Pakenham to Blakeney Rapids June 12 2021
Eight of us gathered happily on a warm sunny June morning at Pakenham beach by the wide, slow Mississippi River above the Pakenham Bridge and rapids. Grateful for one of the first club trips after Ontario’s Stage 1 opening after the end of the stay at home lockdown.
Lots of parking there and basic washrooms which are kept clean. It is a popular spot. The water at the beach was shallow with flat rocks, but good for the kayaks to launch. It was slightly deeper at the gravel patch a few metres further down. Distance from the put-in to Blakeney Falls is around 8.5K for 17K in all.
2020 Canoe Club Trip Reports
A description of how club trips were run in a safe manner during the pandemic is given below followed by links to the trip reports.
If you would like more details about these trips, click here.
We all know 2020 did not go according to plan. Usual plans were all on hold. When some Ontario Provincial Parks opened June 1st we were eager to leave our homes where we had “isolated” for months. Day trips seemed like the safest way to begin. Initially we used the terms “Together Apart” trips. They matched the public health messaging of the time. Due to the pandemic, we would not share vehicles or food. We would not touch the belongings of others and would stay 2 metres apart at all times. Everyone arrived self-contained – they had their own gear. We all carried hand-sanitizer. No club equipment was used because the club was still closed. Participant numbers on each trip were kept small. Anyone with any Covid-19 symptoms or exposures was not to come.
For our first trip on June 1st even the Algonquin Provincial Park staff had no idea how to work during the pandemic, so we self-registered, as if they weren’t present. As time passed park and lock officials figured out how to work during the pandemic. The RACCC officially opened in late June and we could post official club trips again. Instead of doing just one trip to get us outside, we went between one and three times each week! Our blank calendars allowed us to choose the days with good weather.
In addition to these trips, the club ran over 30 whitewater day trips last year on rivers where bicycle shuttles were possible. This included the Lower Madawaska, the Middle Madawaska (near MKC), the Petite Nation, and the Ottawa. Unfortunately, none of us posted trip reports, but if you are interested you can learn about these trips and our 2021 plans at the RACCC Zoom Whitewater Trip seminar on March 31st 7 pm. Details are on the homepage or in the calendar or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Boat Thefts
The Ottawa Citizen reports that the theft of outdoor sporting equipment – including boats – is up. A disturbing aspect of this story is that they cut a metal bar holding the kayak.
FIVE-DAY TRIP TO THE HEADWATERS OF THE DUMOINE RIVER
June 30 - July 4, 1982
(By Paul L, trip leader)
"Quick mud makes for slow going", Confucius and/or Ihor N.
While the club is on hold until June 2, here is a trip report from 1982 courtesy of Mark S. who has finished scanning 30 years of club newsletters. This was, to say the least, a challenging trip.
It is generally assumed that the mighty and frothy Dumoine River, which has taken a heavy toll on the Y fleet, is to be travelled down, and at some considerable risk. However, Gerry C, Jean R, Ihor N and Paul L decided to travel UPRIVER.
After a careful examination of aerial photos of the area, it was decided to make it a five-day trip, as the distance to be covered, was estimated at 65 miles. Thus, on Tuesday evening, we drove to Lac La Vieille. Getting up at 6, we made our way to Lac Roland, the start of the 100-mile dirt road to Lac Antiquois, which is located between Lac Dumoine and the upper reaches of the Dumoine River. Looking at a map of the area, one notices that the Dumoine Lake and the river, form some sort of a donut made up of the following expanses of water: Dumoine Lake (shaped like a tuning fork) linked on the right side with Lac Antiquois; the narrowing Dumoine River (a mere brook at this Point); Sheni Lake, Machin Lake, Padoue Lake (at the top of the donut); then, in the left-hand section, Litvine Lake, Roger Lake, Crutch Lake and Crutch Brook, and finally, Lac-aux-Ecorces: a total distance of 65 miles.
Read more: FIVE-DAY TRIP TO THE HEADWATERS OF THE DUMOINE RIVER
Canoe Club Archives
Mark is in the process of digitizing the club archives. While we have most of the documentation since 1980, the club does not have much from before then. If you have copies of club documents (trips reports, handbooks, newsletters, etc.), please contact him to share them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The intent is to make these documents available to club members but how and when to do so has not yet been decided.
Stuff You Can Do: Canoeing during COVID
Click here for a CTV article which includes an interview with the Canoe Club's Mark S. This article is a transcription of a segment which appeared on the May 1 CTV News at 6. The 2 minute segment with Mark appears at the 24 minute mark. You will have to watch a few advertisements before you are allowed to get to that point.
1980 YUKON RIVER TRIP REPORT
While the club is on hold until May 20, it seems like a good idea to reprint a trip report from 1980 courtesy of Mark S. who has finished scanning 30 years of club newsletters.
After much delay I am finally putting down a 'few words on the Yukon River trip. Actually, I did write a report some weeks ago; it ran to almost nine pages, and being a compassionate man, I had not the heart to inflict it upon anyone. Instead I will make a few more general comments about the river, the Chilkoot Pass, and maybe a few words of advice to those who might wish to do the trip in future.
Irish Creek Trip 2021
On Tuesday, April 6, 2021, three club members set out in ideal conditions to explore Irish Creek; the air temperature was a pleasant 15 degrees, ice gone, water deep enough to paddle the marsh area and a generally undemanding current. Keeping in mind the cold water, we all wore a combination of wet and dry suits in case of inadvertent immersion.
From the put in at Roses Bridge Boat Launch situated between Kilmarnock and Merrickville, we meandered through shallow, open water marsh festooned with masses of waterlily rhizomes. We continued about 4 km south to the town of Jasper where the creek narrows, and we ducked under two road bridges and a train bridge. In the creek, water flowed over several submerged beaver dams, only one of which required getting out of our canoes for a lift over. We stopped for lunch just short of Wolford Chapel (10.5 km from put in) and then headed back down stream.
Pakenham to Blakeney Rapids Trip Report - March 23 2021
Let the paddling begin!
On Tuesday, March 23rd four of us met at Pakenham Beach to initiate the RACCC 2021 flatwater paddling season. It was a gorgeous, sunny day with a high of 20°C in the air. Given that there was still ice floating in the river, I'll assume the water temperature was still close to 0°C; however, since we were all dressed to keep safe in frigid water (two of us wore drysuits, the other two wore wetsuits), we had nothing to fear from the river. Starting at Pakenham Beach, we paddled a little over 8 km upstream to Blakeney Rapids, passing through a riparian zone just starting to green up, and seeing loads of ducks and geese back for the summer. We stopped at Blakeney Rapids to eat lunch and work on our sunburns, while Mark filled a garbage bag with litter to take away. The paddle back to town took only half the time, with the current helping us along.
As I write, we're back to seasonal chilly temperatures and Vancouver-style rain, which makes us all the more grateful for that short gift of warm sun. Thanks Karen for organizing a fun trip.
Submitted by Maria L.
WILDERNESS CANOEING
by Louis P. Bonnenfant
ASSOCIATION FORUM of the A.O.S. November- December 1952
This article was written by Dot Bonnenfant's father. He founded the Canoe Club in 1952.
This is a magazine prepared by a committee of the Canadian Chapter of the Association of Secretaries
Mr Louis P. Bonnenfant is Physical Director of the Y.M.C.A. at Ottawa, Ontario and a graduate of George
Williams College, Chicago.
It is still not long since much of the travel through Canada was done on foot, on horseback, in horsedrawn vehicles, or by boat.The coming of the railroad, the automobile, and the aeroplane has almost eliminated these means of travel and much of the adventure and pioneering spirit that went with them.
Now it is simple to board a plane in Montreal in the morning and to eat supper in Vancouver that day, or
to get into a car and travel 200 to 500 miles in one day. It is all so easy, but not nearly so challenging nor
so rewarding as the 20 to 30 miles that a canoeist travels in a day through wilderness lakes and rivers,
where self-reliance is needed to reach the journey's end.
Holmes & Watson-Newsletter Nov 1998
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip. As they lay down for the night, Holmes said "Watson, look up into the sky and tell me what you see".
Watson said "I see millions and millions of stars."
Holmes: "And what does that tell you?"
Watson: "Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Theologically, it tells me that God is great and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it tells me that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you?"
Holmes: "Somebody stole our tent"
Cows and Canoeing
Mark S. has been digitizing the club archives including newsletters starting in 1978. Thank you Mark!
Below is an amusing example of an article from 1986.
More Food For Thought
A couple of years ago I published a warning in this journal on the subject of the herd of plastic-eating cows which hang around on the Petite Nation at the put-in at the bottomof the first canyon. On that particular occasion they had removed and eaten the foam padding from a yoke. Those were the pre-Liberal days in Ontario and unfortunately it did not occur tome to print my warning in both official languages. Consequently one of our francophone members has now run afoul of this same herd. Dominique tells me that on one occasion in the spring this year she had her front flotation nibbled. She can show you the teeth marks if you ask her. So in an attempt to extend my previous warning to include all club members I would like to say "PRENEZ GARDE LES VACHES: ELLES MANGENT PLASTIQUE".
Missinaibi Adjunct regarding Fred Neegan
Read more: Reflections on the Missinaibi River Trip around 2002-3