Welcome to Richmond County, Cape Breton Island!
Richmond County, on the south coast of Cape Breton Island, is waiting to be discovered: the stories of our past, coupled with endless opportunities for outdoor adventure, provide the perfect backdrop for a vacation to be remembered. Just a 3-4 hour drive from the major centres of Halifax, Moncton, and Charlottetown, Richmond County is your first stop on Cape Breton Island.
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1st Annual Cape Breton Paddlefest
September 16-18, 2011
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(photo courtesy of novascotia.com)
Cape Breton Paddlefest Program of Events
Friday, September 16:
5:00pm - 7:00pm Sign-in for Cape Breton Paddlefest – Bras d’Or Lakes Inn, St. Peter’s
7:00pm – 8:00pm Slide Show – courtesy of Rising Tide Expeditions – Bras d’Or Lakes Inn, St. Peter’s
8:00pm – midnight Cape Breton Paddlefest Social – Bras d’Or Lakes Inn, St. Peter’s
Live Musical Entertainment – Krista MacKinnon & Jay Luddington. (19yrs and over. Government IDs will be requested) – Bras d’Or Lakes Inn, St. Peter’s
Saturday, September 17:
8:00am Welcome from Municipality of Richmond
Breakfast; guest speaker from Bras d’Or Lakes Biosphere Reserve association - St. Peter’s Lions Hall
9:30am Paddlefest Parade through the historic St. Peter’s Canal – Parks Canada's St. Peters Canal National Historic Site
10:00am – 12:30pm Morning Paddlefest Sessions – St. Peter’s Marina (see session descriptions below)
10:00am – 4:00pm Paddlefest Expo – St. Peter’s Marina
12:30 – 2:00pm Lunch – St. Peter’s Lions Hall
2:00pm – 5:00pm Afternoon Paddlefest Sessions – St. Peter’s Marina (see session descriptions below)
6:00pm – 7:00pm Paddlefest Dinner with Guest Speaker – Bill Danielson, author of Cape Breton Weather Watching: For the Naturally Curious – St. Peter’s Lions Hall ($10 per person)
9:00pm – 1:00am Dance with live band My Dog Sam hosted by the St. Peter’s Lions Club
$8 per person. (19yrs and over. Government IDs will be requested) – St. Peter’s Lions Hall
Sunday, September 18:
(Breakfast on your own)
9:00am – noon Morning Paddlefest Sessions – St. Peter’s Marina (see session descriptions below)
12 noon Wrap-up and good-byes
Sessions
Saturday 9:30am – 12:30pm
Canoe Beginner – Powerful Forward Paddling
Kayak Beginner – Manoeuvring your Kayak in Style
Canoe Intermediate – Make Your Canoe Dance
Kayak Intermediate – Paddling on the Edge – Using your Body, Boat and Blade with Finesse
On-land: Canoe and Kayak Camping – Packing Up and Getting Out
Social Paddle – St. Peter’s Bay
Saturday 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Canoe and Kayak Beginner – Paddling with a Partner – Working in Tandem
Canoe and Kayak Intermediate – What Happens When you Take a Swim – Introduction to Capsize and Rescues
On-land – Buying a Canoe or Kayak – What to look for
Social Paddle – Arichat Harbour
Sunday 9:00am – 12 noon
Social Paddle – Lennox Passage
Canoe and Kayak Intermediate – Paddling in Wind & Waves – It’s Gotta Happen Sometime
Kayak Intermediate – Surf Kayaking – Point Michaud Beach
On-land – Not Getting Lost – Learning to Navigate with Maps and Charts for Paddlers
Cape Breton Paddlefest will be held rain or shine! Please come prepared with appropriate foul-weather gear.
**Link to Online Registration**
Each participant must fill out the online registration form. Deadline to register for Cape Breton Paddlefest is Friday, September 9th at 4:00pm.
**Link to Expo Vendor Invitation**
**Link to Expo Vendor Registration**
Kayak & Canoe Rentals
Limited kayak and canoe rentals are available; if you need to rent a boat for Cape Breton Paddlefest, we encourage you to reserve early and arrange your own pick-up and drop-off with one of the following companies:
Kayak Cape Breton
www.kayakcapebreton.com
Phone: (902)535-3060
Email: kayakcb@ns.sympatico.ca
Rising Tide Expeditions
www.risingtideexpeditions.ca
Phone: 902-884-2884 or 1-877-884-2884
Email: info@risingtideexpeditions.ca
North River Kayak
www.northriverkayak.com
Phone: (902)929-2628 Toll-Free: 1-888-865-2925
Email: info@northriverkayak.com
For more information contact:
Jeff Stanley Director of Economic Development
Phone: 902.226.3982
Email: jstanley@richmondcounty.ca
