Our Recent Fund Raising Rodney Brown Concert

Back Row - Rick Zroback – Chair ARVCB , Craig MacMillan – CoChair Brule, Lorraine MacKay - Vice Chair ARVCB, Rodney Brown – Canadian Historical Troubadour, Colleen Darbyshire - Co Chair Jasper, Darryl Trahan - Treasurer ARVCB. Front Row – Diane Watson – CoChair Hinton.

Our River The Athabasca

Our Goal

GOAL 

• To organize a 4 day voyageur canoe celebration from Jasper to the Emerson Creek Bridge (approximately 40 kms downstream from Hinton) just downstream from the mouth of Obed Creek.

The Brigades

ATHABASCA RIVER VOYAGEUR CANOE BRIGADE 
 
 

Thursday Aug. 18, 2011- Sunday Aug. 21, 2011

ORIGINAL BRIGADES 

• The original brigades were prominent in the early and mid 1800’s paddled by predominantly French Canadian paddlers known as voyageurs
• Made up of 4-6 canoes manned by 24  to 36 voyageurs transporting furs from the interior of western North America to designated forts and then returning  with manufactured goods from Europe

ORIGINAL BRIGADES 

• Crew members – Avant (bowman) sat in the front of the canoe and acted as Navigator and Guide 
• Gouvernail (steersman) sat or stood at the stern (rear) and steered as per directions of the Avant
• Milieu( middleman) least experienced could aspire to become Avant or Gouvernail
• A conductor, or pilot, which all were obliged to obey, was appointed to every 4 or 6 canoes

BRIGADE TRIVIA 

• The original Brigades would travel up to 160 km per day for up to 14 hours at 40 strokes per minute
• At portages the voyageurs used tumpline, a leather strap that went across the forehead, then back and around the load. Each voyageur was assigned to carry a minimum of two 90 pound bundles.

RECENT BRIGADES 

• 1967 – Canada’s Centennial –  8 Provinces and 2 Territories raced voyageur canoes from Rocky Mountain House to  Montreal – over 5,000 kms
• 2007 –Columbia River Brigade – Southern British Columbia – 700 kms – 10 days
• 2008 David Thompson Brigade – Rocky Mountain House to Old Fort William  (Thunder Bay) 3200 kms - 63 days

FUTURE BRIGADES 

• 2010 David Thompson Brigade – 1700 kms from Thunder Bay to Montreal- 43 days
• 2011 David Thompson Brigade – 1700 kms from Invermere BC to Astoria Washington -45 days Brigade will end on July 15^th 2011 – 200 years after David Thompson arrived at the Pacific
• 2011 Athabasca River Voyageur Canoe Brigade – 140 kms – 4 days

VOYAGEUR BRIGADE SOCIETY 

• Fostering awareness of waterways and fur trade stories via paddling brigades. 
  
• The Voyageur Brigade Society (VBS) arose from the enthusiasm generated by the 2008 David Thompson brigade. Many of the 300 brigade members expressed interest in future brigades. The VBS was established in April 2009 with a mandate “to commemorate the fur trade by fostering paddling brigades and other events that celebrate the achievements and activities of fur traders, surveyors, merchants, First Nations people and women of the fur trade era (1602 1850)”.

VOYAGEUR BRIGADE SOCIETY 

• GOALS :
• Provide access of information from previous brigades which will ease the planning task
• Archive documents and images from    completed brigades
• Link paddlers with adventure
• Insurance Requirements

VBS connection

Assistance

Training

Team

What’s required 

ATHABASCA RIVER VOYAGEUR CANOE BRIGADE

Thursday Aug. 18, 2011- Sunday Aug. 21, 2011

Teams and Responsibilities

ARVCB TEAMS 

• 10 – 15 teams comprising 12 –  15 paddlers
• 4- 6 teams from Hinton, Brule and Jasper
• Teams - Self contained, tents, motor homes, canoe trailers
• Provide in boat safety gear, bailers, spare paddle,
• Ages 14 - ???
• Stern and bow paddlers to have canoeing  experience with moving water

ARVCB RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Provide  gps downloads maps, resource handbooks
• Insurance coverage
• Knowledgeable canoeist leadership on the river and surrounding area
• Radio communication
• Meals – Try to arrange sponsored meals at Jasper, Brule and Hinton
• Camping areas
• Directions to crew changes and camping spots
• Fun

ARVCB ORGANIZING SCHEDULE 

• Jan – June  2010– pursue government grants, firm up key organizers, presentations, find voyageur canoes, budgeting
• Sept – Dec 2010– Registration packages, media connections, presentations
• Dec – June 2011 – Verify numbers, social event organizing, presentations
• June – Aug2011 – Finalizing and fine tuning
• Aug 18^th – Aug 21^st 2011 – PADDLING!!

VOYAGEUR CANOE TRIVIA 

• 25 ft long based on “ Canoe du Nord” Design
• Used throughout western Canada to transport furs from the interior of Canada and back manufactured goods from Europe
• 6-8 Paddlers - 6 paddlers- longer distances, racing- 8 paddlers - shorter distances, recreational enjoyment
• Kevlar – 210 lbs
• Fiberglass- 270 lbs plus
• Birchbark – 300 lbs – twice that when wet!

SURFING THE KAM

NOT RECOMMENDED

RECOMMENDED 

CALGARY HERALD – FRONT PAGE MAY 17, 2008

OUR RIVER- THE ROUTE OF THE VOYAGEUR!  

Mission Statement

MISSION STATEMENT 

• Celebrate David Thompson’s travels through our area in 1810 and 1812 and recognize the importance of the Athabasca River as the main artery of the fur trade from David Thompson’s initial passage and the courageous voyageurs that followed.
• Celebrate the 100^th Anniversary of the establishment of the community of Hinton.

 ARVCB OBJECTIVE 

• Fostering paddling brigades and possible further brigades on the Athabasca.
• Promote recreational paddling on the Athabasca River.
• Initiate an awareness of the natural beauty of the Athabasca River.
• Provide liaison with government, individuals and organizations with same interests.

AVRCB ROUTE 

Day 1 - Jasper  

Day 2 – Jasper/Brule  

               65 kms 
 

Day 3 – Brule/ Hinton

                  24 kms  

Day 4 – Hinton/ Emerson Creek Bridge

               50 kms  

Whitecourt ?

The Schedule

AVRCB TENTATIVE SCHEDULE 

• Day 1 - Thursday August 18, 2011 – Jasper Alberta Registration/ Practise / Welcoming  Social – Campout at Whistler Campground
• Day 2 -Friday August 19, 2011 – 65 kms from  Jasper to Brule Approximate 8 hour paddle with two crew changes at Twelve Mile Bridge and Disaster Point – Historical Tour of Jasper House National Historic Site. Campout at Brule Campground - Social events to follow in Brule

ARVCB TENTATIVE SCHEDULE 

• Day 3 -Saturday August 20, 2011 – Brule Lake Race to start the day - 25 kms from Brule to Hinton – Approximate 4 hour paddle with one crew change - Camp out  at Junior Forest Wardens Campground. Social events to follow in Hinton

ARVCB TENTATIVE SCHEDULE 

• Day 4 - Sunday August 21, 2011 – 50 kms from Hinton to Emerson Creek Bridge – Approximate 6 hour paddle with one crew change at the Obed Mountain Mine Bridge -  Small ceremony at mouth of Obed Creek. Send off  social of participants at Emerson Creek Bridge.
• Interest to be investigated for unsanctioned trip of canoes continuing downstream to Whitecourt  or  beyond.