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QC Quintessentially Canadian
Quintessentially
Canadian
Travel
Autumn|2015
Sarah Hueniken Ice Climbing Make Your
Canada Unforgettable
Rafting on the Ottawa River Fall is time for
Sailing in Thunder Bay
Niagara
SKY
Diving
20
Destinations in Your backyard
Banff Hot Springs
Living Here Visiting Here Play Here Awhile Explore Here Awhile
QC !
Features!Travel!Adventure! 4!
10
Sarah Hueniken
20
Canadian!Rockies’! Hot!Springs!
Cover!Photo!Andrew!Querner! ! !
Photo!by! Rafal! Andronowski!
Revelstoke! Paragliding!
15
22! !
! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! QC Travel(( Adventure!! October!2015!
! ! ! ! ! ! 22!!The(True(North! !!!!!!!!Dawson!City! ! 24!!Madawaska(( (((((((Kanu(Centre(! !!!!!!!Canada’s!First!!!! !!!!!!!Whitewater!! !!!!!!!Paddling!School! ! 26!!Niagara(Skydive( !!!!!!!Up!Up!Away!! ! 27!!Cabins(at(the( (((((((Domain( !!!!!!!A!Bubble!of!Calm! !!!!!!!in!Haliburton! ! 29!!Wild(Waves( !!!!!!!Why!the!World! !!!!!!!Calls!us!the! !!!!!!!Adventure!Capital! ! !
Contents! ! !
4!!!!!Features( ! 8!!!!!Bring(on(the(Bay! !!!!!!!3K!Open!Water!Swim! ! 18!!Get(Outside! !!!!!!!Family!Time! ! 19!(Sherbrooke! !!!!!!!Urban!Nature! !!!!!!!!! !
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QC TRAVEL'ADVENTURE'
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Quintessentially
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Canadian
Editorial!DirectorRobert'Windover Associate!EditorJudith'Kipka! Art!DirectorAutumn'Clare! Creative!ConsultantFaith'Kerry' Design!ConsultantTaylor'Gordan! PublisherQuintessentially/ Canadian4Group/
Toronto!ON! '
Enjoy!all!our! publications!at!!issuu.com' ! Advertising!Enquiries! quintessentiallycanadian@hotmail.ca' 416!770!7279! ! !
! ! Disclaimer:! Quintessentially!Canadian!Magazine!makes!no!warranties! of!any!kind,!written!or!implied,!regarding!the!contents!of! this!magazine!and!expressly!disclaims!any!warranty! regarding!the!accuracy!or!reliability!of!information! contained!herein.!The!view!contained!in!this!magazine!are! those!of!the!writers!and!advertisers;!they!do!not! necessarily!reflect!the!views!of!Quintessentially!Canadian! Magazine!and!it’s!publisher.!Quintessentially!Canadian! assumes!no!responsibility!for!unsolicited!material.! Quintessentially!Canadian!assumes!no!responsibility!for! content!of!or!reply!to!any!ad.!The!advertiser!assumes! complete!liability!for!the!content!of!and!all!replies!to!any! advertisement!and!for!any!claims!made!thereof.!!! '
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Cabins at the Domain
Tranquility in Nature
This beautiful property, formerly the Domain of Killien, is under new ownership and is part of the Thurston Wildlife and Forest Reserve, a family owned venture dedicated to protecting the environment and nature. The Reserve includes rental cabins on Drag Lake with clear velvety water for swimming, canoeing and kayaking, as well as access to walking trails through some 4,500 acres of pristine forest, private lakes, rivers and streams, awe inspiring rock faces and sandy beaches. It is open from the May 24 weekend till Thanksgiving weekend. booking@cabinsatthedomain.com Make a reservation now 1-705-457-1242 (on site) 705-457-7510 (mobile)
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Bring!on!the!Bay!
Every&year,&early&in&the&month&of&July,&the&Nepean&Sailing&Club&and&the&Britannia&Yacht&Club&play&host&to&The& Bushtukah&Bring&on&the&Bay&3k&Open&Water&Swim.&It’s&the&largest&open&water&swim&in&eastern&Canada&and&second& only&in&size&in&Canada&to&the&Across&the&Bay&Swim&in&Kelowna&BC."" !! The!swim!starts!at!the!Nepean!Sailing! Club!and!follows!a!3K!downstream! course!finishing!at!the!Britannia!Yacht! Club.!The!truly!unique!feature!of!this! event!is!the!30!keel!boats!anchored! every!100m!along!the!course.!Each! boat!has!a!mileage!marker!and!an! enthusiastic!captain!and!crew!to!cheer! on!the!swimmers.!When!needed,!they! also!provide!refuge!and!occasionally! hot!chocolate!for!weary!swimmers.! The!swim!finishes!at!the!Britannia! Yacht!Club!where!swimmers!are!met! by!friends!and!family,!finishers’! medals!and!a!light!breakfast.!! The!event!started!nine!years!ago! when!a!few!triathletes!thought!it! would!be!a!good!idea.!There!were! nine!swimmers!that!first!year!and!two! of!those!nine!have!completed!every! swim!since.!The!swim!has!grown! bigger!every!year!with!a!record!590! swimmers!in!2015.!These!days!the! swimmers!are!a!mix!of!open!water! swimmers,!pool!swimmers!and! triathletes.!This!year's!youngest! swimmer!was!eleven,!the!oldest!was! 76,!and!they!came!from!BC!to! Newfoundland!and!all!the!way!from! England.!! The!swim!has!wetsuit!and!nonO wetsuit!categories!and!awards!for! overall!and!age!group!winners.!It!is!a! treat!to!watch!all!those!swimmers,!old! and!young,!big!and!small!coming!up! and!finish!the!ladders!side!by!side,! with!smiles!on!their!faces.!In!2014!a! team!competition!was!added!to!the! swim!and!in!2015!there!were!56! teams!and!clubs!represented.!The! swim!is!also!a!founding!member!of! the!Global!Swim!Series.!!
Swimmer!safety!remains!the!swim's!number! one!priority.!The!course!is!chip!timed,!has!a! rolling!start!to!reduce!congestion!and!a!small! mass!start!for!the!elite!swimmers.!Along!with! the!30!keel!boats!there!are!40!kayaks,!a!dozen! SUPs,!five!power!boats!and!two!fire!rescue! boats!out!on!the!course!to!keep!everyone!safe! and!on!course.!!
All!of!the!over!200!people!that!work! to!make!the!event!happen!are! volunteers!and!all!of!the!funds! generated!by!the!Swim!go!directly!to! Easter!Seals.!In!2015!the!event!raised! over!$56,500.!!
2016!will!be!the!10th!anniversary!of!The! Bushtukah!Bring!on!the!Bay!Open!Water!Swim! and!plans!are!already!underway!for!the!biggest! and!best!swim!ever.!The!tentative!date!for!2016! is!Saturday!July!16th.!!Details(and(updates(can( be(found(at(www.bringonthebay.com(or(at( Bring(on(the(Bay(on(Facebook.((
and!best!swim!ever.!The!tentative!date!for!2016!is! Saturday!July!16th.!!Details(and(updates(can(be( found(at(www.bringonthebay.com(or(at(Bring(on( the(Bay(on(Facebook.((
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I will run. The world awaits me‌
Sarah Hueniken
Ice
Climbing Canada
in Photo courtesy of Sarah Hueniken
Photo courtesy of Nick Sharpe
For many Canadians, winter is not a word that gets embraced with overwhelming happiness. Let’s face it, winters in Canada can be long, cold, have more hours of darkness then light, and often involve additional daily chores like shoveling walk ways, and scraping cars. Of course, winter can also bring us many amazing things. Christmas, New Years, snow to play in and ski on, ice to skate on and play hockey, and, for some mountain lovers- ice to also climb on! For the avid ice climber, winter brings hope, excitement, adventure and endless opportunity. Here in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta and BC, there are thousands of established ice climbs. The abundance of ice and long cold days makes this area a mecca for ice climbing and a world-class destination for those that love and pursue the sport. At the first signs of winter, ice climbers start to reacquaint themselves with warm layers that have hid in the closet over summer. They meticulously, sharpen their ice picks, pack their backpacks, fill their thermoses and start hiking into the hills in search of the first few icicles that have touched the ground. This can start as early as October and go well into April, giving Ice climbingas an activity, a very, very long season of engagement!
What’s amazing about ice climbing is that every year, the ice generally forms in the same place, and in the same way. Of course, there can be better or worse years for how ice forms, but for the most part, ice climbs are as predictable as bears hibernating.
physical prowess and endurance. World Cup competitions are held throughout the world on manmade structures and plastic holds to mimic the challenges found outdoors, and allow for a way to compare the climber’s abilities like other sports and competitions.
So what is the allure? There are many things that draw the climber towards the sport of ice climbing. Ice climbing can take you to amazing places that you would never otherwise go to or see. It is stunning and beautiful. It is ethereal; it is there in the winter and then totally gone in the spring and summer. It is physically and mentally engaging, requires skill, tenacity and a lot of judgment, and it is FUN!
Of course, mixed and ice climbing might not be for everyone, but there are many ways for the curious novice to test their swing if they find themselves wondering if they might like it. Just like other fringe winter sports like dog sledding or curling, if you hire a professionalice climbing is extremely safe, and super accessible. In Canada to guide ice climbing, you must be a certified ACMG guide, with years of experience and scrutinized testing under your belt.
Over time, ice climbing has evolved from a means to climb big mountain faces, to a sport in itself, and has even went so far as to climbing overhanging rock with the same tools and crampons, just to reach a hanging dagger of ice. This latest form of climbing is called mixed climbing, and is a true test of a climber’s
Hiring a guide for a day or half a day, will enable the beginner to learn how to swing the tools properly, kick their spiked feet into the ice, and climb upwards under the safety of a rope. If this is appealing, future days in the mountains, attempting longer and more difficult climbs can be had. But be careful. This can become addictive!
Photo Courtesy of Forest Woodward
So, as you
sit inside the comfort of your house, reading
this magazine, and temperatures are dropping outside, remember, that for some, this is the start to the best season of the year! It only takes giving it a try, and you never know- you too might start scraping the ice off your windshield with a smile knowing that bigger and more exciting ice is also freezing out there.
Photo Courtesy of Rainbow Weinstock
Sarah Hueniken lives and works in Canmore Alberta. As a certified ACMG guide, she runs her own business guiding rock and alpine in the summer and ice and mixed in the winter. She is currently the Women’s North American Ice difficulty champion and the only North American woman to climb M12 and M13 She has climbed around the world and put up several first ascents, in China, Africa, Iceland and, Canada including the first to climb Niagara Falls with Will Gadd this past winter.
To learn more about Sarah please visit her website at Sarahhueniken.com, Instagram @huens, Facebook- Sarah Hueniken
Photo courtesy of Sarah Hueniken
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Revelstoke ! Paragliding ! ! by Brad Murphy and Meghan Lagaden
Welcome to Revelstoke Paragliding: Your adventure playground starts as soon as you arrive. We, the people of Revelstoke Solo and Tandem Paraglider pilots welcome you to enjoy one of the longest and highest tandem paraglider flights in North America. No experience required. We welcome you to come and fly with Revelstoke Paragliding team. Every colour of a painter's brush awaits when you surge through the clouds in a tandem harness with a certified competent instructor flying your vessel to aerial paradise.
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In The Summer Months: Your day will start off with a scenic 4x4 Truck Ride up the Revelstoke Mountain Resort reaching the Launch Altitude of 7, 300 Feet (2200 meters) high in the Alpine. This is where we will experience Canadian Wildlife, Alpine flowers shining in the Earth’s natural light and the views of the glaciers and Mountain Peaks at 9000 feet. Then the fun begins: We launch and have the wind blowing in our faces as we climb out above the mountains gaining elevation from thermals, feeling the freedom of flight. Photography!Provided!by!! Kevin!Hyllestad!
A quote from the founder of the Revelstoke Paragliding club: “My favourite thing about flying in Revelstoke is the magnificent mountain views, the vistas and the Columbia mountains. Revelstoke has the largest vertical drop in America, and pumping thermals! This mountain has the potential for mega-big cross-country flights, in tiger country…being able to hit 12, 000 feet three minutes after launching. We launch at 7, 300 feet, and you can’t beat the awesome people that come to fly here!” • Chris Delworth In the Winter: We meet at mid-station on RMR and ride the lifts to our launch at 7, 200 feet (2200 meters). It may be cold but the adrenalin will take over as we slide down a Ski Run and take flight flying over the Resort. It’s a great way to look at what you want to ski or snowboard next time you ride the lifts to the top. Enjoy your stay, the adventure never ends in Revelstoke!
Kevin Hyllestad, a fellow paraglider enthusiast expresses: “I fly Solo and Tandem and I can’t explain how amazing the stunning views of glaciers and breathtaking mountainous terrain is, along with amazing thermals, it makes Revelstoke one of the most epic flying sites around! Nothing like thermaling up to 10,000feet, then venturing deep into the mountains in October. The fall colours in full force, makes for one of the most scenic flying destinations, not only in the fall but all year around” - Kevin Hyllestad Each trip can be tailored to the level of thrill that suits you whether you enjoy a gentle float or perhaps a bit more speed. Revelstoke is the place to make everlasting memories.
and
Get Outside
Play More Staying active with children,at times may seem like an extra, unpaid form of employment. Tiredness can overwhelm us as we age and naptime is wished for ourselves. The secret to relaxing is the outdoors, so I’m told. So, get out a little into our beautiful backyard. Enjoy your time and the wonder that is Canada.
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Soothe your Soul in the Rockies’ Hot Springs PAULA WORTHINGTON
Soaking in hot springs is Mother Nature’s original spa, and Banff and Kootenay National Parks in the Rockies offer two spectacular locations.
As Canada’s oldest park, Alberta’s Banff National Park offers rich history and iconic vistas, while B.C.’s Kootenay National Park is a naturelover’s delight and home to Radium Hot Springs. Banff’s springs have been attracting visitors since 1885. Before that, First Nation’s people used the springs for health and spirituality for more than 10,000 years. Named for its location as the highest elevation outlet on the mountain (1,585 metres), the Banff Upper Hot Springs was originally a free-flowing stream that ended at the Bow River. Its waters are rich in sulphate, calcium, bicarbonate and other minerals believed to be therapeutic. Water temperature of the springs is kept between 37 C and 40 C and its mountain setting is unrivalled.
West of the Great Divide, approximately 90 minutes from Banff, Radium Hot Springs offers a quiet respite from mountain sightseeing, no matter the season. Like Banff, Radium Hot Springs holds an abundance of history too, such as when 19th century Englishman Roland Stuart immediately saw the cachet of the area. He paid a whopping $160 for a Crown grant of the 160 acres around the Radium Hot Springs in 1890. The pools are kept at a very comfortable 39C, and the top five minerals, including sulphate, calcium, bicarbonate, silica and magnesium, are thought to have healing properties. Known for their curative powers, hot springs throughout the Rockies became sought-after destinations for visitors around the world, and that tradition continues today.
“Today, doctors recommend hot springs for the stress-relieving properties and for soothing sore muscles or the aches of arthritis,” says Donna Cook, spokesperson for Parks Canada. On-site spas and upgrades at both the Banff Upper Hot Springs and Radium Hot Springs have modernized the facilities, but the feeling of history and sanctuary among the mountains remains the same. Towel, locker and bathing suit rentals are available for those who make a spontaneous stop to the hot pools in Banff or Radium; and a single adult admission costs $7.30 Cdn for Banff and $6.30 Cdn for Radium. Both hot pools are open daily, year round. Getting there: From Calgary, take the Trans-Canada highway (Highway 1) to Banff. Travelling onward to Radium, continue west past Banff to Castle Junction in Banff National Park. At Castle Junction, take Highway 93 through Kootenay National Park to the Radium Hot Springs. For more information, swim over to www.hotsprings.ca
Photos: Evelyne Pollock, Mark Loberg, Michael Edwards, Kirsten Lorenz, Amanda Warren, CTC Mueller
THE TRUE NORTH FUN AND FREE
FO L LO W U S
WHITEWATER(RAFTING(IN(CANADA(
# Ottawa#Pioneers# Spotlight# Madawaska#Kanu#Centre# By Claudia Kerckhoff – Van Wijk
It#has#been#an#exciting#road#starting#Canada’s#first#whitewater# paddling#school#in#1972.##In#1969,#my#parents#won#the# National#Whitewater#Championships#in#Huberdeau,#Quebec#on# the#Rouge#River.##They#were#very#excited#and#felt#that#they#had# to#make#something#out#of#this#–#something#that#would#get# more#people#into#this#incredible#sport#they#had#embraced.## Madawaska#Kanu#Centre#would#have#to#wait#for#three#more# years#as#Hermann#competed#for#Canada#at#the#1972#Munich# Olympic#Games#on#the#artificial#course#in#Augsburg,#Germany,# so#as#not#to#lose#his#amateur#status.## ! ! !
! With!a!choice!of!setting!up!on!the!Rouge! River,!the!Petawawa!River!or!the! Madawaska!River,!my!parents!chose!the! Madawaska!as!it!was!close!to!their!home! and!also!the!section!that!their!paddling! club,!the!Ontario!Voyageurs!Kayak!Club! (OVKC)!paddled!each!Thanksgiving.!!A! major!benefit!to!this!location!was!the! negotiated!agreement!with!Ontario! Hydro!to!release!water!during!July!and! August!for!the!sole!purpose!of! recreational!paddling.!!This!was!the!first! negotiated!recreational!use!agreement! with!a!local!utility!in!Canada!! ! Carving#out#a#unique#program,#that# combines#structured#learning#in#a# resort#environment#with#a#twist#of# European#flare;#Hermann#and#Christa# learned#that#they#were#pioneers#in# their#field.##Years#later#they# discovered#they#had#started#a# phenomenon#U#the#first#whitewater# school#in#the#world.### ! Their!next!legacy!to!the!whitewater! world!was!the!discovery!of!a!whitewater! paradise!K!the!Rocher!Fondue!rapids!of! the!Ottawa!River!by!Renfrew,!Ontario.!! Having!heard!about!rapids!on!the! Ottawa!River!through!fellow!wilderness! entrepreneurs!at!the!Canadian! Sportsman!show!in!Toronto,!Hermann! and!I!(14!at!the!time)!made!the!trek!to! Calumet!Island!on!the!Quebec!shores!of! the!Ottawa!River!in!the!spring!of!1974.!! We!logged!the!first!ever!kayak!descent! down!the!now!famous!Rocher!Fondue! rapids.!!!! ! OWL!Rafting,!started!in!1981!and! became!a!natural!progression!for!the! Kerckhoff!family!–!introducing!nonK experienced!paddlers!to!the!world!of! whitewater!through!rafting.!!The!two! whitewater!businesses!remain!in!the! family,!my!husband,!Dirk!van!Wijk!and!I,! embrace!the!same!passion!for!the!sport! of!whitewater.!!Today!both!MKC!on!the! Madawaska!River!and!OWL!Rafting!on! the!Ottawa!River!remain!industry! leaders!and!are!renowned!world–wide.! ! !
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(NSC)!is!Ontario’s!only!full4time! skydive!dropzone!facility,! introducing!thousands!of!new! students!to!the!sport!of!skydiving! 7!days!a!week!throughout!the! spring,!summer,!and!autumn! months.! Renowned!as!Ontario’s!Tandem!Specialists,!NSC! prides!itself!in!providing!students!with!the!highest! level!of!customer!service!and!one4on4one!training.! Our!story!begins!in!2001,!when!the!owner!of!NSC,! Tim!Grech,!left!his!9!to!5!corporate!job!to!fulfill!his! lifelong!dream!of!running!a!skydive!dropzone.! Fourteen!years!later,!NSC!has!established!itself!as! Ontario’s!premier!facility!for!tandem!skydiving.! ! Operating!in!the!heart!of!the!Niagara! Peninsula!on!the!grounds!of!the!Niagara!Central! Airport!in!Pelham,!Ontario,!NSC!is!the!only! skydive!facility!in!Canada!that!is!able!to!overfly! Niagara!Falls.!With!each!and!every!one!of!our! flights!to!our!jump!altitude!of!12,000!feet,!all!of! our!skydive!students!are!able!to!experience!a! view!of!Niagara!Falls!that!seldom!few!get!to! witness.!Making!our!passHover!at!roughly!6,000! feet,!far!above!other!tour!operators,!skydivers!at! NSC!get!to!see!one!of!the!wonders!of!the!world! whilst!also!getting!to!experience!one!of!the!most! adrenalineHfilled!sports,!all!at!once!! ! Although!considered!to!be!Ontario’s! Tandem!Specialists,!NSC!also!prides!itself!in! introducing!students!to!the!sport!of!solo!skydiving! through!our!Canadian!Sport!Parachuting! Association!(CSPA)!accredited!solo!progression! programs.!Our!educational!mantra!is!to!ensure!that! each!and!every!student!receives!professional!one4 on4one!instruction!and!coaching,!something!that!is! difficult!to!find!elsewhere.!Our!instructors!want! nothing!more!than!to!see!students!excel!in!the!sport,! and!they!always!strive!to!go!above!and!beyond!the! call!of!duty!in!ensuring!that!students!are!properly! informed,!educated,!and!above!all,!enjoying!their! experience!! ! Boasting!the!only!fullHtime!dropzone! crew!in!Ontario,!NSC!is!able!to!customHtailor! skydive!experiences!to!the!wishes!of!our! students.!Morning,!afternoon,!or!evening!–! sunrise!or!sunset.!Be!it!a!bunch!of!buddies! wanting!to!have!the!biggest!adrenaline!rush!of! their!lives,!a!couple!popping!the!big!question,!or! even!treating!grandma!to!a!jump!on!her!90th! birthday,!NSC!has!experience!with!it!all.!From! manifest,!to!our!instructors,!and!even!our!pilots,! NSC!staff!prides!itself!in!exceeding!customer! wishes!and!making!them!feel!like!they’re!the! centre!of!attention.!All!jumps!are!customerH centric.! A!skydive!experience!at!NSC!is!something!that!both! novice!and!experienced!jumpers!alike!will!come!to! cherish!for!a!lifetime.! !
Cabins at the
Domain
Nestling into one of the neat and cozy Cabins at the Domain is like a gift. Like that trusted relative, with the serene natural oasis in the best cottage country this land has to offer, has graciously given you an open invitation to rest and recharge at her well kept treasure. The surroundings are refreshingly rugged, the accommodations charmingly unpretentious, and all that is left is for you to simply enjoy, simply soak it all in, simply breathe. Stretch your toes out on the sandy beach, zone out to the sound of crickets, water gently lapping on the shore and the loon love songs to the ancient glacial tides. The relaxation will unravel your knots, and you will promise yourself to return, again and again to this bubble of calm on Haliburton's most beloved, Drag Lake.
What You'll Get: A comfortable, rustic, self-contained cabinwith fireplace Creature comforts in each cabin (coffee maker, kettle, small fridge, microwave, BBQ) Warm and cozy bedding, pillows, throws Extra large bathtub, double or single sinks, towels, soaps etc. Options for communal dining, cooking and food preparation in the spacious, well equipped kitchens Self serve breakfast for two people including coffee, tea, juice, bread, eggs, bagels, cereal, fruit Ultra luxe lounge with big screen TV, DVDs, wifi, fireplace, magazines, leather couches and several dining tables Private communal beach with sand, shallow entry water
Canoes, kayaks, life jackets for use Nature trails Amazing views Incredible atmosphere Help and advice on the area and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attractions, whenever needed
What You'll Need: A few days Your favourite meal ingredients Your casual comfy attires That book you keep meaning to read Your swimsuit, beach mat and towel Cabins At The Domain Contact Lynn @ 705 754 1056 Email: booking@cabinsatthedomain.com
WILD WAVES Why the world calls us the “Adventure Capital” By Adrick Brock
We are sitting in a yellow raft on the Ottawa River about to run the biggest rapids east of the Grand Canyon. Our guide, a bushy blonde German named Sven, yells over the roar of crashing water. “If you fall out,” he instructs us, “remember to stay calm!” The steep rocky banks on either side compress the water into muscly currents that may take us for what Sven affectionately calls “the ride”. We have come here for the thrill of adventure, and so far, the Ottawa River has not disappointed. Just over one hour’s drive west of Ottawa, the Ottawa River is a splashy reminder of how amazing our backyard really is. The river flows over 1,300 kilometers, from Lake Timiskaming east to Montreal. It is a watery mecca for adventure seekers, and the perfect way to escape the city in the summer. Our trip is run by the family-owned OWL Rafting. OWL (Ottawa Whitewater Leaders) was established in 1981 by Christa and Hermann Kerckhoff, and is now owned and operated by their daughter, Claudia, and her husband Dirk Van Wijk. The couple is the epitome of outdoor enthusiasm and never tire hearing the praise,
‘this was the best day of my life!’ Arriving at the OWL base camp, you get the feeling you’re in good hands. Staff members stroll around in bright yellow t-shirts, smiling, it seems, with the hidden knowledge that they actually get paid to do their job. The main chalet is a pinebeam building that reminds you of the European Alps. Rafters can either sleep in their own log cabin or set up tents on the acres of grassy field. Among the amenities are a sauna, a disc golf course, outdoor showers, and a volleyball court. The resort is nestled on the bank of the Ottawa, and guests can laze on the hot beach or take a kayak or canoe out for a test-drive on the tranquil water. When we ask our guide, Sven, what makes the adventure so high in a Sport raft like ours, he chuckles. “It means we’re going to capsize a lot.” And capsize— we do. We peel out into the current at Sven’s command, our strokes synchronized after only a few hours practice. From the back of the boat, Sven adjusts the angle of the raft. “Hard forward!”
he yells, and we dig in. Yesterday, we were stuck in Friday traffic. Today, we are looking at a wall of water that will either flip us or let us through. We are told to keep paddling no matter what, and when the bow of our little yellow raft splits the frothy maw, the exhilaration is tangible. We crash into the second wave, and the third, whooping with victory. One of our rafters teeters from the blow and falls into the water, but someone extends their paddle and we manage to pull the swimmer back into the boat. Four hours ago, we were two groups of strangers. Now we are each other’s’ heroes.
For a moment, it’s as though we’ve traveled somewhere further than here, to Mexico or Thailand. This is Ontario cottage country, after all, but it’s so much more than we imagined. We spend the evening by the bonfire in the pavilion, retelling the stories of the day. A local blues band takes to the stage and serenades us with a throaty version of “Mustang Sally.” We are tired out from all the fun, but ready to hit the water again tomorrow.
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Photography!Provided!by!! Kevin!Hyllestad!