Victoria Canoe & Kayak Club Newsletter Victoria Canoe & Kayak Club 355 Gorge Road West Victoria, B.C. V9A 1M9 January 2009 Phone: 250-590-8193 (Info only) Website: www.vckc.ca Annual General Meeting Tuesday January 6, 2009 7:30 pm VCKC Christmas Party – 2008 Once again our Christmas feast was a huge A crew of volunteers had done a great job success. We managed to fit everyone in by of decorating the club on Sunday and it playing musical chairs - and the food was looked very festive. The mover and shaker delicious! The silent auction brought in behind this for the past few years has been between $250 - $350 towards our donation Mavis - not only organizing us during the to Camp Shawnigan (sorry, I forget the decorating process but also keeping things exact amount) so thank you to all those flowing during the dinner. Her enthusiasm who contributed items for us to bid on. We is infectious! And all of this wouldn’t collected two big boxes of food items to happen without all the volunteer help we take to the Mustard Seed as well. Santa receive to make this evening a success. So paid a visit and doled out gifts and John’s a big THANK YOU to Mavis and the team of friend Peter treated us to some Christmas volunteers. music, playing his guitar and leading the Hope to see you at the AGM on January 6 - singing. come on out and elect your new executive! Joy Newham VCKC – Newsletter – January 2009 Page 1 Clubhouse News Kayak Program Report Happy New Year Everyone ! The next Kayak Program Meeting is Tuesday, As always, the New Year of the club starts with the January 20, 7:00 to 9:30 pm. This will be a social completion of the work of the Executive of the gathering with a chance to schmooze and get to previous year and the election of the incoming know each other better. Please bring an appetizer or members. So come to the AGM on Tuesday, other munchies if you wish. January 6 at 7:30 pm and hear the reports of what has been achieved in 2008 and the summary of our VCKC has boats that are available to members for club courses and paddles at no charge. All kayaks financial status. Then be prepared to elect the come with a PFD, paddle, pump and throw line. members of the 2009 Executive. Maris Ratel has When not scheduled for club event use, these boats done a grand job of being in charge of Boat and are also available to members for personal use on the Locker Storage for the last two years and will be Gorge Waterway on the club side of the Tillicum stepping down, as will Marie-Eve Tessier, Marianne Bridge. Members must have qualified skills and West and Raymond Patts after one year each as paddle with a buddy. Susan Zedel has kindly offered Vice-President, Kayak Program Director and Social to handle the booking of club boats for personal use. Coordinator respectively. Thank you all for all your Your efforts will be very much appreciated, Susan! work on behalf of the club. The following is a list of people and the positions in The following is a list of volunteers for the Kayak which they are interested: Program: Linda Thomson as President Who's Who: Bon Lee as Vice-President Sharron Rivest as Treasurer Program Director – Vacant Diane Nishimura as Secretary Joy Newham as Canoe Program Director Communications (email) – Fred Trudell – Michael Fox as Dragon Boat Director [email protected] Keith Larusson as Outrigger Program Director Ron Williams as Marathon Canoe Director Communications (paddlers' list) – Don Munroe as Voyageur Program Director [email protected] Doug Linton as Education, Standards and Safety Director Courses & Workshops – Patti Stevens – Caroline Rattray as Membership Director [email protected] Sandy Rattray as Clubhouse and Grounds Director Muriel Johnson as Director at Large Kayak Bookings – Susan Zedel – Email (TBA) Harold Gillis as Newsletter Editor Library – Vic Turkington – [email protected] Unfilled positions are: Kayak Program Director Day Paddles and Expeditions – Marianne West – Boat and Locker Storage [email protected] and Social Coordinator Dorothea Hoffmann – [email protected] Instructors – Tom Hukari, Patti Stevens, Yves Aquin, While there are nominations for most positions, any Dennis MacMillan, Dorothea Hoffman, Doug Linton, club members may stand for any position at the Marianne West, Michel Guerard. AGM, provided they have a proposer and seconder. Members may also stand as Director-at-Large, positions on the Executive which do not have specific duties attached and offer good opportunities for understanding the work of the Club. Linda Thomson President, VCKC VCKC – Newsletter – January 2009 Page 2 Canoe Program Report hear about his trip down this mighty river many years ago. Although the big dams upstream have brought What a great year 2008 has been for the canoe significant changes to the area, the Peace River still program and VCKC! There were so many wonderful offers wonderful paddling opportunities - did you day trips around the southern island and Gulf Islands read the very interesting article in B.C. Magazine’s with a variety of weather conditions, making for some fall issue about a solo kayaker’s trip starting at very interesting paddling. Alan Thomson has been Hudson’s Hope? such a huge help, coming up with ideas for trips, doing all the pre-trip planning and organizing and After Tom's talk, Cathy and Doug will share their trip then, of course, being trip leader. As many of the planning and preparation information with us. Please trips involved shuttles, sorting this out is a skill in come with your questions and ideas. Check out the itself. Along with a big THANK YOU to Alan, I would article they have included in this newsletter. also like to thank Linda Thomson, Ken Gibbard and Dave Whitehead for taking on trip leading when Alan Canoe Program was unavailable. Ideally we will offer some workshops Lending Library to help others gain the skills to be able to lead trips Borrowing on something the kayak program offers, as well. the canoe program has the beginnings of a “library” Jean Chandler has faithfully been available most of books and DVDs available for loan. The DVDs were Wednesday mornings to lead small groups along the purchased out of budgeted funds, as well as “River of Gorge, either to enjoy the scenery or for some skills Life” donated by Helen Currie and Tony Dalmyn has practice. Thank you Jean! very kindly donated several canoeing-related books. (thank you Helen & Tony.) If you have any books, The team of instructors has helped to bring basic videos or DVDs that you would like to contribute to paddling skills to a large number of people in 2008 the library, they would be most welcome. and many of those people have continued on to more advanced paddling. As a result, we have seen the How it will work: numbers of canoeists in the club really increase this To borrow any of these materials please contact me, year. Thank you to Tom Staebell, Alan Thomson, Dan (Joy Newham) by e-mail or phone (250-385-5876) and Walker, Jean Chandler, Linda Thomson, Ellie James I will make them available for pick-up at the club. and Todd Irvine for your dedication! Even some of the Materials may be checked out for a 2 week period. instructors took advanced courses to certify them to Please let me know when you have returned the teach other areas of paddling. item(s) to VCKC so I can pick them up quickly. I will We have been treated to many very interesting monitor how this is working and if necessary will presentations throughout the year. Thank you to all modify the process as needed. Your ideas are those who help come up with ideas for these welcome. entertaining events at our canoe program meetings. So far, the following items are available: And thanks too, to the presenters who take the time to join us for an evening and treat us to wonderful DVDs slide shows. Classic Solo Canoeing – Becky Mason I hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas and I Path of the Paddle – Bill Mason wish you lots of fabulous paddling in 2009. Song of the Paddle – Bill Mason River of Life (NFB) Voyageur down the Yukon River Happy New Year! The Voyageurs (National Film Board – NFB) *** Books Canoe Program Meeting Monday, January 19, 2009 Bark, Skin and Cedar – James Raffan Bugs, Sweat and Fears – A Beginner’s Guide to Paddling the Peace River – David Thompson plus Wilderness Canoe Camping More Wilderness Canoe Trip Planning Idleness, Water, and a Canoe – Jamie Benidickson Doug & Cathy Hull Path of the Paddle – Bill Mason Song of the Paddle – Bill Mason Please join us on January 19 and be treated to an interesting slide presentation and talk by David Thompson (no, not the one from the Brigade!) and VCKC – Newsletter – January 2009 Page 3 Canoe Trip Report get dark soon after. Coles Bay to Deep Cove The total trip lasted approximately five hours and we Nov 30, 2008 covered 9 to 10 nautical miles. We all met at the clubhouse except for Glyn. The Thanks to those who took part, Andre, Odette, Joy, Glyn, planned route was to paddle from Coles Bay to Deep Ken, Bruce, Susan and Bon. Cove, leaving a car at Patricia Bay for the return. We Submitted by Bon Lee headed off to Coles Bay to unload and then Andre continued to Patricia bay to drop off his car and return with Glyn.