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| Mid-summer hot air hugs from White Squall Paddling Centre on the shores of mighty Cole Lake Oh Thunderbox, Where The Hell are You? For nearly 30 years, we’ve sauntered out to the outer islands, dug random holes and put wooden boxes on top. With a hope, a prayer and a fart in the wind, we trusted that maybe folks would see ’em, use ’em and shout hallelujah! instead of throwing fecal-stained calling cards all over the rocks. And it worked – and we did try to tell you where these magic boxes all are, with a lovely map on our website (https://www.whitesquall.com/outer-islands-project/). But the map is woefully out of date. With the help of the young minds at Georgian Bay Biosphere, we are now going to ‘ground-truth’ all our hidden treasure boxes this coming month. This is a young’uns term for getting down and dirty to locate and map every blessed one of them. A mammoth project much the writing of the Oxford Dictionary I would say? I’m guessing we’ll need a super-computer to compile it all. Wish us luck..:). And should you find yourself grateful for finding a t-box at the right time, please consider an additional deposit (only the money kind please) : https://georgianbaybiosphere.com/outer-islands/. and we’ll shout your praises to the outer Bay sky! |
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| Camp Echo Paddles Again For over 20 years, a YMCA camp south of the border sends their senior campers on a day-long drive to the Squall for a multi-day Georgian Bay expedition. The next day our staff hours reviewing paddling skills, risk management, navigation, weather, campcraft and a bzillion other things to help them stay safe on the Bay. Then they head out for a 7 day adventure in the best paddling waters on the planet. We’re told that the Georgian Bay trip is considered one of the top highlights of camp. We feel lucky that we can get kids out safely on the water to see what we all have in our backyard. I wish more camps and schools could do this – an experience that will last a lifetime… |
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| Current Design Sirocco Clearout My favourite poly sea kayak, but I bought too many and have used ones in great shape, ready to take you for a ride. New they are around $2300 Can and we’re sending them off into the wilderness for $995! Here are some reviews from paddling.com. https://paddling.com/gear/current-designs-sirocco-1-kayak |
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| A Little Known Fact… Our staff spend a lot of time before and after a rental to make sure kayaks, canoes and sups are seaworthy, clean and ready to go. And I’m not talking a once-over lightly. I’ve watched as they wash the insides and out including every compartment, then spray rubber parts to keep them working well and check rudders, skegs, hatches, float tanks and thwarts to give you the best rental they can. We really do care, and appreciate it when you bring it back in the same shape it left. Hope you can get out and if you do need a boat, just holler! https://www.whitesquall.com/boat-equipment-a-shuttle-rates/ |
| Who Took Our Dog and Who is This Other Guy? Taz, the joy of our life, was a right royal pain in the butt in his early days. He would start each morn with incessant energy and overwhelming kisses, nudges and rear-end bumps. This spring, he would run up to people full speed with loud barking, scaring the bejeezus out of unsuspecting customers. We were at our wit’s end, but then, one day we noticed he was dialing things back, ever so slowly, day by day. He’s become our best friend and fast partner, ready to run wild but happy to just sit with us and while away the summer day. Here is a pic of him standing guard at the front of the motorboat – a real Bay dog that’s for sure. |
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| Thanks for listening. If you want off the boat, just shout ‘Off I Go’ in a reply and we’ll sadly say goodbye and ‘off you’ tout de suite. |