la vase portages

                                 
                            


             Thank you to everyone who paddled with us for this years La Vase Portages Canoe Day. Special guests were Nipissing First Nation Chief Marianna Couchie and long time La Vase Portages advocate Paul Chivers. While community opinion for protection of the historic canoe route remains strong - aggregate mining operations continue to carve up the remaining pristine sections of the historic first nation and Voyageur canoe route.
             In May of 2010 the Province of Ontario granted a twenty year mining claim along the west shoreline of the Coopers Lake area and is now poised to approve a doubling of aggregate extraction plans along the southeast shoreline of the same lake.
             Paddlers are encouraged to get out and enjoy this thousand year old Canadian Heritage River System and one of the most famous historical portages routes in Canada  before it becomes little more than a paddle through a quarry site.
              

         For our 2009 Canoe Day low water levels in the historic middle portage area meant an even longer portage than ususal with a carry of almost 1400 metres required along the west shore of North La Vase River. Thanks to volunteers Bernie Stockerman's, John Wipprecht, Jean Marc Filion and everyone who helped out to clear and brush the trails.  

 

Twenty four persons joined in our first La Vase Portages Heritage Canoe Day, crossing under clear blue skies and hot weather.