Q: My child has never been to camp and has never been camping. Would that be an issue?
A: Campers need no prior knowledge or experience to participate in our trips. Our trip leaders will teach them all that they need to know, including canoe paddling skills.
Q: My child has never been away from home and is nervous about it. Should he still go?
A: Honestly, that depends. Being nervous about leaving home for the first time is normal and all Tripper Dave's staff are familiar with homesickness. If your child is just a bit nervous and needs only encouragement, then by all means send him! However, you shouldn't force your child to attend a canoe trip if they really don't want to go.
Q: My child is a weak swimmer. Is it safe to attend a canoe trip?
A: It is not ideal, but doable, as long as your child is comfortable in water. Campers will always wear a life jacket when canoeing, and may also wear it while swimming. Swimming at the campsites is not permitted without direct staff supervision.
Q: How long are the trips?
A: Trips are five days in length. Campers meet at Dave's house in Mississauga at 8:00 am Monday morning and will return to Mississauga sometime Friday evening. Dave updates his home answering message on Friday to indicate the expected arrival time.
Q: Can my son bring a pocket knife on trip?
A: We do not recommend bringing knives on trip. Items such as knives often get lost, there is the potential for injury, and they are a prime target for small forest animals looking for trouble.
Q: Can my child bring an iPod or mobile phone?
A: If you wish to send an electronic device for use in the van, they you may do so; however, we will not be responsible if they are lost or stolen. With the exception of watches and flashlights, no electronics are brought into the interior of the park. An important part of the experience is getting away from electronics!
Q: Does my child need any expensive clothing or equipment?
A: We provide most equipment including dry bags, packs, sleeping bags, thermorest pads, life jackets, canoe paddles, sunscreen, bug repellent, and fishing gear. Campers just need to bring the items listed in the Packing List, which you can download under the "Forms" tab. One item you may need to purchase is a rain coat.
Q: What will the campers be doing every day?
A: In the mornings, campers change into their tripping clothes and pack their sleeping bags and dry clothing in their dry bags. After breakfast, they assist in taking down the tents and loading the canoes. We then begin the day's paddling! As we travel, we often find time to jump in the lake or play in the creek, and stop somewhere along the way for lunch. Each route brings different things to see and do. Of course, each route also brings portages! Our smallest portage is 10 meters, and the longest we've ever done is 5.6 km! The route is chosen to suit the ages of the campers. On portages, campers carry a pack along with their paddle and life jacket. Although physically demanding, nothing feels better than successfully defeating a portage! When we arrive at our site, we set up the tents and usually spend time swimming. After that, campers often fish, collect firewood, play games in the forest, or try their hand at soloing a canoe. When the sun sets, we always have a campfire where we share songs and stories, and roast marshmallows. If the night is clear, stargazing is a favourite night time activity.
Q: What do the campers eat on trip?
A: Breakfast is usually bagels and cream cheese or peanut butter, breakfast bars, pop tarts, fruit or pancakes. Lunch is generally a selection of wraps including tuna, salami and cheese, or peanut butter and jam. The dinner menu is chosen by the campers at a pre-trip meeting, and may include hot dogs, spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, tacos, chicken rice, and pizza. Various snack foods will also be made available throughout the day and around the campfire in the evening.
Q: Should I send food or snacks?
A: If you'd like to send something to snack on in the van, that's fine. Bringing snacks into the park is not necessary. All food must fit into our food barrels which are usually totally full at the start of a trip. Don't worry, we always pack enough food. Trent gets grumpy if you don't feed him!
Q: Are there bears in the park?
A: Yes, there are black bears in Algonquin. We certainly take precautions to avoid any contact with bears. All food is sealed in barrels at night and stored away from the tents. Each staff also has a can of bear repellent in their tent with them, which after 20 years we have never had to use.
Q: Can I phone during the week to make sure things are going well?
A: Cell phones do not work in the interior of Algonquin Park. We do carry an inReach 2-way satellite communicator with us for emergency use only. We cannot receive incoming phone calls.
Q: Will the bugs be bad?
A: By July most of the black flies are gone and we only have to deal with the mosquitoes. We bring bug repellent, and encourage wearing long pants, long sleeves, and socks at dusk when the bugs are most active. We bring a large bug shelter for everyone to use when needed, but the bugs just aren't bad enough most nights to warrant it. As the summer progresses, the nights become cooler and the bug population decreases.
