| Kayak School
2003
Day 1
Alright, after getting everyone to base camp (even with the Montreal
shuttle!) and outfitted to the kayaks they were going to keep all week,
we got on the river to learn and practice flat water kayaking techniques.
What better way to start it off than with a good ol' wet exit!! (Remember
that one guys?) We also got into T-rescues. It was very nice to see
how everyone was just naturally good at it! :
We also played a few "get to know you" games… cause
we had quite a few names to remember! The apprentice Kayakers were Cole,
Izaak, Francis, Harry, Kori, Mark, Rebecca and Warren (or War Dawg!)
And there were a few more people to meet too… Teaching you the
basics of white water kayaking were Isabelle and Rachel. And, doing
some instruction but most importantly carrying ALL our stuff down the
river for us (in our wonderful raft by the name of "Stella")
would be Heather, Sarah and Tania!
Day 2
Back on the water for more practice… got into practicing the famous
"eskimo roll" today and surprisingly (for a second day in
a kayak) everyone got it at least once!! We also practiced everything
from paddling to bracing! And we played a few paddling games before
getting out for the water to find out what the plan was for the next
day: we would spend a bit of time on the flat water again and pack up
our stuff to hit the Noire river put-in for a five day trip down it!!
Yahoo!!!
Day 3
After packing our personal gear and loading the trailer with the kayaks
still dripping, it was time to leave! After about a 30-minute drive,
we got to put-in. After fitting everything in the raft (who will be
referred to as Stella from now on…) we hopped on the river to discover
the beauty of the Noire! Our introduction to class I white water!! (And,
of course some more practice of the basics!) We did pass a bigger rapid
(class III+) which the apprentices watched as Isabelle, Rachel and "Stella"
paddled down it.
We camped out on a long narrow beautiful sandy beach, after paddling
about 20 km in 4 hours (Good job guys!!)
Day 4
After a good hearty omelette prepared by the chefs, we packed up "Stella"
again and headed downstream. Remember the break we took on a small beach…
where we played an old Indian "wrestling" game to get Nutri-Grains…
ahh… good times!
We got to camp (right beside the great rapid "Targie") after
only a short paddle. Tanya told us all about the different formations
of white water and Sarah showed us the right way of swimming in a rapid.
We spent the afternoon playing in the great rapid we had beside us:
after looking at it and analyzing it carefully, we kayaked part of it!
(There were a few normal wet exits (after all no one was a pro yet,
right?) and there were also a few white water rolls!!)
After a nice day in white water, we sat down for dinner around the campfire…
time to relax! :
Day 5
Today was such a sunny day. It was great! We didn't change campsite…
we stayed at Targie for some more good times in the rapid! We started
the day by running the whole rapid in the raft!! Go….Stella!!!
We also swam down it (and could have mapped every rock in it) : Everyone
kayaked down it again and did really good! Some were feeling brave and
wanted to try paddling the top part of the rapid (which is a solid class
III) so, Cole, Izaak and Warren gave it a go and they did terrific…
like pros! And, then some decided to swim down it again, some practiced
white water rolling, some gave surfing a try and, then everyone played
on the sandy beach and participated in the "challenge" to
cross the river… to get back to camp for dinner! Good team work
with that one!!
Day 6
The weather today wasn't so nice… it rained almost all day. Everyone
was in such a good mood today (which we needed to make it through the
two portages that were waiting for us!) But not only did we have portages,
we also had the greatest rapids of the whole trip!! I hope you all remember
the big waves we went through… I am sure I will always remember
the smiles on your faces as we went through these long wave trains!
We got to our last campsite this afternoon and had another great dinner
there.
Almost everyone stayed up for a while playing cards… From what
we hear, people had such a good time… something even made Francis
throw cards up in the air… some of which we only found the next
morning!
Day 7
We woke up to a few brave campers sleeping outside, under the tarp.
We had one more (big) rapid to go through called "des Islets".
Some walked around it, some ran the bigger part of it and some ran a
more conservative line down it. After this rapid, we had a nice short
paddle (during which we played "tag") until we reached take-out…
Back to base camp it was and then, everyone was off in different directions
to go back home! (except for Cole who stayed with us for the Petawawa
canoe trip!)
And, that was this summer's kayak trip! I have great memories from
it and I hope you all do too!!
See ya next summer!
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