What's New

QUOTE OF THE MONTH:

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved,
desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing,
but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders across the skies...
Live Madly."
Jack Kerouac

NEWS:

2011 was an epic year with many adventures, from the honour of guiding a Broken Group sea kayak trip with writer and explorer
Mark Jenkins as a guest, to canoeing the Big Salmon River in the Yukon with family and friends, and then an exciting run down the
Finlay River in northern BC in high water in September with some of BC's paddling legends. Look for a profile I wrote on Tony Shaw
in Rapid Mag's Canoeroots May/June issue that also includes some highlights of this historic expedition. Photos from my 2011 trips,
well as shots from my racing adventures at Hamilton Island in Australia, will be up in my gallery in the spring when I get back from
some more big water outrigger paddling in Hawaii.

In the spring and fall, I was back teaching for COLT and my fellow instructor and professional photographer, Dave Prothero, took
some great shots again. The fall colours tour and a previous Nimpkish River run can be seen on his website, Rafting Life, as well as
many other amazing shots and video clips of paddling on Vancouver Island rivers and legendary waters on the mainland and abroad.

Look for my new entry in the Wild Women Expeditions blog, Women Going Wild . It's called, "Finding Savasna on The Big Salmon River."
Wild Women was the first outfitter in Canada to offer guided women-only outdoor adventures. To see a clip of Wild Women in action on
You Tube, click here.

Compliments of sponsorship from Nikki Rekman, a homey from Saskatchewan and sales rep extraordinaire for Jackson Kayaks and
Esquif Canoes, among other fabulous paddling gear companies, I will be sporting a new Jackson Fun whitewater kayak this season.
Picking it up in Vancouver February 3rd - woohoo!

Finally, you know you've been around awhile when you show up in Canoeroots' 10-year anniversary issue . It's been 25 years as of 2012
that I have been working in the outdoor adventure industry - who would have thought! And who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
You can find me on Facebook now too :)

2012 WORK/PLAY SCHEDULE (as of January 15, 2012):

Assisting on Pogue Sports/Kai Va'a Kauai Outrigger Canoe Paddling Camp
February 20 - 24, Kauai, Hawaii

Crazy 8s OC6 and OC1 races
March 17 - 18, Nanaimo, BC

Teaching Level One Guide Sea Kayaking Courses for Thompson Rivers University
March 20 - 31, Clayoquot Sound, Tofino, B.C.

Racing Maui to Molokai Solo
April 28, Pailolo Channel, Hawaii

Teaching COLT Whitewater Canoe Course
May 9 - 12, Campbell and Gold Rivers, Vancouver Island, BC

Teaching COLT Whitewater Kayak I Course
May 13 - 15, Campbell and Gold Rivers, Vancouver Island, BC

Teaching COLT Whitewater Kayak II Course
May 20 - 22, Campbell and Gold Rivers, Vancouver Island, BC

Jericho Classic OC6 Iron and OC1 races
May 26 - 27, Vancouver, BC

Teaching COLT Surf Kayak Course
May 29 - June 1, Tofino, West Coast Vancouver Island

Island Iron OC6 and OC1 races
June 9 - 10, Victoria, BC

Guiding Broken Group Islands Trip, Adventuress Sea Kayaking
June 16 - 18, West Coast Vancouver Island, BC

Leading COLT Nimpkish River Expedition
June 21 - 23, Nimpkish River, Vancouver Island

Guiding Broken Group Islands Trip, Adventuress Sea Kayaking
July 5 - 8, West Coast Vancouver Island, BC

Gorge Outrigger OC6 and OC1 races
July 18 - 22, Columbia Gorge, Stevenson, Washington

Teaching COLT Lakewater Canoe Instructor Course
July 23 - 27, Strathcona Park Lodge, Vancouver Island

Howe Sound/ Canadian National OC6 Iron Race
August 18, Gibsons, BC

Pacific Northwest Challenge OC6 Change Race
August 25, Lake Washington, Seattle

PRESS and REVIEWS: Northern British Columbia Canoe Trips: Volume One and Volume Two

Conor Mihell, Canoe and Kayak -- Archer's latest guidebook, Northern British Columbia Canoe
Trips: Volume Two, resonates with passion and experience. This chunky 370-page book covers seven river
trips in exhaustive detail. See Reading the River for the complete interview and review.

The Port Hole, The Canadian Power and Sail Squadron's official publication -- A can't-put-down series
of books. Click here to read the entire review.

April Link, RCABC Newsletter, Summer 2009 -- This is an enthusiastic guidebook that manages to speak
to the trained paddler and still include options and necessary information for novices...both easy to
navigate and explicit in details. Click here to read the entire review.

Larry Pynn, The Vancouver Sun -- This is the most detailed paddling guidebook I've ever
seen....The book contains information on the natural and human history of the areas paddled
and meticulous rapid-by-rapid accounts of what to expect on the rivers, complete with grid
reference coordinates that can be plotted on topographic maps or GPS units.

Heather Kerr, Outpost -- ...have resulted in field guides that literally bring to life what was
previously uncharted territory.

Barbara Braidwood, canada.com -- Laurel Archer's book, Northern B.C. Canoe Trips: Volume One, is like
having a 20-year veteran canoeing buddy along but without the quirks and foibles. With this book you
don't have to sit downwind of off-key humming all day or put up with sardine and onion sandwiches just
to have the company of someone with knowledge of the river. Click here to read the entire review .

Lori Henry, Suite 101.com -- Laurel Archer takes a stab at the limitless canoeing trips in the province
in this first volume. I love the detailed information, maps and "Trip Notes" that are scattered throughout
the book. Northern BC can be a remote place for first timers and this is a great guide to follow when
planning canoeing trips in the area. I don't think there's another book like it.

Alan Thomson, Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club Newsletter, February 2009 -- ...I liked the layout, beginning
with the general environment of Northern BC....The language is direct and flows well - no hyperbole or
dramatics. Click here to read the entire review.

PRESS and REVIEWS: Northern Saskatchewan Canoe Trips: A Guide to 15 Wilderness Rivers

The Globe and Mail -- "...and obviously knows her turf. This guide is filled
with route descriptions and practical details such as required topographic maps,
best time to go, special equipment needed, nature of rapids, hazards and best
campsites. Best of all, Archer references her descriptions to map coordinates."

The Winnipeg Free Press -- "Archer also has a keen sense of what real-life
paddlers -- as opposed to macho endurance heroes -- want out of a wilderness trip:
she rates all her rivers for solitude, historical significance and wildlife-
viewing and fishing opportunities, as opposed to merely length and difficulty."

The Star Phoenix -- "The result is a highly detailed guide-book, written in a
personal, conversational style. Like a friend sharing a well-kept secret,
along with plenty of good advice...."

Nastawgan -- "Archer's writing style is engaging and personal; she has produced
a fine book that's not only packed with wonderful things, but a pleasure to read too. It
sets a good example of what other guidebooks to wilderness canoe tripping should look
like. A lovely book to have, to use, and also to dream with."

Che-mun -- "This Boston Mills effort follows the format and produces a clean,
well-written and well-illustrated river guide on 15 rivers....Laurel Archer is a very
accomplished paddler who has been many places in her 39 years and written for many
leading outdoor mags. We look forward to another of her fine well-written and researched
books."

Kanawa -- "The book speaks of an author who really knows canoeing. The important
information paddlers look for is all there, in a text that is compelling written and
attractively presented."

Rapid Mag's Canoeroots -- "This book is 240 pages of secrets. You'd be a fool
not to read it and crazy not to go."

Rural Roots -- "This book is primarily designed for the active canoeist but
the dreamer or couch potato will find it a good read, too. The author's writing style
and her personal experience with the rivers allow your imagination to take you down
some of the wildest rivers in Saskatchewan without getting wet.... This book in format,
content and style has a lot going for it, even if you never brave the Wathaman or
Geikie."

Virtual Saskatchewan

This web-site created by itty bitty pictures and Pratt Web Services.
© 2003 Laurel Archer.
If you have any comments or questions about this web-site,
or to report broken links,
please contact the webmaster at smeep@sasktel.net