Wilderness is closing in again.

Early this morning a Lynx was on the beach some click south of Nordmarken Canoe Center. Very sharp tracks in the snow and I have had indication of lynx is the surrounding several times the last month but difficult to track without snow.

To all our friends.

This is not normal. We use to have snow and ice at Nordmarken Kanot Center this time of the year, but nature is working against us who love real winter. So have a look at the canoe bay and I do hope it will be better.

“May the winter be with you”

Jag saknar snö och kyla

Just nu är vintern borta i Nordmarken. Vi denna tid för ett par år sedan var det kallt, bra med snö och varje dag en flock rådjur utanför kontors fönstret, Det var 12 st. som mest på en gång och vi hade namn på de flesta . Storbocken, Horn Pär, den lille, de tres gäng mm. Nu hittar de mat i skogen ändå eftersom det är bar mark så vi lägger inte ut stöd foder.

Efter 16780 kilometer äntligen åter i Sweitzerland. Respect.

Under sommaren 2015 hade vi ganska många gäster med en del specialiteter. I dag kom en hälsning från ett par som bodde på Bed and Breakfast hos oss ett par dager för att vila lite,

Nu kom en fin hälsning efter att de kört genom 26 olika länder under 365 dagar och totalt cyklat 16.780 km. Imponerande. Det finns i dag folk som påstår att saker kan vara jobbiga men jag tror att har man den rätta inställningen så går det att genomföra otroliga ting

Modern time !

Today in the local News Paper there was one of my photos from an expedition I made to North West Greenland several years ago. On a brake on the ice some Inuit show me what children had to play with in the Igloos during winter time. The reason to send it to the local News Paper was they were asking for funny photos and the text to this was “We Inuit don’t need Internet we have our own Net”

100% canoing 30 years after start of the Macfie Canoe Club

The famous Macfie Canoe Club has had their thirty years anniversary. About fifty members came for the weekend north of Karlsborg all very experience canoers. Paddling Trading, Stories and
I´m very sorry that we from Nordmarkens Kanot Center didn’t had the time to come to the meeting.

Paddling is not only a business for us as a canoe outfitter it´s a life style. 
I´m proud to present a photo, from one of the members, of the group last weekend´s rendevous, folks who now how to swing a paddle.

Some of the last entusiasts

Right now there are more mushrooms and berries than canoers in Nordmarken. This small group is back. Some was here several years ago and now they are out for a fishing and canoe tour.
The temperature in the water are getting lower and lower every day so the fishing gets better and better. I wish them in Swedish “Skit fiske” a word we fishermen use to let our guests have a good fishing and time in the wilderness.

This afternoon we got some more guests and we now have folks from Germany, Norway, Portugal and Sweden  so a bit international at Nordmarken Canoe Center this week.

A very long canoe tour 15 days.WOW

This gentleman came back to day after a 15 day long canoe tour around in Nordmarken. He has made a lot of the smaller lakes and narrow rivers in the area after information from us when we planned his solo tour.

When he passed Stora Bör there wear a lot of canoers on many island with their red tents from a large German Company who claim there are more than 80 Island at that lake but it´s a dream.

Due to some severe wind he made a good decision to day. Alone in a canoe with heavy wind it´s not a good option, so he took the canoe wheels and hike the road for 12 kilometre back Base Camp.

After so long tour he really enjoyed our Bed & Breakfast for a couple of days.  After some serious feedback from him about the tour, he mention that the one who teach me to paddle in 1957  late Stefan Henning, had been a good friend of him, so the conversation went on about The Macfie Canoe Club, some of our common friends in Holland with Bushcraft and Survival .

Stefan Henning and I made a lot of canoe tours together and even a winter expedition to Svartisen I Norway.  It’s good to have time to sit back and have nice talks with customer.

Back again:

This early morning a group arrived from Nürnberg after a long tour with a mini Bus. 5 of them have been here 4 times before so they know the routine. They will take off for a 5-8 day tour, a bit depending on weather the coming days. It’s a good size of a group and we wish them a fine tour.

They will paddle to area where there is only a few other canoers or I think they will alone, a lot of folks don’t like portage to another lake system using canoe wheels.

Where are the Ladies ?

Another” Man Tour”. This four man from Denmark made a very fine weekend tour. We took them out to one of the starting point and they paddle back to Base Camp in Risviken. This was tour number twelve and at the reception we planned a fine tour for season 2016 to a new remote area. As usual all equipment hired is given back in 100% good clean condition and I show them our Bed and Breakfast if they are getting soft next year J but I don’t think so. They had a cup of strong coffee and a hot shower before leaving Nordmarken for Denmark.

4 på "mannetur" i Nordmarken

Tillbaka till Base Camp i Risviken vid Nordmarkens Kanot Center. En kort och intensiv kanottur på 2 övernattningar. Någon kom från Tyskland resten från olika platser i Danmark. Alla tidigare vänner sedan sin ungdomstid.  Turen startade med att vi körde dom på kvällen till ett var våra hemliga ställen och så bar det iväg till den första lägerplatsen. Kom fram strax innan mörkret. Nästa dag en del regn men deras tur fortsatte till ytterligare en fin lägerplats. Sista aftonen bivack i fullmåne.

Åter i god stil till Base Camp med perfekt ordning på hyrda grejor vilket resulterade ï att jag kokade kaffe innan deras återresa.  Riktigt kul med mindre grupper som får uppleva Nordmarken på rätt sätt.

Some light rain, thank you.

The canoe season is almost over. The area is almost free from larger groups and a lot of noise in the evening. There are some companies from abroad who send out hundreds of canoers every week so in some area there is it no real wilderness to enjoy. We who live here are sorry about it and do hope it will change in the future. This folks are more or less paddling in the same lake and stay at the same camp day after day, that’s not real canoeing.

After more than 50 years as a canoe outfitter I know the area and have paddle all trails several times and can give our customers real up to date information and show them remote areas.

We are lucky today it had come a bit of rain and a trail is now open again so our guest can paddle solo almost a week.

Dance with the Wolfs

After some days activities at our Base Camp around Nordmarken Canoe Center with a small group of German boy Scout´s they want to see some Moose. I made two short tours with them but there was only one large Bull Moose to be seen, at a long distance. So after a full day with light survival training and fire making with primitive methods I took them on a Wolf Safari. I tried to howl like a wolf, but at the first place, I just got a weak answer from a very long distance. We went to a new place and after one minute I got a fine answers, from I think two adults and one younger wolf, on a distance from Apo 3-400 meters north of us. They kept hauling for ca 1, 5 minute. Where is my secret? So it ended up as a fine day for the scouts with wilderness memories to take home after 10 days in Nordmarken.

New "Long time no see"

This gentleman was here 1987 the last time. He has visited us 4 or 5 times before that. No his on a 15 days long tour on his oven. He will comer mostly of the remote area with some heavy portage. His is well known in the inner circle of real canoe people and know a lot of the Macfie Canoe Club and what this club are doing. At Nordmarken Canoe Center we are all member if the club. This early morning I drop him of at a lake in the bear of Glaskogen nature preserve just around where there is a wolf pack.

Wir sind wider da.

Again some costumers return to Nordmarken Canoe Center for canoeing.  The father was here several times and the last visit was 1987, so back after 28 years. They are lucky this time with extreme good weather and have plan a long tour into remote areas.

Business to Business and long time no see.

Early this year we started a program Business to Business with Best Western Hotel in Årjäng and Access Adventure in Håltebyn. I very good idea and to day we had 10 guests on a day tour with canoe all from Access Adventure. It’s good that tourist visiting Nordmarken can try different activities where ever they live during there stay in the area.

The last weeks we have had a lot of former guest coming for tour or a short visit and today we got a new one. The couple was here 40 years ago the last time just to see places where they have been so many years ago. They came from Denmark.

Party Time

Today is my Birthday, I´m 83 years of age. I got much congratulation from all over the World from friends, family and costumer. Great Thank you to all of you. For me it´s just another day at the Canoe Center with good costumers going in and out in the canoe wilderness.
My philosophy is three chairs at my office. One for being alone, the second one for friendship and the third one of their absolutely must be a party. So this evening there will be a party with my wife Gun and my cousin
The picture is from North West Greenland some hundred kilometres north of Qaanaaq on a sledge tour with local Inuit years ago. Two of us are sharing food from Real Food in Tromsö as an experiment for Trail food in the future.-
This afternoon it will be some other food with three of us ( Party time )

Åter till Nordmarken efter 32 år på ny kanottur

.

Detta paret var här 1983 på en fin kanottur. På vägen hem från Foxen efter en lång portage (rullning med kanot)från Fölsbyn gick de i land på en liten över strax söder om Årjäng. Här förlovade de sig.

Mannen hade tidigare is sin ungdom varit vår kund när vi arrenderade Sommarviks, Camping & Stugby söder om Årjäng.

Det början nästa som om tidigare kunder kämpar om att vara de som varit våra kunder för länge sedan, ganska trevligt med Repeat Business.

Back again after 2o years

About 20 years ago the couple was here for a canoe tor two times. Now back with their sons and they will make a tour where they have been before to show the sons something about canoeing and outdoor life and some Bushcraft. We love when guests return after several years and really like that they show their children something of nature and canoeing.

1000 kilometer done.

Some weeks ago we had a visit of a father with his 9 years old daughter. They store some food and equipment for their journey and yesterday I got the information that they have made 1000 km around I Värmland and part of Dalsland in their kayak. There are still kilometres to be paddle for them before the tour is finish. 

I have never heard of canoers made so long tour in the area and it with my deepest respect and I have been on a professional basis, a canoe outfitter since 1956 almost 60 years. So sometimes I´m wondering when people complain after a short tour, what they are thinking of hard work in a canoe.

I do hope to see them another time at Nordmarken Canoe Center.

Det skal börjas i tid.

  I år har vi märkt en tilltagande ny trend. Vid många tillfällen har vi haft pappa och son/söner på kortare kanotturer. Det har även varit flera fäder tillsammans med sina söner och allt har fungerat mycket bra. Ungdomarna får sig några fina friluftsäventyr och som farfars far tycker jag att de är undan från den elektroniska världen några dygn och utan allt för svår abstinens och det behövs. Riktigt kul att det ofta är fäder från närområdet Värmland -  Norra Dalsland som lär ungdomarna att ”gå in för at gå ut”.

Now animal is comming closer.

The wilderness is closing in. Yesterday another wild board came across our Base Camp. On evening drive we can see large moose on some of the wheat field nearby. Some weeks ago we had a lynx with 3 cubs a few kilometres south of our camp. So we have real nature around Nordmarken Canoe Center

Summer is comming to the canoe area Nordmarken,

After a period of not so fine weather we can see a opening the next days starting on Tuesday 11/8 with a nice summer period..We have some free canoes so you can make a booking shorter or a bit longer, it´s up to You to take a tour in canoe in “The Real Canoe Country” Nordmarken in Värmland. Sweden. Welcome.

Real canoer on tour.

This week there has been a solo canoe on the lakes in Nordmarken. A member of The Macfie Canoe Club (I’m one of them) have paddle almost every lake east of Gustavsfors. Västra Silen and Östra Silen from Krokfors to the south and to the north as training for the Canoe Marathon on Saturday. Cover long distance in a solo canoe takes a man to do that but he has long experience and is born in Canada, the home of the Canadian canoe. We are proud to have him years after years as our guest on the Base Camp in Risviken. He spend most of his free time in a canoe during the summer.

Return business after 10 and 25 years amazing.

.

This morning a couple came back after I canoe tour for some days. The man with his Jeep was our guest 10 years ago with a Christian group for wilderness training at some of our property.

The other couple took off for a canoe tour and the man was our guest with some friends 25 years ago. I was told that they just have been remarried again and will have I journey in the canoe area Nordmarken to celebrate the event. They also give me gratings from friends who has been our guests several times years ago. Nice to have repeat business.

Back again in Nordmarken

The family was our guests first time 1997 and have made several canoe tours in the area since that. No out again for I fine tour with their son to teach him and show what outdoor life is about.

The couple is also back as our guests. He was here seven times before and she is back for the third time. They came back to day after a week with some rain and some crowded camps in Foxen Lake.

Tillbaka igen trots extremt dåligt väder, men det klarade vi.

De senaste dagarna har vädret inte varit på vår sida. Blåst, skyfall, blixtnedslag med förstörd terminal och en massa annat.  Trots detta hade vi en 48 personers grupp på ett stort multisportarrangemang med nattliga orienteringar, tävlingar i en del olika grenar. Långdistans paddling på tid i Montreal kanoterna. Inlagda moment med simning och så vidare med terräng förflyttning i svår terräng runt Risviken och Nordmarkens Kanot Center. 4 st. 12-mannagrupper gjorde upp i ädel tävlan där tre grupper kom på samma slutpoäng och tyvärr kom en grupp strax efter med mycket liten marginal till segrarna.

Denna grupp har till delar varit här tidigare på Nordmarkens Kanot Center för liknande övningar två gånger förut. Trots intensivt skyfall fungerade gruppen till 100% men det var mycket torkning av kläder och skor.

22,500 kilometer in Bike- WOW

A young couple took a year of for a bike tour in Europe They started in Switzerland; want to Spain, Italy, Hungary and country around there. Up to Poland and the Baltic state, Finland, Norway and into Sweden where we had the couple for some days Sweden. At their arrival to us they have a distance of 16,500 kilometres and they will add about 6,000 more before they are home again after about a full year on Bike. I call that a great tour and they have my deepest respect. Sometimes, in my work as a canoe outfitter, I run into people who complain if they have to walk a short distance to go further in the nature, so now I have a reminder of distance to cover, just mention these young fantastic couple and their journey around almost all of Europe.

They have my deepest respect very well done.

 

Mom at home! Dad and Son in the Wilderness !

This group have been our guests several times-All from the same company and the manager arrange almost every year a Father and Son tour at Nordmarken Canoe Center. The Company have had training for the staff and different families have been here in our Wilderness House Bockudden several times.  The young ones is now so good canoers so they paddle them self with a good experience it´s learning by doing- Well done. Sorry about all the rain.

Third generation on wilderness tour.

This early morning four young men came to Nordmarken Canoe Center. One of them was the third generation on tour in Nordmarken His father and grandfather have been our guest since 1980 and the father of one of the party will be back later in august with some friends to a wilderness tour.

We gave them a warning because very bad weather is coming in with lots of rain (you can deal with that) but also extreme hard wing, so they was told to go to camp early this afternoon. Some have been and the same tour to remote area before so they know the drill.

Summer will come to the canoe area.

Sometimes ago it was winter in Nordmarken. Right now they call it summer but as far as I can see we haven’t got so much warmer this summer. But it will some in a few days. We are looking forward to a fine month of August. Picture is taken two winters ago north of Nordmarken Canoe Center  

Börjar man bli gammal?

I söndags hände det en del roliga och trevliga grejor på Nordmarkens Kanot Center. Först kom det en bil med en äldre herre som frågade om han fick gå runt och titta, Givetvis sa vi. När tittningen var klar tog han fram ett album med bilder och visa nr han var här för 35 år sedan med sin skolklass.

Medan vi pratade kom ett par och sa att de var för sig för ca 40 år sedan var våra kunder till kanottur i Nordmarken här hos oss. Sedan har de träffats och kommit på att de varit här tidigare var för sig. Det har hänt liknande förut ett par gånger med just par.

Personligen tycker jag att det inte var så läge sedan de var våra gäster, det är kanske minnet som spökar lite.

Många av våra gäster även denna vecka är tidigare kunder. 

Stora träd eller ?

I går måndagen den 20 juli körde vi en av våra programpunkter. ”Skogshuggare för en dag”- 8 deltagare var med, en del vuxna  och ett par ungdomar deltog under dagen. Meningar är att lära folk hantera skarpa verktyg och att fälla träd, såga upp, klyva och stapla. Meningen är att man lär sig hur farligt det är att inte hantera verktygen på rätt sätt. Nu är det inte meningen att våra gäster ute på kanottur skall praktisera, det får vänta tills man kommer hem till sommarstugan, eller får lov av en markägare.

Bilden visar ett av träden vi fällde! nej jag skojar , vi fällde ganska små träd som ungdomarna kunde hantera.

More animals in the canoe area,

When you paddle in small groups 1 or 2 canoes you can come to remote areas where you can see a lot of different animals. One of our guests went on a solo tour for the fourth time and he found on a small island a large beaver cut. On some places in the lake system large bus groups arrive or go home and all going out almost at the same time with a lot of noise, and they see nothing, and we who live here can show point of high interest. That’s the advantage dealing with local canoe outfitters with many years of professional experience, Canoing is not sitting around a campfire making food, drink and make noice adn disturbe nature and others . But it happens, sorry about that.

You always learn something in the Wilderness.

This father was her for tour number six with his children. They made a long tour but the last day they run into severe storm, all waves was white on the top. From Bufjorden ca 8 km south of the Canoe Center in Risviken there was no possibilities to paddle with 4 people in one canoe.

Long-time experience after several tours in Nordmarken and a good deal of information from us during the years, they made a very good decision. They went to Bottnane, put the canoe on the canoe wheels and start walking the 8 kilometres to Base Camp. Had a quick lunch on camp 2 and a hot shower before take-off to Denmark.

That’s the way of common sense in bad weather. There have been some situation this year with groups and private people run into problem and the main thing has been, going out in wind condition with little experience and you will capsize.  So stay at shore when it’s windy.  “No Indian never drown on land”. Well done Fleming and crew.

Deep Respect.

After more than 50 years as a canoe outfitter I met today a father with his little daughter of 10 years. Several weeks ago the store 4 package with food and some equipment and told us they will be on a 45 days canoe tour in the area of Nordmarken and a bit of eastern Norway. The came to day to our Base Camp for one night and to get supply after  they have made a distance of 430 km, 22 portages where one was 18 kilometres and it was made in heavy rain. Tomorrow they will continue paddling to Vänern via Dalslands Canal adding more distance and I think they will made more than 500 km in the canoe.

This is the longest tour ever made by canoers in the area the last 50 years.  Long time ago there was a young boy on his own paddling from Stockholm to Bergen in Norway. At Lake Foxen he found my wilderness hat I have forgotten the year before.

There are many stories to be told at the camp fire after so long time as a canoe outfitter but this tour have my deepest respect and will be told several times when guests talking about “long “ tours and difficulties. 

Small problem, but everything was OK at the ending,

The group with two adults and six young one was here for the second time. They had a hard time due to very bad weather with storm. They had to stop their tour south of Töcksfors and we got the canoes at Västra Fågelvik and took them back to the Canoe Center where they stayed some extra days,

The other photo are a family who have been as our guests the last 11 years since the daughters was very young and they will come back next year we were told. They had paddle against the wind almost the whole week but had a good tour. Some complain about fresh fire wood on some of the camps. At arrival they had a flat tire on the car but we got some help in Årjäng and when they returned to Base Camp in Risviken the tire was fixed.

STAPELEN

Det finns ingenting bedrägligt med en vedstapel. Den förlorar inte i värde på börsen. Den rostar inte. Den tar inte ut skilsmässa. Den bara står där och gör en enda sak-väntar på vintern. Ett kapitalkonto som påminner om dig om arbetet du lagt ned på den. Gråkalla januaridagar kommer klamparna att väckas till liv de vardagarna du sågade, klöv, staplade och ordnade inför kylan. Du minns den vresvuxna kubben som vägrade att låta sig besegras av yxan. Där är det där vedstycket som hamnade snett så att hela stapelen rasade. Där är du. Men nu är det snart vinter och du ska in i eldstaden.

(citat från Lars Myttings bok VED) och jag håller med till 100% 
Det är en del av vår tid när vi inte arbetar med kanotuthyrning och friluftsliv för våra kunder.

Kul familjeäventyr.

Det nya för året med B&B fungerar bra. Vi hade en far med två tonåringar på ett kombinations äventyr i 3 dygn. Dag 1 gick åt till fiske och man fångade abborre i viken vid Kanot Centret i närheten av en risvase vi gjort för ett par år sedan. Nöjda killar trots att det var fadern som fångade fiskarna. En som var för liten släpptes tillbaka i vattnet.

På kvällen älg safari och vi såg ensam älgko + en älgko med en liten kalv, Ett par rådjur och en jagande räv var skörden denna kväll.

Vi hade också några timmar med överlevnadsteknik och uppgöraande av eld med primitiva metoder,

Sista natten blev det övernattning i vindskydd med en värmande eld framför som tändes med eldstål. Klart godkänt

Bra med B&B så kan man ha det lite bekvämt, få en rejäl frukost och ägna dagen  till olika aktiviteter.

Return after 39 years WOW!

39 years ago this couple was at Nordmarken Canoe Center in Risviken for a 10 day Canoe tour with their two daughters. They return yesterday evening in a camper and just want to see where they have been so many years ago. We do have a VIP camp where they could park a few meters from the lake where they paddle so many years ago. It’s so nice to meet guests who have been hare so many years ago. It happens often now a days.   

Early bird take of

Early morning when the sun is a little bit over the horizon this small group to off from Nordmarken Canoe Center.  One in the party has been our guest 4 times and the other two times. They like to start early and are happy that they don’t have to wait in line for getting the canoes and equipment and that we have time for give proper information on their canoe tour with a cop of coffee before they stat I fine weather.

They like our Homepage and our Facebook and are following it almost every day we were told. Nice information for us.

13 is a bad number

Number 13 is a bad number. This family has been our guests twelve times before since 1968 and now back for tur number thirteen. On arrival after a fine tour from Danmark in a car they got a flat tire, air slowly got out of the tire. When we have small groups to go, we have time and can give service right on and had to do so. The father had no tools to remove the flat wheel of and no tools to lift the car, he got it only a few days ago. We spend some minutes with our tools to help and on Monday I will take the wheel to a repair shop to get it fixed. So they got out on the canoe tour after a short while. This is the advantages with small groups. I have permission to tell the story.

Man kan fundera ?

Nu när sommaren äntligen har kommit har vi haft lite udda gäster. Pappa med son eller söner på 3-5 dagar kanottur i Nordmarken- De på bilden var ute och kom hem lite undrande varför att kanotister från ett sydligt grannland till Danmark ockuperar lägerplatserna. Det är två personer vid ett vindskydd.  De har spänt upp en lång lina nära stranden hängt upp kläder, handduker och spridit ut sin utrustning så att det verkligen är BESETTS. Man förstår inte att lägerplatserna och vindskydden är till för alla, och att man måste ge plats för kanotister som inte lägger till redan på förmiddagen för att få vara ensamma Efter nu mera än 50 års paddlande årligen i området tycker jag att detta är oacceptabelt och hoppas att de som gör tillsyn förklara för folk vad som gäller. Man är inte på Kanarieöarna och markerar sin solstol kl. 0600 på morgonen med handdukar som vissa gör.

Då det varit några fina kvällar med fullmåne tog fadern en del fina bilder som vi får tillgång till senare och han har även del i en del bilder på vår hemsida www.nordkanot.se och mera kommer.

One step ahead.

Members of SCOA. Scandinavian Canoe Outfitter Association, are often out on tour by canoe or boat in the region Dalsland - Nordmarken. We want to focus on service to guests who have hired canoes from the members of the Association SCOA. You can recon us by looking on our jacket in red and with the logo on the jacket. We can provide service to our guest but also help others who need assistance. We do all live in the region for ages and know a bit more than temporary guides. So talk to us if you see us. We do keep an eye on the nature  for benefit to the landowners and other guests.