Map & Compass Batteries Won't Go Dead!
By Colin Jolly, June 2010

On June 5th, I headed from La Ronge to Saskatoon for my first navigational course. After getting lost in "the big city" and trying to find the university I thought to myself, "I should have taken this course before I came down here!"

As a recreation coordinator, canoe instructor, and soon-to-be teacher, I thought this course would be very useful; not only for my own personal skills, but for the teaching aspect as well. Each summer I set out on many canoe trips. I cannot always rely on my double A batteries to keep my handheld GPS powered. I thought it would be very beneficial to learn how to read a map and use a compass as well. This course did just that. The morning was spent on learning navigational skills in the classroom, and in the afternoon we took these skills into the field and practised what we learned in the morning. The way this course was split up gave me the exact skills I was looking for.

This course was very beneficial. I believe that anyone involved in outdoor activities should take this course. I am excited to use the knowledge that I have gained and pass it on to the students I will be guiding in the future.

A special thanks goes to Cliff Speer and his team for putting on such a great day.

Scout Leaders Take Heed!
By Paula Yablonski, June 2010

Learning to read a map and use a compass are important skills more people should have. As an involved parent with my boys, I became a registered member leader of Scouts Canada in the early 1990's. During the years as a leader, I learned map and compass skills from my highly skilled fellow leaders and mentors before going on many camping, hiking and canoeing trips, especially those in northern Saskatchewan. Now that my children have grown up, I remain a group administrator with Scouts Canada, still wanting to be involved in the great outdoors and in giving other children the opportunity to have fun and adventure.

It has been at least five years since I have been on a camping or canoe trip and I felt I needed to refresh my skills, so when the CanoeSki map and compass course was brought to our attention at an area meeting, I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to get back into "the out" in scouting.

Cliff`s course is great because not only did we learn the theory in the classroom, we then took those skills and practiced them outdoors. There is no better way to learn than hands on, especially with map and compass skills.

At this time in my life, I have returned to university to become a teacher. I hope to be involved with the outdoor club in high school and I know that the skills I have acquired from scouting and from people like Cliff Speer with CanoeSki will give me the confidence to take staff and students on many adventures.

I hope that more people will get the same satisfaction as myself from the map and compass course and can have fun and adventure without getting lost. So, bring on the adventure!!

Navigation Course Fills a Gap in Teacher's Education
By Bob Anderson, June 2010

The CanoeSki Map and Compass Course allowed me to address a shortcoming that I have had for years. During my time as a teacher, counsellor and school social worker, I was involved in the outdoor education programs at a number of elementary and high schools in Saskatoon's Public School system. Through training and teaching, I became adept in the skills of camping and canoeing, but navigation remained my weakness. Fortunately, I was always blessed with work mates who were proficient at finding their way around the remote parts of Saskatchewan with a map and compass, so we could competently trek and paddle through the Saskatchewan wilderness. This spring, I spotted an ad in the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation Bulletin that offered a course to develop and practice the skill that I lacked. I enrolled in the class.

The morning was spent in a classroom going over the principles of using a compass and a topographical map to plan a wilderness trip. We were matched with a partner, and were piloted through a number of tasks that reinforced the theory that was presented. The exercises were practical and for the most part straight forward. I was pleased to note that the class size was under 25, and that there were three other assistants who helped Cliff with the instruction. This lower student/teacher ratio was instrumental in allowing us to obtain quick answers to our questions, and get prompt guidance as we worked through the assignments.

After a lunch break, we reconvened at Chief Whitecap Park for an outdoor experience. Again, the maneuvers were intended to provide practice in the skills that were introduced in the morning session. In keeping with the group philosophy of Outdoor Education, we worked in small teams and then later with a partner as we tackled the orienteering activities. The whole process provided for practical pursuits in a supportive environment. Mastery was the keynote. My partner and I set out, along with the other pairings, on an orienteering course that took us through the bush and trails along the South Saskatchewan River.

We had a pleasurable time pacing the track, locating the orienteering markers and testing our new abilities; we were pleased with how much we learned. When there were a few tasks that seemed too difficult, a short conversation with an instructor would guide us to the right route and we quickly learned how to navigate around the trails. A key element for me during the day was to have fun, and that we did. Cliff, and the other instructors, provided us with a supportive and collegial environment; there was much laughter and many smiles as we worked through the difficulties of mastering new aptitudes.

The day ended with a quick group wrap-up in the warm afternoon sun. After exchanging good-byes and names and numbers, we were off to our vehicles and back home, navigating the tangled and torn-up streets of Saskatoon -- no doubt with a more confident sense of direction!

Orienteering Meets Big Wildlife!
By Karen Watson, June 2010

One beautiful summer Sunday I found myself sitting in a classroom taking an orienteering course because my husband was interested in taking it! He is Australian and came to Canada with a work visa which did not allow him to take any courses for personal or professional use. He was taking the requirements very seriously, so he needed me to take the course instead, which he so desperately wanted to attend. (He says that once his status in Canada changes, he will definitely take the course, but he couldn't wait that long!)

Anyway, I found myself sacrificing a Sunday, 9am to 4pm, learning how to use a compass, how to measure metres with my own paces, and trying to find orienteering markers hidden deep within the bowls of Chief Whitecap Park. Little did I know how thrilling it would be to count my paces through the thick bush in the Park and take the most direct route to the next hidden marker, only to find that a swamp would re-route my partner and I! We became bushwhackers and ramblers for the next two hours. When my partner and I remembered how to read the compass correctly, were not obstructed by anything, and followed the distance we estimated, it was amazing just how accurate we could be. We could walk in the direction of the compass and end up with the marker right at our feet.

About two weeks later, my husband and I were camping at Waterton Lakes National Park and I was thrilled to be able to pace how far away I was from a black bear (after I regained my regular heart rate!). The bear walked right through our campsite while we were cooking breakfast! After it left, I measured how close it was, so I would be able to tell others that I had stood 6 metres away from a black bear, without feeling as though I had exaggerated it!

As for the other skills I learned with Cliff, I would like to say that I kept them as leverage over my husband, but actually, I was too excited about what I had learned to keep it to myself for long. The course was definitely worth my summer Sunday.

Is Mantracker a Match for Newbies in Orienteering?
By Jennifer and Amiee Roberge

We want to tell you a little story about our adventure on the reality TV show called “Mantracker” - a Canadian produced show by Bonterra Productions airing on the Outdoor Life Network.

We are identical twin sisters from Saskatoon and are big into fitness and adventure. The idea to apply as candidates for the reality show came from a friend of ours. The process is pretty simple; fill out a questionnaire, send in some pictures and a video, and cross your fingers. It took about two weeks for us to hear back from one of the producers about a possible show. We all had to make sure it would jive with our schedules. We found a date that would work and next thing you know, our adventure was all booked! In 3 weeks, we would be on a plane to our filming location.

Now, not being avid outdoors people, we needed to acquire some skills to help us attempt to beat Mantracker. We really did not know what we were up against or getting ourselves into! But we were not about to take any chances with winging it. I (Jennifer) was out shopping for gear for the adventure when I came across a flyer at Wholesale Sports. It was for a map and compass course here in the city. I decided to email Cliff from CanoeSki to see if he was interested in showing two city gals how to navigate themselves in the bush. Amiee and I were looking to take away some valuable lessons in reading maps and using a compass. Cliff was so kind to agree to help us out.

One afternoon when we could all get together, we met at the park in the city for a compass lesson. He taught us how to read a compass, shoot a bearing and told us some things to watch for when out in the wilderness that could throw us off our intended direction. After using our compasses to locate several stakes hidden in the park, we were off to Whitecap where the terrain was a little more challenging. Cliff also had an orienteering map of the area. He explained how to read a topographical map, to understand the legend and recognize key features on the map for taking bearings. Cliff was going to make sure Amiee and I didn’t get lost out there…wherever that may have been!

Amiee and I were told our location about two days before we left. We were Alberta bound. You’ll have to watch the show to find out the exact location. One of the challenges we came across on our chase was relating the map information to things we saw on the ground. There were points on our map where we needed to get to and we wanted to be sure we were on the right path. Things like creek crossings, forks in the roads and tree lines. Most of the time there was a visible line of sight for our direction of travel, so shooting bearings with the compass wasn’t really necessary.

Let me tell you, this chase was WILD! What a rush - when you’re on the move and a little paranoid of what’s to come. You just never know where Mantracker is, and when you do it is usually by surprise. THIS guy is GOOD! Getting chased by a couple cowboys on horses is not your typical hike in the bush , but we would do it again in a heartbeat!

There are times when you do not have time to think, just react. One thing we quickly found out and a strategy we were always aware of was ‘plan B’. Amiee and I made sure that if we were caught off guard, we always had an ‘out’, a safe spot to get away, our ‘plan B’.

It’s going to be a long-kept secret about the details and the final outcome of the show, but it will be worth it. Watch for our episode in Season 6 of Mantracker airing on OLN sometime after September of 2011. The chase is on and it is going to be entertaining! Amiee and I were the lucky first time “prey” from Saskatchewan and the only identical twins to appear on the show so far!

We want to make our home town and our friends and family proud. The bumps and bruises are gone. The scrapes and scratches all healed up, but we have the memories to last a life time and will have a DVD to play over and over again!

Thanks Cliff, for getting us prepared. You’re an upstanding gentleman who knows his stuff! Amiee and I are grateful we found you on a flyer!