Educational Workshops

Topic: WCA River Flow Data for the Science Nerd
Time: Jul 19, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89072048911

Meeting ID: 890 7204 8911

Environment Canada maintains a network of hydrometric data collection equipment on streams, creeks and rivers across Canada. The data collection stations measure the depth of the river and record flow measurement.

Many of our WCA trip leaders are already using this information by saving photos and noting the flow and water levels for the paddling day in their post trip notes. There are also a number of easy links on the Boatwerks website.

In my presentation, I am going to take you back to the source at Environment Canada and walk you through how to search for your favorite river or stream, how to search historical flow levels. Streams like Willow Creek that runs into the Minesing Wetlands west of Barrie. The Moira, Beaver, Credit , and Humber rivers. My favorite, the Mad river at Creemore Ont. The Nith and Grand Rivers.

We will examine river depth and river flow, what the numbers mean from Environment Canada's site. We will look at how ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers ) (underwater radar) is used to map and calculate stream and river flow data in hundreds of Canadian Rivers. All of this data is online and available to you the paddler.

How is this relevant to us as paddlers? Instead of calling up your buddy the night before to go over to your favorite paddling river to check flow and depth, how about doing it online and in real time. Maybe you planned a spring paddling excursion weeks ago and want to know if the levels still look good the night before. . Check your local flow station on wateroffice.ec.gc.ca to find out that local rains made the river too high to make a spring water water trip safe that day, and save yourself the three hour drive to discover this on the banks of a raging river.

Your presenter this evening, Andy Hueton, is an admitted Science Nerd and a current resident of Stayner Ontario.. An experienced paddler, lover of the outdoors, and a computer geek, he stumbled on Weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca a few years ago and now uses it to monitor his ,favorite paddling river, the Mad, which has good spring whitewater from Creemore to Concession Road 3 below Glencairn Ont for only a few weeks every spring, and sometimes after a big summer rainstorm.. In preparing this presentation I became aware that many WCA trip leaders are already using this site and some good links are already on Boatwerks..com So lets share the knowledge.

Give Andy ninety minutes of your time and lets explore how Environment Canada ADCP collected hydrometric data can help make your next river paddling trip a whole lot better.

Please join us for another WCA Zoom presentation.

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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83759340074

Meeting ID: 837 5934 0074

Ray Goodwin is the UK’s best known and (many would go so far as to say) foremost canoe coach.

For more than 30 years Ray has been introducing people to, and developing people’s skills in, the great outdoors.

Ray has paddled all over the UK, as well as extensively in Europe. His ground-breaking British canoe journeys include the first circumnavigation of Wales and the first unsupported canoe crossing of the Irish Sea, as well as grueling journeys across Scotland.

Ray’s experience extends far and wide, with his paddling career having taken him to four continents.

Ray’s North American canoe expeditions have taken him south to the Rio Grande and as far north as the Arctic Circle. Ray’s North American exploits been have not been limited to open boats either; in kayak he has made two descents of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River.

A British Canoe Union Level 5 Coach in Canoe, Inland Kayak, and Sea, Ray was the first coach to be assessed to Level 5 in three disciplines.

As if Ray’s skill and achievements in paddling weren’t enough, he is also holds the Mountaineering Instructor’s Certificate (MIC).

Ray is a ‘technical expert’ under the UK’s Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 1996 and as such he advises outdoor training centres on safety and good practice in the outdoors.

He is an active writer in the field of canoeing with his articles appearing in various publications. Ray wrote two chapters of the BCU Canoe and Kayak Handbook as well as sections in the standard UK textbook on White Water Safety and Rescue.

Ray’s own book, ‘Canoeing’, was first published in 2011 (see below for more details) with the second edition being published in 2016.

In the 2019 New Year’s Honours List, Ray was awarded an MBE for his services to canoeing.

Ray brings his experience and expertise to all of Frontier Bushcraft’s canoeing activities, including the Expedition Canoeing Skills Course in the Lake District, River Spey Expedition in Scotland, and The French River and Bloodvein River expeditions in Canada.

Check out his YouTube clips also.

This one-long workshop will go over meal planning and backcountry cooking for canoe trips, with a focus on long canoe trips where you can't rely on fresh food.
We'll cover topics like:
- Building a meal plan & nutrition on trip
- Prepping and packaging food (including dehydration)
- Finding and testing recipes
- Keep your food safe from bears and leave no trace
- and much more!

Have you ever wondered what that plant is? Noticed some cool mushrooms? Heard a weird bird call? Do you care about the places you canoe through and want to contribute data to help conserve them? Join Dr Mhairi McFarlane to learn about iNaturalist and eBird. These community science platforms are a great learning tool for amateurs and experts alike, and support research and conservation globally. Mhairi will introduce these tools, and provide valuable tips about how to use them in the wilderness to improve your knowledge of the natural world, drawing on her experiences canoeing throughout Ontario. Zoom Meeting details: Time: Mar 23, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84525836972 Meeting ID: 845 2583 6972

Hi Paddlers 

We are offering another River Talk in February this time we going to talk about the Dumoine River, a great white water river in Ontario. 

workshop topics:

- Rapids,

- Outfitters, 

- Maps,

- Location

- Campsites

Reserve your Seat February 24, 7PM

WEBINER WILDERNESS NAVIGATION - TRIP PLANNING MODULE 3 CALTOPO

Quick Remenber workshop is coming this wednesday!

Hi Paddlers 

We are offering another River Talk in January this time we going to talk about the Spanish River, a great white water river in Ontario where you can access by train. workshop topics: - Train logistic - Rapids, - Outfitters, - Maps, - location Reserve your Seat January 13, 7PM

Purpose;  To write down the history of the Wilderness Canoe Association club for future generations.   With all clubs, some members join and some members leave and the clubs history sometimes is lost forever.   This effort will attempt to capture some of our clubs history.

Objective;   The club was founded in 1973.   The 50^th year Gold anniversary will be in 2023.    It is hoped to put together a proper History of the WCA paper/book/videos that members can access.   

The plan;  We plan to seek out veteran WCA members who can put together short stories based on their club experiences.   These short stories would be placed in a chronological order which would tell the story of the club from early beginnings to the present.  

One idea is to capture video short stories from veteran WCA members and post them on the WCA YouTube Channel.

We also would like to hear from younger members about what they are looking for? Advise on trips, maps, equipment, etc.

We hope this virtual meeting will inspire some ideas and volunteers to put some ideas to paper or volunteer to be interviewed to tell their story.

We also are looking for people to help with editing some of the video footage

If you have some raw video footage or photos of days gone bye let us know.

Zoom Call: Dec 16, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Have you been winter camping for several seasons but are looking for ways to improve your set up? Are you a seasoned veteran looking for new ideas? Then this course is for you!
We will be discussing pre-trip planning (route planning and car maintenance), advanced tent set ups and advanced stove sets ups. We will also be discussing the necessary after-trip maintenance for gear and long term storage for clothing and gear.

Topic: WINTER CAMPING: ADVANCED HOT TENTING
Time: Jan 9, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85686529665

Meeting ID: 856 8652 9665