Information – Page 3

SO YOU WANT TO GO ON A CANOE TRIP? {Here’s how!)

If you missed any of our recent meetings ( Spring Registration Meeting, Orientation/Dryland Training), or haven’t canoed with us in a while, please read this post carefully….there have been some changes you need to know about if you plan on canoeing this season! (Best viewed on the Blog to see diagrams & illustrations)

What Has Changed?

Information will go out to the membership in the form of a blog post/email notification. Make sure that you read and follow the instructions carefully. Respond to the person listed in the email. DO NOT REPLY to the email notification…..it will go to an unmonitored email box!

Once the canoe season starts, emails will be sent out regularly for both Tuesday and Thursday trips. They will be headed by different logos so you will see the difference (illustrated below). Information will be included that will tell you what you need to know (as seen in diagram below):

Diagram #1 – Information that will be included in blog posts/email notifications including different trip images as indicated in diagram

Our protocols have changed where you are now asked to call or email the Trip Leader to register for your chosen trip rather than just show up at the shed. This helps the Trip Leader know who is expected so they can organize accordingly in advance of the trip. E.g. confirming towers, car-toppers, etc.

Make sure you have the skill level, training and stamina required for the trip you register for. ( If you don’t have intermediate training, don’t sign up for a Tuesday trip that requires intermediate training)

All members are still expected to meet at the shed on canoe day at the designated time to check in, pay fees, choose partners and arrange shuttles.

If you end up not being able to make the trip or are going to be late, let the Trip Leader know asap so the group doesn’t end up waiting for you or is left wondering where you are on trip day.

Show up for the trip with the exact amount for the trip fee (there will be no change available).

DO NOT make other plans for canoe day. We do not guarantee our return time and will not make alternative plans to accommodate you!

So What Happens Next?

Names of members who register for a trip are noted on a Trip sheet. When you arrive at the shed, you will check in and pay your trip fee.

Trip fees are $8<100 km and $12>100 km. The amount will be noted on the email notification.

Trips can be cancelled due to: 1) excessive rain/thunder/lightning, 2) dangerous water/flow rates, 3) if there is no Trip Leader or no Tower, and 4) if not enough people sign up (<8) and no one wants to car top. This will be at the discretion of the Trip Leader. If a trip is cancelled, an email notification will go out either the evening before the trip or the morning of, so check your emails or the blog before you head out to the shed.

If there are odd numbers, someone will have to use the kayak.

If fewer than 20 people sign up (but more than 13), up to 3 vehicles will need to car top canoes. Anyone who car-tops an OSSCC canoe for this reason will get their trip fee refunded.

Diagram #2 – Newly updated Trip sheet for 2022

If more than 20 people sign up, both trailers will be used and 2 towers will be required.

Non-member guests will be allowed this year at the discretion of the Trip Leader, but it will depend on the skill level required for a particular trip.

Diagram #3 – Non-Members: Conditions and Waiver

Diagram #4 – Emergency Contact Card Sample

- When you come out on a canoe trip, please come prepared! (Read email about the trip carefully)
- Dress for the weather (don’t wear jeans or cotton)
- Make sure you bring a waterproof dry bag with a change of clothes (see here for more details on what to bring). You will be thankful you did should you happen to get wet!
- Help out where you can so we can all enjoy our day! (see here for what to do on canoe day)
- Review your strokes…what they are and what they do (see here)
- If you have a favourite trip, consider leading it. Check out the trip shedule. There are lots of trips that still need trip leaders. If you didn’t make it out to the training, see here for an overview on what is involved and/or contact Anne Woolner at annewoolner@hotmail.com.
- Remember: We are not in a hurry….this isn’t a race…..this is supposed to be fun!

Helpful Links

Trip Schedule
What to Bring on a Canoe Trip
What to do on Canoe Day
Club Handbook & Rules – lots of good information in this book!
Towing/Mileage Expense Form – For the towers!
Past Trip Videos
Canoeing Terminology – Do you know what a painter is? {Hint: It’s not someone who paints}
Welcome Old Salts 2022 Newsletter – in case you missed it!

Training Dates {Mark Your Calender}

MARK YOUR CALENDERS!

Below, please find the training schedule, condensed for your convenience. Your will find a more detailed version here. Since most of us have not had training in the last couple of years due to covid, we are hoping that many of you will take advantage of the extra refresher or intermediate training sessions that are scheduled to brush up your skills, particularly if you want to be prepared for the more challenging Tuesday trips. Slots are filling up fast so sign up asap. If you missed the Membership Registration meeting, here is your chance!

Contact Lynn Warmington at lynnwarmington1@gmail.com or 519-400-0388 to sign up or if you have any questions or concerns.

New members from last year are still expected to take the full 2-day Basic/Beginner training to canoe the Thursday trips and if you want, the Intermediate training (to be able to do the more challenging Tuesday trips). All new members (2021 & 2022) are expected to take the Orientation/Dryland training on April 12th. This training is well worth it as it will explain who we are as a club, how we do things and expectations. We will also go over safety, equipment, and basic canoe strokes and what they do as well as briefly touch on what will be covered in the Basic and Intermediate training sessions. You will be able to put what you learn here into practice at our Pond training before starting river training. All members are most welcome to join us for the Pond training to practice their strokes.

All these training sessions are fun, a great way to meet people and the perfect way to start the canoe season!

DATE	TRAINING
Tuesday, April 12th	Orientation/Dryland Training Albert McCormick Community Centre, Waterloo, ON Beaupre Room 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Tuesday, April 19th Thursday, April 21st Tuesday, April 26th Thursday, April 28th	Pond Training (Canoe Stroke Practice Sessions) Victoria St. Pond (meet at the canoe shed at 1:00 pm) $2 per session to help with the cost of transporting the canoes
Monday, May 2nd (Group #1) Rain date: May 6th	Refresher Skills Training (meet at the canoe shed at 9:00 am)
Wednesday, May 4th (Group #2) Rain date: May 6th	Refresher Skills Training (meet at the canoe shed at 9:00 am)
Monday, May 9th (Group #1) Wednesday, May 11th Rain Date: Friday May 13th	Beginner/Basic River Training (meet at the canoe shed at 9:00 am)
Monday, May 16th (Group #2) Wednesday, May 18th Rain Date: Thursday, May 19th	Beginner/Basic River Training (meet at the canoe shed at 9:00 am)
Wednesday, May 25th (Group #1) Friday, May 27th Rain Date: Monday, May 30th	Intermediate Skills Training (meet at the canoe shed at 9:00 am)
Wednesday, June 1st (Group #2) Friday, June 3rd Rain Date: Monday, June 6th	Intermediate Skills Training (meet at the canoe shed at 9:00 am)

Check out our Training Resources section on the Blog!

There are only 4 hardcopies of the Handbook left. You can get your copy at the Orientation/Dryland training or email info@oldsaltsclub.com

If you don’t plan on joining the club this season, please let us know with a quick email to info@oldsaltsclub.com and we will remove you from the membership list.

Membership Meeting Agenda

Membership Registration Meeting
March 22, 2022
Rim Park, Century Room (2nd flr)
Enter via “A” entrance
2001 University Ave. E.
Waterloo, ON N2J 4A8

AGENDA

1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.	Membership registration. Sign up for training. Sign up to be a tower and/or trip leader Meet & greet!
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.	Welcome & introductions -Eugene Marion Membership – Carol Marion Training – Lynn Warmington Trip Schedule – Anne Woolner Upcoming Social Events – Brenda Welch Bondi Retreat – Mark Zelinka
2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.	Continue with membership registration. Continue with training sign up. Sign up to be a tower and/or trip leader Sign up for Paradise Lake Fun Day – Pam Krokoszynski and Brenda Welch will be available to answer questions! Mark Zelinka will be available to answer questions about Bondi and to solicit interest. Meet & Greet!

The OSSCC Handbook & Rules will be available for sale at $10.

For more information, see here.

Membership Registration Deadlines

Spring has finally arrived! It won’t be long now before we are back on the water……but first we have to get past membership registration!

For those of you who may have missed it, our Membership Registration Meeting is coming up this Tuesday on March 22nd.

WHERE: Rim Park in the Century Room (directions found here or see previous email)
TIME: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Some of you have indicated that you can’t make the meeting, so please send or drop off your registration form and fees to: OSSCC, C/O 132 Kesselring Court, Kitchener, ON N2E 2P2 by April 8th at the latest. Training starts the following week. Fees are as follows:

Membership Renewals: $40
New Membership $47 (includes name tag)
OSSCC Handbook and Rules: $10
Basic Canoe Training: $65 (2 days)
Intermediate Canoe Training: $70 (2 days)
Refresher Canoe Training: $40 (1 day)

Dates & details for training can be found here. If you have questions or concerns about training, contact our Training Coordinator, Lynn Warmington at lynnwarmington1@gmail.com or 519-400-0388

If you don’t plan on joining the club this season, please let us know with a quick email to info@oldsaltsclub.com and we will remove you from the mailing list.

Trip Details for Sept. 7 & 9th!

To date, no one has volunteered to organize either the Sept. 7 or 9th canoe trips, therefore they will be cancelled.

We also need a trip organizer and tower for the Sept. 16th trip (Grand River – Otterbein-Freeport). This is a Thursday Easy Breezy trip. Contact Carol Marion for the trip package that Anne has left with her.

Trip Schedule {link}

Volunteers Needed!

Trip Reminder for This Week (Aug 24 & 26) +Time Correction

Trips for this week are:
Tuesday, August24th – Grand River – Petrocan to Glenn Morris -$6. (meeting time correction- see trip specifics).
Thursday, August 26th – Stratford Lake (Easy Breezy) – $6.

For more details and trip specifics, please see here {link}

Don’t forget to contact Anne Woolner at 519-743-2277 to save your spot for either trip. Please note that the meeting time for the Tuesday trip is 8:30 a.m., NOT 8:00 a.m. If you are going to be late or have to cancel, let Anne know asap.

Remember to check your email first thing Tuesday/Thursday morning before you head out in case of cancellation!

Make sure to bring lots of water, sunscreen and snacks/lunch.

Please note that there is construction on Weber St. between Northfield and King St. and the traffic is one way. To access Dutton Dr., you must come in from Northfield Dr. or Parkside Ave.

Make sure your trip money is prepared in advance and in an envelope with the amount and your name on it. There will be no change.
Don’t forget to bring your own masks and hand sanitizer.

What to bring on a canoe trip {link}

ATTENTION: We still need people to volunteer to organize trips beginning next week as Anne and Frank will be away on vacation. You can see what’s on the shedule here.

Canoe Trip Details for Aug 24 & 26!(UPDATE)

In this blog post, you will find the trip details for the upcoming week. Please read carefully. If you decide to participate, please follow the directions below, including contacting the Trip Organizer directly as indicated to save your spot. If you sign up, but end up changing your mind, please let the Trip Organizer know before trip day so your spot can be filled and we don’t end up waiting for you!

**UPDATE**

Trip: Grand River – Petrocan to Glenn Morris
Date: August 24th
Time: Meet at the shed at 8:30 a.m. for a 8:45 a.m. departure
Trip Organizer: Anne Woolner – 519-743-2277 or email annewoolner@hotmail.com
Tower: Armand Martin
Details: This is another club favourite! Some moving water and plenty of opportunity to practice river reading skills so you don’t get stuck if water levels are low!
Skill Level: Everyone welcome! There are sections with moving water that that require knowing your strokes!
Shuttle: Yes
Trip Fee: $6

For a quick review on “reading the river”, there is a section in the OSSCC Handbook on pg. 22 that talks about reading water which we learned in our intermediate training prior to covid. There are hard copies of the manual available for sale at the shed for $10 per copy for those who want a printed version. It is well worth the cost! Just ask the Trip Organizer.

Trip: Stratford Lake
Date: August 26th
Time: Meet at the shed at 9:00 a.m. for a 9:15 a.m. departure
Trip Organizer: Anne Woolner – 519-743-2277 or email annewoolner@hotmail.com
Tower: TBD
Details: Easy Breezy – Open to all members. This is an easy flat water paddle. Good time to practice strokes and have fun in a beautiful setting.
Skill Level: Basic training required!
Shuttle: Yes
Trip Fee: $6

Canoe Trip Times and Pre-Trip Measures
What to Bring on a Canoe Excursion
What to do on Canoe Day

TRIP CANCELLATIONS FYI
We have been having wacky weather these last few weeks with constant threats of thunderstorms/lightning which have contributed to trip cancellations. Trips will only be cancelled if there are thunderstorms/lightning imminent during our paddle time (we have paddled in the rain if there is no lightning danger). We will also cancel if not enough people sign up for a trip, no one volunteers to organize a particular trip, and if no one volunteers to tow. Let’s hope next week brings good paddling weather.

Help! We need Trip Organizers to organize and lead trips for both the Tuesday and Thursday outings, especially the ones that are blank in September on the Trip Schedule. We’ve added some of our favourite trips to the schedule, so if you can, consider volunteering or team up with a friend to help organize and lead. If we don’t get anyone to lead these trips, they will be cancelled and the season will be over. For a successful season, we need everyone to help out in some capacity.
Contact Anne Woolner at annewoolner@hotmail.com or call 519-743-2277 to sign up. If you want to know what organizing a trip entails, we have a trip organizing section on the Blog to help you out to make it as easy as possible!

Upcoming Trips for the Rest of August!

August 24th – Grand River-Petrocan to Glen Morris (Evan & Jane Jenkins-Trip Organizers

August 26th – Stratford Lake (Anne Woolner-Trip Organizer)

August 31st – Saugeen #1 -Trip Organizer wanted!

Trip Organizers and towers are required for Sept. 2 until Sept 21. Call Anne Woolner today at 519-743-2277 to help out so these trips won’t be cancelled!

Check out the schedule for more details.

Warning: Giant Hogweed is Sprouting!

Last year, we printed a warning about “Giant Hogweed” at the start of our canoeing season. See here.

This year, for those of you who are hiking in rural areas, possibly near rivers and lakes, there is a good reason to watch out for these plants as they start their growing season. This may also be helpful for those of you who have cottages or like to camp near rivers or lakes.

The following warning is being sent out via email to other groups. Since we make many stops along the shoreline on both rivers and lakes during our canoe trips and we may encounter giant hogweed, it seems like a good time to share:

The giant hogweed plants have sprouted. They are presently a good contrast against the background of winter-dead and they a are larger than the other plants around.

Please check your riverside properties from the water edge to a place just above the high water lines from the last seven years.

If you find any, they can be dug with a shovel and turned over so the sun can scorch them. It is only necessary to cut the root off at 4” to 6” below the soil.

Please report any new findings with GPS coordinates and a photo to gianthogweed@rogers.com so that we can map the spread.

More info is available at the Facebook group Giant Hogweed Mitigation Project.

Pass this reminder on to all of your riverside neighbours.

Together we can keep the shorelines welcoming.

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What Has Changed?

So What Happens Next?

Helpful Links

AGENDA

OSSCC End of Season Fireside Get Together !