• Memoir Liam Kaufer 2013
• Cinq Jours au Parc Papineau-Labelle Thomas Jean Brown 2013
• Manuan Canoe Trip   Part II 1936
• Memories of Nominingue - Part III Richard Bourne 1956-1971
• 2014 Winter Events - Évènements cet hiver
• Alumni Association News / Nouvelles de l'association des anciens
• Tumpline Submissions - Soumissions pour cette lettre de nouvelles

Memoir Liam Kaufer 2013

The wind blew across the lake, whipping into my face and through my hair, beating the hope off of my face and  continuing across the raving water. I put my head down, concentrating only on keeping my stroke strong and constant. My arms ached, my knees were sore and I couldn't feel my fingers or toes. And yet, I kept paddling on and on, trusting my tripmates and fulfilling their trust for me. For a second, there was a lapse in the wind. I looked up, glad for a chance to stretch my neck. I saw the clouds, boiling in the sky above me. I looked to the right and saw a forest towering above me, lush white birch trees and towering cedars looking stark under the overcast ceiling of a sky. I looked to the left and saw a lake the same color and texture of the sky above, mist obscuring the opposite shore. Looking ahead, I saw ripples speeding across the water towards our tiny fleet of two gray-blue wood and canvas canoes. I gulped and put up the hood of my black rain jacket, preparing for what was to come. In an instant, it was upon us. Torrents of rain were cascading in sheets toward the ground at breakneck speeds, pummeling the surface of the lake. "Damn!" cried Daniel, gasping to keep from inhaling water. However, we didn't waver. The two small canoes powered ahead like a light through a cloud.

Hours later, we arrived at our campsite for the night. We were 5 days into our 10 day trip, deep in the forests of Parc de la Verendrye, Québec, Canada. We were 7 boys from Camp Nominingue, setting up camp after a heavy day of paddling 32 kilometres a day through torrents of rain and portaging hundreds of meters through knee deep muck.

Cinq Jours au Parc Papineau-Labelle Thomas Jean Brown 2013

Nous sommes aujourd'hui partis après le petit déjeuner. Nous avons pris nos sacs et, après les avoir déposés dans le camion, nous sommes partis en canot. Après avoir traversé le Petit Lac Nominingue et complété la marche au Lac Lesage, nous avons récupéré nos sacs et nous sommes partis en canot jusqu'au campement où nous avons « lunché ». Nous avons fait un mini-portage puis nous avons traversé le Lac Rognon avant d'arriver au site où nous dormions.

Nous nous sommes réveillés assez tôt et nous avons déjeuné, puis nous avons mis nos habits et nos souliers mouillés. Nous avons défait nos tentes et nous somme partis pour les chutes. Sur le chemin, nous avons fait un portage de 400 m. au Lac St-Denis, nous avons déposé nos sacs et nous sommes allés nous baigner. Après, nous avons mangé de la soupe et du Kraft Dinner pour le dîner. Nous sommes partis et nous avons traversé le lac avant d'arriver au campement. Nous avons mangé de la soupe et des burritos pour le souper.

Ce matin, nous avons mangé du bannock et du gruau. Nous avons mis nos vêtements mouillés et nous sommes partis en canot jusqu'à notre portage de 1.6 km dans la forêt. Nous avons ensuite ramé jusqu'à « Crystal Beach », où nous avons rencontré une autre excursion du camp. Nous sommes allés nous baigner, puis nous avons fait un gros feu et nous avons mangé des pizzas. Nous avons monté les tentes puis nous sommes allés nous coucher.

Ce matin, en nous réveillant, nous savions qu'aujourd'hui nous avions à faire notre portage de 2 km de long. Donc, nous avons mangé une grosse portion de gruau et des « pancakes », puis nous avons traversé le Lac Montjoie jusqu'au portage. À la fin du portage, nous avons descendu une rivière et nous avons mangé sur un petit site, puis nous sommes partis jusqu'au site où nous allions camper, qui était tout près de Acapulco. Nous avons monté nos tentes, puis nous avons mangé de délicieux burritos.

Ce matin, nous avons paqueté nos sacs et nous avons mangé rapidement pour aller sauter  de Acapulco. En arrivant sur l'île, nous avons tout de suite monté jusqu'à la roche et nous avons sauté sans hésiter...mais dans ma grande intelligence, j'avais oublié d'enlever mes lunettes et je les ai perdues. Nous avons fait deux petits portages et après nous sommes allés au « pick-up ».

Manuan Canoe Trip   Part II 1936

Canoe tripping has been an important part of the Nominingue experience since 1925. Although many of the routes are no longer available and some elements of the experience have changed, the essence of the canoe trip remains the same - learning to work together as a team; enduring difficulties caused by inclement weather; travelling through the Canadian wilderness and meeting the challenges that each new day brings.

Bill Stobo, Duncan Duclos, Herb Owen, John Hay, Stewart Hamilton, F.M. Van Wagner

Canoes weighed 80 lbs when well-dried and over 90 lbs wet. Total weight of packs and all equipment was 350 lbs.

A double blanket was carried for each person, each weighing up to 8 lbs.

60 lakes in 14 days.

Friday, August 14th

We started the day at 6:15. The day was bright and clear. As we were not well organized as regards cooking and packing, we were very slow getting started, leaving Stuart Point at 9:00 AM. We arrived at the portage at the end of Lake Doughnut at 10:30. The portage here is only a few yards into the Rupert River, which was followed for several miles. We then took another short portage into Lake 60. This stream is small and shallow, making progress slow. In Lake 60, we saw a bull moose and were able to paddle to within 40 yards of him before he ran off into the brush. After Lake 60, there is more creek. We had lunch along the stream just before taking the ¼ mile portage into Moose Lake. We stopped for lunch at 12:10. We were on the way again at 1:35. The shores of Moose Lake are low and swampy. It looks like an ideal place for moose and ducks, but no place to stop or camp! After Moose Lake there is more creek, through swampy country, but there is enough water, so good progress can be made. It was not long before we arrived at Lake Beautiful. Crossing it, we continued upstream. The stream soon became so small and shallow that one person got out of each canoe. After much pushing through mud, water and swamp grass, the canoes finally arrived at a point where we followed a good portage of perhaps a half mile to Rupert Lake, arriving at 3:15. 

While on our way to our chosen campsite, an old shack on the south side of a large island, we saw two moose. We paddled quietly towards them where they stood some hundred yards from shore. In water about three feet deep. They turned out to be a cow and bull. When the canoes were about 100 yards distant, they ran off splashing water while we snapped our cameras.

All hands were in bed early for the following day we expected some heavy portaging and we wanted to get as far as possible towards the Hudson's Bay Post.

Saturday, August 15th

We woke early to find it raining hard. There did not seem to be much use getting up early as it was not fit for travel. This was indeed a bad break, for we could not afford to lose much time at this point if we were to achieve our objective. At 11:20, though it was still raining, we decided to start on our way. The portage to Keepover was reached at 11:40. This portage is about three quarters of a mile in length through swamp, and was certainly the worst we experienced on the whole trip. After the heavy rain of the previous night, logs that had been laid along the trail were particularly slippery, and we were continually slipping off and finding ourselves mired in mud nearly to our knees. Heavily loaded as we were at this time, we found this trail pretty tough. We experienced some difficulty getting Lake Keepover, as the lake is very shallow at that end. Once in water of sufficient depth to allow for paddling, we were not long in reaching the far end of the lake and there started a three mile portage at 12:40. This portage is very good and level. About 1:30, we arrived at Decarie River and, quickly loading our canoes, we started downstream. While the Decarie River is very small, it is deep, flowing through swampy low country. We were to follow its course for perhaps six miles. At 3:15, finding a high spot, we stopped for a quick lunch of sardines, cheese, bread and jam, and chocolate. Rain was still falling gently as it had all day, making it anything but a pleasant day for travel. The portage to Lac Chatillon was reached at 4:30 PM. Here we found a good campsite and, as we did not know about other campsites on Chatillon, it was decided to spend the night here. Had we started the day at the usual hour, we could easily have reached Chatillon, which I should certainly recommend for any future trip. After a good supper and an hour around the camp fire, we retired for another good night's sleep.

Memories of Nominingue - Part III Richard Bourne 1956-1971

My brother and I were not "cool" in our teens and early twenties. We both were heavier than we should have been. We certainly were not cool in the hockey star, quarterback mold. Perhaps we were, though, in the "Boy Scout" mold, or the "I am a choirboy" mold. I took up running, Bob became a competitive swimmer, and we both eventually reduced our weight to quarterback level. It was extremely heartening to watch Bob win every paddle holding contest in which he entered. 

"Oh Big Chief, I, Chief Pathfinder," Bob was in charge of orienteering, "Challenge five other chiefs to a paddle holding contest." The aim was to hold the paddles towards the sky, forty-five degrees above belt level. 

"Chiefs, begin the Challenge!"

The first minute would pass, with no difference would be noted amongst the six chiefs. Then Chief Throws-long-spiral's arm started to quiver, then shake more dramatically, as the paddle inexorably fell to the ground.    

At the two minute mark, four other chiefs were faltering. Bob, nevertheless, held a direct line, arm and paddle, pointing skyward, towards the northern star. Chief Hole-in-the-side, that was me having enjoyed an appendectomy in my first week as a counsellor, looked on with pride.

Brother Bob would choose his time and then talk the opposition into submission. "I know it hurts. Your whole arm is in pain. But I feel like I just started. My swimming biceps feel nothing. Give up now. You will lose anyway. There is no shame."

Quivering arms would falter. Paddles would gradually lose their angle, eventually pointing ground-ward. The football and hockey heroes placed their tails between their legs. The choirboy had dominated. The uncool had become cool.

"Oh Big Chief, I declare Chief Pathfinder the winner."

"How How!"

Teenage years can be difficult. It is hard now to consider Chief Pathfinder as anything but the coolest of the cool. He is a highly respected physician in Los Angeles. I know, I have talked to his patients. He has served as president of Medical Boards. He is my favourite brother, a devoted husband, a fine father, and doting grandfather. He still swims regularly and is still adept at pathfinding, although the paths are the LA freeways, and he uses a GPS instead of a compass. 

2014 Winter Events - Évènements cet hiver

Sunday, February 16 Montreal Families Camp Fair 12 noon - 4 PM Holiday Inn, Pointe-Claire

Parent and Son Information Evenings at 7:15 PM

(For new and prospective campers and their families)

Tuesday, February 25 Lower Canada College NDG

Thursday, February 27 Chimo Hotel Ottawa

Wednesday, March 26 Lower Canada College NDG

Thursday, March 27 Chimo Hotel Ottawa

Wednesday, April 23 Chimo Hotel Ottawa

Thursday, April 24 Lower Canada College NDG

Tuesday, May 13 Lower Canada College NDG

Wednesday, May 14 Chimo Hotel Ottawa

If you are interested in any details concerning these events, please contact us at the camp office.

dimanche 16 février Foire de camps Montreal Families midi à 16h00

Holiday Inn, Pointe-Claire

Soirées d'informations pour parents et garçons à 19h15

(Pour nouveaux campeurs inscrits ou intéressés)

mardi 25 février Lower Canada College NDG

jeudi 27 février Hotel Chimo Ottawa

mercredi 26 mars Lower Canada College NDG

jeudi 27 mars Hotel Chimo Ottawa

mercredi 23 avril Hotel Chimo Ottawa

jeudi 24 avril Lower Canada College NDG

mardi 13 mai Lower Canada College NDG

mercredi 14 mai Hotel Chimo Ottawa

Pour plus de détails, svp contactez le bureau du camp.

Alumni Association News / Nouvelles de l'association des anciens

Please share with us news that you would like to include in the Tumpline that you think might be of interest to other Nominingue alumni.

SVP envoyez nous des nouvelles que vous aimeriez inclure dans une prochaine édition du Tumpline.

Alumni Socials

Over the past few years, we have held alumni socials in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Mexico City. We will be holding more this spring. 

Dates and locations of future get-togethers will be posted on Facebook on the Nominingue Socials Group page at http://www.facebook.com/groups/NominingueSocials/.

To get involved with CN Alumni Association, please contact John Christou at john@prospectorfilms.ca. 

Tumpline Submissions - Soumissions pour cette lettre de nouvelles

We are looking for submissions for our newsletters from campers, staff and parents... from this summer, as well as from recent and less recent alumni. These submissions may be general memories of camp experiences or specific memories about a canoe trip, about a favourite program or a funny experience. Please send your submissions to grant@nominingue.com.  You may submit your stories and memories in English, French or Spanish.

Nous sommes à la recherche de textes de campeurs, parents et de moniteurs de l'été 2013... et de souvenirs de nos anciens campeurs et moniteurs des années récentes et moins récentes. Vos textes peuvent décrire vos expériences en générale ou une excursion de canot, un programme favori ou une expérience drôle. SVP envoyez votre texte par courriel à grant@nominingue.com. Votre texte peut être écrit en français, en anglais ou en espagnol. 

Camp Nominingue | Tel. 450-267-2555 | Toll-free 866-910-1551 (Canada & US)
Email: info@nominingue.com | Web: www.nominingue.com

This e-mail is destined to all campers, parents and counsellors, current and alumni. If you would prefer not to receive occasional messages from us, please unsubscribe using the link below this message.

Ce courriel est destiné à tous les campeurs, parents et moniteurs, actuels et anciens. Si vous voulez vous désinscrire de cette liste d'envoi, svp cliquez en bas de la page.

Winter address: 112, rue Lippée, Les Coteaux, QC J7X 1J4
Summer address: 1889, chemin des Mésanges, Nominingue, QC J0W 1R0