Winter Photography

I find that winter presents some great opportunities for nature photography in James Bay Frontier. Despite all the snow, there are some cool colors going on out there. The only problem is that when it's too cold the batteries in your camera wear down faster. If you have some older cameras ( like I do) there's also the danger of your film breaking inside the camera due to the extreme cold in this region. I did some photo work in the Eastern Arctic and found that some cameras will just freeze up. Luckily I was using a classic Nikon F2a that had special lubricants for Arctic weather.

Winter Getaway Contest

Tourism Ontario is hosting a pretty nice contest where you can win a winter getaway vacation at a deluxe resort in Huntsville. To enter the contest, you have to sign up at the Ontario Travel website. That's it. Sign up and enter. You might win. Tell ya one thing for sure ... if you don't sign up, you can't win. So check out the Winter In Ontario website. The contest draw is on February 20th, 2007.

Snowshoeing in James Bay Frontier

Mother Nature has finally come around with some great winter weather. There are those who like to huddle with a blanket, a book and a pot of tea. But this sort of weather also brings out the adventurous spirit in so many Northerners. I was able to trek about five kilometres Sunday. It was cold but the sunshine was glorious. The great thing about the northern bush is that it sure seems big enough for everyone. We saw moose tracks, snowmobile tracks and even cross country ski tracks.

Snow on the trails...

It's going to be a good week on the snowmobile trails in James Bay Frontier. We had lots of cold and snow on the weekend and the forecast calls for more of that kind of weather for several days ahead. Local riders have been out checking their favorite trails. Some long-distance sledders have also been arriving in town. Before you go, it's always best to check trail conditions through the OFSC website. If you need more detailed information, you can always call the James Bay Frontier office at 1-800-461-3766, toll free from anywhere in North America.

Passport rules...

Just back in from the fishing show in Detroit. It was nice to meet so many Americans seeking an outdoor adventure vacation in Northern Ontario. The passport issue was being talked about a lot. This is a matter of concern to tourist operators who rely heavily on American visitors. Those Americans will need a passport, not necessarily to get into Canada, but more importantly to get back home into the United States. Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable. This will be amended in 2008 to require passports for all persons who enter the U.S. by any means; land, water or air. ( source:US State Dept. website). On the other hand, if you are a US citizen entering Canada from the United States, you need two pieces of identification. One should be a photo ID; the other should be a birth certificate. If you are a citizen of another country, you will need a passport. Full details are available at the Passport Canada website at: http://www.pptc.gc.ca/

JBF in Detroit

We are at the Ultimate Fishing Show in Novi, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, this weekend. We are meeting with lots of potential tourists who are seeking outdoor adventure in Canada. The Americans always have nice things to say about Canada. They like the fishing, the fresh air and the friendly people.

SnowTrax Television back in the North!

The Kapuskasing-Moonbeam area is living up to its reputation as being the first to open and the last to close when it comes to great snowmobiling. That message wasn’t lost to veteran snowmobile broadcaster John Massingberd (second from left) this weekend who took the SnowTrax Television crew to James Bay Frontier. The group is spending a few days in the region to videotape some new episodes. Producer-host Debbie Burke was there too. I met them for brunch Sunday at the Moonbeam Snowmobile clubhouse. They had been out riding and exploring trails for three hours. Not all trails are open however. Be sure to check the OFSC website for updates.