Token Grand will be open next weekend I think - and you can always walk in after that the way I read it - or choose a different point on the Road - like lower in the Canyon - to enter.

It is getting more yellow/orange in my neck of the woods.

Here is an example of what can happen when S & R can't contact you: http://blog.oplopanax.ca/2011/08/personal-locator-beacons-from-the-rescuer’s-perspective/

I think it really depends on what you call historic. There is a lot of what I would call trash in AP that a company would be fined for leaving behind now. I would prefer to see the park remove rather than preserve junk that matches what we have in our old barn.

But as a general idea I think we should be encouraging people to look at history on the ground not discouraging it by fencing it off or banning access. If we want young people to care about the past we need things like Peek's website.

http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/visit/camping/grand-lake-achray-access-point.php

We passed you at the top of Farm - you had paddled the narrows already. You were out of your boat looking at the site just before the cabin. You said you were cold but had heard the weather was going to be good for the week. We were in a green Scott Adventurer. Our dog was a chocolate lab lying between the 2 of us.

Token did you paddle through Happy Isle in late August late in the day? If you didn't we met your twin boat/ dog combination.

I will say TT is beautiful. It is easy to get rentals sorted there. I will also agree that if I am the one in charge of a group, doing a route I have done before is less stressful. We went to Booth last weekend - we could have gone to Shirley since we've been on Booth but not Shirley - we stuck with what we knew because it had been a stressful week and we knew Booth wod be a chill weekend - we also didn't get on the water until about 7 pm - so knowing the sites on Farm and where we wanted to end up helped a lot. Sometimes going to the same lake can feel like returning to a cottage rather than exploring a new place.

Also last booked doesn't mean worst site if you are there first.

No worries Kayak. My suggesion was actually that she look online to find someone near her. I was originally certified with the ACA so I am familiar with them as well.

What I can say is that any instructor with any cert can run a tailor made course of any length. I know there are lots of instructors in Southern Ontario. I am pretty sure you could find someone in Guelph. I also would suggest that you don't need a certification (necessarily) - an instructor can set up a 'coaching' session so you can work on exactly what you want to work on - or you could look at taking a course - the 700$ courses you see online are one company that runs a course in combination with a trip. Most ORCKA flatwater courses are 1-2 days. You could for example take a level 4 Basic course which is solo paddling. What it comes down to is money vs focus. A 1 on 1 course will be more expensive but more tailored.

Claire,

I am certified in canoeing and kayaking to teach by ORCKA and SUP by Paddle Canada so I'll put that bias out there. I would suggest you look on ORCKA or PC websites and find an instructor in your area.

There are lots of instructors who are fantastic in Ontario with both organizations who are happy to teach 1 day clinics. There are a few organizations in southern Ontario who do run 1 and 2 day courses. I would recommend you look for someone trained in something like Canadian Style. Even if you are not interested in the style, a person with that background will meet the criteria you outlined probably pretty well (for the record I am both whitewater and Canadian Style trained - I would draw more on my CS side in training a client like you).

Christine