Events

On Friday night I made my way to the International Centre out by the airport to visit the Toronto Outdoor Adventure Show. I went to see the latest and greatest in outdoor gear and this year I was able to dig up a few interesting gems.

Read more: Toronto Outdoor Adventure Show Round-up [Shiny New Gear]

Events

The Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium in San Francisco is clearly shaping up to be one of the best events this winter season (if not one of the best of 2010).

The speaker/coach list is a massive collection of the biggest movers and shakers of the sea kayaking community today. It includes, Jeff Allen, Rob Avery, Tom Bergh, Kelly Blades, Gordon Brown, Bryant Burkhardt, Kenny Howell, Jen Kleck, Ben Lawry, Christopher Lockyer, Sean Morley, Helen Wilson, Michael Pardy and many, many others.

On top of that, it was just announced that Freya Hoffmeister will be a keynote speaker when she gives a presentation about her epic circumnavigation around Australia back in 2009.

Read more: Not to be missed (except by me): Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium

Events

Toronto and Southern Ontario Paddlers will want to take note that the world(?) premier of the Reel Paddling Film Festival is going to be playing at the Bloor Cinema in Toronto on February 11, 2010 at 6:30pm brought to you by The Complete Paddler.

The Reel Paddling Film Festival has been running for 6 years and celebrates the best canoe and kayak films made over the past year.

Doors open at 6:30pm and tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Give The Complete Paddler a call at 416-255-6905 to get your tickets.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to Project C.A.N.O.E. and Kayak for Cure.

More info: completepaddler.ca

Read more: World Premier of the Reel Paddling Film Festival - February 11

Events

Last week I posted a quick note to let people know that sea kayaking was going to be used as one of the modes of transportation for Canada’s 2010 Winter Olympic torch relay on November 9 in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Sadly, the kayak portion had to be scraped due to ice conditions and darkness.

I got a update by friend of the site and fellow kayak instructor, Alex Stuit who was there and part of the running portion of the relay that day.

Read more: Update: Canada’s 2010 Winter Olympic Torch Relay with Kayaks Doesn't Happen [Sad]

Events

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics are coming soon and the traditional Olympic torch relay is currently going on. This time, the organizers of the event are focusing on alternative transportation and the different methods of transportation have been unique indeed.

Yesterday the Olympic torch was carried on surf board up in Tofino, BC for the first time ever by Raph Bruhwiler. It’s also been carried on a mountain bike, skateboard, canoe, wheelchair and a float plane. It was also recently carried by van when police had to get around some protesters doing what they do best, protesting stuff.

Keep an eye on day 11 of the relay (November 9, 2009) when the torch passes through Iqaluit, Nunavut. There it will be paddled in a traditional skin-on-frame kayak along the shoreline by Kyle St. Laurent, a long-time member and assistant coach with the Nunavut Speed Skating Association.

Read more: Has the World Gone Mad? Olympic Torch Carried by Skateboarders, Surfers and Kayakers.

Events

The 2nd annual Georgian Bay Storm Gathering took place last weekend. Though there wasn’t really a “Storm” it was a good “Gathering” non-the-less. How is that for a good opening?

The plan was to provide an opportunity for 45 of Ontario’s best sea kayakers came together for one last hoopla before the winter ice comes in. The sad part was that Mother Nature didn’t really cooperate with us and conditions were pretty calm. By calm, I mean, pancake flat.

It was like Mother Nature knew that we were looking for wind and decided to tease us. For the past two weeks, the wind had been blowing really well then it died Thursday morning and stayed dead all weekend. What happened Monday after everything was over? Good wind out of the West with one meter swells. Ugh.

Since there wasn’t a storm, we had to make our own fun. We decided to paddle out to Red Rock Lighthouse which is about 8km off shore and see how many people we could get on that little island in the middle of nowhere. I don’t believe that Red Rock has ever seen that many kayaks. I can say with certainty that it has never seen so many mango Kokatat dry suits ever!

Out on Red Rock we decided to seal launch a couple of boats off the rocks. To keep the boats happy, we hauled out a couple of floor mats to cover over the rocks and make a slide. The drop at the end was about 6 feet which made going backwards off it interesting to say the least!

Read more: Storm Gathering Not Quite a Storm but Still Fun

Events

I’m off later tonight to the Georgian Bay Storm Gathering. It looks like it’s a sold-out show.

Tim (my fellow organizer) and I have been scrambling for the past several evenings sorting out the last minute details that come with this sort of thing.

Weather wise, it looks like there will be wind but it could be coming out of the wrong direction so who knows what the conditions will be like. Last weekend it was going off like gang busters but now it just looks like it is going to be cold. Freezing cold. Oh well, it was completely flat last year and people (at least myself) still had fun. We might need to get to some offshore islands to try to find some waves though...

Photos should be up on Monday or Tuesday depending on how busy I am.

In the meantime here is a short video of our event last year.

Read more: Bring on the Storms (and the Gathering)!

Events

This past weekend I attended the Central Canadian Instructor Conference held at Madawaska Kanu Centre just outside of Barry’s Bay, Ontario.

About 50 canoe, whitewater kayak and sea kayak instructors were in attendance forming a solid group of active instructors looking to learn from each other.

Read more: 2009 Central Canadian Instructor Conference Wrap-Up

Events

I’m off to the Central Canadian Paddling Symposium this weekend which is being hosted by the Madawaska Kanu Centre just outside of Barry’s Bay, Ontario. It’s being organized by Paddle Canada who are also hosting their Annual General Meeting Sunday afternoon.

It’s shaping up to be a good event. Looking at the schedule, I’m leading three clinics over the weekend. I’m running a “How to teach rescues” and a “How to teach Greenland Paddling” as well as an intro to sea kayaking clinic for other whitewater or canoe instructors who have never been in a sea kayak before. That should be fun indeed!

Read more: Off to the Central Canadian Paddling Symposium this Weekend

Events

CALLING ALL PADDLERS !!!!

On Saturday, October 24th, Grand River Kayak in Dunnville, Ontario will be hosting an event as part of a global day of climate change awareness. Our event will be a 350 minute paddle on the lower Grand River, from our location in Dunnville to Lake Erie at Port Maitland, and back.

The event starts at 10:00 am and will finish approximately 5:00 pm.

We are calling on all non-motorized watercraft (kayaks, canoes, rowers, rowboats, etc) to come together to call attention to the global climate change crisis.

Read more: 350.org Event to Raise Climate Change Awareness

Events

I’m very excited to announce that it’s time for you to register for the 2nd annual Georgian Bay Storm Gathering taking place in Parry Sound, Ontario on October 15-18.

The Gathering is an annual event for intermediate and advanced sea kayakers who are looking to get out and paddle in the bumpy, windy waters of Lake Huron in Fall.

The event takes place at Snug Haven Resort which is an ideal location to host. It’s right on the water in a secluded bay and only a 10 minute paddle to the exposed water of Georgian Bay. The cottages are fully equipped with a kitchen and showers allowing a place to get dry and warm. And yes, there is a hot tub…

Read more: Registration now Open for Georgian Bay Storm Gathering