Down the Humber and back

I had two adventures kayaking on the Humber last summer. The first time, P-Doug took me down there and introduced me to the pastime. I'd never done it before, but I was delighted to find how naturally it came to me. That time, we were guided down from Bloor to the mouth of the river at Lake Ontario, and then back again.

The second time was in September when my friend R-Lang was visiting from New England. That time didn't go as well for me. I had a devil of a time keeping up, largely because I couldn't keep the kayak straight. I eventually suspected that the stabilizing fin hadn't deployed, which turned out to be the case (it was jammed with sand). I finally had to turn back on my own and fight the thing back to the landing ground, where I cut my palm open falling into the water getting out of the thing, and spending about an hour and a half waiting for P-Doug and R-Lang to return.

Oddly enough, that second experience didn't sour me on the whole thing. I managed to keep my perspective — pretty rare for me, actually — and put to down to an anomalous occurrence that need not spoil things the next time out. And I was determined there would be a next time out.

Well, happily, that came last Saturday. I drove down to meet up with P-Doug and his missus, G, and we all went to St. Lawrence Market, where I availed myself of 6 lbs. of ground chicken (parceled off Monday night into 17 packages to be eaten over the next few weeks), a spicy pineapple-cranberry spread that's nice on toast and quark (a soft German spreadable cheese with no fat content, just milk protein), and my favourite hot sauce, Z: Nothing Beyond. After that we dropped off G back at home and then took the subway down to Old Mill Station, aiming for the 1 p.m. launch. We missed that, but I honestly didn't mind because I was perfectly happy to go at our own pace, rather than be led around.

Just like the second time I went, I brought my cameras. This time, I had the G9 and the infrared S70, as well as my cell phone and PhotoTrackr. I had everything in a little shoulder bag, all packed up in sandwich bags in case I fell in or otherwise got wet. This was, to be honest, of limited utility. To use the G9, I had to take it out and expose it to the elements (though I had the neck strap on, so unless I actually fell overboard, nothing much was going to happen to it). Using the S70, I kept it in the sandwich bag, which had the advantage of guarding it and rending it likely to float, but had the disadvantage of causing glare at certain angles and increasing the risk I'd drop it because there was no way to use the wrist strap and the bag itself was smooth and difficult to hold. I never dropped either one, but I was constantly aware I was risking a lot of money every time I took a shot that wasn't from the chest.

We got to the river around quarter after one and out on it around half past. I spent a lot of time messing with the cameras, taking shots and some movies that turned out pretty nicely in places, I think. P-Doug slowed down a couple of times to let me catch up, but I think eventually he decided that my shutterbuggery (if I can use that term) was bound to hold me back more or less constantly and he drifted down at his own pace. In truth, it's hard to keep in lockstep on a river anyway, unless you're a voyageur. We linked up a few times, especially at the first marsh where he lingered rather longer than I did. By that time, the sunny midday had taken on a decided overcast, and there was a sense of rain in the air, but it didn't seem overwhelming.

I think it was just after the second marsh, as I headed down towards the bridges with a decided pace, that I realized I'd left P-Doug behind. I was around a bend at that point so there was no way I could gage just how far back he might be... I waited for a few moments, but when I didn't see him, I figured he was taking his time at the second marsh and I just pressed on to the bridges and the mouth of the river. I enjoyed the sense of accomplishment in getting there again, and I'd decided to wait for P-Doug there, but right around the time I got turned around, the rain started. I had no idea how bad it was going to be, and the wind was really picking up. I had most of an hour's trip back, too, so I pretty quickly gave up on the idea of waiting around and I headed back. Turned out to be just well because I never did bump into him on the way back.

The rain was never more than showers, really, but it fell for about fifteen, twenty minutes and I was convinced it was probably going to get worse. I was paddling pretty steadily, pausing when my arms tired. I noticed that it was mostly my left arm that seemed to tire, probably because I'm right-handed. The trip back always seems longer than the trip down (of course, you're going against the current, however slight) and I felt the pressure to get back before it really opened up on me. But it never did.

As I was approaching the landing ground, just above Bloor Street, I could see P-Doug's distinctive hat atop a figure beside another. Conversing, I figured, with the kayak owner. I wondered how long he'd been waiting. But as I was closing in, I happened to notice a deer on the east bank of the river. She noticed me, too, but didn't run away. I had to get a picture of her. I circled back, and took a number of shots. Then, I turned on the video function and got a wonderful 30 second movie of her as she wander away, and then loped off as the subway train arrived with its distinctive racket. I then turned back to end the excursion.

We headed back on the subway to rejoin G and all went to my place to watch Miller's Crossing and enjoy a spaghettini and sausage dinner, courtesy of P-Doug and his culinary skills. A pleasant day all around. Even for the deer, I bet.

Two Nights in a Toronto Hotel

Just like the name says. I've just spent two nights downtown on business, put up in one of the city's premier hotels. My second hand Canon PowerShot G9 arrived on Wednesday, just in time for the fun... enabling me to take several time lapse movies of the wonderful views to be seen from the hotel.

Music by the Canadian comedy team of MacLean & MacLean (rest in peace, Gary).

CFPL's gift to Ontario and Canada

I have a friend who works in the Archives of Ontario and he let me know that the Archives has put up a new display on their website. A television station by the call letters CFPL in London, Ontario, only the second private broadcaster in Canada, donated their considerable film archives to the province. The Archives of Ontario has had a chance to finally review some it and has selected various news items from the period 1953 (when CFPL went on the air) to 1968.

I find it a fascinating look back at who we were. The Canada of the period strikes me as rather more parochial than the country I know today. Man-in-the-street interviews (and there are several spanning the period) reveal the people as soft-spoken and willing to take the time to consider their answers rather than shooting their mouths off. Their concerns, judging from the newscasts, are far more localized than today. There's a surprising maturity, though. One of the items features interviews with passers-by in downtown London (again, Ontario, not England) being asked what they thought of John Lennon's comment to the effect that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. To my surprise, while most people were dismissive of the idea, no one seemed to get upset about it, either. No one got into a lather or agreed that their records should be burned. The most extreme anyone got, if you can call it that, was the man who said there was nothing more important to him than "the Lord Jesus Christ". Equally surprising was the non-issue topless bathing suits turned out to be. Again, no one seemed to get exercised about the idea.

I would urge you to take ten or fifteen minutes and stroll down Memory Lane... even if that lane goes back further than your own memory (as is the case for me). If you're Ontarian, well, you paid for it. :) If you're Canadian, these are your people from a couple of generations ago. For everyone else, it's a chance to see what was important to southwestern Ontarians in the mid 20th Century, and maybe laugh up your sleeve at how quaint it all was.

My personal favourites:

1953
● Old Grocery Ledger Discovered (the "high" prices of 1953 vs. 1897 will make you smile)

1954
● Eleanor Roosevelt Dismisses the Notion of a Preventive War

1959
● Lynne Harper Murdered - Stephen Truscott Arrested

1960
● Increased Immigration Leads to the Opening of a New Court of Canadian Citizenship (watch for all the highly ironic Union Jacks)

1961
● Small Businesses Challenge Lord's Day Act and Stay Open on Sunday
● Racial Discrimination in Housing Applications

1962
● Minister Speaks out Against Sunday Movies (at the time, movies could not be shown in Ontario on Sunday)

1963
● U.S. President John F. Kennedy Assassinated - Londoners React

1964
● Londoners React to Worldwide Topless Swimsuit Craze
● Section of Uncompleted Highway 401 Dubbed Suicide Strip

1965
● Computer at University of Western Ontario Creates Music
● Londoners travel to Ottawa and Selma Alabama in Support of the Civil Rights Movement

1966
● Streeters React to Comments Made by John Lennon

1967
[several pieces on the Centennial and EXPO 67] — highly revealing of a very special moment in Canadian history

1968
● Trudeaumania Takes the Country by Storm and Sweeps Through Western Ontario