For everyone who signed up to participate in our Fall Bondi Trip, September 19th – 23rd, the deadline to receive your Down Payment cheque of $120 (and your commitment) is this coming Wednesday, June 22nd. After this date, other Club members (beginning with those on the ‘Waiting List’) will be given the opportunity to fill in any openings and join our northern adventure.
Cheques should be made out to: Old Salts Seniors Canoe Club.
Please, also send an email to inform Mark that your cheque is on its way.
Unfortunately, due to very low water in the Conestoga, this river is not navigable. If someone would like to lead a trip to another river that has good flow, please let Anne know asap as otherwise, there will be no trip on Tuesday.
You are invited to attend a 2 hour workshop presentation that is being hosted by our very own Alicia Smith. Details are as follows:
Speaker: Dr. Juliet Veens, Physician and ER Doctor. Juliet is currently completing her training in the Wilderness Medicine Fellowship Programme. Date: Thursday, June 30 6-8:00 p.m. Location: 250 Gage Ave, Kitchener, ON N2M 2C8 Presentation:Wilderness First Aid; injuries/illnesses encountered in back country camping; Planning for interior camping, high altitude first aid.
She will cover specific topics we are interested in if we send the topics to her in advance. If interested, she would like to know the goals we wish to achieve through attending this presentation in order to tailor it to our needs. Workshop: no certification; a higher level thinking workshop Cost: $10.00 per person (for charities only); cash or cheques made out to SJAmbulance Kitchener-Waterloo.
-there may be a small fee if materials are required Participants: All welcome, but space is limited. Register ASAP to reserve your spot! They are filling up fast!! She provides her own materials/projector/screen/powerpoint presentation Length of presentation: 2 hours in person What to bring: the first aid kits you take on trips, backcountry trip first aid kits Venue:Indoors
How to Register: 3 Ways
Participants can contact Alicia with immediate payment (She will be at the shed on Monday for 9:10-9:30, Intermediate training, or bring to my home)
There will be an important meeting outside of our club shed on Friday, May 20th, at 10:30am to discuss our upcoming fall trip to Bondi Lodge (- located just minutes outside of Algonquin Provincial Park’s west gate). This trip will take place September 19th to 23rd.
Because Friday leads into the Long “Victoria Day” Weekend, the meeting will be kept as brief as possible; hopefully 30 – 40 minutes.
There are several organizational matters to discuss and trip details to consider before individuals commit to participating on this trip.
Who should attend this meeting? …
Any member who signed up at the March Membership Drive presentation, with the intention of going on this trip;
Any member who has been placed on the trip ‘Waiting List’, or would like to be placed onto the ‘Waiting List’;
Anyone wishing to learn more about the Fall Bondi Trip, with the intention of participating next year
* Note: Any member who contacted Mark (Trip Organizer)after the March Membership Meeting was placed on the trip ‘Waiting List’.
A commitment to participate in the Bondi Trip will be necessary.
This commitment includes a non-refundable down payment of $120 to guarantee a spot in the group that’s going. (The down payment is by cheque only, and should be made out to “Old Salts Seniors Canoe Club”.) Cheques will be acceptedonlyafter this May 20th meeting, and must be received, by Mark, no later than Wed. June 1st.
After June 1st, members on the ‘Waiting List’ will be offered the opportunity to fill any vacant spaces.
Please, bring a camp chair/lawn chair to the meeting to be held outside of the canoe shed.
Anyone planning to attend this meeting is asked to R.S.V.P. to Mark Zelinka ASAP at :Email:zelinkamd@gmail.comPhone:519-651-3186
If you have any questions before the May 20th meeting, contact Mark Zelinka
If you missed any of our recent meetings ( SpringRegistration 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 tomeet 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’twear 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!
I have never canoed this route and as it has some tricky spots, unless someone is willing to lead this, I will be changing the location. If you are interested in leading this trip, let me know. I am checking out the water levels in Guelph today to see if it can even be done.
Jus a reminder that there is a walk planned for tomorrow.
If you plan on joining the group, please call Brenda Welch at 519-884-2168 or email brendajwelch#gmail.com.
Meet in Elmira (where we met the first time), in the parking lot for the Guelph to Goderich Trail (aka Kissing Bridge Trail). This parking lot is just beside the building for the Woolwich Observer(20B Arthur St. N, Elmira, N3B 1Z9). Coming from the KW or St Jacobs end of town, on Arthur St.(Hwy 21), the Observer is just past the downtown, not far past Church St. It’s a left turn into the driveway.
This time we’ll go the other way on the trail. This side is wide and flat like the other. It’s an out and back. If you’re fast you can go further. There will likely be a slower group as well. We’ll walk for an hour or so and head back.
Optional coffee stop after. Bring a mask and money just in case.
