Ramblings and opinions from a lowly paddling instructor...
|
|
Web Sites
|
|
Wednesday, 14 May 2008 |
Friends of the site,
Naturally Superior Adventures are completely fogged into today as shown on their Lake Superior webcam. The site shows
hourly updates throughout the day as well as a running loop of the last 24
hours. Today it's fun to watch the loop as you can see the fog just starting to
roll in throughout the morning. Looked like some good surf as well.
|
|
|
General News
|
|
Wednesday, 14 May 2008 |
Emergency Update: My
Suunto watch has been found! I guess it had somehow fallen into a bag at home
that we all thought had been searched. Whew!
Now just need to find
that blasted movie rental card! Glasses? Lost hope...
Special thanks goes
out to everybody who was planning on mailing a cheque to support my unannounced
fund raising venture. I will still accept those $100 cheques that are currently
½ filled out. All you need to do is make it out to cash and sign it. I will put
it to good use!
|
|
|
Events
|
|
Wednesday, 14 May 2008 |
According to holidays.net we celebrate a
wide variety of exciting and gripping holidays for Wednesday May 14, 2008:
- Donate a Day's Wages to Charity Day
-
Jamestown Founding Day
-
National Nightshift Workers Day
-
National Third Shift Workers Day
-
National Receptionists Day
-
National Meeting Planners Appreciation Day
-
Root Canal Appreciation Day
-
"The Stars and Stripes Forever" Day
-
Underground America Day
-
Anniversary - Lewis and Clark Expedition
I wonder if you are working in a tunnel on the
third shift during the night, do you get the day off work?
Finally ladies and potential bank robbers,
get your Nylon Stockings ready to go and celebrate National Nylon Stocking Day
in style tomorrow.
Gross Root Canal photo by: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog
|
|
|
Gear
|
|
Tuesday, 13 May 2008 |
It started out this past Friday night when we discovered
that the video rental card was missing. I had to replace it but it cost me
$2.50. That was ok said the guy at the video store because if I found the old
one later, they would buy the replacement card back. Things were looking good.
Saturday morning things didn't look so good anymore when I
discovered mid morning that my Suunto Vector watch was missing from my wrist. I
never go anywhere without it as you never know when you might need to do an
emergency barometer reading...
|
|
|
Gear
|
|
Thursday, 08 May 2008 |
 Still cooking hotdogs over the fire when out camping? Everybody
is doing it. Admit it.
Now you can cook those little tube steaks with a little bit
more class. The side by side prongs allow for easy rotation and the best feature
is the free included face mask. If I had it with me, I think that I would keep it on for the entire trip. You know, just in case...
I have been waiting for this item to come out for years!
Years!
More info: BBQ Sword [Via Boing Boing Gadgets]
|
|
|
Issues
|
|
Tuesday, 06 May 2008 |
|
Last
week John
Fetterman, president of National Association of Boating Law Administrators was quoted
in USA Today, "paddling represents our greatest risk in the recreational
boating community"...
|
|
|
Events
|
|
Monday, 05 May 2008 |
White Squall in Parry Sound put on another fantastic kayak
and canoe festival. Sadly, I was only able to be there for the Sunday but I
heard that Saturday was well worth it.
The weather over the weekend wasn't very good and it had an
effect on the number of people there but it basically meant that it was all
keeners anyways so that was OK. Saturday, it poured rain all day. One of those
good old fashioned steady rainstorms. Luckily, it didn't rain on Sunday but we
were left with really cold temperatures in the morning followed by high winds
in the afternoon...
|
|
|
General News
|
|
Monday, 05 May 2008 |
Here is a little feel-good story to brighten up your Monday
morning. It's a follow-up to a rescue story posted a couple of weeks ago here
on the blog:
When looking out the window of his grandmother condo
building, Four-year-old Carter Louisell from Michigan knew that the man floating in the
water should have been in his kayak so he went to find his grandmother, Joan
Van Zee for help.
Joan then went out in her own kayak to save the man and his
dog.
Now, the Kent County Sheriff's Department is honouring both
Carter and Joan with life-saving awards...
|
|
|
Business
|
|
Thursday, 01 May 2008 |
|
James Moss from Golden, Colorado has spent the last twenty-years practicing
outdoor recreation law. His blog, Recreation
Law quickly analyzes trends and issues related to outdoor industry accidents,
and litigation...
|
|
|
Issues
|
|
Thursday, 01 May 2008 |
Yesterday the Transport Canada announced changes to the Special-purpose
Vessels Regulations and the Vessel Operation Restriction.
There are two major changes:
The first one affects the white water rafting industry. They
now have specific requirements for all river rafting companies to have vessel
and safety equipment standards such as helmets, lifejackets and their
equivalents, and the circumstances in which they must be worn; operational
standards such as first aid training, familiarization trips and safety
briefings; and the maintenance of detailed records of each excursion...
|
|
|
Adaptive Paddling
|
|
Wednesday, 30 April 2008 |
 Paddle
Company, ProPel recently unveiled a line of kayak paddles designed to be
paddled by somebody with one mobile arm.
Here
is the description from the website:
The paddle system
is comprised of a grip and adjustable cuff. The cuff and grip are also
adjustable along the paddle shaft to adapt to various arm lengths. The paddle
can be used with either the right or left hand by easily repositioning the cuff
or grip to the appropriate side of the shaft.
The website has a
little video demonstrating this really promising product. While you are there,
watch the demo video of their prototype canoe paddle.
More info: ProPel
Paddles
| |
|
Instructor Blog 
