Over the past years there have been many canoe/kayak races in the Shubenacadie Canal system. They have been various distances, major marathon length with 'many' portages, lengths of 30-40 kms from Grand Lake into Dartmouth, or shorter distances of 12-20 kms, starting (and finishing) at Fairbanks Center after loops of Lakes Banook, MicMac, and Charles. The names of these competitions have been various and many, including the Fred Lynch, Quadrathon, and the Paddle To The Sea.

Well, the GONZO Adventure Club, a group of aging runners from the 70's and 80's (once called the GONZO Runners), now diversified into paddlers, hikers, bikers, runners (now a bit slower) and basically people that just like to keep their bodies moving in some manner, also like to use the Canal System.

Being neophytes in the paddling world, we got involved about 8 years ago and have since entered a number of the local races, enjoying the new sport and the friendships we have found. We continue to try to get more of our group involved in this water sport; some can't swim, some are scared of change, and some still think they are runners.

We base our paddling out of the Warnica Marina and Social Tea Club on Lake Thomas and can boast a few sea kayaks, one river runner, one sprint kayak, a pro-boat, a couple of stock boats, and a vast number of various and sundry 'recreational' canoes.

Our main evening of paddling is 'every' Wednesday evening that the Lake is open, starting in 'very early' March and going to the end of October when the time changes. This is 'always' followed by tea and cookies---I mean what is important in life, eh! This is the only weekly paddle for some of our group and maybe the only paddle of the whole year for others. But there are those that are out every Wednesday, and then there are some who actually paddle at other times-almost resembling training. These guys/girls even go in races.

Be aware how important we are to the rest of you racers in the circuit. When you go home to your family and mention you were in the top half of the race...if it wasn't for paddlers like us, there wouldn't be a lower half below you.

Getting back to the Canal System, we use the section from Lake Banook (Lake Mic Mac, Lake Charles, and Lake Williams) to Lake Thomas a number of times a year in what we call Paddle FROM the Sea. This 'all morning' paddle is 'always' followed by a Gonzo social event- which is why we exist-including our regular Canada Day Pot Luck party, Victoria Day Pot Luck eat out, and sometimes Thanksgiving Day feeding frenzy.

Usually leaving Banook very early in the morning, we have had mirror like conditions, low water through the various portages (sea kayaks are heavy), and times on Lake Williams where we have encountered high white caps. We have been lost in the fog, blinded by the sun, and just naturally hypnotized by the nature around us as we meandered along.

And we will still enter races, always hoping that some day certain people may be no shows and we would move up a bit in the placings. As in our running days, we realize that your position in a race has nothing to do with how fast you go, it all has to do with who happens to show up that day.

The Sun god