This annual event just keeps growing, originally started in Ontario
it now a global event! Renowned wilderness canoeing expert and
author of 11 books, Kevin Callan, and wilderness canoeing enthusiast,
Nancy Maddock, are organizing a volunteer clean-up, The Great
Wilderness Cleanup, for Mother's Day weekend 2009 (think Mother
Earth). Clean-ups are being completed on canoe routes, portages,
campsites, campgrounds, access points, backpacking and hiking
trails, etc... just about anywhere that people go to enjoy the
wilderness.
Together we can make a REAL difference.
Club Supporters:
These vendors support us by offering a discount to SCC members.
Maps:
SCC Map Library - The Saskatoon Canoe
Club has a library of topographic maps which is available for
loan to club members. (Note that these maps are intended for trip
planning purposes and must not be taken out on a trip.)
GeoGratis
Access topographic maps in high resolution,
as well as a ton of other data sets, including data of use to
those of you who employ GPS or mapping software. The most
valuable item for the canoeist is that there is a database containing
a full-size, high resolution, scanned version of every topographic
map in Canada! Download the file to your computer for use in trip
planning. If you have access to a large printer you can print
them out or have them printed for you at a print shop.
Toporama
Now part of Natural
Resources Canada's The
Atlas of Canada website, Toporama is a collection of all of
the topographic maps for the entire country matched with a fairly
decent user interface. Very useful for trip planning, it includes
an index of all the topographic maps and allows users to zoom
in to 1:40,000 scale (which is actually information from the 1:50k
map series). The level of detail is decent and maps can be saved
to file for piecing together later using software such as photoshop
or printed. With many more features than I've listed here, you
will love this site if you love to pore over maps dreaming of
trips.
Google
Maps - Google has a map site which gives you the choice of
viewing an area as a typical road map, as satellite photos, or
a combination. Not sufficient detail to plan your route, but it
might help give an overview of the area and is useful for finding
your way to and from the put-in.
Google Earth
- A pretty incredible bit of software that lets you soar over
the earth and zoom in on your favourite paddling route using satellite
imagery. Some areas are lacking in detail but some areas are incredible.
Use it to scout your route or create an overview of the trip.
Be forewarned though, it's addictive.
Weather, Fire, Water:
Environment
Canada - Probably the most relevant weather forecast source
for Northern Saskatchewan.
Weathernetwork
- Another decent forecast site; goes out on a limb to provide
14 day forecasts (which should be treated with suspect but are
interesting nonetheless).
Forest
Fire Information - Sask Environment & Resource Management's
reports on the current forest fire situation in the province
Saskatchewan
Watershed Authority - Saskatchewan water level information
& hydrological data. Very useful information for trip planning.
Environment
Canada Water Survey - Another mandatory source of information
for planning river trips. This site provides a wealth of information
including stream flows, water levels, historic water flow data,
water temperatures and more.
Saskatchewan Watershed Authority - Another source of information
for planning river trips in Saskatchewan. This site provides a wealth of information
about managing water in Saskatchewan including water flows and advisories.
Canoe Kayak
Saskatchewan - The provincial body which oversees paddling
clubs in Saskatchewan, publishes Stern
Words, and provides insurance for our club and members.
Paddle Canada/Pagayer
Canada (formerly Canadian Recreational Canoe Association)
- Publishers of Kanawa magazine. It's mission is "to promote all
forms of recreational paddling to Canadians of diverse abilities,
culture or age, to advocate for a healthy natural environment,
and to develop an appreciation for the canoe and the kayak in
our Canadian heritage."
Canoe Kayak Canada -
Home of the Canadian Canoe Association, the overseeing body for
competitive paddling in Canada.
Wilderness Canoe Association
- "A non-profit organization of individuals interested in wilderness
travel, mainly by canoe, kayak, and backpacking and, in
winter, by skis and snowshoes." Publishers of the quarterly paddling
journal, Nastawgan,
and owners of the Canadian
Canoe Routes web site.
Kingston Kayak Instruction
- SCC member and competitive paddler, Viki
offers a variety of kayak lessons year-round ranging from introductory
to advanced courses, as well as rolling and bracing workshops.
Canadian Ways Canoeing
- A variety of paddling lessons, sometimes with
hockey thrown into the mix.
Mark Lafontaine
- Phone: 955-4587, or email.
Certified Paddle Canada Instructor for the following courses:
Waterfront Canoe Tandem
Canoeing Basic Tandem m
Tandem Lake Canoe (intro, intermediate, advanced)
Solor Lake Canoe (intro, intermediate)
Bryan Sarauer - Certified Paddle Canada Sea Kayak Instructor.
Phone: 242-1200 or email
He offers the following courses:
Introduction to Sea Kayaking
Northern Ways
- A variety of instructional programs including canoe yoga and
photography in addition to the more familiar fare.
Other Paddling and Outdoors Web Sites:
Canoe
Saskatchewan - One stop shopping for a wealth of Saskatchewan
paddling information, including a searchable database of all the
SERM trip descriptions, links to outfitters, geology, archaeology,
northern cultures, and much more.
Canadian Canoe
Routes - A great and active paddling forum (also a decent
winter camping forum), as well as numerous other resources including
trip reports, gear reviews, recipes and much more. Recently acquired
by the Wilderness Canoe Association,
the CCR web site is in a state of re-building and they could use
your help. You can help by submitting trip reports for Saskatchewan
trips, long or short, particularly those that are not available
through the documented
canoe routes found on the Canoe
Saskatchewan web site.
Nastawgan
- Already mentioned under the listing for it's publisher, the
Wilderness
Canoe Association, the journal itself is worthy of it's own
link. Search the archives for trip reports from all over Canada,
including some Saskatchewan trips. Or subscribe for delivery of
a useful resource.
Outdoor
Adventure Canada - An active forum for hikers & paddlers
as well as many articles and reviews.
Pawistik.net
- The out of date web page of an active SCC club member. Contains links
to my trip reports which may be of interest. My blog is more up
to date: pawistik.blogspot.com.
WildernessCooking.com
- A website about something I truly love - good food in the bush.
Of course this site focuses on the cooking rather than the eating
but you can't really have one without the other. Through this
web site you can also take an online course on back-country cooking
geared towards the paddler or backpacker. The creator of wildernesscooking.com,
Laurie March, is also the author of the newly released book A
Fork In The Trail.
Yukon
River Quest - Whitehorse to Dawson city. At 742 km long, the
YRQ is the longest canoe & kayak race in the world. The former
record time for completing the race in a voyageur canoe was held
by the team of SCC member, Martin
Bernardin. Martin bested his 2006 time by a long shot in 2007
but came second in the race. Undaunted Martin and his team competed again in 2008 and came in first, setting
a record time once again.
Yukon
1000 - Whitehorse to the Alaska Pipeline/Dalton Highway. At 1000 miles/1600 km long, the
Yuon 1000 is the longest canoe & kayak race in the world. Its a endurance race and started in 2009
with the 2010 race provisionally scheduled to start July 19th, 2010.
Bryan's
Kayak Building Blog - Hey, if I'm going to be the webmaster,
I can give myself the first link right?
Kisseynew Canoe Company
- Local builder of cedarstrip canoes & voyageur racing canoes.
Founded by the captain of team Kisseynew in the Saskatchewan Centennial
Canoe Quest and team Kisseynew-Dalutheh which smashed the voyageur
canoe record in the 2006 Yukon River Quest (and designs on setting
new records in 2007!)
Bear
Mountain Boats - supplier of canoe & kayak plans, authors
of boatbuilding books, and host to an excellent boatbuilding forum.
Waters Dancing -
A company from Edmonton that produces "stitch & glue" kayak
and canoe kits.
Guillemot
Kayaks - Kayak plans, a kayak building book,and another excellent
boatbuilding forum.
Environment & Heritage:
I Speak
For Canadian Rivers The web site ispeakforrivers.ca
is a gathering place for those protesting the changes to the Navigable
Waters Protection Act (NWPA). The changes would make it easier
to "develop" waterways in Canada. The changes mean that
any river which is not navigable by a boat with a 3 METRE (9 feet)
draft need not consider the effects on the navigability of watercraft.
It does not matter that rivers such as the North Saskatchewan,
the Churchill, the Clearwater, have been used for centuries for
navigation by boats requiring only a few centimeters of draft.
As of March '09, the changes to the NWPA have been lumped in with
the budget and passed through the House of Commons and the Senate.
That doesn't mean you need give up the fight yet. Visit the web
site and find out how you can help.
Canadian
River Heritage System - Canada's national river conservation
program. It promotes, protects and enhances Canada's river heritage,
and ensures that Canada's leading rivers are managed in a sustainable
manner.
Partners
FOR the Saskatchewan River Basin - Promotes stewardship and
sustainability of the Saskatchewan River Basin. Some interesting
information and maps for our rivers closest to home as well as
good educational information for young & old.
The Atlas of Canada
- The Natural Resources Canada web site with a wealth of information.
Includes historical information, the impressive Toporama section,
geology, climate, hydrology, and much more.
