Kukagami News

May 2, 2011

April 30, 2011

Just enough water around the dock and shore to launch the Kayak! This ice was soft enough to paddle right through to the far shore.

April 29, 2011

The ice has melted around the sunny shorelines.

April 27, 2011

Rainy day in late April. Mist rising from the lake.

Apr 6, 2011

Every few years the lake conditions in April are just right for biking...and this year is it! Cold nights and warm days make for hard ice that is rough enough for good traction. For a couple of hours each morning the bicycling is great! AND there are no hills! Just be sure you aren't too far from home in the late morning when the ice surface starts to soften. You don't want to pedal through an inch of slush.

Mar 27, 2011

everything about lake ice

Kukagami Environment Watch March 27, 2011

KEWatch.blogspot.com

Ice!

If you ever spend time at the lake in April, you will be entranced with the amazing transformation as the ice gives way to water.

Last year it this time, the ice was nearly gone from the lake. The spring of 2011 is just the opposite. In these last days of March, the ice continues to get thicker with each frigid night. Soon though, the ice will begin to melt.

Here is an amazing website that has everything you ever wanted to know about ice forming and melting...and more! Have a look at Lake Ice from a Recreational Perspective.

Website and Newsletter.

The Website is updated randomly through the year – so check for new information and photos! Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below.

If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to kewatch@gmail.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.

Dec 23, 2010

December 2010 Area News

Kukagami Environment Watch December 2010

www.KEWatch.blogspot.com kewatch@gmail.com

WINTER NIGHT ON KUKAGAMI
Snowflakes fall from the starlit sky,
Gently to earth, but not to die.
They settle on boughs of pine-scented trees,
I sniff the air and let out a LOUD sneeze!
It's crisp and cool, actually quite nippy,
My bare toes hit the water, it's hot oh yippee!
I lower my aching bones in the steamy night,
Lamppost winking, dressed in a red bow...a delight.
Not a creature is stirring, well.... maybe a mouse!
Christmas lights glowing and twinkling around the house.
So peaceful and quiet out here in the bush,
Just sitting in the hot tub, warming my tush!

by Vicki Thurlow

Kukagami Ice!

YES! The lake is all tucked in for the winter. Freeze-up began in early December. Most of the lake froze over once the 5-day northwest wind finally died down on December 9^th. But two big holes remained. Another 4 days of wind made the open water spaces bigger. That wind died down on December 15^th, and the biggest hole froze over with clear beautiful ice! The last open water was seen on December 17^th, near the southwest end of the lake in association with pressure ridges that rippled the ice.

And then came snow….

Kukagami Lake December 16, 2010

International Year of Biodiversity A year of celebration, action, and hope.

Biodiversity refers to the variety of different species in our region. From the tiniest snowflea to the largest forest mammal, the moose, all species play a part in the health of our ecosystems.

Living by Water: Winter Edition This link has great information! Be sure to protect your investment at the lake and our environment with these great tips from Nature Canada's Living by Water Seasonal Guide.

Remember that we too are an integral part if the biodiversity of our planet. We can preserve it, not only for ourselves and our future generations, but also for all other species with which we share this planet.

Communications Update

Here's a breakdown of comparative costs for connecting to the internet in our remote location. Over the past few years, several residents have invested in satellite technology. This past year Bell and Rogers have introduced a new option called the "Hub" that works off the cell phone towers. (This is not a stick that plugs into the computer.)

Which is better, satellite or Hub?

Like most internet and phone "plans", it can be very difficult to compare one to another because they offer slightly different options. This chart is a simplification.

Satellite (Xplornet)

$199 includes equipment and installation.

Surcharge for driving to the location.

$99 activation fee

Two year contract.

$50 to $60/month

limited to 200 to 350 mb per day

30 day return policy

The monthly plan chosen determines the speed of the connection. It is not fast enough to download movies.

New Technology is coming "soon" that will speed up the connection. New rates will be based on use. (perhaps $5/gb). Current subscribers will be able to tap into this.

Phone service is available through VOIP (voice over internet protocol), but you can't be on the computer at the same time.

Moderate quality.

The satellite dish needs a clear southwest exposure. Must be installed by a professional.

A separate router is required for wireless connections.

Go to www.xplornet.ca for details and local retailers.

Rigid installation.

Hub Rogers or Bell

$149 for the basic "Hub" (no installation required, it plugs into the wall)

$35 activation fee

Two year contract.

$35/month for up to 3 gb

$45/month for up to 5 gb

$60/month for up to 10 gb

13 or 15 day return policy (Bell/Rogers)

Fast enough to download movies, but because the rate is based on use, this could become very expensive.

This system is currently in use at various locations on Kukagami. Some need an antenna to boost the signal, and some don't.

Phone service available for $15 (Rogers) to $20 (Bell) a month. Includes call answer, call waiting, etc. Excellent quality.

The Hub is about the size of a paperback book and plugs into the wall. (Simple!) It automatically makes a wireless internet connection...if there is a good signal from the nearest cell phone tower. If there is not a good signal, you can attach an antenna to your roof to improve the signal. The antenna along with requisite cables and connectors cost about $225.

Call a Rogers or Bell dealer in Sudbury for more details. The best deal on the antenna is through http://www.nerdsonsite.com/ , (877-696-3737) because they have a longer and heavier cable for the antenna than is available in Sudbury.

Can be easily moved between camp/town.

In summary, the Hub is less expensive if you don't do massive downloading. Satellite is complicated to install, and a slower connection. Some people have had to replace the modem for the satellite, which is more expensive than the original installation. The Hub has been in use here since March 2010, and users note it is faster than the satellite.

If you have more information on internet at the lake, drop a note to kewatch@gmail.com and we'll pass it along to our Kukagami neighbours.

Blog from the cranberry bog!!

Cranberries

Yup – I'm combining blog memories from the fall and Christmas. I just pulled another quart of cranberries (not metric when it comes to cooking) from the freezer to make loaves which still leaves me with enough for my cranberry sauce to go with the "bird' on December 25^th. This year cranberries were best the weekend before Thanksgiving. Cranberries are to be found in many swamps and shores of the lakes and often grow right into the water. It is great fun trying to find them –the program is to put on your rubber boots and wander down to your nearest swamp, crouch down, lift a few tendrils and then low and behold – a few jewel-red berries that lurk underneath will suddenly jump out at you. Once you find a few, then they seem to magically appear under every mini vine. Cranberries are easier to pick than blueberries as they are 5x the size. Locations of fishing holes and cranberry bogs however, are on the "then I'll have to kill you" list – so don't ask where they are!

Freeze-up

The main part of Kukagami lay open for most of the week of Dec 10^th as the wind north wind howled down the lake keeping ice from forming while smaller bays and Klondike were frozen over. It was getting consistently colder and the water was getting "supercooled". The wind finally stopped the night of 14^th and by the next morning –the main part of the lake was frozen over with clear, smooth black ice. Now – a week later with over 4" of "glass" and a fine dusting of snow the skating is superb.

In Ottawa –where they skate on the Rideau Canal they have invented the 'canal blade'. It consists of a long blade 15" that is mounted with cross country ski bindings. Consequently you can wear your cross country ski boots –so your feet don't end up killing you. My perverse little mind loves to go skating with others on regular skates as I can take one or two strides for every 4-5 of theirs! Ha! –

Trees

Did you get your Christmas tree yet? Balsam fir is the best when it comes to long lasting. I put up my 12 foot tree Nov 30 and have not lost a needle!! (a few marbles maybe but no needles)

Have a safe and happy Christmas

...from cranberry blogger who may get into some grog! (aka MW)

Website and Newsletter

The KEW newsletter is published quarterly, and sent by email to any interested person. Paper copies can be provided to residents upon request. Drop a note to Kukagami Environment Watch, 432 Fox Road, Wahnapitae, ON, P0M 3C0.

If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to kewatch@gmail.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.

Nov 1, 2010

November Update

Kukagami Environment Watch November 2010

www.kewatch.blogspot.com kewatch@gmail.com

Mining Information Update

The Kukagami Campers association has organized a meeting with the mining company that is currently active along the Kukagami and Matagamasi Roads. If you want to learn more about the company, and their plans for our area, please attend!

TRUECLAIM EXPLORATION INFORMATION NIGHT

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2010 - 7:00 PM

COLONIAL INN - CONISTON

Communications Update

Technology is rapidly changing in today's world. Whereas most Kukagami residents didn't even have a telephone at the lake 25 years ago, now most have some kind of internet connection that is a part of daily life. It started with dial-up connections 15+ years ago, a connection so slow that you could cook dinner while waiting for something to appear. About 4 years ago, satellite internet came at a very high cost, but did allow fairly fast net connections. Lots of people signed up for satellite service as the price dropped over the years.

Now, the newest way to connect to the internet comes as a "Hub". Both Rogers and Bell have made this technology available to anyone within cell-phone range...and beyond!

The Hub costs about $150, is about the size of a paperback book and plugs into the wall. It takes just a minute to make a wireless internet connection...if there is a good signal from the nearest cell phone tower. If there is not a good signal, you can attach an antenna to your roof to improve the signal, or get a cell phone booster. The antenna along with requisite cables and connectors costs about $225, the booster cost over $350.

Call a Rogers or Bell dealer in Sudbury for more details. The best deal on the antenna is through www.nerdsonsite.com , (877-696-3737) because they have a longer and heavier cable for the antenna than is available in Sudbury.