Page 10 February 1986. Cassiar Courier

Whitewater Rafting

I guess floating down rivers has been a dream and pas-
sion of mine ever since early childhood when I dreamed of
repeating Huck Finn’s lazy meanderings down the Mississ-
ippi River.

Much later I had the privilege of working at a boy$
camp in Algonquin Park in the midst of the spectacular
Canadian Shield. This is the land that, inspired Tom
Thompson, and the Group of Seven. And inspiring is too
weak a word to describe this beautiful lake-filled maze,
especially in the autumn, when the lakes are fringed with
one of nature’s most spectacular kaleidoscopes of color, re-
flected in the crystal clear waters. (Unfortunately, many
of these waters aren’t crystal clear, due to their ever in-
creasing acidity, courtesy of INCO and many others.) Any-
how, unless | think about the scene too much it does sure-
ly seem to be pristine. And the Muskoka country was so
wild and beautiful, compared to the flat farmland country
of southern Ontario where I was raised. This was what can-
oeing in the wilderness was all about. Or so | thought.

My perspective changed, however, when | moved to

* Alberta and was introduced to whitewater canoeing and

kayaking on the rivers flowing off the eastern slopes of
the Rocky Mountains. No longer could I be content with
peacefully paddling along lakeshores. The challenge had
escalated. Now, it was to learn to move with the river, to
work with its forces, and certainly to respect that force.
Very early on in the game of whitewater, most come to re~
alize the awesome power of even fairly tranquil streams.
Aluminum canoes can be bent around rocks and splinter-
ed like pretzels.

Yet, along with respect comes the joy of learning how
to play with those forces, to run through the standing
waves, to sneak into eddies behind midstream rocks, to
nimbly negotiate the canoe through rock gardens, To tru-
ly appreciate the art and beauty of whitewater canoeing

I'd strongly recommend reading Bill Mason’s “Path of the _

Paddle’. Or, better still, view any of his four 30 minute
films with the same title, which he made with the NFB.

Whitewater canoeing and kayaking requires a fair de-
gree of skill and confidence or, as some would contend,
recklessness und stupidity. Well, no matter which view
you take, all agree that some rivers are just too powerful
to paddle. And these are the rivers which lend themselves
to rafting.

Rafting has exploded in popularity over the past 20
years. Commercial rafting operates on a massive seale on

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Reduced to $89.00 each way
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Feb. 1 and March 20, 1986

‘(certain U.S. routes only)

HOURS: 9:30 a.m. to 12 Noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

the Ottawa River, taking over 100,000 passengers per sea-
son now. And, in the western states, rafting through the
Grand Canyon of the Colorado has been so popular, peo-
ple have had to book years in advance.

In B.C. commercial rafting is still a fairly low key op-
eration. The most popular rivers for rafting are in proxim-
ity to Vancouver. Commercial rafting is done on big rivers
like the Thompson or Fraser, or on smaller but lively
streams like the Chilliwack or Kicking Horse (near Golden).

| had the opportunity to work as a rafting guide this °
past summer. Rafting in B.C. has a fairly safe record, al-
though risks certainly exist. | was impressed with the safe-
ty standards in the industry. All guides must be certified
first aiders. And they must complete an apprenticeship
period before they are allowed to run a raft solo. They
must also run certain rivers several times with an exper-
ienced guide before being given control of a raft. The rafts
themselves are multi-chambered. So, a puncture of a tube
doesn't mean a slowly sinking submarine. Special ‘white-
water’ life jackets are provided for everyone.

Just because the trips are run safely however, doesn’t
mean they’re boring. Most guests are not familiar with
whitewater. Although the raft is far safer and more secure
than, say, a canoe or kayak; for your average sane person,
this level of security seems absolutely necessary.

Negotiating rapids focuses your attention. On my
first training trip on the Fraser River, just above Hells
Gate, the experienced guide shoved the handle of the 30
HP motor towards me and said “Take over’. You can bet
I followed his instructions to the T, not wishing to get gob-
bled up in the whirlpool on the lefthand side, or to slam
into the wall to the right. I set the raft onto a, hopefully,
proper course and trusted that my instructor would save
me, and us, if | was heading astray. With sweaty palms and
palpitating heart, | held my breath as the raft deftly slip-
ped by the whirlpool.

Back in April, when I first started, | felt pretty unsure
of myself. I listened intently to my instructors. not only
trying to remember the names of the rapids, and how to
negotiate them, but also trying to learn some of the local
history. and some of the tall tales which-go hand in hand
with the business — for not only is a guide responsible for -
safely getting his guests down the river, he is also expected
to entertain. During the first few runs of the Thompson.
I confess. | was too concerned about just surviving the

’ trip'to feel relaxed. But, as the summer progressed, and as

‘HOLT

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You have a lot of money invested in your
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valuables, etc. If you own your dwelling or
cottage, you have an investment in it.
Probably you also have a mortgage for
which you are responsible. In order to
protect your investment in these’
possessions, especially from perils over
which you may have little control, you
need the security and comfort of home .

- Noon and 1:00 - 5:30 p.m.

by Jim Gilpin

my skill and confidence increased, | looked forward to
those glorious, hot sunny days on the Thompson, with
the wind like a blast furnace blowing upstream. By then
the waters were cool, or at least not frigid. So, in quieter
sections, the more adventurous would jump overboard
and merrily bob downstream. Sometimes they took life a
bit too casually and couldn't appreciate why I was plead-
ing with them to get back in the raft, before the next larg-
er rapids.

The most enjoyable times, though they required a lot
of work, were on the overnight trips. On Saturday nights
the guides would whip up a feast for 60 guests, consisting’
of barbecued salmon, baked potatoes, two salads, wine
and freshly baked cake, made in a dutch oven. Usually, we
would chat until after midnight. Some diehards would
stay up much later, but the guides were quite ready for
sleep and would have to be up at 6 a.m, to prepare anoth-
er feast.

Have you ever made an omelette for 60 people?
Six dozen eggs, four onions, eight pounds of cheese,
three pounds of mushrooms, etc. And that is just part of
breakfast! But the guests pack it all away, break camp and
prepare themselves for a second day. By now they know
each other better. Water fights break out between the
rafts. Insults are hurled back and forth in jest — conduct
fitting fora 10 year old seems appropriate. After lunch on
Sunday, the second day, comes the finale, as the Thomp-
son River steepens on its way to meet the Fraser at Lyvt-
ton. Soon after lunch we enter a ten kilometre stretch of
almost continuous rapids. Folks shout with glee and get
completely soaked.

By 5S p.m. we float under the railway bridges at Lyt-
ton and come ashore on the banks of the muddy Fraser.
The guests head home, usually to Vancouver, and the
guides start the tedious task of cleaning up the gear, stor-
ing the rafts and preparing to return to our warehouse in
Vancouver. It’s after midnight when we've cleaned up the
dishes, and sorted out the leftover food for the Food
Bank. By now: the guides have been going full out since
4 a.m. Saturday morning, with maybe a six hour sleep
in between. We're exhausted and wondering why we’re
doing this. It certainly isn’t for the pay. But, next week-
end, once we're back out on the wild waters, enjoying the
sun, the warm wind, the cool splashes, the gleeful shouts
of our guest. we know why we are there, and we know
we'll be back again.

AGENCIES ~

DON'T FORGET YOUR AUTOPLAN
RENEWALS AVAILABLE HERE

164 Elliott St.,
Cassiar , B.C.
Phone 7'78-'7220

Mon. to Fri.

Cassiar Secondary will host a Boys’ and Girls’ Bas-
ketball Tournament on February 14-16. The Secondary
and C.C.C. gyms will be in use to accommodate the many
games scheduled for the weekend. Watch the local bull-
etin boards for the schedule of games and list of teams
competing for top honors.

Term Two ended January 31 and reports will be issued
Friday, February 7. Parent-teacher interviews will be held
Tuesday, Febraury 11 between 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.
Interested or concerned parents are encouraged to con-
tact the school for interviews. Interviews can be arranged
at any time throughout the year.

The exemplary students for the month of December
were Kamal Athwal, Ellen Artico, Binder Mangat, Jen-
nifer Pewsey, Mary Molan and Michelle Billingsley. These
students were chosen by their teachers for their excell-
ent performances over the month,

The Cassiar Secondary Television Auction will be
held on Sunday, March 2. The money raised by this event
is used by the Students’ Society to purchase equipment
for student use or benefit. In the past, the C.S.S. has pur-
chased uniforms for the school teams and stereo system
used at dances and for classes. Last year, a fridge was
purchased for the C.S.S. canteen. Again this year many
items have been donated. A great deal of effort goes
into producing this event and we hope that you will
enjoy and benefit from the W.S.T.V. broadcast. The
Auction will begin in the early afternoon and continue
into the evening. Look for more details in the next
issue of the Courier and on Bulletin Boards around
town.

Ms. Norma Ray, the Child Care Worker, continues
to provide services at Cassiar Secondary and Snow-
ridge Elementary. Ms. Ray works with students who,
for one reason and another, are experiencing difficulties
On a personal and/or school level. Students must be
referred to an admission committee for approval and
must have parental consent. Work is done on a contract
basis. Referrals can originate with students, teachers or
parents.

Annita McPhee was part of the student Panel on
Deborah Walker’s Radio Program on January 17. Cass-
iar students participate on the Panel once a month.

Substitutes are once again required at Cassiar Second-
ary. Although preference is given to substitutes with
teaching certificates, any interested adult is encouraged
to apply. Applications and more information can ‘be
gained by phoning the school office at 778-7367.

In and Around Snowridge Elementary School

In and Around Cassiar Secondary Schoo

Cassiar Courier February 1986 Page 11

by David Hogg

Writers Corner

Oliver Twist
by Dyonne Zubek

This story takes place in the early 1800's in the dirty,
old backstreets of (London. Oliver is a young boy who
seems to get himself into bad situations no matter what
he does. He is moved around to different places all the
time. At one point he finds himself with old Fagin in the
back streets of London. He goes out with two other boys
and he is arrested even though he is innocent. He is ill
and stays with Mr. Brownlow for some time but is again
captured and taken back to Fagin. He is then forced to
break into someone’s house and somehow he manages
to get them to believe his story and he lives with them

_ now. Mr. Brownlow, Rose Maylie, Mrs. Maylie and Doc-

tor Losherne have been trying to help Oliver capture
the wicked Fagin and Bill Sykes. Nancy meets with Rose
Maylie and tells her things. Bill Sykes kills Nancy when
he finds out what she has been doing Behind his back
and in the end he ends up killing himself. Fagin is cap?
tured and Oliver finds that Monks is his half-brother
and Rose is his aunt. Oliver is now in a good home, away
from all the terrible sights he has seen in his few years.

Oliver is a young boy of about 12 years old. He is
quiet and very polite all the time. He was born in an
old workhouse and his mother died at his birth. When
Oliver went out into the streets he became very cunning
and mischievious. He became hard, and was stubborn
when Fagin tried to make him into a thief. All that
Oliver wanted was a loving family and a home to live in
because all of his life he had been moved around from
place to place. He didn’t know one thing about his family
or his background.

Fagin is a dirty, cruel, disgusting old thief. He cheated
other people and turned young boys and girls into pick-
pockets so that they could steal for him. He is very sel-
fish and never thinks of anyone but himself and how
much money he has stolen in a day. Fagin is sly, conn-
iving and he always knows how to get people to do things
for him. Fagin is the kind of person that gained everthing
but does nothing. He makes other people do all his dirty
work for him.

Rose Maylie is a kind, beautiful young lady. She
gives up many things so that other people benefit and get
what they needed. She is very modest.and loves young
children, especially Oliver. She always is willing to help

anyone, anytime, and anywhere. Rose always thinks of
others before herself and is always happy and cheerful.
‘Oliver Twist’ is probably one of those stories where
you could say it is based upon a ‘happy coincidence’.
Oliver is a poor boy who doesn’t have a home or a family
and because of some weird coincidences he ends up ina
happy family. He can now learn how to read and write
and for the first time in his life he is completely safe.
| think that | will remember this book for the rest of
my life. | will remember how Oliver suffered and fought
against all those evil people, how he longed for a loving
family, and all of the diffucult times he struggled through.

‘Oliver Twist’ was one book that | really particularly
enjoyed. It was full of realistic situations and once |
started reading it | felt as if | were there with all of them
in the story. Some parts of the story make you feel
like crying, while other parts make you laugh. | liked
the ending because Oliver is happy and everybody else
is better off, except for Fagin and Mr. and Mrs. Bum-
ble!

The characters out of this book are quite realistic and
easy to relate to. The author has a good way of descri-
bing the characters, exactly as they are and how they
act. They are so realistic that at some points you feel
that you know them. The characters are very typical
of Victorian London in the grimy, dirty streets and also
the nice, decent houses where the Maylies, and Mr.
Bumble live.

‘Oliver Twist’ has great universal appeal. It has been
read for one hundred years already and will probably
be read for another three hundred years. This is because
it is a great classic and it is a book people (all different
types of people), can relate to. People will never get sick
of books like ‘Oliver Twist’. Compared to most books
of today, which are only for immediate interest, ‘Oliver
Twist’ scores one hundred to one.

This book gave me the shock of new ideas and a wider
outlook. | had never known too much about London
in the early 1800’s and | learned quite a few interesting
things. It has given me a wider outlook on all the differ-
ent times.

The dialogue in ‘Oliver Twist’ is very realistic. The
thieves such as Fagin and Bill Sykes talk to each other
the way thieves are supposed to and Oliver is always
calling everybody sir, and just the way he talks is very
realistic. :

by David John

BUS STUDENTS AND LUNCHES

Approximately 25 Snowridge Students travel to and
from school by means of the school bus. This means that
they must eat lunch at school. To facilitate this the staff
provides a supervised time to eat lunch in the classrooms
as well as a supervised play area. It is the school’s under-
standing that parents of children traveling by bus expect
them to be supervised by the school at noon. This places a
certain responsibility on the staff which we accept. How-
ever, in return we expect students who customarily stay
for lunch to check in at the office before leaving the
grounds. Because of problems which can stem from stud-
ents being off the grounds we also ask parents to provide
the school with a note each time they authorize the child
to leave the grounds at noon. In this way the school can
ensure the safety of the children entrusted to its care.

LOST ANYTHING--WE MIGHT HAVE IT!

Our lost and found bin is rapidly filling with such
items as coats, snowpants, sweaters, jackets, hats, mit-
tens, boots, packsacks and old lunches. As you can ima-
gine by the number of clothing items your own child loses
the selection is staggering. Parents are invited to have one
last look for the new gloves, the missing party dress and
the lost boots as we intend to empty the box soon!

NON-INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS

Each school in B. C. is able to use up to five school
days per year for staff development and planning. Snow-
ridge intends to use two days in the next three months for
such purposes. The first one occurred on January 22 and
was used to explore computer software and how it can be
applied to this school’s instructional activities. The second
day planned (tentatively for sometime at the end of Feb-
ruary) will continue this topic and the curricular planning
that stems from such use. As well, the second day will
provide the Snowridge staff with a formal opportunity to
discuss the role of social action projects such as the CARE
program in our Schools with the District Staff and other
teachers who have worked in this area.

As a result of the use of these two days, students will
not attend school on these days.

School Calendar

February TBA School closed to allow the staff to review
Social Action Projects such as the CARE program.

March 15 - Report cards issued.

March 19 - School closes at 2:00 p.m. for Parent/Teacher
Conferences.

March 27 — Last day of school before the Easter Vacation
April 7 - First day of school after the Easter break

May 19 - Victoria Day

June 26 - Last Day of School for students.

Sept. 2 - First Day of School for the 1986/87 school year |

Side of Beef

Front
Hind

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cats

$1.75 lb.

$1.49 Ib.
$2.15 Ib.

Side of Pork $1.49 Ib.

Price includes cutting, wrapping and freezing

WE ALSO HAVE HOMEMADE SAUSAGE, BACON AND HAM

R.R. 4, 1720 Laurel St., Terrace, B.C.
V8G 4V2, Phone 635-6997

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