The Woman In Black - Freya Hoffmeister - Sponsored by North Water

Have you ever heard of Freya Hoffmeister? How about the "Woman in Black"?  Freya has the record for circumnavigating Australia and North Water is proud to be one of her sponsors.  Her life and athleticism is beyond inspirational. Freya went point to point across the Gulf of Carpentaria over several days, sleeping for a few hours at a time adrift in her kayak.

And now she’s just completed the 1st of 3 stages of her circumnavigation of South America - during which she again used gear from North Water.  As a woman of great fortitude, she spends most of her time paddling solo. Wow! What a woman! What a life!!!

The folks here at North Water wish Freya all the best on her continued adventures.

To find out more about "The Woman in Black", you can find Freya Hoffmeister at the following links:

http://qajaqunderground.com/my-sponsors/north-water/

http://freyahoffmeister.com/2012/05/05/thank-you-muchas-gracias/

http://freyahoffmeister.com/freyas-blog/

WILDERNESS CLASSROOM - NORTH AMERICAN ODYSSEY - Stage 5

The following text was taken from a News Release from our friends of The Wilderness Classroom:

N E W S   R E L E A S E
For Immediate Release
May 8, 2012

Contact:
Scott McPherson
312.882.2473
mcphersonpublicaffairs@gmail.com

WILDERNESS CLASSROOM BEGINS STAGE FIVE OF NORTH AMERICAN ODYSSEY

Grand Portage, MN- Wilderness Classroom Leaders Dave and Amy Freeman will embark on Stage 5 of the North American Odyssey when they push off by kayak on May 9th, 2012 from Grand Portage, Minnesota on Lake Superior.  Stage 5 will take them along the North Shore of Lake Superior and then follow the historic fur trading routes to Montreal, where after 1300 miles of paddling they will arrive around July 1st. They will make periodic visits to settlements along the way and are available for media interviews and presentations. Expedition photos and video are also available.

Dave and Amy will not be alone on their journey . . . Students, teachers, and learners of all ages will participate daily in the live expedition as photos, videos, and text are posted to www.NorthAmericanOdyssey.com via satellite.  Students can communicate with the expedition team through email, online polls, and live chats.  These interactive features give students the power to help make day-to-day decisions for the team and learn about the ecosystems of North America.


About The Wilderness Classroom 

The Wilderness Classroom started with a simple idea: to improve students' core academic skills and appreciation for the environment by introducing elementary and middle school students to the wonders of exploration and wilderness travel.

Eight years and ten expeditions later, the Wilderness Classroom is a 501(c) 3 that reaches over 1,600 teachers and 60,000 students around the globe.

Our mission has never changed. We seek to instill a lifelong appreciation of the natural world while improving basic skills like reading, critical thinking, and communication by highlighting the joy of discovery.
Since it is usually unfeasible to load a classroom of 4th grade students onto a plane and fly them to remote locations, we use a combination of interactive internet-based learning tools on our website www.wildernessclassroom.com, teacher training, and live school programs to accomplish our mission.

About The North American Odyssey

On Earth Day (April 22) of 2010 Dave and Amy Freeman began a three year, 11,700-mile journey across North America by kayak, canoe, and dogsled. Their goal is to use their journey as a platform for gaining support and protection for North America’s waterways and wild places, while actively engaging over 100,000 elementary and middle school students in their journey though the website and live school assemblies.

“We want to educate people about the importance of making healthy choices that simplify life, reduce your global footprint, and provide quality time for friends, family, and outdoor pursuits. We hope to inspire people to make lifestyle changes that are environmentally sound and improve quality of life,” explained Dave.

Their odyssey began by kayak on the Pacific Coast studying temperate rainforests and marine life of the Pacific Northwest, but this was just the first in a series of six stages on their quest to highlight North America’s wildest places.
After kayaking 1,400 miles from Seattle, Washington to Skagway, Alaska, the team progressed over the history-studded mountains in the footsteps of the Klondike Gold Rush, to the home of Inuit along the Arctic Ocean where polar bears roam. From the Arctic Ocean they traveled by dog sled and canoe south through central Canada. Stage 5 involves kayaking across the Great Lakes and following the historic fur-trading route. Stage 6 will take them out to the ocean following the annual whale migration past the salt marshes and sea turtles of the Atlantic Coast, finishing in the mangroves and coral reefs of the Florida Keys in April of 2013.

Through lesson plans and daily Web updates, elementary and middle school students learn alongside the explorers through www.wildernessclassroom.com and adults can follow their progress through www.NorthAmericanOdyssey.com.

Follow the expedition on Twitter at @wildernessclass and Face Book at  www.facebook.com/WildernessClassroom

North Water is proud to be part of this grand expedition and amazing initiative. Be sure to check it out!

Canoecopia 2012 - A Report From North Water

SOLD OUT at Canoecopia 2012 - by Morgan G.

Canoecopia is like no other I’ve been to.  Before the doors open 100’s of people are lined up inside and down the street.  The two things in my mind; 1 wow, this is going to be fantastic, 2 aren’t these people supposed to be at work? 

Photo credit: Preston Ciere of the famous www.portageur.ca

It is my 6th or 7th time attending this show and year after year I see many of the same loyal customers.  One man told me he has been here year after year since the beginning - that’s 30.  Multiple generations of paddlers bridging the gap between the chill of winter and promises of spring adventure.  Some have come from as far away as Southern Illinois and Kansas looking for great deals and enjoy a list of speakers that offers something to paddlers and non paddlers of all ages.  Within the first hour the booth was swarming with happy people checking items off their wish list.

Sales in the North Water booth were brisk and at times 10-12 people kept the 2 of us on our toes for hours.  Our top sellers this year? Having just introduced our 4-Bailer to the world we were very pleased to have sold out of it before mid-day on Sunday. We sold out of or just about sold out of the rest of our tow systems and were left with only a few FourPlay MultiUse Paddle Floats from a giant pile of them we started out with.

Our new and innovative
4-Bailer sold out before
the end of the show.

North Water would thank all of the great presenters and professional paddlers like; Wayne Horodowich; Leon and Shawna of Body Boat Blade International; Kevin Callan, The Happy Camper; as well as Dave and Amy Freeman of the North American Odyssey; and Wilderness Classroom projects; for their energies and taking the time in their seminars to share their knowledge of and experience with North Water products on the water – where it matters. 

On behalf of North Water, I would like to pass on a heartfelt and hearty thank you to Will Davis.  Without his help and knowledge of the North Water product line in the booth, we’d have not been as successful as we were.  I’d have survived, but barely.  Most importantly, I’d like to thank the great people who year after year put on the best event we attend: Darren, Jeff, Scott, Sasha and all the Rutabaga staff.

Thanks,

Morgan.

This Canoecopia report was written by Morgan Goldie of North Water. Great write-up - thanks Morgan! Also, thanks to Preston Ciere of www.portageur.ca for providing us with his photo taken at Canoecopia this year.

North Water Paddle Sports Equipment on YouTube

It's official - North Water has joined YouTube! Now you can watch videos on the new North Water Paddle Sports Equipment channel on YouTube. Here are a couple of videos from our archives to start....

Link to our YouTube Channel here: www.youtube.com/NorthWaterEquipment See you around the net and on the water!

Of Ducks And Men ( And Ice Safety Too!)

 Image credit: AdventureSmart (with an added duck!)

Do you know how thick the ice should be before walking on it? If the ice is 3 inches or less in thickness, then you should STAY OFF. Instead, look for ice that is 4 inches or greater before venturing out onto it to ski, walk, snowshoe or fish. For trucks, the ice should be at least a foot thick or more. But wee little ducks can get away with a mere 3/16th of an inch before falling thru to the icy water below. 

However ducks don't have to worry as much about the dangers of falling thru ice as much as they do becoming frozen in it. When people walking beside Como Lake realized a couple of ducks were in need of help, animal rescue services were called. 

From the Archives: Firefighter Gary Mulligan
(from the Coquitlam, BC Fire Department)
is pictured above wearing a North Water Rescue PFD
rescuing ducks who got caught in an ice-up.
Photo credit: Paul vanPeenen Coquitlam Now/Vancouver Sun

Frozen in the ice, the ducks were unable to escape their frosty prison. But because of the extremely dangerous and unusual conditions the rescuers found themselves in, the SPCA rightfully enlisted the help of the experienced Coquitlam Fire Department*. Pictured above is Firefighter Gary Mulligan braving the dangerously thin ice to rescue the first of the two ducks who were stuck.

Photo of actual newspaper clipping

Upon their rescue, the birds were handed over to the SPCA where they were to spend a night or two in recovery before being released back into the wild.

When asked who was going to pay for the recovery efforts, one duck was heard to say "Put it on my bill!". (Just kidding! We couldn't help ourselves.)

This happened a few winters ago but if you are looking for "quacks" - er - we mean cracks in the ice and other cold water/ice safety tips, visit:

• www.adventuresmart.ca
• www.paddlinginstructor.com or,
• Badger's Blog - Cold Water Paddling.

And in all seriousness, ICE SAFETY is no laughing matter so be sure to have all the proper gear for the conditions and be ICE SMART. Stay safe this season!

*Because North Water Safety and Rescue Equipment is designed and manufactured right here in North America, we are able to work closely with the various forces like Police (click here to see our Canine Unit PFD) and Fire Departments to design safety and rescue gear to meet their demanding criteria as well as being capable of adapting to their changing needs over time.

The 4-Bailer by North Water

With the many requests to offer more products for the novice and budget minded paddler, our team went to work designing some great new products for 2012, all the while, never forgetting the traditional commitments of the North Water brand; innovation, high quality, function and value.

The 4-Bailer

The 4-Bailer:  $29.95 (taxes/shipping extra) SKU: 10TB-98

We Combined 4 Key Safety Items Into
1 Amazing Product

 The 4-Bailer will keep you:
 SAFER - 50' of 1/4" High Quality Floating Line
 DRIER - 1 L Bailing Bucket
 IN TOUCH - Water Proof Whistle
 VISIBLE - High Visibility Reflective Tape

Fits in the palm of your hand and weighs only 290 grams!

Increases safety by providing key items often required by federal and state law officials for small pleasure craft including canoes, kayaks, rowboats, SUP boards, rowing shells, tenders and paddle boats.

50' (15 M) Throw Bag          Water Proof Whistle   1 L Bailing Bucket  

•  Built to North Water High Standards
•  High Tenacity Mil Spec Pack Cloth
•  Durable Mesh for Quick Drying
•  Heavy Duty Webbing
•  High Visibility Reflective Strip
•  High Quality Floating Line
•  Soft Hand, Easy to Knot & Throw
•  Durable Pea-Less Whistle 

Perfect for Rental Fleets, beginners or the budget minded paddler.

Note from the president of North Water Paddle Sports Equipment:

Over a relatively short period of time we have seen the manufacturing base in North America all but disappear. We believe that value cannot be measured by price alone and are proud of the fact that we are part of the solution. Through creative thinking and innovation we will continue to produce great products and jobs right here in
North America. 
Lindsay Merchant 

See our other NEW NORTH WATER products for 2012:
Micro-Throw Line
Paddle Tether
Step-up Stirrup

For more information about this or any other

North Water Rescue & Paddling Equipment, please contact:

North Water 

www.northwater.com 

p) 604-264-0827

f) 604-264-0821

North Water - NEW StepUp Stirrup

With the many requests to offer more products for the novice and budget minded paddler, our team went to work designing some great new products for 2012, all the while, never forgetting the traditional commitments of the North Water brand; innovation, high quality, function and value.

StepUp Stirrup 

StepUp Stirrup: $12.95 (taxes/shipping extra) SKU  30SK-96

Creates a Perfect Step to Get You Out of the Water and Back Into Your Boat.

For Paddlers:
This highly visible nylon webbing is fully adjustable. Anchor it around the paddle shaft, coaming, deck line or thwart at just the right length. It gives a kayaker or canoeist a step up into the safety of  the boat.

StepUp Stirrup: $12.95 MSRP (taxes/shipping extra)  SKU  30SK-96

For Dealers: Ideal for rental fleets and budget minded paddlers.

Note from the president of North Water Paddle Sports Equipment:

Over a relatively short period of time we have seen the manufacturing base in North America all but disappear. We believe that value cannot be measured by price alone and are proud of the fact that we are part of the solution. Through creative thinking and innovation we will continue to produce great products and jobs right here at home. 
Lindsay Merchant 

See more NORTH WATER products NEW for 2012:
Micro-Throw Line
Paddle Tether
The 4-Bailer

For more information about this or any other gear from

North Water Rescue & Paddling Equipment, please contact:

North Water 

www.northwater.com 

p) 604-264-0827

f) 604-264-0821