DON’T WORRY DOC, WE’LL MAKE IT! The story of Jim McAvoy–a daredevil Canadian bush pilot who carved history with his wings.
Updated: Aug 22, 2024 By Eric Watt: From my book, Campsite Me mories. This true, heartwarming story will make you smile. Forward: Erik Watt is a politically incorrect misfit who fled North after thirty years as a fourth-generation newsman to avoid becoming a journalist. He’s known Canada’s Northwest Territories since he was a teenage Mackenzie River […]
AT LAST: A GREAT NEW CANOEING MAGAZINE!
I recently chatted with Joe Friedrichs, the author of Her Island. It’s the story of Janice Matichuk, Quetico’s longest serving park Ranger. I knew Janice very well. She was talented, wonderful, and amazing. Joe did a superb job capturing her life story in this book. If you haven’t read it, you should. It will make […]
HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT CANOEING?
Steel River, Ontario When I was a Boy Scout in the 1950s, my greatest thrill was summer camp and the overnight canoe trip. Only boys who had passed their swimming requirement were invited. If you knew how to run waves and steer around rocks you were a hero to your friends. Hitting a rock or […]
GOING NORTH – WHAT YOU CAN – AND CAN’T – LEARN FROM CANOEING THE BOUNDARY WATERS
Yes! The fishing (and everything else!) is AWESOME in Northern Canada. North Knife River, Manitoba You’ve made many successful trips into the Boundary Waters. You’ve never gotten lost – maybe just confused for awhile; you’ve weathered storms, made fire in the rain, never capsized or been threateningly cold. After each trip, you’ve come home […]
SECURITY: To Tie or Not to Tie!
Renee and Ken Sebranek on a wild Wisconsin river. Reneee is totally blind! Their heart-warming story is in my book, CANOEING WILD RIVERS, 5th Edition. Question: Should you tie everything into your canoe when you run rapids and big lake waves? Or, should gear be allowed to float free in a capsize? If you’ve […]
KAYAK OR CANOE–WHICH IS BEST FOR YOU?
Kayaks now outnumber canoes on almost every waterway. Why are they so popular? Some years ago, I guided a group of teens on a canoe trip in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters. As we rounded a point, a yellow kayak darted toward us. The paddler—a young woman in her twenties—flashed a smile, then poured on the coal. […]
Tu ON THE RIO GRANDE
This guest blog, by, Tony Heck, is a great read. It’s long, but worth your time. About Tony: Tony is a jack-of-all trades outdoorsman, paddler and master sausage maker. He travels with his little Beagle dog, Tu. Tu has grown quite comfortable sitting atop Tony’s specially outfitted Old Town Tripper canoe. Tu never complains. Tony’s […]
CRISIS ON THE RIO GRANDE
(With addendum that tells the fate of the two paddlers and the wrapped red kayak) Cr. Chris Baker Photography Some people don’t like to do the same river twice—attitude being “been there, done that, seen it all.” Maybe not. I’ve done many of my favorite rivers several times. And each time they have provided new […]
YOU SAVED US!
This is from Caitlin Looney, a wilderness therapist in Colorado. Caitlin was guiding a group of teenagers and turned a “lost experience” into a confidence-building, inspirational event. Caitlin did everything exactly right. Follow along on the map as you read her story. Note that her choices reflect an in-depth understanding of backcountry navigation. Cliff —————————————————— […]
JUSTIN CODY’S RACE TO SURVIVAL!
Thirteen year old Justin Cody stared at the huge waterfall below him. He marveled at the power of the rushing water and how it swirled around the rocks below, sending showers of rainbow- colored droplets skyward. As his grandpa would say, “This one’s a ‘must’ portage, meaning they would have to carry their canoe and […]