Summertime in Manitoba is for many of us the best time of the year. Long lingering sunsets, walks on the beach and balmy, sunny days are just a few of the things that I love about living here. But my favourite thing about living in Manitoba is its backcountry and how easy and accessible it is to escape to.

Recently I hooked up with a wonderful group of courageous women who decided to do just that—escape on an adventure in the backwoods. The group is called W.O.W, an acronym for Women of the Wild. With busy careers and family life, these women all find a sense of freedom in leaving the concerns of everyday life behind to be surrounded by the tranquility of the great outdoors.

The trip was organized by trained guides who now run an independent company called Momenta. The guides not only provided us with our necessary food and equipment but encouraged us to set goals and helped us achieve them. Some of the challenges we faced were physically demanding, like portaging 2 kilometers through the forest with a canoe on our shoulders and trudging knee high through rivers of mud. Others were more social, like working together as a group to help everyone achieve the personal goals they set for the trip. But whatever the challenge was, we committed to it and pushed ourselves beyond our normal comfort zone. Back in reality, this sense of accomplishment spilled into our everyday life, giving us a renewed sense of empowerment to help us tackle the challenges we face throughout the year.

If sitting under the moonlight in the back woods with friends after a long hard day canoeing is how you like to escape, get some friends together and plan a wilderness experience of your own.  

ABOUT MOMENTA:
Momenta is owned by Lisa Brown and Sara Harrison, who have paired years of training in workshop facilitation, group counseling, risk management and staff training with a love for the outdoors to create a company that does much more than provide a simple guided tour. Instead the company, whose tagline is “experience, discover, grow,” use elements of wilderness therapy and adventure experiences to create custom programs that teach outdoor skills as well and provide a physical challenge. For more information about MOMENTA, please contact:
MOMENTA
(204) 782-5303
momenta@shaw.ca

Canoe For Sale
If you love the idea of hitting the open water in a canoe, but have never picked up a paddle, think about lessons, which will ensure that you know the basics. Check out the open evening paddles offered every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday through FortWhyte Alive, Paddle Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg. No experience is needed, and equipment is provided, giving beginners the chance to try canoeing or kayaking with the direction of the experienced staff.

Ready to take it to the next level? Many experienced canoeists find owning their own equipment a must. For tips on what to look for when shopping, we went to expert Gary Brabant of Wave Track, located at 42 Speers Road.

LONG OR SHORT
The longer the canoe the faster and more stable it will be, says Brabant. It will have better tracking, greater carrying capacity, but will also be heavier to carry. A shorter canoe will be more maneuverable, easier to control and lighter.

SOLO OR DUO
Most people who do solo paddling buy 14.5 or 15 foot canoes, while a canoe for two or more people is generally 17 or 18 feet long, to give enough carrying capacity and efficiency. The most common canoe sold is a 16-footer. It does everything reasonably well, but nothing extremely well.

STRAIGHT OR ROCKER
Make sure you look at the shape of the canoe. If it’s flat from end to end, you won’t be able to manoeuvre it as well as a canoe with a rocker on the bottom. Think of it this way: straight canoes are like speed skates, while rocker canoes are like hockey skates.

WEIGHT
Canoes can range from 37 pounds to 90 pounds, and Brabant recommends women use a canoe around the 65 pound range. This is a weight that will generally be comfortable to carry.

PRICE
Prices can range from $800 to $3,000. As you get more expensive, you’re usually getting a lighter, stronger and more durable canoe. Brabant’s best tip? “Get as much information as you can, talk to different people and take a canoe out and try it before you buy it.”