February 2nd, 2010 | by Andy | published in Canada, Canoeing, Flim, Outdoor Living
Like a first time paddler launching into a vast island-dotted lake, the world became a lot bigger for me as I viewed “This is Canoeing,” the latest project from paddler/filmmaker Justine Curgenven. Gathered into this 2-disc set are 12 film featurettes, each bringing a fresh and memorable viewpoint of what it is to canoe today.
A [...]
January 8th, 2010 | by Andy | published in Canada, Canoeing, Winter Sports
To truly appreciate this time-lapse, you need to watch it in HD. The tiny waterbugs at the bottom right are the 40 teams competing in the Quebec Winter Carnival canoe race. Dodging icebergs. Risking capsized canoes and probably luring hungry arctic wolves. In all seriousness, this kind of crazy stunt is a beautiful way to [...]
November 17th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Canada, Canoeing, Gear
If you’ve ever known the love of a Langford Canoe, you’ve likely felt it either while visiting Canada, or in having to travel there yourself to buy one. So sad, like a bittersweet camp romance.
Take heart, unrequited paddlers — this one’s got a happy ending. Canada’s oldest operating canoe company is now importing to the [...]
October 30th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Canada, History
Are there any scary ghost stories from the Boundary Waters? That’s a tall order, I gotta admit. I’m neither historian, mystery buff, nor ghost-chasing psychic with a hotline, so why should I know something so obscure?
Just so happens, that while working on another post, I recently came across a very mysterious native legend.
One of [...]
September 18th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Camping, Canada, Canoeing, Food
I was up last night until umpteen o’clock, prepping meal ingredients for an overnighter on the Namekagon River. With all the planning, portioning, storing and bear-proofing measures taken, my food will be traveling way more safely and comfortably than my buddies and I. Though all the effort was for just one meal— breakfast burritos — [...]
August 14th, 2009 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Canada, Canoeing, Quetico
Happy to see, at last, some report of last weekend’s race.
Participant Chris Stromberg took the images and all in all, it sounds like a good race with only a few small injuries. Well done, everybody! Via Canoeing.com.
August 11th, 2009 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Canada, Canoeing, Quetico
Race results are (finally) in from this weekend’s Cross Quetico Marathon Canoe Race. We have few details so far, but for a brief comment by USFS Recreation Planner John Pierce:
I’ve been around people when their tank is empty due to a long race or some other event, but my admiration seeing everyone in that canoe [...]
August 6th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Art, Canada, Wildlife
I’ve never been to Lake Superior’s Slate Islands; never seen caribou in the wild, either. But thanks to Layne Kennedy, I sure feel like I have now.
Backpacker just posted a slideshow of the Minnesota photographer’s work among Ontario’s largest herd. Seems fitting that creatures of such mythical, otherworldly beauty should live on islands formed by [...]
August 6th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Canada, Canoeing, Environment, Quetico
In just two days, the waters of Quetico will be astir with twenty-plus canoes in a fervid, knuckles-down race — but not one to claim available campsites.
As the date of the Cross-Quetico Marathon Canoe Race now approaches ramming speed, the teams are undoubtedly coveting the first prize of $5000 cash money. You always have to [...]
July 27th, 2009 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Canada, Canoeing, Environment, Quetico
To the sounds of traditional dances and the firing of musket and cannon salutes, the Canoe the Heart Expedition has come to a close at Historic Fort William in Thunder Bay.
Its crew of Canadian and American park officials, forestry staffers and avid paddlers alike, pulled into port and was greeted by guests in costumes from [...]
July 22nd, 2009 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Camping, Canada, Canoeing, Flim
If you ever did summer camp in the Boundary Waters, Surviving Crooked Lake will probably float your boat.
The feature-length indy flick, opening this Friday, has all the wrong right elements of a teen thriller: 4 girls and their “slightly older male guide” go canoe camping in the wild. Romance, jealousy and mild peril ensue. But [...]
July 10th, 2009 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Canada, Canoeing, Environment, Quetico
“Canadians and Americans joining forces to fight invasive species and tackle climate change — two nations in one canoe, on a mission for Good in the heart of the continent.”
…Sound like a movie trailer? or one of those DC/Marvel comic book crossovers?
Maybe that’s on account of the heroic push the Canoe the Heart Expedition [...]
July 6th, 2009 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Canada, Canoeing, Environment, Quetico
Day-long hard paddling made bearable by frequent breaks, a little esprit de corps… and a lot of second helpings at supper time.
The first report from the Canoe the Heart Expedition sounds strikingly similar to a day in the life of the voyageurs. Minus, that is, the pipe-smoking at every break. Put nine people from Canada [...]
July 1st, 2009 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Canada, Canoeing, Environment, Quetico
It’s the closest thing to a rock tour, ever to hit the Boundary Waters.
The Canoe the Heart Expedition begins today with the launch of a 24-foot voyageur canoe in Atikokan, Ontario. Paddling the tour bus-sized craft are rangers, parks staff and wilderness advocates from both sides of the border.
June 23rd, 2009 | by Andy | published in Art, Canada, Canoeing, Outdoor Living, Wildlife
Shmeaceful shmolitude — it’s high time for a frickin’ all-out canoe marathon in the Border Region!
The kind with like, grueling 8000-rod portages. Lots of whitewater (they’d have to fly that in.) Perilous swarms of mosquitoes. Flocks of camp-raiding, gorp-stealing whiskeyjacks. And speed — sweaty, cussing man-powered speed. Oh, and injuries; a few good paddle-to-the-face ones. [...]