Hello Out There in La La Land…..

Trees are exploding with colour up here.  In the mornings as I walk down to the shore to get fresh water for the chickens, the sun lights up the distant shore through thick mists….Cole Lake giving up her summer heat in a blaze of glory!   But out on the Bay the water is warm and holding its heat longer,… the very best time to be out paddling.

Lots to tell you about…..Heather and I trucked around the yard this morning and lowered all new and used boat prices for the Final Fall Clearout starting 9am Sat. Oct. 11 to 5:30pm on Mon. Oct. 13. You can go to whitesquall.com/boat_inventory.php for the complete listing.  Please note that an extra 10%  applies if two boats are purchased by the same person.  If you want to buy a boat, but can’t come on Saturday – you can let us know anytime this week.  We’ll register your interest in the order it comes in, and after 1pm on Saturday, those requests will be honoured.  So, first choice goes to those who show up on a first come, first served basis, and then from 1pm onwards we’ll work with phone and e-mail requests. We are open off and on at the Paddling Centre after Thanksgiving by appointment for rentals and sales, so please give us a call if you need anything.

We also have a good variety of new and used paddling gear on sale right now. Starting Saturday (oct 11), an additional 10% will be offered storewide (including all sales items) until Monday evening. This sale applies to the town shop as well and it’s open Sat. and Sun.

We aren’t sure what’s happening with boat pricing for next season.  My gut feeling is that as oil increases, so must anything that’s made with it. Sometimes my bright ideas aren’t so bright, when companies lower prices to gain market share.   We’ve been taking a lot of special orders for next spring from customers, and with a 25% deposit – the lowest price will be guaranteed.  If you are considering a spring purchase, consider ordering now – it means you’ll get the boat you want when you want it at the lowest price,  rather than having to wait.

Storm Gathering and Paddle Canada Level 3 – we have a few spots for the Gathering ( see also georgianbaystormgathering.com)  so please get in touch if interested. Two spots have just come open for PC Level 3 – again, please let us know right away!

Cold Weather, Cold Hands….

My favourite combination for colder days is a pair of fingerless gloves inside pogies.  I get some protection with the gloves, along with good grip when I need it, and then inside the pogies I’m warm and toasty for straight ahead paddling.  Along the same lines, there is a paddling mitt/glove combination from Chota called “Stowaway” which works equally as well.  Whenever you stop paddling, jam your hands inside your pfd to warm them up – and keep hydrated.  As your fluid levels go down, so does you ability to stay warm!

Warm Woolies

I’ve been around the block a few times with fancy, new fangled materials – but the other day I tried some very old technology – wool!  We were out on the Bay and it got decidedly wet, windy and cold.  I didn’t have a good windshell on  (ba-a-a-a-d tim)  but that morning I had thrown on a merino wool underlayer.  What a treat – ol’ timmy was toasty while others were chillin’..” ya know what I’m sayin’?”  Just shows to go you that you can’t pull the wool over sheep eyes, and they ain’t sheepish about it either.   They’re  downright smart and if you ever get the chance to treat them for keeping you warm, I hear their favourite chips are Baa-Baa-Q.  ::))

baa baa fer now - tim

Hello Everyone,

I returned from my expedition a few weeks ago, it was a great success.  Approximately $7500 was raised for the Georgian Bay Land Trust.  Thanks to everyone who donated!

I have a link from my website www.patrickstark.com <http://www.patrickstark.com> to my photo gallery and I have added a few items to the media page.  There’s a new podcast interview with me and I added a few newspaper articles including the National Post piece.  There will be several more magazine articles and an upcoming TV appearance so watch the website for updates.

I want to give a special thanks to a few people (in no particular order).  Adam McDowell for his wonderful piece in the National Post <http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=633349> , Tim Dyer of White Squall <http://www.whitesquall.com> for supplying me with some much needed food and gear, Sue Russel for the great cookout at Mini-Cog Island, the Bell family for the beach front hospitality at Cedar Point, Andre, Ingrid, Tiger and Panther for making my time in Tiny Township so comfortable, Alex and Sarah for the day of rest in Collingwood, Al and Keri for the backyard tent site and the tasty honey <http://www.mycollingwood.ca/the_honey_house.asp> in Thornbury, Andy for the hotdogs and waterfront campsite near the tank range, Harold for flying my father in for a visit at Cabot Head, Bob and Sue for the amazing experience at the Cove Island Lightstation <http://www.coveisland.ca> ,  Mike and Kathy for accompanying me during the last week of the expedition, my uncle Bob for flying in our missing tent poles, Wendy Cooper of the GBLT for helping out in many ways, 3G Lighting for giving me the time off, my mother for insisting I get a satellite beacon, my father for driving Kathy and Mike up to Killarney in the boat, and another big thanks to Kathy for preparing a bunch of my food and driving up to Tobermory for a visit!

And thanks again to everyone who donated!

Georgian Bay Kayak Crossing
In late July, some top young White Squallions (Aleesha, Christine, Kevin, Ashley, Owan,Kaitlin and friend John) made a pretty historic crossing of Georgian Bay (80km) by kayak. I only know of one or two individuals who have paddled across the Bay ever (any more out there?) and it is an achievement they should be very proud of. They encountered 3 metre waves and sea sickness from Lion’s Head to Snug Harbour, but were able to do it in just over 15 hours. The best part I think is that they didn’t make a big fuss or seek out sponsors and fame, they simply said let’s do it and did it. I’m gonna see if Rolling Stone will cover the story.

View a short Video of Georgian Bay Crossing

Fall Boat Sales
Our little boat orphanage is a happy place, and we’ve taught them the ways of being afloat in the sea of life, but it’s time to find them a home. Heather and I have lowered prices on all new, used and demo kayaks and canoes ( see whitesquall.com)

Fall Paddling
We’ve got lots of gear in for fall paddling to keep you toasty in the best paddling time of the year. Drysuits, Wetsuits, Drytops, Paddling Pullovers, Neo Mitts, Socks and Hoods and Fuzzy Fleece! We’re open through Thanksgiving weekend and hope you have a chance to discover the perfect paddling that fall on the Bay has to offer.

Tim’s Tip
This is the time of year when we get colder arctic air moving further south and meeting head on with warm and moist southern air masses. The northern air pushes the warmer stuff up like a bulldozer, and you can see it in the clouds that spring skyward like popcorn. Anytime you see these cauliflower clouds climbing steeply, it means lots of instability and that means a good chance of rain and lightning. The difference in temperature between these opposing bodies of air creates whirlpools in the sky…just like in a river - and that can translate into waterspouts over open water. Nothing to stay awake at might thinking about - but it’s good to be aware if you’re planning an open water crossing. This kind of weather isn’t large scale system weather and it’s tough for forecasters to get right so it often pops up out of nowhere, and disappears just as quickly. So what’s your tip tim? OK, so don’t take the forecast as gospel, and start looking for cauliflower in the sky instead of your ear…and if you let the bluebird of happiness fly up your nose then you’ve got two major orifices covered….and that’s gotta be a good thing when on the water…..

Tim’s Tip #1
Well, this is actually Miranda’s tip-and is all about not using your car rack for boat storage. We see a lot of people leave their boat on longer than necessary, and the result is it puts a lot of stress on the hull. Get it off as soon as you can and you’ll avoid some ugly dents in your pride and joy.

Tip #2
Sunner intoxication without alcohol! (Doesn’t sound like much fun does it?) Sometimes we overhydrate in the summer heat, trying to cool ourselves. Trouble is, the water sits in the stomach and can’t be processed quickly enough. Result - we get nauseous, and to add insult - the water does little to cool your core. So….do keep hydrated moderately, but equally important is to cool your core externally by stopping what you’re doing, get out of the sun and applying a cool,wet cloth to your skin. Or better yet - go for a swim and then find a good book in the shade.

Incredible as it may seem, the Harper government is considering the emlimination of the historic right of public navigation in Canada.

Under the direction of the Minister of Transport, Lawrence Cannon, the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) is being re-written to eliminate the obligation to consider impacts on navigation when building dams, bridges, causeways, booms or other invasive structures on thousands of waterways across Canada.

They hope to achieve this by exempting “minor waters” and “minor works” under the NWPA, and by re-defining “navigation” under the act in a way that it may exclude all recreational navigation, all white water streams, all seasonal waterways, all people-powered vessels of any kind, and in fact any vessels with less than one meter draft.

For more info and how to get involved - please visit: http://www.canadianrivers.net/

and also http://vvcc.ca/calendar/info.php?trip=393

The staff headed out one evening early June for some white water fun.  We find there is nothing better than some white water playing to improve your strokes, steering, edging and bracing confidence.  The bugs were horrendous, however despite this and low water, all had a great time playing in the rapids and surfing the one nice wave.  We especially had fun with the canoe - royalex Nova Craft 16 Prospector & the Wilderness System Ripper Sit On Top.  In fact everyone that got on the Ripper that night could not stop giggling and laughing - it’s so stable and fun. It surfs great too - side surfing not so much - just spits you off and you go for a little floating swim, then climb back on and you are ready to go again.  We’ve been selling a lot of them at White Squall Paddling Centre - go figure since for 2008 they retail for $ 330. !!!  What a great deal for so much return in fun!  Enjoy our little video

Moon River Staff Training Night - White Squall June 2008 (13 min video)

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Tim’s Tips

Tip #1 (actually this is Cathy Crawley’s tip)

Pack an umbrella while packing for your next trip. Sure an umbrella is great for rainy days, however it can be used for a wind screen for a stove, a sun shade, a kayak sail, and keeps you dry in the middle of a rainy night, when you go out for a pee (and you be bothered with putting on your raincoat or even your clothes for that matter!)

Tip #2 (actually this is Chris King’s tip)

“Remember while paddling - It’s not all about power….. it’s about applying good technique!”

The Raccoon has evolved! Researchers at the Cole Lake Institute for Lower Learning report that the Franklin Island coon (a distinct subspecies called coonus smarterthanusus) has figured out how to pry off just about any kayak hatch you can name. There is no hope, all you can do is to listen to me -and if that doesn’t work, please send money anyway.

Tim’s Multiple Coon Tips (yer gittin yer money’s worth this month, let me tell you)

Tip #1
Camp where there are no coons. This will require a special “Coon Seeker” sold exclusively at White Squall for $395.

Tip #2
Don’t leave anything remotely smelly in cockpit/pfd (that includes your stinky neoprene socks, though why a coon would be interested in them is beyond me)

Tip #3
Where possible, use a bulkheaded area that has a hardshell hatch. Strap and rope it down with everything you’ve got, and top it off with pots and pans so you can hear the “Break & Entering”  going down and arrest them for unlawful entry.

Tip #4
Use hermetically sealed containers with combination locks and as soon as you’ve memorized the combo, eat the piece of paper so the coons can’t read it!

Tip #5
Consider donating to RWB (Raccoons Without Borders) and they may cut you some slack

Tip #6
Hang your food. I know what you’re thinking - “trees? trees? there ain’t no stinkin’ trees!”

Tip #7
Okay, so don’t hang your food!

Tip #8
Put your food in a designated kayak (preferably not yours) and anchor it offshore. Take into account the concept of swimming coons, rogue waves and anchors that let go in the middle of the night.

Tip #9
Just bring beer and forget the food.

Tip #10
Purchase these ten tips printed on recycled paper for $29.95 and we’ll throw in a bear bell for no extra charge. You can tie this on to a stick near your campsite and ring it upon arrival. This will notify the coons that you’re here.

If you are still reading this, go get raided by coons, it’s not quite so bad.

Peace Out…tim

GBLT Paddle For The Bay Expedition hopes to raise $5000

Kayaker, Patrick Stark, will begin his journey circumnavigating Georgian Bay raising awareness for the archipelago in Georgian Bay, as well as, money for the Georgian Bay Land Trust (GBLT) on July 1st, 2008.

Working as an Industrial Designer nine to five, he is taking the summer off raising awareness about the natural and cultural features of Georgian Bay. He hopes to raise $5 for every kilometre he paddles during his 1000 kilometre, 40 day expedition for a total of $5000 in support of the efforts of the GBLT.

Stark hopes to aide in the preservation of the wilderness areas of Georgian Bay “for future generations”, he has been visiting the Carling community for the past 30 years and has “seen the increased development of properties on the Bay.”

In 2004, the eastern coast of Georgian Bay was designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The GBLT works with many partners to help protect the ecology of the area which includes a variety of reptile and amphibian species. GBLT acquires land for conservation to maintain the habitats for these populations and other natural habitats, to flourish.

For further information, donations and inquiries please contact Wendy Cooper, Executive Director of the GBLT at info@gblt.org, 416-440-1519 or visit www.gblt.org

Tim’s Tips

Tim’s Tips are often stolen from others or taken from the woes of the unwary -  so here we go….

Tip #1

Balsam Boats – ( i ain’t tried this but it sounds fun)  take a balsam twig and cut the resin blister with your knife.  Then put it in the water and watch it bubble and smoke and become your very own toy boat.  Apparently there is a reaction between the water and the resin, but who cares about that.  I’m keen to try it – please let me know if you have and if it works!!

(This came from a book I just read called the “Last Guide” by Ron Corbett. He’s writing about Frank Kuiack, one of the last old-time fishing guides in Algonquin.    It is a fascinating read and highly recommended.)

Tip #2

When putting a Dory out on the ice with an anchor and rope so that when the ice melts the boat will bob merrily at anchor…..its a good idea not to rush mother nature and try to throw the anchor (really a big concrete block)  down through the ice. You get really, really wet….the block stays smushed in the ice….and that’s about all she wrote.  This gem comes from one of our new apprentice recruits…..like any of us senior guys would ever try that eh?