There is nothing about the Benjamin Islands that gets old for me. I will happily paddle its pink granite shores until I'm tipped into my final kayak resting place.But this morning I was reminded of what it is to be a first timer when I opened an e-mail from a woman who had recently joined our 5 day trip. Here's a little of what she had to say ... "For the first couple of hours of my drive home I was trying to figure out why I longed to be back in my Horizons kayak. Then David Suzuki came across the airwaves to explain it all! Yes you provided us with top notch equipment and always had our backs. And yes the food and other trippers were great. But it turns out there's more to it than that. According to Suzuki, 'biophilia' describes our inbuilt need to "affiliate" with other species. Nature grounds us amidst the chaos. And nature can help calm everything from ADD to conflicts with neighbours. Swooshing around the windy points and into the hidden harbours of the Benjamins. Swimming in my own private cove. Walking over smooth rocks and through soft moss. Using my paint brush to capture a weather-worn white pine. Marveling at a garter snake bathing in the warm sun. Listening to the loons from the shelter of my tent. Slowing to the pace of nature around me and remembering that I am part of it. Experiences only a kayak and a trusted guide could have given me, and a feeling that still lingers in the midst of my busy urban life. When I lose that connection, I'll know where to get it back. Thank-you."No, thank you.-- Rick

It seems our warm 2011 summer just keeps on giving. Early forecasts from Environment Canada indicated that the fall colours would be excellent. And last Saturday's day trip on the Channel sure bore that out! During the growing season chlorophyll creates an abundance of green pigments in a leaf's cells while any other pigments that may be present are masked. But with autumn trees reduce the flow of water to their leaves and chlorophyll is destroyed. This demise allows other colours to be expressed. It's the variety of these rich colours that we so enjoyed this week: the orange maples, the yellow birches, the scarlet oaks, the burgundy sumachs; and the solid green of the pines provided such great contrast. I'm publishing a couple of photos that catch some of that glory. During a quiet moment I also pulled out my paint set. Thanks to our Benjamins art trip teacher Bob Little  and Marlies Schoenefeld for reminding me that it's about capturing the essence of what we see around us that matters, rather than the detail. What a relief! My latest water colour now sits over the computer where I'll get to admire fall's beauty even when it's over (but alas I'm feeling a little shy about publishing that).The good news in this area is that the fall colours are only at about 70% of peak. So whether viewed with a camera, paintbrush or your naked eye, there's still time to enjoy nature's palette from the water or a trail. -- Rick

"If there is magic in this planet" wrote the American Naturalist, Loren Eiseley, "it is contained in water". I love Eiseley. If you have not read this author yet, make a point to do so. This line has always stuck with me. Water nourishes us and makes life possible in so many ways. Not only do we need it to live, but we use it for quality of life as well. Our world is 3/4 water and less than 3% is fresh. Yet all land life on earth literally depends on that small fraction. Eighty percent of that small fraction that is fresh water is now tied up in Ice Sheets (though for how long is anybodies guess) Much of the rest of what is left is contained in ground water. That leaves less than about 0.15 % available in lakes, river and streams . Only a small fraction of this is actually contained in the atmosphere at any one time, to fall out as these beautiful snow flakes that are right now outside my window. That part of the cycle last from only a few hours to a few weeks at most. Compare that to to a drop in a lake which can be contained as such for decades to several centuries. Ocean water can be much longer still and water locked up in the ice sheets can be there for millennium. (It is a sobering thought indeed to consider that when the earth was first being formed, literally all the water on earth was contained in the atmosphere, the environment being simply too hot for liquid water to form for any length of time - imagine the weather forecast around the time the earth became cool enough to form rain)If you're having a hard time imagining these numbers try this little experiment. I use to do this with high school students in the lab. First, fill a one liter container with water. (That is 1000 ml if your metrically challenged.) Now poor just 25ml (2.5 %) of that into a 100 ml glass. Put some salt into the left over liter of water to symbolize the un-potable ocean water that makes up most of the water on earth. Now take just 6ml of the 25ml of water out to another small container to represent the water that is not frozen in glaciers. Poor the left over 19 ml into an ice tray to represent it's real earth storage. Of the remaining6 mls of water (about 0.6 % of the total) about 4.5 ml of this represents ground water. The last 1.5 mls (about one drop from an eye dropper) represents all the fresh water that now exists as surface water in rivers, lakes and such, inlcuding our Great Lakes.It is rather humbling notion to consider while paddling in what seems to be an endless supply of the stuff and more humbling still when we consider what it takes to make this remaining stuff "safe" to drink now. Treat it as the rare element it is and paddle and camp with care.

It's not unusual to have canoeists at our clinics or on Horizons trips. They're good people and I enjoy stretching out on a rock and listening to their tales of flat and whitewater travel.

They tell me about their canvas and cedar strip craft, their loops through northern inland lakes, and the team work needed to negotiate a level 3 rapid without a dump.

But after a little time out with us they start to get why sea kayaking is a great way to go as well. And to be honest, my favourite way.
- Kayaks get you out onto bigger water. 3 metre swell on a Great Lake or off an ocean coastline anyone?
- Then back into the shallows where you can dash between islands and discover hidden coves.
- No portaging needed although fibreglass kayaks are lighter than many canoes.
- Safe storage in the front and back hatches. No food hanging usually required.
- More stable craft since the centre of gravity is lower.
- Easier to get back into if you tip. And a good roll will save you altogether.
- Lower free board means less windage. In other words, you don't blown about so badly.
- Sea kayaks are either single or tandem cockpit but, unlike canoeing, paddling solo means you have tons of power. And who among us doesn't like to steer our own course and enjoy our own thoughts once in awhile?

But that's mostly practical stuff. See my "why I love kayaking" post for the real deal!

Perhaps it's the difference between tea and coffee drinkers? I appreciate the occasional earl grey, but a cup of java is what gets me going in the morning.

-- Rick