KAYAK CULTURE

By: Victoria Best, Club Secretary There is much we can do to help preserve the beauty of the natural environment we all enjoy when kayaking. Leave No Trace Canada is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and inspiring responsible outdoor recreation through education, research and partnerships. Outdoor Ethics and Leave No Trace Kayaking Plan … Read more

In preparation of one of your meals, have you ever had to go back and forth to your kayak because you keep realizing you’re missing an ingredient or utensil to prepare your meal; having to check through both hatches, looking through bags, emptying your kayak until you’ve finally found it? Maybe it’s raining hard and … Read more

by Sandy Richardson The Fishing Islands are a group of roughly 80-90, mostly small, rocky islands stretching about 15 kilometres from Oliphant north to Howdenvale off the west coast of the Bruce Peninsula. The shallow waters around these islands, with numerous shoals and sandbanks, have long formed a treacherous barrier for ships between the mainland … Read more

by John Fitzsimons Over the years, GLSKA members have logged thousands of hours and paddled thousands of kilometers to investigate almost all parts of the Great Lakes, a treasure that can only be dreamed about by paddlers in other parts of the world. Over the twenty-four year period from 1989 to 2012, the membership of … Read more

Rob, a longtime GLSKA member, died on April 14 at his home on the Bruce peninsula. He was a keen kayaker and involved himself enthusiastically in the activities of our club. Rob organized trips and particularly enjoyed leading groups on the search for orchids growing on the limestone islands of the Bruce. Rob was a frequent contributor to Qayaq and willingly took on tasks such as assisting in the production and distribution of the newsletter. He served in various positions on the Board of Directors, acting for some years as Secretary and as President from 2009 to 2012. He will be truly missed by his many friends in our club.

by Sandy Richardson ” Cheers to a long life, well lived.” Founding member and former GLSKA President, Stephen Trelkeld, died in Hamilton on January 10, 2014. Stephen was born in the U.K., December 27, 1924. During WWII, he was in the Home Guard and the RAF. After the War, he worked as a shepherd on … Read more

by Erwin Buck For kayakers, photography presents a special challenge. There is only so much storage space to take equipment like extra lenses, tripods, etc. And then there is the issue of water- proofing your camera if you plan to have it handy while you’re paddling. Fortunately there are now relatively inexpensive waterproof cameras.As well, … Read more

Sandy Richardson As you can see from the volume number on the masthead, 2013 is GLSKA’s silver jubilee, our 25th year.

A DAY TRIP ON LAKE ONTARIO Michael Kundu The following is a report of the first-ever official GLSKA Trip. It took place on May 7, 1989, on Lake Ontario in the Ajax-Pickering area. It was organized by Michael Kundu, who was also a member of the Board of Directors. This report was originally published in … Read more

by Bert Millar I like to paddle kayaks. I like to paddle on creeks, rivers and big water. I enjoy flat water and l love to kayak in monster seas. I like to kayak camp, hike, explore and watch nature. I like to maintain, repair and modify kayaks. I like to mess around in kayaks, … Read more

Neil Burgess As the twin otter swooped in over the hills surrounding Nain and dropped towards the airstrip, I couldn’t help feel­ing a rush of anticipation. Our adventure was about to begin. This adventure was not a wilderness expedition, however. It was the meeting of two paddling cul­tures – one old and another new.

PADDLING WITH THE GHOSTS OF NORTHERN EXPLORATION by Erik Antons When you enter Nunavut, be prepared for an adventure beyond compare, in one the most scenic, historic and remote parts of the world. The Arctic Circle, at roughly 66 degrees N latitude, marks the northernmost point at which the sun can be seen at the … Read more

by Wendy Killoran WHAT IS SEA KAYAKING? Sea kayaking is a water sport that opens up a lifetime of endless possibilities of exploration and recreation. A sea kayak, life jacket, double bladed paddle and spray skirt are the bare essentials needed to be able to paddle as well as feeling comfortable on the water. Sea … Read more

Teresa Davey & Phil Hossack Victoria Jason had a dream, one she saw come to life.

Told by Ali Apaqquq to Moses Naukaguaq who made this translation. In the summer of 1943, we went on a kayak trip – myself, Davidee Kavik and two other younger men named Mususiapik and Makusi.

by Mark Taylor The kayak is stored in the crawl space under a house in Baker Lake NWT [now Nunavut]. I found out about it from a chance conversation with Fred Ford, a young man who lives in Baker and who has taken a great interest in Inuit history.