Carrot Salad

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Admin

Ingredients:

  • 4 or 5 large carrots
  • 1 smal red onion
  • ¼ cup dried currants
  • ¼ cup walnuts (chopped)

Dressing:

  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • Salt
  • Pepper

At home:

  1. Pack carrots and onion in a zip lock vegetable bag
  2. Pack currants and walnuts in a zip lock bag
  3. Mix salad dressing and pack in a food safe bottle

In camp:

  1. Clean and then grate the carrots
  2. Peel, halve and then thinly slice the onion
  3. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl and add the dressing

Options:

  • Substitute raisins for currants
  • Substitute pecans for walnuts
  • Add 1 tsp. grated lemon zest.

Note: Carrying a small stainless steel grater is almost mandatory for this recipe. Julienned carrots will work but that is a tedious task and the result is not as pleasing.

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Get Ready for Spring – a Quick Safety Review

Posted on April 14, 2016 by Bob Salo

safety-firstSpring is here and soon we'll be heading out on the water again. The first SKABC courses have already taken place and the first trips have launched.

Just because your paddling trip at the end of last season was a good one, doesn't mean your equipment and processes can't use a little review. Before you head out, here are some tips to ensure a safe 2016 paddling season:

  • Check your equipment:
    • Kayak: What shape is it in? How are the rudder cables? The deck lines? Grommets?
    • Safety Gear: what shape is it in? Is it complete? Do any items need replacing?
    • First Aid Kit: Do any items need replacing?
    • Communication Equipment: Does it work? Are the batteries charged? Do you remember how to use it?
  • Always complete a Float Plan for a trip
  • Use the Launch Site Checklist before getting on the water
  • Check out the new Whistle & Paddle Signals handout to improve on-water communication

You can find additional checklists and trip planning forms on the Trip Planning page.

Remember: Always be accountable for your safety and your paddling partner's safety

 

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On-Water Communication: Whistle and Paddle Signals

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Admin

When paddling, different factors can  affect good verbal communication.

  • Distance
  • Wind
  • Not speaking loudly and clearly
  • Not being face to face
  • Age, i.e. hearing loss

Here is a quick review of whistle and paddle signals to communicate with your paddling group when verbal communication is compromised; or download this document to  take with you.

Whistle Signals

  • ONE loud whistle blast: Attention. Stop and look for further direction.
  • TWO loud whistle blasts: Stop. Stay where year - look for further direction.
  • THREE loud whistle blasts: Emergency.

Paddle Signals

signals-horizontalpaddle

Paddle held horizontally over your head with two hands:
STOP. STAY WHERE YOU ARE.

 

 

signals-verticalpaddle

 

Paddle held vertically over your head:
GATHER AROUND THE PERSON HOLDING THE PADDLE.

signals-pointpaddle

 

Paddle held at 45 degrees to body:
GO IN DIRECTION PADDLE IS POINTING TO.

 

 

signals-wavepaddle

 

Paddle overhead, waving back and forth:
EMERGENCY. COME HERE. HELP.

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The Wonders of the Salish Sea

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Roxanne Rousseau

A pilot program about the Salish Sea, designed for adults, is being offered this spring at the Mt. Pleasant Community Centre located in East Vancouver.

Vancouver borders one of the largest inland seas in the world, the Salish Sea.  Discover the wonders of this uniquely biodiverse, yet fragile, marine ecosystem with the guidance of local marine scientists, naturalists, and environmentalists.
This program is being offered at the Mt. Pleasant Community Centre Tuesdays, May 3 - 24from 6 - 8 PM, and off site Saturday, May 21, from 10am - 2pm. 
Registration starts Apr 4 online at www.vancouver.ca and Apr 5 by phone 604.257.3080, or in person at 1 Kingsway. Ages 18+. $25.00/ 5 sessions.
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Thinking Outside the Kayak

Posted on November 23, 2015 by Admin

Submitted by Susan Johnson

When is a kayak more than a vessel for crossing water? When it becomes an object of art and is the most expensive decorative attraction in the house, of course! We are told it is best for our kayak accessories to have more than one use when on a trip. Well, my kayak has more than one use.

It all started when I changed from a non-window garage door to an insulated windowed garage door. I appreciated the additional natural light in my garage. Then it occurred to me that if I installed a window in the door between the garage and adjoining office, I could take even further advantage of that light.kayak_indoors

While waiting for my custom-ordered window for my office passage door, I planned how to create a decorative, nautical view around my kayak against the far wall of the garage. After all, when I sit at my desk beside the passage door and look out into the garage, I wanted something nice to look at, not garbage cans and dirty gardening tools. I painted the concrete floor and lay down a carpet that Thom no longer wanted. Then Craigslist provided me with an inexpensive sideboard, and it was fun shopping for nautical accessories to complete the scene.

The window view is a facade because the rest of the garage holds ugly storage boxes, but it is a fun facade. So do laugh when I tell you that my kayak is the largest, most expensive decorating piece in my house!
Susan Johnson

kayak_indoors2

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