The “Schedule”, such as it is…

From its inception in 2008, the Rendezvous was very deliberately intended to be a relaxed, informal gathering where solo canoe paddlers, designers, and manufacturers could come together for a couple days and just “mess about in boats”. We wanted it to be an opportunity for folks to test-paddle the very best of contemporary solo canoes, meet and hang out with fellow paddlers from all over, and simply enjoy the company of like-minded canoe folk without a packed schedule of activities. It is still so to this day, and so it shall remain.

To that end, there is very little structure at all to the event. It is flexible, and very much made-up-as-we-go in terms of scheduling specific activities. That said, there are some patterns to the event that have evolved over time, and these are worth mentioning – particularly for folks new to the event who may be coming from some distance to be here:

FRIDAY – this tends to be an “arrival day” with folks coming in gradually and setting up over the course of the day, renewing acquaintances, meeting folks, and putting canoes in the water. As the manufacturers arrive, their demo boats will be available for paddling as soon as they’re unloaded and set up along the shore. There are usually a few of our FreeStyle friends already on hand, and they’ll be happy to take some folks out for some basic FreeStyle instruction. A vegetarian pot-luck dinner happens around 6-ish under the Big Top (see Food page)

SATURDAY – is the Main Event. The various manufacturers’ demo boats are available to try out at all times, from dawn to dusk and beyond in both directions; we usually have some informal instruction in both basic solo paddling and in FreeStyle techniques available both morning and afternoon for those interested; There are always a number of privately owned boats (some perhaps for sale) that folks have brought along – some among them classic boats that you just don’t see around that often – which, with the owner’s permission, you might try out; sometimes a few rounds of Dead Fish Polo if folks are into it; there’s usually an Interpretive FreeStyle demonstration/exhibition sometime during the day; our regional WCHA chapter is always on hand with some beautifully restored wood/canvas canoes; we often have some sort of presentation/discussion by one or another of our vendors/guests on some aspect of canoe design, construction, history, use in real life, etc – this usually in the late afternoon or early evening; sometimes we’ll have a Candlelight Paddle, paddling to music amongst glowing buoys (milk jugs with glo-stix in ’em, actually) over the night-darkened pond – that is, if anyone is still awake and into it after twilight on a date so close the the summer solstice; and maybe whatever other canoe-related thing any of us happen to think up. Like I said, we make it up as we go…

SUNDAY – is a day of gradual departure. Demo boats are still available for a time during the morning, but as many of our folks have come from a significant distance and need to get on the road for the long journey back, they will begin packing up quite soon, so we “schedule” no events for Sunday. It is not uncommon that by mid-afternoon, the place is pretty much empty. So – if you can come for only one day, make it the Saturday.