OPEN CANOEING
Canada, just the name itself conjures up all sorts of images; a land of vast wilderness, water and bears; of massive trucks, loggers and plaid shirts. Of course Canada does contain all of the above and yet so much more. Sticking to the Canadian clichés is similar to saying that us Brits all have butlers, dine only on cream teas and roast beef and reside in stately homes. Although there’s a tiny grain of truth there’s far more to Canada than meets the eye. For the canoe paddler Canada is a Mecca. Not only is it the spiritual home of the open canoe, but it is blessed with a vast multitude of lakes, rivers and waterways, all set in pristine wilderness. Canada has been a hot spot for travelling paddlers for years, but with cheap flights and well-equipped outfitters available, getting out and on the water is becoming easier every year.
Canada is a mighty big country! It takes as long to fly over to Vancouver in the west, from Ottawa in the east, as it does to fly from the UK. So we’re going to look at one of the most popular wilderness parks, the Algonquin Park in Ontario. The Algonquin is as big as Wales and is host to thousands of visitors each year. Each and every one of them has the same thing in mind, to head out into the wilderness and experience the great outdoors; many for the first time. The park is located only a couple of hours from Ottawa airport, so it’s ideal for the visiting canoeist, as you can be out on the water in no time!
Getting Geared Up! Being the originators and pioneers of open canoeing, the Canadians have got it down to an art in terms of getting outfitted for your paddling and camping gear. There are lots of good outfitters to choose from to get all the gear you need for a great trip.
“By September the days begin to cool right down, but the colours are fantastic! They change daily with a range of birches and pines the floral colour spectrum is truly spectacular.”
Article and images by Ross Montandon
Multi-day canoe tripping in the Algonquin National Park Most of the big outfitters will kit you out with everything, even the proverbial kitchen sink! If you’re not one for sorting out food and logistics you could turn up in shorts and t-shirt and they’ll sort out everything, your boat, food and camping gear. If, however, you are a thrifty canoeist and want to save money then equipment such as buoyancy aids and paddles can be brought from home without any hassle. Most outfitters have a wide range of canoes and paddles so have a think about how much portaging you have planned during your trip (portaging is where you have to leave the water and carry your boat and equipment around an obstacle or unpaddleable stretch of water). If you’ve got a lot of portages to carry, or are paddling solo then you can hire a Kevlar boat, which will be very light, but needs to be paddled with care as it can be damaged easily on rocks. If you are paddling tandem or have no portages then a plastic canoe will do the job. Dry bags and barrels can also be hired as dry storage from all of the outfitters, but again if you bring your own from the UK you can save a few pennies.
CKUK’s resident open boat disciple Ross Montandon presents a handy guide to planning and organising your own canoe trip of a lifetime, with a journey into the wilderness for a multi-day trip in Canada. 5 6 CKUK FEBRUARY 2010
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OPEN CANOEING
Wildlife and Bug Protection
“The Algonquin Park has the biggest pack of wolves in Canada and you’ll occasionally hear them whilst laying in your sleeping bag at night.” All the hire gear is well looked after and maintained, and all the staff who work at the outfitters have extensive knowledge regarding the park and open canoeing, so feel free to quiz them on any questions you might have. If you’re arranging your own food then there are some cracking books out there, written by multi-day paddlers, that can help you plan your food on a daily basis. Stock up on Zip-lock plastic bags, as they are re-usable and work really well for separating ingredients such as flour and jam.
Permits and Park Rules When you’ve picked up all of your gear you’ll have to stop off at the park entrance and collect your permit. You’ll have to give details, such as your campsite location each night, the length of stay in the park and a few other precautions. They’ll be able to give you full weather reports and any information regarding fire hazards. And for those concerned about the other residents of the park, such as bears there’s plenty of information at hand to help you deal with the furrier denizens of the forests, and avoid any unwanted attention from Yogi and his chums. If you wish to fish in the park then you will need to collect a separate fishing permit as well. The park rangers are very helpful and, quite rightly, insist that you take any rubbish out and use the campground facilities provided at each pitch, such as the fire pits and latrines. The maximum number allowed for a party is nine. The conservation and maintenance of the park is top priority, so please respect it. This way thousands of other paddlers can enjoy it for years to come.
The Season The park is ready to go as soon as the ice melts in the spring, which is usually the last week in April, but after heavy winters can be as late as the middle of May. This is when the trout fishing is good if you’re looking to fish, and the black fly season kicks in at the end of May. I’d strongly advise not going in black fly season. They
literally bite you to bits and can make your trip very uncomfortable. During June you’ll come across a heavy dose of mosquitoes and black flies, but the park is generally very quiet. July the days are long and warm and make for a good trip, but the midges are still out and about. By August the weather is ideal for camping with the mosquitoes being kept at bay by the cooler nights. By September the days begin to cool right down, but the colours are fantastic! They change daily with a range of birches and pines the floral colour spectrum is truly spectacular. If you don’t mind the cooler weather then September is a beautiful time to be in the park. The crowds have quietened down and you can really get a real idea of the park’s nature. Whatever season you choose to visit dress accordingly and be aware of sudden storms with fast and heavy downpours.
There’s plenty of wildlife to be spotted, the Algonquin Park has the biggest pack of wolves in Canada and you’ll occasionally hear them whilst laying in your sleeping bag at night. It’s a real treat to hear them in their natural environment, and rather than being scary, it’s a strangely beautiful experience. You could also see moose, beaver and even bear, depending on the time of year. There are many other creatures and creepy crawlies living in the park, but they are generally pretty harmless. Whilst you are camping be sure to take precautions to avoid any unwanted visitors. Hang your food bag in a tree down wind of your camp, and place anything that might attract animals in it, even small items such as toothpaste and chewing gum. The food bag wants to hang at least four meters above the ground and well away from your sleeping quarters. This is well worth doing as it’ll stop any pesky chipmunks stealing your snacks as a midnight feast, or anything bigger stealing you! Make sure you keep any rubbish well away from your camp too, before packing it out with you the following day. Unless it’s cooled right down you’re going to end up with bugs buzzing around at certain parts of the day. It’s definitely worth picking up a mosquito bug jacket. You can get these up from Canadian Tire or Wal-Mart shops. These are useful to have at the top of your pack for when you stop for lunch or have to portage. A pair of lightweight trousers are also handy, to put on to stop the little blighters getting at your legs. In terms of repellent as long as it’s got a good deet rating you’re all good, however when used over a prolonged period deet can damage your skin and clothes, so just be aware. As long as you’re not bathing in the stuff on a daily basis, you should be fine. If you’re sleeping in a tent maybe pack some bug spray. I tend to sleep under tarps with a mosquito net, as you have more space to move around and relax, especially if you get caught out in a storm and have to stay in camp for a day.
Logistics Some outfitters have on site accommodation and airport pick up if you require it. This costs more but certainly allows for a stress free trip. If you stay on the eastern side of the park you’re not to far away from the fabled Ottawa River, which is about an hour from Achray campground. The area just outside the park is known as ‘cottage country’. This is because it’s where local Canadians have holiday homes, just like you see in the movies, which they rent out. They’re normally right by lakes and can be good to hire out if you have a large group of you. All in all Canada is a truly amazing place and the Algonquin is just a small slice of what’s out there for the canoeist to explore. I really hope that this article
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has helped to inspire you and to outline just how easy it can be to find yourself gliding across a mirrorflat lake in the home of the Canadian canoe. There are lots of resources available if you want to research more and, with the Internet, information is so free and easy to find, so go on get online, book your flight and pack your gear bag because I can honestly say that for getting away from it all and escaping the hustle and bustle of modern day lives there is nothing quite like a journey by canoe.
Maps and Resources There are many maps you can get on the Algonquin, but the best map is ‘The Canoe Routes of Algonquin Provincial Park’. This map has absolutely everything that you need to know. It has a list of the outfitters and info about permits and general etiquette around the park. It makes planning your route really easy. All the portage trails and campsites are marked too. This map can be ordered or picked up when you arrive.
Gear If you’re short of any outdoor equipment that you may need then head to the Mountain Equipment Co-op, when you hit Canada. These shops are dotted all around the country and have a massive range of gear and knowledge. If you’re looking for a shiny canoe paddle check out their website as they tend to be a lot cheaper than the UK. The nearest stores to the Algonquin are in Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal. You have to become a member, but once you’ve joined you’re good to go. If only we had a store like this in the UK. www.mec.ca
Outfitting These boys are one of the many major outfitters who’ll be able to sort you out, but they are one of the biggest and the best. www.algonquinoutfitters.com
Camp Cooking The Paddling Chef published by Helipress by Dian Weimer is a mustread book in your preparations. This book is written by canoeing enthusiasts and has been designed for paddlers. A well illustrated book with some great advice and recipes that are perfect for your paddling trip.
For more great canoeing articles and paddling routes head to www.canoekayak.co.uk
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