The Bow Valley Kayak Club concluded their winter pool sessions with an actively contested game of Yukon Polo.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Banff Mount Norquay Cardboard Sled Races
On January 27th we enjoyed watching young people in the annual Cardboard Sled Derby. Apparently the rules are that each sled can only be constructed with cardboard, plastic garbage bags, paper and tape. Costumes added to the theme. Prize categories included highest velocity and best animation during the run. The following videos captured some of the excitement.
Shark Entry - check out the costumes and the fin hat!
The All Seeing Eye Team
This was the first heat. We were all amazed at the speed of the leading sled which eventually won the "Velocity Prize"
These Pirates are a long way from the ocean!
Shark Entry - check out the costumes and the fin hat!
The All Seeing Eye Team
This was the first heat. We were all amazed at the speed of the leading sled which eventually won the "Velocity Prize"
These Pirates are a long way from the ocean!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Chip's Birthday Present
Chip's interest in river canoeing has exploded over the last year. She has decided "I am no longer going to be a passenger/princess in the canoe. I want to be in control either in the stern or solo!" So Chip gets her own canoe for her birthday!
We bought this damaged Esquif Prospector 17 from the University of Calgary's Outdoor Centre. The canoe had been wrapped around a rock or some such obstacle resulting in hull creases and a broken gunnel. Chip left town for a week so we moved the canoe into our home, set it up on our dining room table and began work.
We detached the seats, thwarts and yoke from the damaged side. Thomas acted as supervisor. Our dog Kira, who is an avid canoe dog could not understand what was happening in our house.
We invited Bucky the legendary canoe guru over for a consultation and he showed us how to drill out the rivets and remove the damaged gunnel. Linda enjoyed hammering out the gunnel which came off fairly easily.
The hull was creased where the boat was bent back upon itself by the pressure of the river. The ull, which is made of Royalex, recovered most of its shape once the pressure was relieved. We will blast the creases with a hot hair drier to see if we can minimize the distortion.
The gunnel actually broke into two pieces above the crease and there was some minor damage to the rivet hole and the plastic wall of the canoe.
Thomas and I riveted on the new gunnel. We used C clamps to tighten up the space between the gunnel and the canoe side before riveting.
We bought this damaged Esquif Prospector 17 from the University of Calgary's Outdoor Centre. The canoe had been wrapped around a rock or some such obstacle resulting in hull creases and a broken gunnel. Chip left town for a week so we moved the canoe into our home, set it up on our dining room table and began work.
We detached the seats, thwarts and yoke from the damaged side. Thomas acted as supervisor. Our dog Kira, who is an avid canoe dog could not understand what was happening in our house.
We invited Bucky the legendary canoe guru over for a consultation and he showed us how to drill out the rivets and remove the damaged gunnel. Linda enjoyed hammering out the gunnel which came off fairly easily.
The hull was creased where the boat was bent back upon itself by the pressure of the river. The ull, which is made of Royalex, recovered most of its shape once the pressure was relieved. We will blast the creases with a hot hair drier to see if we can minimize the distortion.
The gunnel actually broke into two pieces above the crease and there was some minor damage to the rivet hole and the plastic wall of the canoe.
Thomas and I riveted on the new gunnel. We used C clamps to tighten up the space between the gunnel and the canoe side before riveting.
Jamie and Chipper
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Castle Mountain to Massive Siding Canoe Journey
This paddle on the Bow River took 4 hours door-to-door from Banff. The take out is on the east side of the Bow River at the Massive Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) siding. This siding is accessible down a 150m gated road from the Bow Valley Parkway or Highway 1A. The access road is slightly NW of what we call "One Tree Island" which is a small clump of trees which splits the highway in two for a brief distance. The gate is usually locked by either the CPR or Parks Canada. We left our shuttle vehicle just outside the gate and continued "up" the Bow valley Parkway and turned left onto Highway 93. We put in from a small parking lot on the east side of the Bow River, immediately downriver from the highway bridge. Two Osprey and their new family watched us launch our two canoes from their huge nest atop the steel framed bridge.
The paddle begins at the foot of Castle Mountain in the Main Ranges of the Canadian Rocky Mountains about 27 km north-west of Banff Alberta. The Main Ranges are sedimentary mountains which were uplifted over 3000 metres above sea level when North America collided with island arcs which we now call British Columbia. Note that the almost horizontal bedding in Castle Mountain. Brian paddled solo, Chip and I and our dog Kira shared the other canoe.
We absolutely enjoyed the 2 1/2 hour paddle to the Massive take-out. The water was crystal clear and at the lowest water level that I have ever paddled this stretch of the river. Our boats acquired a few new scratches in the very shallow spots. We had to scramble to avoid a few "sweepers" (undercut trees that are slowly falling into the river and present dangerous hazards to passing boats) as we navigated the meandering Bow River.
We saw numerous species of birds including: Osprey, Canada Geese, Harlequin Ducks, Sandpipers and other exotically coloured water birds. We encountered a female elk wading across the river. She was very timid and hurried back on shore and into the forest when she saw us.
The Red Earth Creek rapids were the most exciting portion of the journey. The first big "S" turn was fairly straight forward at this low water level. The second stretch of the rapids, which paralleled the railway tracks, was much more challenging due to the very visible rock garden that led up to the big standing waves. We gingerly picked our was through the rock garden and were pleased to get through the rapids with only a small amount of water slashing in to the boat.
The Massive "Take Out" is on river left about a mile and a half below the rapids. We landed our boats just above the small railway cabin. Our dog Kira was very interested in the Columbia Ground Squirrl colony that lives in the sandy river bank
We absolutely enjoyed the 2 1/2 hour paddle to the Massive take-out. The water was crystal clear and at the lowest water level that I have ever paddled this stretch of the river. Our boats acquired a few new scratches in the very shallow spots. We had to scramble to avoid a few "sweepers" (undercut trees that are slowly falling into the river and present dangerous hazards to passing boats) as we navigated the meandering Bow River.
We saw numerous species of birds including: Osprey, Canada Geese, Harlequin Ducks, Sandpipers and other exotically coloured water birds. We encountered a female elk wading across the river. She was very timid and hurried back on shore and into the forest when she saw us.
The Red Earth Creek rapids were the most exciting portion of the journey. The first big "S" turn was fairly straight forward at this low water level. The second stretch of the rapids, which paralleled the railway tracks, was much more challenging due to the very visible rock garden that led up to the big standing waves. We gingerly picked our was through the rock garden and were pleased to get through the rapids with only a small amount of water slashing in to the boat.
The Massive "Take Out" is on river left about a mile and a half below the rapids. We landed our boats just above the small railway cabin. Our dog Kira was very interested in the Columbia Ground Squirrl colony that lives in the sandy river bank
Friday, May 8, 2009
Lower Kananaskis Paddle
Chip's mothersday's float has evolved into a Paddle down the Lower Kananaskis River from Canoe Meadows to the SeeBee "Pond" (Penstock)
Here we are at the take-out point above the Seebee Dam at the confluence of the Bow and the Kananaskis Rivers. Thomas is checking out the canoes. In the background the prominent vertical wall of Mount Yamnuska is formed from Cambrian carbonates of the Eldon foundation (deposited over 500 million years ago). The carbonates have been thrust along the McConnell Fault over Creatceous clastic sediments of the Belly River formation(depositied 80 million years ago).
Our paddling party includes kayaks and 2 canoes. Here we are at Canoe Meadows in Kananaskis Country. This is our put in for Chip's Mother's Day Float. The Kananaskis River flows out of the Barrier Lakes where it is controlled for hydro-electric purposes.
The launch point is at the bottom of the kayak racing course. Here Chip is presiding over colour coordination of the boats and the launch sequence!
Thomas is off like a shot out of the first eddy.
Everyone lined up to surf at the Holy Roller wave. Jim heads into the surf with a forward ferry.
A great exhibition of "hand rolling" by our safety boat.
Louise's boat disappears behind a wave.
Rob is very pleased with the outing and his matching kayak and paddle!
Chip and Becky happy after a busy paddle.
The kayakers line up to exit the last eddy in the shadow of the TransCanada highway bridge.
Here we are at the take-out point above the Seebee Dam at the confluence of the Bow and the Kananaskis Rivers. Thomas is checking out the canoes. In the background the prominent vertical wall of Mount Yamnuska is formed from Cambrian carbonates of the Eldon foundation (deposited over 500 million years ago). The carbonates have been thrust along the McConnell Fault over Creatceous clastic sediments of the Belly River formation(depositied 80 million years ago).
Our paddling party includes kayaks and 2 canoes. Here we are at Canoe Meadows in Kananaskis Country. This is our put in for Chip's Mother's Day Float. The Kananaskis River flows out of the Barrier Lakes where it is controlled for hydro-electric purposes.
The launch point is at the bottom of the kayak racing course. Here Chip is presiding over colour coordination of the boats and the launch sequence!
Thomas is off like a shot out of the first eddy.
Everyone lined up to surf at the Holy Roller wave. Jim heads into the surf with a forward ferry.
A great exhibition of "hand rolling" by our safety boat.
Louise's boat disappears behind a wave.
Rob is very pleased with the outing and his matching kayak and paddle!
Chip and Becky happy after a busy paddle.
The kayakers line up to exit the last eddy in the shadow of the TransCanada highway bridge.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
First Paddle of the Season
Spring is finally threatening in the Bow Valley and we jumped at the chance to launch our canoes into the Bow River for the first paddle of our season. It was -5 degrees Celsius at sun-up and a forecast of +10 for the afternoon. On May first the Banff Springs Golf Club unlocks the gate to the road around the course and we were first in line to launch our boats. We call this paddle the Golf Course Loop. We launch our boats at the confluence of the Spray and Bow Rivers immediately below the Bow Falls.
Above is a Google Earth map of the Banff area with the canoe launch and take-out marked.
There was still three feet of candling ice on the shore as we launched. Fortunately there was a narrow beach so we could launch our two canoes and an inflatable kayak. After scraping over a few rocks we reached the Bow and began our paddle downstream
Our pilot dog Kira loves to be at the front of the first boat in the group and whines until she gets her way. She also is prone to leaping into the river at a moment's notice. You must always be ready to balance the boat or she can quickly capsize you.
The first part of the paddle is alongside of the Banff Springs Golf Club at the base of spectacular limestone cliffs of Mount Rundle
Part of the paddle is an area where the Bow River meanders through unconsolidated sediments left behind by the last glaciers that scoured this valley.
Note the Hoodoos in the upper middle right. Hoodoos are caused by wind eroding the glacial sediments. Mount Cascade rises in to the north.
Above is a Google Earth map of the Banff area with the canoe launch and take-out marked.
There was still three feet of candling ice on the shore as we launched. Fortunately there was a narrow beach so we could launch our two canoes and an inflatable kayak. After scraping over a few rocks we reached the Bow and began our paddle downstream
Our pilot dog Kira loves to be at the front of the first boat in the group and whines until she gets her way. She also is prone to leaping into the river at a moment's notice. You must always be ready to balance the boat or she can quickly capsize you.
The first part of the paddle is alongside of the Banff Springs Golf Club at the base of spectacular limestone cliffs of Mount Rundle
Part of the paddle is an area where the Bow River meanders through unconsolidated sediments left behind by the last glaciers that scoured this valley.
Note the Hoodoos in the upper middle right. Hoodoos are caused by wind eroding the glacial sediments. Mount Cascade rises in to the north.
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