Thursday, September 22, 2011

PAD2O Ottawa River Canoe Day Trip

September 22, 2011

What an amazing day.
With 18 boats, 42 of us made our way from Victoria Island, just below the Parliament Buildings, back to the school. The weather was fantastic, it was hot, no wind and the sun came out. It took us less than 3.5 hours and that was with a solid lunch break on the water. You really couldn't ask for a better day.

Check out the video and read the comments by the students to hear their stories.


Also a quick thank you to our wonderful volunteers who delivered trailers, motored along with us, and paddled with us. This program really wouldn't be possible without your generosity.

35 comments:

taylorrankin said...

While on our canoe trip last week i got too see the beauty of nature and got to spend 3.5 hours working as hard as i've ever worked in my life. It was a wonderful experiance and even though after i got out of the canoe i never wanted to go threw that agian, on further looking it made me grow as a person and experiance something new which is the one thing i really wanted out of it. If i could change something it would be to work harder at helping my group. The weather was amazing and i couldn't have asked for better. If i was asked to go on another canoe trip on the Ottawa River, i'd consider the opertunity.

Haley Lorenz said...

Canoe Trip 2011
Ok so, I got blisters on my hands, and I couldn’t sit down for two days after, but being on the water for 3.5 hours, I did really well. The canoe trip was so much fun! It was fun to be around friends even though some couldn’t steer as well as others, and they kept bumping into my canoe. Other than almost tipping over into the water, being on the Ottawa River was beautiful! Being out in fresh air was a really nice change. Surrounded by nature and wildlife was relaxing compared to being in the city. Seeing Ottawa from a whole new angle was really mesmerizing. It was a perfect day for a canoe trip and a good test for our newly acquired skills. I finally know my right from left when steering. I would go canoeing on the Ottawa River again in a heartbeat.

Sarah Jenni said...

Canoe Trip Fall 2011, with grade 10

I am an exchange student here, so i am so excited to discover new things and people in Canada.
That was the first time that i did
a canoe trip and I really enjoyed it. I could talk with new people and discovered the river here, with a really nice wiew and a good activity.
The way was perfect not too long and not too short, just enough for have a good time without big hurt in arms or hands.
I could practise the theory in action and see that sometimes it's not really easy to control the direction of canoe, so with the canoe trip I am better now. This canoe trip was great and i would do it again on the Ottawa River because that was a nice experience.

Sarah

kelly :) said...

This trip was a trip I will never forget. It was painful, tiring and sometimes felt regretful, but at the end of the day I was so proud of myself from what I have achived. I had a great time being able to reach the goal of paddling from Victoria Island back to school. Especailly because I got to share this extrodinary adventure with all my friends. I learnt how to become better at all the different strokes and levels needed to be able to be apart of this amazing journey. It made me realize that if I put my mind into something no matter the difficulty involved I can succeed. I will remember this for the rest of my life.

SpeedPaddler said...

Ottawa River Canoe Trip,

My trip on the ottawa river was so much fun.

The reason I say it was fun is because the mood everyone had was very open, happy, and enjoyable, with all these moods I was able to enjoy the trip even more than I expected I would enjoy it.

The trip was 3.5 hours long yet to me it didnt really feel that long. I think it didn't fell that long because my two partners and I were having so much fun, singing(yes we sang) and talking.

I found the trip was a great time for everyone to work on their paddling techniques. The weather was able to cooperate with us to ensure we didn't have to get off the water due to intense rain or winds, therefore I find we had the perfect day for paddling down the ottawa river.

In my opinion the canoe trip was perfect.

PHILosopher said...

There's something about getting into an unstable, wet metal boat with nothing but lunch, a flattened stick, and a foam vest. It makes you want to go again!

On the canoe trip, muscles grew sore, clothes got wet and sweaty, and hands got calloused. Despite all that, it was one of the best trips that I've gone on. We all got to know each other better, and learned a lot. Going out in the morning with the class is fun and all, but those trips are really too short to get the true feeling of canoeing.

The weather was beautiful, and the scenery was breathtaking. It was really interesting to see the parliament from that angle. Not many people get to see the views that we saw, and we should feel privileged. I know that I do!

I'm glad that no one fell in, and I look forward to longer trips in which we will last days instead of hours.

Curtis said...

Paddling from parliment hill back to Cairine Wilson was an amazing experience that I never would have even thought of doing. The weather was perfect, and the scenery was awesome, I am so glad to have gone on this trip.

On the 3 and half hour trip I definately improved my paddling skills and learned a lot about
paddling for long periods of time. I learned how to improve my paddling technique, how to improve the power I provided in the front, I learned that paddling on one side for a long period of time can cause your hand to blister, that canoeing takes a lot of energy out of you, and that canoe seats can be very uncomfortable after awhile.

We chose one of the canoes with padded seats(which turned out to be a great idea) becasue even on the sitting in the padded seats, it becomes uncomfortable after awhile. But by taking short breaks to adjust our positioning every now and then, we managed to make it with minimal uncomfortability.

I noticed that my hands would start to blister when I paddled on one side for too long, but me and my two partners had great communication and were able to help eachother out whenever we were tired and wanted to switch paddling sides, when we were hungry and when we needed equipment out of the barrel, (food, clothing, sunscreen, etc...)

I am glad I stayed hydrated thoughout the day, because I didn't realize how much energy you can expend while paddling. I ate
and drank more than I do during a regular day which to me seemed weird because I was sitting down the whole day, however,
I'm deffinately glad that I brought extra food and water on the trip.

It was by far one of the greatest experiences of my life, thanks to the great conditions, beautiful Ottawa scenery,and of course the great company of my peers. I got to see Ottawa from a whole new point of view, got to experience the highs and lows of a long canoe trip, and got to practice the canoeing skills that I've been working on.

It was so much fun and I learned so much about canoeing, the outdoors, and even Ottawa. This
is an experience I am never going to forget. I am so glad to of had this opportunity and would love to do it again sometime.

Yannick said...

Canoe Trip, 2011

The canoe trip was amazing, it was so much fun to be out on the water with all my friends and classmates on such a perfect day. It was a good opportunity to capitalize on all the techniques we learned. I really liked looking at the parliament building from a different angle and going up so close to the little waterfall. I have learned many new things during my canoeing experience and have really enjoyed being on the water. My favorite part of the entire trip would have to be the little waterfall that you could go up close to. It was definitely 3.5 hours of pure entertainment this was such a cool experience and I would love to do it again!

b-hood said...

Grade 10 Canoe Day Trip 2011

Just me, a canoe, and a lot of water. Okay, so maybe not just me, and not just one canoe, but a lot of water!
On this very exciting and new experience of canoeing for 3.5 hours, I learned that as much fun as canoeing is, it can be quite difficult. Especially for a long period of time. What I enjoyed the most about this trip was being out in the open on water. Not just sitting at a desk all day. My least favourite part of it was portaging the canoe back after I gave all my energy to the river. If we were to go on this trip again, I would pack a bigger lunch. I for sure would do this again, as it was a great experience and very fun. The route we took had beautiful scenery along the sides of the river. Especially the falls. They were small, but beautiful. I didn't mind the distance too much. Sure it was long, but it was well worth it.
All in all, it was a very thrilling adventure. I would recommend trying this to anyone who might be interested in long distance canoeing.

Mady said...

Grade 10 Canoe Trip 2011

So to start off we weren't the best of paddlers, but Brittney and I definitely improved over the 3.5 hours we spent on the water last Thursday. We started out at the back of the pack but slowly through hard work a motivation we made our way to the front!
Canoeing on the Ottawa river was one of the most exciting things I've done this year at Cairine. Although I was really excited to be on the water there was also a calming effect it had on me. The view made me realize how beautiful the river and the landscape we have in Ottawa really is.
A couple things that I learnt to do on the trip were; I became better at steering, got more comfortable in the canoe, and tried out the bow position.
I think one of my favourite parts of the canoe trip was watching the water fall because I've never seen one from that point of view before.the weather was perfect for canoeing and the scenery was beautiful.I thought it was a nice distance, I think that if it were too long I would have gotten tired and the trip wouldn't have been as fun.
I think that it was a great experience and I would absolutely do it again!

tylerlcf said...

Canoe Trip Reflection


The canoe trip was the most fun I've had in school since the year has started. We started at Parliament and went back to Cairine Wilson. The hardest part for me was the portaging the canoe back because there was no yolk in it. So all that was on my shoulder was the of the canoe. I was with Scott Hudson and we were in the front of the back most of the time. We were the third people back to the shore but the last people back to school. The thing I enjoyed the most was probably lunch when we got to stop and eat. The canoeing part wasn't bad either. The thing I hated was portaging the canoes back. If I was to do something different, I would learn how to steer. I would love to do it again. The weather was good and the falls was awesome. The trip was really fun and I really want to do it again.
Tyler Franklin

Anonymous said...

Canoe Trip Reflection 2011

Paddling from Victoria Island to our school was a great experience. It was so much fun to be out on the water with all my friends.

On our canoe trip I learned a lot about paddling the canoe. At the start of this trip I could barely steer in the back of a canoe and now I feel very comfortable sitting in the back.. Although my muscles got sore, the seats were uncomfortable and I got blisters, it was very enjoyable to see all the scenery and the weather was perfect.

While paddling you can expend a lot of energy, and at lunch time I realized that I should have brought more food since I was still hungry after lunch and I had no snack to eat between lunch and when we arrived.

Overall this trip was a great trip and if I did it again I would make sure to bring more food and take more time to enjoy the scenery, which I started doing a little more on the last leg of our trip. I'm glad I had the opportunity to do this and I would gladly do it again.

Dan said...

When I found out that we were gonna paddle for 3 hours on the Ottawa River, I started to panic, I canoed before but not 3 hours. We got into the water and Mr. Brouwer told us that there was a current and that we could flip over. I didn't bring a bathing suit! We started to canoe and it was fun. When we reached the waterfall, I knew from that moment, that this was gonna be one heck of a trip. I really enjoyed canoeing with the whole class. The only thing that bothered me was that I didn't pack enough apples! The weather was perfect though, I expected it rain, it was a bit rainy at the beginning but the sun did come out. If I had a chance to do it again, I say “ Bring It On”

Sam C said...

This canoe trip was definately not my first time conoeing, but it was no question my most fun time I've ever had in a canoe. It may have been a bit tiring but it was worth it for the incredible experience. With the natural aspect of the Ottawa River in full form it was sight to see for everyone on the trip. We started at Victoria Island, just farther than the Parliament and paddled all the way back to Cairine Wilson. On tis trip I learned that I would definately do another canoe trip. The thing I disliked the most about the trip was the ending because that meant that the day was done and we had to go home. If I were to go on another canoe trip with outdoor ed I wouldn't give it a second thought. The weather was absolutely perfect adn that helped with the enjoyment of the trip. It was really cool to see the fals up close the way we did because the only other times I've ever seen them I was driving over them going to my cottage. All in all this was great day and I would for sure do it again!!!

TristantheExpeditioner said...

The canoe trip was so fun and I would like to do it again. The weather was perfect; not too hot, not too cold. I was with Hansley and Drew for the canoe trip. I was Bow, Hansley was Stern, and Drew was sitting in the middle. The scenery was my favorite part of the canoe trip. The falls were a great site, and seeing Ottawa and Quebec at a different stand point was such a great opportunity. I've been canoeing for years now, so the distance seemed like nothing to me compared to 60km that I've done in a day before school started. We were also traveling downstream, so it didn't feel very long. Although I like white-water better, this trip on flat water was fun. One of the memories I remember about the trip was paddling to the end, and feeling the accomplishment that we just did that in 3.5 hours. Special thanks to Mr. Brouwer and the Parent Volunteers!

Justinee said...

Canoe Trip 2011

Gorgeous scenery, beautiful weather, and calm water, a perfect day for a canoe trip down the Ottawa River. For three and a half hours, we canoed from Victoria Island back to Cairine Wilson to test our new skill of canoeing. It was an amazing experience that helped us see that canoeing is a great exercise as well as a lot of fun. By the time we stopped for lunch, my arms were tired and all I wanted to do was stretch my legs. Although I was tired, I was still having a lot of fun. Some of the amazing memories from the trip were the time spent with my friends, bumping into just about every other canoe, almost flipping over while we helped others trade places in their canoe, and just about tipping while the others in my canoe decide to stand up to paddle. It was great fun and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Julia said...

When I first heard about the trip, I was nervous because we had only gone canoeing for a half an hour or so at a time. I wasn't sure I was strong enough, or experienced enough. 3.5 hours is alot longer and would require alot more from me! As soon as we got on the water though, I knew I was wrong. It was so beautiful and we couldn't have asked for a nicer day!
My favorite part was the waterfall. It was like a symbol of good things to come and it sort of made me forget the pollution of the Ottawa river!
If I were to go again, I would make sure to stop changing sides with my paddle, and also remember that the lower I got my paddle, the more leverage I had. It's too bad it took me this long to figure it out!
All in all, it was a wonderful experience I will never forget, and I hope to have the chance to do it again!

Rae Woodhouse said...

When Mr. Brouwer asked, "Who would rather be in math class right now?” just short of half way through the day's adventures, I almost raised my hand. Mind you that was right about the time that the sun was first coming out and I finally was realizing that perhaps we were going to be travelling just a bit farther than I had imagined. For years I have strongly disliked canoeing and everything it entails, so the concept of having to paddle myself home from Parliament was far from my idea of fun. That being said, I am so glad I got to experience the Ottawa River in this way.
We began our three and a half hour voyage around 10:30 am, entering the river right near the Parliament buildings. Although the trip really began from the second we stepped off the bus and chose our canoe; my group choosing a type of canoe that we had never paddled in before, a true risk looking back on it. We were off to a wonderfully, timely start. The weather was that of dream, overcast and far from humid, and the water was consequently rather peaceful. With few exceptions, we were rather fortunate in the sense that we only crossed paths with motor boats a couple of times, resulting in a very smooth ride.
I had set out that day with two goals: one being not to finish last (not that there is anything wrong with that, it is, after all, better to finish last than not to finish at all) and the other being to improve my steering. I am proud to say that I, with the help and encouragement of my partners, Kelly and Alexia, accomplished both my goals. Steering a canoe was something foreign enough to me before the beginning of this month, and therefore seemed to me to be quite the feat. Lucky for me, the calm water and open space made steering feel simple. I feel like a really improved over the course of the day, which has made me very happy.
If I were to make this trek again, there are a few aspects that I would do differently. First and foremost I wouldn’t want to travel in such a large group again; 18 boats was too many for my liking since we were always having to stop and make sure we weren’t too far ahead. I believe a group of ten at the most would be ideal. Also, I would probably want to make the trip later on in the day, more like an evening event since I think it would have been beautiful to watch the sun set from the water. Lastly, if I were to do it all again, I would arrange the trip so that the portaging would take place at the beginning rather than the end of the excursion for the simple reason that by the end of the day I found myself in no way compelled to carry a canoe on my back all the way home.
Last week’s adventure was a great experience; from the class bonding to the realization that nothing is too hard as long as you have a friend there to support you and talk to you to take your mind off your exhaustion and the horizon that appears to be getting further away rather than closer. It was a lovely day and packed with fun, learning and laughs. This trip completely changed my opinion of canoeing; I began the day with the presumption that I would be too hot, or too stiff, or too ache to enjoy myself, and I finished the day feeling like the trip was over far too quick.

mackburnsie said...

When we were told as a class that we were going to be paddling from Victoria Island to Cairine Wilson in a canoe my eyes bulged out of my head. My first thought was "How long is this going to take?"

When I think metal boat, 3.5 hours and chances of thundershowers I will be honest...Doesn't sound like my idea of a good time. I figured if people from the previous years survived though, I would too.

The canoe trip turned out to be amazing. It wasn't too hot, too cold and it didn't rain! We got in the canoes in the morning and right away I started to regret not eating breakfast... After only half an hour I was asking when lunch was going to be.

Before we stopped for lunch I was exhausted and kept wondering why on earth we would be doing this and that motor boats were made for a reason!

Finally lunch came and we all got re-energized and we starting paddling again. By that time my hands and butt were killing from holding the paddle and sitting on a not so comfy metal seat. My partner and I decided to see what would happen if we stood up. So we did! Who would have thought that canoeing would be so much easier standing rather than sitting!? We should have thought of that earlier!

The trip was 3.5 hours and was really fun. I am so glad that we were able to have such a nice day to be on the Ottawa River, mind you in a motor boat would have been just as nice too! I think the most exciting part of the trip was seeing the spot where we were going to take out the canoes. The second I saw where everyone was pointed I threw my hands up and said "We did it! We survived!"

Big thanks to Mr. Brouwer and the parent volunteers who made this trip possible!

Mackenzie

Taaylor :D said...

Tired arms, sore back muscles, aching shoulders, blistered hands and one huge smile on my face. A combination of the perfect weather conditions, fun atmosphere and beautiful scenery made the canoe day trip a day to never forget.

During the trip I had the opportunity to alternate between being in the bow, the middle and the stern of the canoe. This was new to me, as I had only ever been in the stern before. I learned all sorts of new canoeing skills and I found that by the end of the day my canoeing ability had greatly improved and with that came a great sense of accomplishment. My favourite part of the day was when we got the chance to go towards the waterfalls and my partners and I decided to go really close. Close up, the falls were stunning, and I'm happy we had the opportunity to witness their power ourselves. I cannot think of anything I would have changed, because I got to go with two close friends and we had a lot of fun. If given the opportunity, I would definitely do the day trip all over again.

Seeing the city from that angle was a great experience all round and I hope that in the near future I will be able to do it again.

BillaBong said...

When Mr. Brower started teaching us how to canoe I had a feeling that something big was going to happen in the end. When he told us later that we were going on a 3-4 hour canoe trip I was worried. Besides form the canoeing with the class I have never been canoeing before. The trip day was perfect there was no wind and the water was flowing the way we were paddling. In the end the trip was fun, I still don`t know how too canoe very well. The canoe trip was still fun and I got to see Ottawa at a completely different perspective. If the opportunity ever came up again to go on another canoe trip I would probably go after I learn how to paddle correctly.
Thank you Mr. Brower for taking us on a canoe trip.

Josh Switzer said...

Canoe trip.
Canoeing from Parliament hill to our school is something I would not think of doing but I’m glad I did. this was not the fist time that I was in a canoe, but the canoe trip lasting about 3.5 hours, definitely improved my canoeing skills buy a lot. At first I was not confident with my paddling skills; I thought that we were going to be the people at the back who everyone had to wait up for. But in the morning we were in the middle and after lunch we were first or second the rest of the way. During the day I ate a lot and drank quite a bit, I am glad I did because it took a lot of effort for the trip back. The view from our canoe was really nice. We got to see the water fall, a boat gas station, and nature. Although I would never have gone on this trip willingly, I am glad I did.

kool story bro said...

Pad-20 Outdoor e.d
Canoe trip reflection.

Just me and two friends were out on the water and had the best experience ever in outdoor E.D yet. We set out around 10:30hrs on the water. I had Tristan Church as my power and bow, and Drew Pitman as our passenger / lookout. I was the stern of my canoe. During the first 30 minutes everything was going fine but after a while we had some issues with the “pack “of canoes staying together and we broke the 400 meter rule. My group decided to keep a steady pace and throughout most of the trip, we were one of the leading canoes. We started with really smooth and calm water along the side of the Ottawa River. The weather was the most perfect weather we could have asked for , it was not too hot and not too cold , it was cloudy and partly sunny which was ideal for canoeing , we had absolutely no rain during the whole trip. During the first kilometer or so we had the pleasure of seeing a small waterfall on the side of the river.
Throughout the first quarter of the trip it was all about communication for my team, we had to communicate to each other in order to navigate effectively. As a class we had recently learned a few new stroke patterns from Mr.Brouwer our coach, we were practicing and trying to put what we had learned into play. We had really enjoyed the view of Ottawa from the river, it changed the perspective in which some of us judged the city. During this season it’s the switch of summer into autumn, which meant the leaves were not completely green, you could see a shade of reddish brown starting to appear on certain trees.

The entire trip was about 20.3 km on the Ottawa River, yes it was definitely exhausting but everybody seemed to push through it and took it as a learning experience. The water was very clear at times but we had witnessed a bit of pollution on the trip, ex: water bottles, Tennis ball that’s why people have set the “Shoreline clean up” and now we finally see why people do such things and why we should not litter on a river. I loved the trip and it was a great learning experience for me and my group, I like canoeing and hope that the grade 11 course goes on a trip next year.
I am thankful to the volunteers (parents) who helped us enjoy this trip and I think we are very lucky to have Mr. Brouwer for this class.

-Hansley.P

Mack Dubuc said...

Canoe Trip Reflection;

Last week, our grade ten classes went on a canoe trip for three and a half hours. I basically couldn't sit down for a while after that trip, even though all I wanted to do was lay down. Sitting down in one spot for three and a half hours isn't necessarily something I'd call fun. But the fact that I got to enjoy this trip with my friends is what made it amazing. I can't usually sit still for very long, but being stuck in a canoe, your left with no choice.

We had pretty nice weather that day. I actually enjoyed being on the Ottawa River. It really sucks that the water is so disgusting because I'm sure some people would have gone for a swim. Being out in the outdoors, on the water was way better then just being around the city. I think I say that cause I live there. But people who get to live out on the water all the time would probably say the city is better.

I learnt a lot about canoeing, and not just on this trip. I learnt stuff about canoeing when we portaged the canoes down to the river. I learnt how to steer right and left and how to work as a group. I would for sure go canoeing again with these two classes. It was such a blast. Thank you Mr. Brouwer.

Michelle said...

Canoe Trip

I never thought that canoeing could be so much hard work! But I enjoyed every minute of it! At first I thought that 3.5 hours of canoeing would get boring. But wow I was wrong! Everywhere we went there was something different to see. The waterfall was beautiful and I wish we could have gone a lot closer. The parliament buildings looked great from the water. And I have to say that even though it was a lot of fun, the road where we ended our trip had never looked better! I was tired and sore by the end but had an amazing time. Spending time on the water with my friends, and having fun, while being active was awesome. The weather was great especially since we thought it was going to rain which I was not looking forward to. If I could I would do this trip again in a heartbeat!

reesespiecesman said...

Canoe Trip with Nick

The canoe trip was fun. My partner was Nick and I think we did pretty good. We managed to keep up with the people in the front until we stopped a couple of time for eating or switching spots in the canoe. Nick and I were exhausted by the end of the trip, and all we could think about was getting home. I also enjoyed when we paddled beside out friends Yannick, Curtis and Peter and we started singing for a while. I found we prepared ourselves for the trip pretty well also. We knew how to paddle properly, and we kept a positive attitude the whole way.

learned how to paddle properly. The thing I enjoyed the thing the most was when we saw the end of the trip. It was like tunnel vision and all we could think about was getting home. We were exhausted by the end of the trip, and it felt really good when you know you are finally done the four long hours of paddling. If I did it again, I would communicate more, and try steering more efficiently so we don't waste all our energy so fast. I think I would do it again because it was a good experience and it was a fun day for me and Nick. I liked the route because the scenery was nice and the falls were really cool. There was mist everywhere when you would go near the falls. The distance was long but manageable. It was a long paddle but I think it was a lot of fun.

bossman said...

My canoeing trip with SAM.

The thing I most enjoyed about the canoeing trip was when we stopped to eat By the marina and we could just relax and talk about what we did so far and enjoy our lunch. Their were many interesting sights that I enjoyed as well, like the falls and the sight of the school after all the pain was over. It was a very fun experience with me and my partner Sam Rees. It was a long trip that never seamed to end, but when it was all over I looked back at it and it was a very fun and exhilarating experience. This was my first time steering the boat and it was hard to get the hang of it because we had no time to practice when we were not the water we headed out so for about ten minutes I had know idea what I was doing and steering my boat into a lot of other boats. I would defiantly go on this trip again because it was a lot of fun and I would fell better at the job's in the canoe and would be a lot more prepared. I would bring gloves this time because my hands were in a lot of pain and would have made this trip a lot less pain full on my body.

Deb F. said...

Last Thursday we finally started our big canoe trip on the Ottawa River. I was so excited because I have never canoed before.
After a funny bus ride, we arrived at our destination. In front of us the Parliament Buildings and the beautiful river with perfectly flat water. We just had to carry the canoes down to the water and then our trip really began. It was a great trip! In front of the Parliament Buildings we took a nice picture and then we continued our trip to the waterfalls. They were breathtaking, and I was surprised how close we could get to them. Generally I was pretty impressed by everything: the weather, the river, the falls, the nice people I was canoeing with, and the atmosphere. It was the perfect day to go canoeing. I was just happy to have this great opportunity to be here in Canada taking this amazing Outdoor Education class and doing so many nice trips like this. We had a good break to eat lunch and then we continued to paddle. It was really fun because we splashed each other and because we stood up while we were canoeing… like the gondoliers in Venice ;) … When we arrived back in school, I was a bit tired because it was a long canoeing day, and carrying the canoes back from the river to the school was pretty heavy, but at the same time I was so unbelievably happy!
All in all, I would definitely like to go canoeing again. This was the best experience I made in Outdoor Ed so far. I learned how to canoe and I shared some beautiful moments on the Ottawa River together with my class. It was the BEST CANOE TRIP EVER!

Alicia Beaudoin said...

Our canoe trip was 3 and a half hour, and it felt like forever, but although it took along time to get back to school I did have a lot of fun spending the day on the water. Considering water is one of my favorite things to look at, I loved missing school to look at something beautiful all day! I never thought I’d be able to canoe from downtown Ottawa; parliament hill, back to our school. I think this was a great experience, and i don't regret doing it.

Justin Sass said...

As we set out in the morning i could tell it was going to be a great day. We had 3 of us in the canoe, me Matt and Phil, as we were paddling we noticed im not the best person for the back of the canoe, so me and matt end up switching spots, i go over matt and then lie down, and matt moves back slowly, i thought we were going to tip but turns out we did just fine. About an hour in we aproach a small waterfall and i thought it was picture perfect. Halfway throught the trip we stop for lunch and relaxed, i thought it was funny jumbling up all the canoe's together for a quick stop. after eating we continued canoeing till our arms practically fell of :P. once back we portaged canoe's back to school and relaxed for the night, all was a great day and i hope to have another as good as that one sometime soon

Justin Sass said...

As we set out in the morning i could tell it was going to be a great day. We had 3 of us in the canoe, me Matt and Phil, as we were paddling we noticed im not the best person for the back of the canoe, so me and matt end up switching spots, i go over matt and then lie down, and matt moves back slowly, i thought we were going to tip but turns out we did just fine. About an hour in we aproach a small waterfall and i thought it was picture perfect. Halfway throught the trip we stop for lunch and relaxed, i thought it was funny jumbling up all the canoe's together for a quick stop. after eating we continued canoeing till our arms practically fell of :P. once back we portaged canoe's back to school and relaxed for the night, all was a great day and i hope to have another as good as that one sometime soon

Jordan Lundin said...

The canoe trip from Victoria Island to the school was an amazing achievement for me. I will admit I as tired by the end, and my arms started to hurt as we were paddling on the water, but I wouldn't have changed it for the world! The experience was one I could never replace, I got to spend a day pushing myself to do something new and interesting, and trying new things and taking on challenges are things I love to do. Of course it is always more fun to do these types of things with other people so you can share the memories with them.
It gave me time to get my canoe partner better, and i made a new friend who I can trust and believe in. All that trust and belief came with spending a little bit of time together and just talking, and it would seem as if I have known him forever.
For me this canoe trip was about reaching my limits and excelling past them, while meeting new people and having a good time with a group of peers who are having fun and doing something that's worth doing, even just for enjoyment. This canoe trip was above and beyond my expectations of it.
Thank you Mr. Brouwer for giving me this opportunity.

Sammi said...

Canoe Trip Reflection
While on the canoe trip, I had blast! I was a little scared of falling in the water when I found out that a canoe had tipped in the other class while practicing though. The views were beautiful and going under the bridges was a lot of fun. My arms were like Jello after because I had started in the stern and my partner Julia had started in the bow. eating lunch, flouting in the middle of the river was amazing! Overall I had an amazing time and I wouldnt take it back for anything!

Camel said...

Canoe trip reflection
20 kilometres, 2 classes and a lot of fun. The canoe day along the Ottawa river was great, we had good weather, cloudy but warm and the water was really calm. We were in pain but had paddle buddies to keep our minds off the pain. I learned a lot on the trip I got to work on my draw and pry turns and paddling form. It was tiring and painful but in the end I made me feel like I accomplished something great. It made me realize that if I put my mind to something I can accomplish it. It was an amazing day that I will never forget!

Mr.Brouwer said...

The canoe trip was a trip that I will always remember. I enjoyed spending a day on the river, seeing the sights, and just taking my time while paddling back to school.
I liked how the weather was nice and that the winds were pretty calm. There is only one thing that I didn’t like about the trip, and that was because the canoe I had didn’t have the yokes to carry it back on my shoulders, making it a complete pain to bring back to the school, but aside from that, everything about the trip was amazing. At the beginning of the trip when we were near the parliament buildings down town, that was when I really wished that I brought a camera. It was quite a sight seeing them from inside a canoe.
Going under the bridges was fun as well, I was surprised at how loud it was underneath them because of the cars travelling across. My favorite part was when we passed the Rock cliff yacht club. My dad had a membership there about five years ago and I had so much fun. Seeing it while canoeing brought back good memories. Canoeing is fun and is a good core exercise, I hope to do it again in the future.

By Scott Hudson