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| From Canoe Camp |
I love canoeing. It has the best of everything about camping. You get a peaceful paddle down a meandering river, interrupted at times with the roller-coaster excitement of rapids. I love the feeling of the water gently pulling me along while the bottom of the river whizzes by. It’s like the description of being in space where you’re traveling faster than a bullet, but it feels like you’re standing still.
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| From Canoe Camp |
On previous trips, I worried more about the safety of the camera, so I didn’t bring one, or I kept it more packed away so it wasn’t accessible. That was a mistake I won’t do again. So this time, when taking pictures on the water, I had to pay careful attention to my equipment.
I only brought the 50mm lens, to make it easier to carry. I put my camera (Canon Digital Rebel) in a smaller padded bag that fit nicely into a large ziplock. This would give me some peace of mind that it would at least float if we managed to upset the canoe. This meant that it took a little more time to set up the camera when I was ready to get the shot. That also meant that sometimes I missed the shot I wanted because I couldn’t get it ready in time. I would have taken more pictures if I had the camera more handy. I’d like to invest in one of those water-proof/shock-proof/freeze-proof cameras. I would certainly put it to the test.
To get the shots I wanted, it followed a general pattern:
- paddle hard ahead of the subject
- spin the canoe sideways so I don’t have to twist too much and set the canoe off balance
- drift a bit and prep the camera while my son keeps an eye on where we we’re going
- take a few shots
- scramble to put the camera away and grab my paddle before hitting the rapids
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| From Canoe Camp |
An approach I’d like to try in the future is to find a spot on shore, just past a set of rapids where I know the canoes will pass close. Then I’d just wait for them, using a longer lens if needed.
One of the unique things about water is the way it holds heat. During the day, the water heats up, along with the air. It stays warm over most of the night while the air cools considerably. In the morning, as the sun is rising, the temperature difference causes a thick mist or fog to form in the valley around the water that makes for surreal surroundings.
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| From Canoe Camp | |
This year’s trip, we started on a Friday evening from Fish Creek Park in Calgary, just North of Highway 22X. We canoed to an island which is at, I believe the 13 km mark on this map. There’s a fair amount of fallen wood, and a well used fire pit. It’s a nice spot. The river at the back side of the island is slow and deep enough for a swim. Especially at the downstream end of the island.
We finished off the trip Saturday by traveling to McKinnon Flats where we met our pickup team. We had a beautiful hot, sunny day.
Tags: Calgary, Events, outdoor, Photography
I shot the wedding formals and reception for the son of my friend Wendy, whose web site I also created and maintain. The photos were taken overlooking downtown Calgary from the Crescent Road chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The couple is very photogenic and were great to work with.
For a technical note, I used a Canon Digital Rebel and the 18-55 mm kit lens as well as a 75-300 mm lens. I used a polarizing filter that made it a bit tougher to stay at a high shutter speed with the zoom lens, even in the bright sun. I don’t always like being tied to a tripod, but it would have helped here. I’m planning to purchase a 50mm f/1.8 lens that should make a big difference for some of my shots, especially indoor and low-light.
This is the first wedding I’ve shot using the RAW format. I’ve been using it now for a while and find that the buffer on the camera (it’s a first generation Digital Rebel) made me miss more shots because I’d have to wait for the buffer to empty. It’s really tough for active scenes like the bouquet toss. I’m saving up for the 50D.
Tags: indoor, outdoor, Photography, Wedding
I attended the 2009 Southern Alberta Jamboree at Camp Impeesa last week. I was the main Scouter in charge of a patrol of 4 scouts, so most of my photography was focused on capturing their experiences there. Being involved in the activity meant that sometimes I would have to hand off the camera to someone else to take the shots. You don’t always get the best photos that way, but you can be surprised.
The Jamboree had a volunteer photographer wandering through the events. His shots were part of a slide show at the closing ceremonies, but, due to privacy concerns, that’s all we’ll ever see of those. So don’t ever rely on someone else’s work to record a special event.
What do you record on an event like this? From my experience I have a number of tips to pass on:
- I wanted to have something for each of them, so I looked for opportunities to highlight the single youth doing each activity.
- Sometimes I wanted to show the energy of the event, but not necessarily any faces. Most certainly though, I wanted to show them doing things as a team.
- Capture interesting things going on that give you context to what is happening outside of your group.
- Include friends that they make.
- Make sure to capture the all-important group shot.
- And don’t forget your camera back at the camp or you’ll be making extra trips.
Try to follow the rules of composition. Your memories should be artistic, but it’s best to just get any shot you can first, then you can try to refine it until the shot goes away.
Tags: Events, Impeesa, outdoor, Photography
There are a number of heat sources to consider when your primary method of cooking isn’t available. You should become familiar and proficient with one or more of these. For your chosen method, you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of fuel on hand.
Propane
Propane is an excellent fuel for indoor use. It produces carbon dioxide as it burns and is therefore not poisonous. It does consume oxygen so be sure to crack a window when burning propane.
Propane stores indefinitely, having no known shelf life. Propane stoves and small portable heaters are very economical, simple to use, and come the closest to approximating the type of convenience most of us are accustomed to using on a daily basis.
The primary hazard in using propane is that it is heavier than air and if a leak occurs it may “pool” which can create an explosive atmosphere. Basement natural gas heating units CANNOT be legally converted for propane use. Again, the vapours are heavier than air and form “pockets.” Ignition sources such as water heaters and electrical sources can cause an explosion.
Propane is likely to be impossible or difficult to acquire during an extended emergency.
Wood
Hardwoods such as apple, cherry, and other fruit woods are slow burning and sustain coals. Hardwoods are more difficult to burn than softer woods, thus requiring a supply of kindling. Soft woods such as pine and cedar are light in weight and burn very rapidly, leaving ash and few coals for cooking. If you have a fireplace or a wood/coal burning stove, you will want to store several cords of firewood. Firewood is usually sold by the cord which is a neat pile that totals 128 cubic feet. This pile is four feet wide, four feet high, and eight feet long. Some dealers sell wooWoodd by the ton. As a general rule of thumb, a standard cord of air dried dense hardwood weighs about two tons and provides as much heat as one ton of coal. Be suspicious of any alleged cord delivered in a 1/2 or 3/4 ton pickup truck.
For best results, wood should be seasoned (dried) properly, usually at least a year. A plastic tarp, wood planks, or other plastic or metal Woodsheeting over the woodpile is useful in keeping the wood dry. Other types of fuels are more practical to store and use than wood or coal.
The penny wood stove only needWoods small pieces of wood, so it can effectively be supplied with wood from shrubs.
Solar
Food in a solar coWoodoker is generally not stirred or turned over, both because it is unnecessary and because opening the solar cooker allows the trapped heat to escape and thereby slows the cooking process. It can be checked every one to two hours, to turn the cooker to face the sun more precisely and to ensure that shadows from buildings or plants have not blocked the sunlight. If the food will be left untended for many hours during the day, then the solar cooker is often turned to face the point where the sun will be when it is higher in the sky.
Food cooks faster in the two Solarhours before and after the local solar noon than it does in either the early morning or the late afternoon. Larger amounts of food, and in larger pieces, take longer to cook.
You don’t need to add water tSolaro anything except grains because the food makes its own liquid. It tastes better because nothing dries it out.
White gas (Coleman fuel)
Many families have camp stoves which burn Coleman Fuel or white gasoline. These stoves are fairly easy to use and produce a great amount of heat. However, like charcoal, they produce vast amounts of carbon monoxide. NEVER use a Coleman Fuel stove indoors. It could be a fatal mistake to your entire family.
Never store fuels in the house or near a heater. Use a metal store cabinet which is vented on top and bottom and can be locked.
Kerosene
Kerosene (also known as Range Oil No. 1) is the cheapest of all the storage fuels and is also very forgiving if you make a mistake. Kerosene isn’t as explosive as gasoline and Coleman fuel. Kerosene stores well for long periods of time and by introducing some fuel additives it can be made to store even longer. However, do not store it in metal containers for extended time periods unless they are porcelain lined because the moisture in the kerosene will rust through the container causing the kerosene to leak. Most hardware stores and home improvement centres sell kerosene in 5 gallon plastic containers which store for many years. A 55 gallon drum stores in the back yard, or ten 5 gallon plastic containers will provide fuel enough to last an entire winter if used sparingly.
When kerosene burns it requires very little oxygen, compared to charcoal. You must crack a window about 1/4 inch to allow enough oxygen to enter the room to prevent asphyxiation. During combustion, kerosene is not poisonous and is safe to use indoors. To prevent possible fires you should always fill it outside. The momentary incomplete combustion during lighting and extinguishing of kerosene heaters can cause some unpleasant odours. To prevent these odours from lingering in your home always light and extinguish the heater out of doors. During normal operation a kerosene heater is practically odourless.
Charcoal
Never use a charcoal burning device indoors. When charcoal burns it is a voracious consumer of oxygen and will quickly deplete the oxygen supply in your little “home within a home.” Furthermore, as it burns it produces vast amounts of carbon monoxide which is a deadly poison. If you make the mistake of trying to heat your home by burning charcoal it could prove fatal to your entire family. Never burn charcoal indoors.
Instant light charcoal containing lighter fluid, such as Kingsford Match Light, should not be used where the gasses interact with the food, such as in barbeques or the cardboard oven. Dutch ovens are better suited for instant light charcoal. When using the cardboard oven, let the charcoal go completely white before adding the food. For cakes, adding fruit to the bottom for an upside-down cake makes it harder to burn the bottom.
Alcohol
Alcohol burns cleanly and is odourless, so it is safe to use indoors. It burns very quietly with a near-invisible flame, so it is important to be careful around alcohol fuelled stoves. The fuel is not explosive and can be easily extinguished. It stores well in plastic containers and is available in 4 litre jugs at Home Depot, labeled as Methyl Hydrate. Look in the paint section.
Internet Resources
Dutch Oven
- http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/
- http://www.dutchovendude.com/
- http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/beattie47.html
Solar
- http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Windshield_shade_solar_funnel_cooker
- http://www.knowledgehound.com/topics/solarcoo.htm
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cooker
- http://solarcooking.org/solarcooking-faq.htm
Cardboard Oven
Hot Box
Pressure cookers are perfect for use with hot box cooking. Cooking time is shorter and higher temperatures can be reached.
- http://ourldsfamily.com/wonderbox/
- http://www.hedon.info/firelesscooker
- http://www.wisebread.com/save-energy-costs-by-cooking-with-a-hot-box
Pot Cozy’s are basically a hot box that custom fits your pot. You can buy them at MEC
Or make your own pot cozy
Penny Alcohol Stove
Penny Wood Stove
June 28, 1999 – July 3, 1999
Monday, June 28, 1999
We planned to leave at 3:00 pm for our canoe trip down the Old Man River. As things go, we didn’t get off until about 5:30. It took longer also when we tangled with rush-hour traffic.
We took 9 boys: Matthew, Jeremy, Jesse, David M., Paul, David R., Steven, Brock, and Donny. In addition to myself (John), Myron and Jerry came as leaders.
When we eventually arrived at the Old Man River where we will put in (Fort MacLeod), we discovered that we were short 5 lifejackets. There is a campground next to the river that generously let us stay the night at no charge. We unloaded the canoes and gear. Then Jerry and Myron drove the trailer and vans to Taber. Myron’s brother-in-law drove them back with some extra lifejackets. They didn’t arrive until about Midnight.
While they were gone, Donny discovered that his retainer had broken. Several attempts to repair it with duct tape failed and made him desperate to go home. He reluctantly stayed, but mostly because there is no easy way home.
We roasted a smoky each for a dinner snack and had juice boxes.
Myron stopped at Coaldale and Taber to phone relatives and managed to get the 5 extra lifejackets. The pickup went like clockwork. The biggest delay was the lifejackets.
Tuesday, June 29, 1999
Section F 1
Section F 2
Someone dropped off medicine for Donny while most of us were still sleeping (him included). That was probably a good thing. We need two per canoe.
We had pancakes for breakfast. They were good, but it made for more to clean.
We put in the water at just after 10:00 am. The route was twisty and made it a little more fun. At one section there was an overhanging tree, called a sweeper. I was in the canoe with Brock. He missed it and I went through it, but we were alright. Jesse and Jeremy and Matthew and David M. both were tipped. We scrambled to gather as much gear as we could. Brock and I recovered a paddle, a shoe, a coat, a hat, and some granola bars. Another hat was lost, along with the other shoe.
We tried paddling back upstream, but almost tipped. Instead, we made it to shore and walked a paddle and a spare that we had, back upstream to where they were.
After they packed the canoes, we kept going until Myron tipped in a narrow section. He was with Steven. We lost a dishpan. The two events lost us about an hour or more of time.
We stopped for lunch and had Pita bread sandwiches. They were great. We also had smoked oysters.
We made it through the tough section where at the end was a rapid. Myron and Jerry emptied a canoe and took a couple of runs at the rapids. They swamped the canoe both times.
We stopped eventually at our camp area. We had to do some scouting to find shelter from the wind.
After setting up camp, we had potatoes, chicken, and salad for dinner.
Wednesday, June 30, 1999
Section G1
Section G 2
We were up around 7:30. We had bagels, cream cheese, and tomatoes for breakfast. Some of us had oatmeal too. It had rained overnight and continued to rain intermittently through the day.
We were packed and in the water at about 10:00 am. The days travels were expected to be easy, but we encountered some pretty big rapids. Big to us anyway. Fortunately, there were no tips today, though we had some close calls. A lot of us hit rocks. Jeremy and Matthew badly damaged their canoe.
At lunch, we repaired the crack with duct tape. Jesse and David M. had some damage too, but it was only leaking slowly. Paul and I hit some rocks that left me bailing fairly regularly.
Myron and Donny, and Jerry and Steven didn’t seem to have any problems. David R. took the stern this time with Brock. They did a lot better. They and Paul and I spent most of the time in the rear.
We had sandwiches for lunch. Once the repairs were done, we hit the water. At 4:30, we were all exhausted. We had made good time, but wanted to reach Lethbridge today. We kept going and reached the golf course after an hour and a half.
We put up camp just past the golf course on the right side of the river. After we set up camp, we had hamburger helper for dinner. It was delicious.
Thursday, July 01, 1999
I was up at 6:00 am. I was worried about the canoes, so I got up again, after I was in bed, to move a couple of canoes further in. The water level dropped the night before, so I wanted to be sure we were safe if it rose.
Section H
We had English muffins with scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese, and tomatoes.
We didn’t get to the river until 11:00 am. I was with Donny. His box didn’t fit well, so I had it high. He’s a little wiggly, so we were too unstable. I stopped twice to adjust it and just put it between my legs.
About a mile downstream, we got to the Weir. By the time Donny and I had caught up, there were only two canoes left to portage. We unloaded all of our gear and walked it to the other side of the Weir. Everyone had carried their canoes, but Jerry and I took a heavy load on my canoe over the Weir, or at least a small section by the inlet.
It was easier than 90% of the rapids we had done. After reloading the canoes, we were off again, immediately encountering tougher rapids than what we just walked around. We were going to have a tough day.
Not long after, we got to the Fort Whoop-up picnic area. The boys were all excited about using indoor plumbing. We also had lunch there. We ate bagels and English muffins. We put jam and cheese on it. It was surprisingly good.
Half the day was gone and we’d barely done any distance. We got going and traveled until about 3:30. A cold front hit us and we all got off the river and unloaded to prepare for a storm.
The storm missed us, but we did get a lot of rain. When the rain passed, we continued. We loaded our gear and took off. I did a second repair on my canoe first and also patched Jesse’s again. Mine held better this time.
We spend a long time on the river. Donny and I were last. We didn’t see anyone for hours. We finally caught up when they stopped for the night. It was about 7:45 pm. I could barely stand from all the paddling.
We had smokies and hot dogs wrapped in bannock, with beans on the side. I had mistakenly left all of our propane fuel back at the place we stopped for the storm. Fortunately, Jerry brought a single burner stove and camp fuel.
Friday, July 02, 1999
We all slept well during the night. I got up just after 7:00 am. We had oatmeal for breakfast. We were packed and ready to go before 10:00 am.
We put in and stared paddling. The river was slow, so we had to work hard. We didn’t stop for lunch until 2:00 pm. That was four hours of canoeing without a break. We had some leftovers for lunch and kept going.
After 2½ more hours, we stopped again to re-group. We started with 35 miles left to go and, according to Jerry, we were still 10 miles short. At about 6:00 pm, we all stopped quickly and learned that the bridge we just reached was the Taber Bridge. Myron went to confirm it and we were all thrilled to finally reach our destination.
I couldn’t sit for the whole evening. Jerry and Myron went to get the trailer and vans while we made Beefaroni and Chili-Mac for dinner. We all stuffed ourselves.
We stayed the night at the provincial campground. The also generously let us stay at no cost.
After we set up and started to relax, we were asked by a native group if we wanted to play soccer. Jesse, Jeremy, Steven, Donny, and I all played for and hour or more. We stopped when it got too dark to see. They were pretty good, but Jesse and Steven were a lot better. I was on the opposite team and we only scored two goals. They scored at least three for every one of ours.
Saturday, July 03, 1999
We all slept in. Jerry and I made pancakes, eggs, and hash browns for breakfast. We were packed and ready to go just around noon. We took a group picture of the “Dirty Dozen” around the canoes and left for Calgary.
Our first destination was Peter’s Drive-In for a hamburger and shake. Then we went to the church and home from there.
Tags: Camping, Canoe, Old Man River, outdoor, Scouting