlers, as well as families for a fun toot down the river. (picture - courtesy of the race organizers)
Kudo's to RACCC (and RACCC alumni) volunteers for our 2020 Sweep-Safety Boat Team: Lynette, Judith, Laurence, Bruce H, Cathy O, Isa L-M and Valerie S! Plus our Shore Team/gear 'roadies': Dot and Linda D.
Honourable mention goes to: Kate M ('ready' to paddle if needed) as well as to Matthew V, Dan P (sidelined per injury/ illness. Maybe next year?).
Read more: RACCC Sweep-Safety Boat Team - Jock River Race (Reminder: wear your PFD!)
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