Paddling Toronto’s flooded Rouge River in the spring
The Rouge River is one of our favourite spring paddling routes: it’s easy to access and typically stays flat even at high water levels. When we arrived at Rouge Hill Park in June 2019, however, we discovered that it was completely flooded! The high water level on Lake Ontario caused a lot of havoc that year, […]
Before you canoe or kayak to the Toronto Islands, read this
The urban paddling route we get asked about the most is from the city to the Toronto Islands, and those requests have only increased recently. Now that the warm weather is upon us, Torontonians are looking for safe activities they can do outdoors while getting some physical distancing space from their fellow city dwellers. While […]
Paddling the River Liffey with City Kayak Dublin
On a December day, we lowered ourselves into the River Liffey, right next to the historic Jeannie Johnston tall ship – the only emigration vessel used during the famine said to have never lost the life of a passenger. In a similar vein, our guide Lee assured us that he’d never seen anyone tip in […]
Urban Paddling: Paddle The Don
Every year, Paddle The Don feels like the unofficial kick-off to summer. It’s always the first weekend in May – close to Cassandra’s birthday – and we often get lucky with warm, sunny weather. Paddle The Don is a once-a-year opportunity to paddle the section of Toronto’s Don River between Eglinton and Bayview Avenues. The […]
Urban Paddling: Canoeing the Humber River in Toronto
When spring appears in Toronto in early April, it can be tempting for the backcountry enthusiast to continue hibernating until the season finally changes up north – much, much later. However, spring is actually the best time to paddle the Greater Toronto Area’s creeks and rivers because these waterways are often too shallow to paddle later […]
The one thing you need to know to rent a kayak in Vancouver
I recently took a business trip to Vancouver. Upon arriving in my hotel room overlooking the harbour between the city and Stanley Park, I immediately wanted to rent a kayak. Little did I know my aspirations would be foiled because I lakced one crucial piece of knowledge. With a colder-than-usual spring in Toronto pushing back […]
Kayaking the Wisla River in Krakow, Poland
Kayaking down the Wisla River immediately to the south of the old town isn’t the most popular activity in Krakow, Poland in the middle of May – but it is possible. After asking a few locals who spoke English about where I could rent a kayak and eliciting some strange looks, I was eventually helpfully […]
Paddle The Don, 2012
In the five years that I’ve participated in Paddle the Don event, I often get a reaction of mock-horror whenever I explain it to someone. “What if you tip into the water?” they exclaim, as if this would be tantamount to plunging headfirst into a nuclear waste pool without a HazMat suit. Well two years […]
Paddling the Minesing Wetlands near Barrie, Ontario
The Minesing Wetlands Conservation Area intrigued me because of its proximity to Toronto. Just to the west of Barrie, it can easily be driven to within an hour, yet it offers much of the appeal of more northerly destinations – a winding river to paddle on, a lively ecosystem full of wildlife, and just a […]
Kayaking to Billy Bishop Airport near the Toronto Islands
Usually paddlers are looking for a little bit of peace and quiet when they set out in a canoe or kayak. But when you live in the heart of a high-density urban area, that’s not always an option. Sometimes, rather than trying to squeeze the best nature experience you can get out of a city, […]