A great evening of films just when spring starts to feel like a possibility.

More information coming very soon!

Your Paddle Manitoba Membership runs from January 1 to December 31. If your membership card says 2011, it’s time to renew for 2012. All the information is available on the membership page

Our favourite old publication, Kanawa, will be ceasing publication in February. Paddle Manitoba and Paddle Canada have partnered with Rapid Media to bring you one of their fine publications. See the Rapid Media Announcement for details. If you renew before January 16, you will get your first magazine in February. If you procrastinate until after January 16, you will not get your first issue until June. Either way, you will get a full year’s subscription.

Kanawa has been included with every Paddle Manitoba annual membership for years and lifetime members have been able to order a subscription through Paddle Manitoba at discount prices. Nothing but the magazine will change for 2012. Your subscription will still be included with your membership price and lifetime members can order separately.

It will be a shame to see Kanawa end but times and economics change. We hope you will enjoy your Rapid Media publication with equal enthusiasm.

The Paddle Manitoba Board wishes our members and the whole paddling community a blessed Christmas season filled with good times shared with family and friends.

If celebrating Christmas is not part of your tradition, may you find joy in the crisp cold of a Manitoba winter.

Here’s hoping the new year brings us happy days where water levels are where we want them to be and all the challenges we face are ones we can manage.

Producer: Frank Wolf
Winner: Best Adventure Film

A 2,000 km arctic canoe journey from Yellowknife to Rankin Inlet provides the setting for this intimate, sideways look at the largest wilderness area in North America. Home to some of the greatest populations of large mammals on earth, pressures from industry and climate change make the future of this sanctuary uncertain. From the deepest heart of the barrenlands, the filmmakers have emerged with a compelling portrait of the landscape and a new discovery that will shock the natural world.

Islands of Fire

Producer: Justine Curgenven, Cackle TV
Winner: Best Sea Kayaking Film

Well-known paddler and filmmaker Justine Curgenven joins local Italian paddlers on a sea kayaking tour in the warm turquoise waters of Sicily’s Aeolian Islands. While paddling between the islands, the paddlers explore the rugged coastlines and volcanoes and encounter dolphins and turtles along the way.

Mazungu: First Descent of the Congo River

Producer: Phil Harwood
Honourable Mention: Adventure Category

This film features Phil Harwood’s five-month solo attempt to canoe the 2,922-mile-long Congo River in Central Africa, a feat that has never been accomplished from the river’s true source in northeastern Zambia. Along the way, Phil encounters waterfalls, rapids, crocodiles, hippos and the odd criminal.

The Big River

Producer: Robin Bourke; Amos Scott
Honourable Mention: Adventure Category

The Mackenzie River in Canada’s Northwest Territories takes a 1730 km journey to the Arctic Ocean, carving its way through Precambrian Shield, the Rocky Mountains and arctic tundra. In 2010, two friends set out to paddle an open canoe from Fort Providence all the way to Tukoyaktuk – giving themselves only three weeks to do it.

The Ultimate Ride: Steve Fisher

Director: Erich Lyttle
Producers: Scott Bradfield/R. Douglas Allen/ Aaron Debevois
Winner: Best of the Festival

Renowned kayaker Steve Fisher brings together a crew of big-water pros who experience the force of Africa’s mighty Zambezi River at record levels. Steeped in the brotherhood of kayaking, Fisher and his crew of paddlers find the ride of their lives while helping the Zambian community to face up to the river spirits who control their destiny.

But Paddle Manitoba needs your help. As with any not-for-profit organization, its success depends on volunteers. This year, many folks have stepped forward to help with all our events. However, we need new volunteers for the Board. Our President, Catherine Holman, summed up the situation in the last issue of The Ripple:

“We’ve seen very positive growth over the past couple of years.  The move to an electronic version of this newsletter gave us much more leeway in terms of layout, content, and colour, without the huge increase in expense.  The high demand for trips in 2010 meant dedicated volunteers Sharon and Eric led even more in 2011, and the interest continues to grow.   Wednesday Night Paddles continue to be an institution, with Charles and his emblematic white canoe.

We are currently facing challenges as an organization.  My temporary departure 16 months ago, now permanent for the foreseeable future, has meant that other Board Members have picked up the slack and gone far beyond their roles as defined by our Constitution.  Several Board Members have served now for 3 or more years, donating sacrificially of their time to direct and manage the organization. Volunteers, particularly at the Board level, have a certain life span.

The reality of where Paddle Manitoba is right now is that unless volunteers step up to fill Board positions for 2012, the organization will go dormant.

The potential results are unfortunate.  The growth and renewed momentum of the last two years will be lost.  While we will all still go paddling, we will not, for reasons of liability be able to offer Paddle Manitoba events.  All of our assets would be held in trusteeship by Paddle Canada for a period of up to three years.  If, within those three years, Manitobans step forward to reactivate the organization, Paddle Canada would return the assets to Paddle Manitoba.  If three years pass, Paddle Canada would then have the power to dissolve Paddle Manitoba.

I don’t want this to happen.  Manitoba is a province with a huge variety of natural areas that provide a diverse set of experiences for paddlers of all skill levels.  One of my favourite aspects of Paddle Manitoba is how we introduce those new to paddling to these unique experiences.  We receive many emails from members and non-members alike who let us know how much they enjoy our events.  If you, and I speak to each one of you specifically, would like these to continue, you must do something.  Volunteers have already stepped up to fill some roles, including a candidate for President.  She can not do it alone either.

At the AGM in January, we need to elect a proper, functioning board for the organization to continue.  What will your response be?

Please email me at president@paddle.mb.ca if you have any questions or to express your support for continued events in 2012.”

Catherine Holmen
President
Paddle Manitoba

So mark January 20 on your calendar, come and join us at FortWhyte Alive, and lets all work together to make Paddle Manitoba the organization we are all glad to belong to.

Join a Trip!

Paddle Manitoba has a preliminary lists of trips planned for the summer.  Bookings will be accepted by the designated trip guide after May 1. Keep checking back for more details.

Everyone attending a Paddle Manitoba trip must be a Paddle Manitoba member and is required to sign a waiver. A fee of $5 per person for day trips and $30.00 per person for overnight trips applies to all participants. Food and transportation costs and other details will be arranged with the trip leaders and the information will be provided to trip participants.

May 29
Greeting Spring
Enjoy this day trip on Whitemouth River and celebrate the coming of spring. The trip is on a section of the river south of the Trans-Canada highway and usually takes a leisurely 4 hours plus shuttle and driving time. This section of the Whitemouth is quiet with only a few swifts and perhaps one Class 1 rapid depending on the water level. No whitewater experience is necessary.
Contact: Sharon Touchette (Tel: (204) 688-7385; email: sharon.touchette@gmail.com ) or Eric Gyselman (Tel: (204) 388-4465; email: eric.gyselman@gmail.com ).

June 4-5
Introduction to Canoe Tripping Clinic
Canoe tripping combines canoeing and camping skills. This is an informal introduction to backcountry canoeing aimed primarily at families but certainly open to anyone wanting to learn the basic skills. We have chosen to hold this event at the FortWhyte Alive Adventure Site where novices can experience wilderness challenges close to home with some of the urban comforts. Overnight camping on site will be encouraged. A follow-up wilderness trip is scheduled for July 16 and 17.
Contact: Sharon Touchette (Tel: (204) 688-7385; email: sharon.touchette@gmail.com ) or Eric Gyselman (Tel: (204) 388-4465; email: eric.gyselman@gmail.com ).

July 1-3
Spruce Woods from the Assiniboine
Seeing Spruce Woods from the Assiniboine River gives a unique perspective to a historic route. This 3-day trip will include a couple of short hikes including one to Manitoba’s desert.
Contact: Sharon Touchette (Tel: (204) 688-7385; email: sharon.touchette@gmail.com ) or Eric Gyselman (Tel: (204) 388-4465; email: eric.gyselman@gmail.com ).

July 16-17:
Family Wilderness Weekend
This short weekend adventure is an extension of the Canoe Tripping Clinic held on June 4-5. It is an opportunity to put the skills learned earlier into practice. You will paddle and portage into a secluded lake for an overnight camp with experience guides for a taste of real wilderness tripping. While this trip will not be limited to those that took part in the Canoe Tripping Clinic, participants in the Clinic will be given preferential booking.
Contact: Sharon Touchette (Tel: (204) 688-7385; email: sharon.touchette@gmail.com ) or Eric Gyselman (Tel: (204) 388-4465; email: eric.gyselman@gmail.com ).

July 30-August 1
Paddle to the Rails
Ever wondered what it would be like to end a canoe trip on a train? This trip will attempt to paddle through the Whiteshell and board a CNR train back to Winnipeg. End the weekend by carrying your canoe down Main St., a must for everyone’s ‘Bucket List’.
Contact: Sharon Touchette (Tel: (204) 688-7385; email: sharon.touchette@gmail.com ) or Eric Gyselman (Tel: (204) 388-4465; email: eric.gyselman@gmail.com ).

August 20-21
Foraging for Fun
Has the idea of foraging for your own food on canoe trip ever crossed your mind? Come join a plant expert who will help you identify and prepare wild plants to supplement your freeze dried fare. Maybe even a bit of fishing too! Foraging and canoeing – an obvious combination.
Contact: Sharon Touchette (Tel: (204) 688-7385; email: sharon.touchette@gmail.com ) or Eric Gyselman (Tel: (204) 388-4465; email: eric.gyselman@gmail.com ).

September 2-5
Winnange Weekend
Another Paddle Manitoba Classic! This 4-day trip through some of the ELA lakes east of Kenora is a grand way to experience the final weekend of summer. Classic Canadian Shield paddling at its best.
Contact: Sharon Touchette (Tel: (204) 688-7385; email: sharon.touchette@gmail.com ) or Eric Gyselman (Tel: (204) 388-4465; email: eric.gyselman@gmail.com ).

September 24-25
Ladies Fall Weekend
A grand opportunity to enjoy a beautiful Manitoba fall weekend in the company of other women. Peace and serenity – what better way to end the paddling season?
Contact: Sharon Touchette (Tel: (204) 688-7385; email: sharon.touchette@gmail.com ).

Introduction to Moving Water Course

June 4/5 or June 25/26 (2 days)
Tandem and/or Solo
Class I current
Prerequisites: Flat Water certification or equivalent.

Intermediate Moving Water Course

May 28/29 (2 days)
Tandem and/or Solo
Class II whitewater Prerequisites: Moving Water certification or equivalent.

Moving Water Refresher Clinic

June 11 (1 day)
Prerequisites: Any Moving Water certification or equivalent.
Get ready for your summer canoe trip with a guided practice session.

New* Moving Water Rescue Workshop

June 18 (1 day)
Prerequisites: Any Moving Water certification or equivalent.
For recreational canoeists to practice simple moving water rescues including self-rescue.

For Information or To Register Contact

Brian Johnston
Res. (204) 754-2651 Work (204) 482-2121 bjohnston@lssd.ca

Canoe Instructor Program

Join Paddle Manitoba and Manitoba Pioneer Camp on Shoal Lake over the May long weekend for four days of fun, adventure, hard work, and canoe development.

Certifications available: Lake Canoe Intro Instructor Tandem. This course is ideal for individuals who work with outdoor education groups or at summer camps.
Lake Canoe Intermediate Skills Solo. This course focuses on higher-level solo skills, and is ideal for individuals looking to learn technical control of a solo boat.

Courses run from May 20th to May 23rd.
For an information package, please contact Jeremiah at 204.788.1070 or jheinrichs@pioneercamp.com