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Piragis Northwoods Company
 105 North Central AvenueEly, Minnesota 55731 1-800-223-6565 www.piragis.com May 7, 2009 Your Friends in the Great Northwoods News from Piragis Northwoods Company and the BoundaryWatersCatalog.com:
Happy Mother's Day and Minnesota Walleye Fishing Opener This Weekend! |
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Not so Common Trail Sense
Saving at SunSplash. By Tim Stouffer May 15-17, Friday afternoon through Sunday is the best and only time all year that you can save 10% on new canoes and kayaks. It's also your chance to save even more money on what we call BLEMS and CLOSEOUTS. These are canoes and kayaks that might have a cosmetic blemish somewhere on the hull or may just be older models that we're discounting. There is nothing structurally wrong with any of these craft. SunSplash is more than a SALE though. The weekend is a chance to test paddle for free any canoes and/or kayaks you'd like. Just like test driving cars, you can test paddle and compare canoes to see which you're more comfortable in. You can compare how they handle, how they track and how they turn. If the weather is as unpredictable as Minnesota weather usually is, you'll get a chance to see how different models handle in bigger waves and wind. If we get a warm, calm weekend, you'll get to enjoy some time in the sun as you paddle to your heart's content. This is a fantastic opportunity to ask questions about canoes and kayaks for three days straight if you'd like, to learn all about the subtleties of design, to decide which canoe fits your needs. We'll have our best canoe staff and reps from Wenonah and Bell on hand to field questions and help with your decision making process. We'll have people on the water to help you launch and unload and even paddle with you if you can't bring a paddling partner along. We know that like never before it is important to save money and this weekend affords you that possibility like no other time during the year. Our new canoes, our new kayaks and our new gear is on sale all weekend and as we've already mentioned we've also got low, low prices on BLEMS and CLOSEOUTS. This year our hours down at Semer's Park Beach are: Friday May 15: Noon to 5 p.m. |
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Special Sale on Blemished (cosmetic only) Canoes
All canoes are structurally sound and fully warranted. Contact us about arranging delivery for $75 to $300 depending on distance from here.
MORE BLEMS NOW ON SALE These are selling quickly, call 1-800-223-6565 to get yours today.
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Bug-Proofing by Cliff Jacobson
Canoe any river in early spring, or any time after a warm rain and you've got bugs. It's the price nature extracts from paddlers for the good time she provides. Whether bugs are simply a pain or drive you totally insane depends upon your attitude and how you're outfitted.
If you’re heading north, you’d best be prepared for bugs. Indeed, it has been estimated that 95 percent of the protoplasm in the far north is in the bodies of black flies and mosquitoes! In the Boundary Waters Canoe Area that figure is probably closer to 50 percent—still, more than enough to drive you crazy if you’re not prepared. Mosquitoes, black flies, Deer flies (Bull dogs) and occasionally, no-see-ums and ticks are your major enemies. Horse flies and Deer flies are much larger than House flies. They are most annoying on hot, sunny days. High winds don’t stop them. They nip at your ankles and produce painful, bloody wounds that are easily infected. But they can't bite through thick socks (one reason why I always wear two pair) or two layers of clothing. Black flies, which are the size of rice grains, breed in fast water and are the most dreaded pests you're likely to encounter on a canoe trip. Quickly bypass rapids and falls if you see dark "nets" in the current that look like knee-high socks. These “socks” are developing black fly larvae! You’ll avoid most black flies if you don’t camp near moving water. |
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Guided Group Trips are a great deal on a packaged vacation:
"This was on our Fall Color trip with Steve Johnson. Steve made the trip very enjoyable!" Best Regards, Brian Mattson
Guided Trips Spotlight: This summer we've created two new canoe country guided group trips. Each year we offer several Guided Group Canoe Trips throughout the paddling season. These trips are Guided and Fully Outfitted. This means all you have to bring is your clothing, personal toiletries, fishing gear, and we do the rest. We provide lodging in Ely at the beginning and the end of the trip, permits, shuttles, guides, and all of your equipment. Trip Costs 2-4 Clients....$1195 plus tax 5-7 Clients....$995 plus tax Star Gazing Trip September 19 - 25, 2009  Loon Trip June 20 - 26, 2009  Piragis Guided Group Trips (6 days each): Fully Outfitted, Fully stocked with great food and our Best Guides. Includes first and last night's hotel room in Ely. Please feel free to call Bert Heep or Drew Brockett 1-800-223-6565 at your convenience. Smallmouth Bass Fishing: June 13 - 19 Loon Trip: June 20 - 26 Women Exploring Wilderness: July 11 - 17 Howling with Wolves: August 22 - 28 Star Gazing/Astronomy: September 19 - 25 Autumn Colors: September 26 - October 2 Call Bert or Drew today to reserve your spot on one of these trips today or for help planning your next wilderness canoe camping trip. 1-800-223-6565 to reserve your permits, canoes and gear today. |
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Would you like to contribute?
If you have Trip experiences and/or observations you'd like to share with other newsletter subscribers, email them to our webmaster. We would love to get your help with our e-newsletter. Please send a picture or two from your trips from the past and this year's trips after they happen, too. We will probably feature them in upcoming e-newsletters. Write a story about your entire trip, about a specific event, your favorite lake or route, how your kids enjoyed their first journey, how the wilderness makes you feel, what you like to cook in camp, or any number of things that make you want to share with other fellow paddlers. Send pictures of wildlife, scenery and big fish! Keep ‘em coming! Everyone likes to see pictures and read about other’s adventures up here. It will only fuel your fire to get back up here and take another canoe trip.
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Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival in Ely, May 8 at 7 p.m.
Looking for something to do in Ely the night before the fishing opener? Come to the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival, presented by the Friends and Piragis Northwoods Company. The event will feature award-winning films about environmental issues from all over the world, but many that connect directly to issues affecting the BWCAW and Minnesota’s natural resources. When: May 8, 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30) |
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Steve Piragis Honored
Ely business owner Steve Piragis has been honored by the Minnesota DFL Party for his work and advocacy on environmental issues.  Piragis won the DFL's 2009 Willard Munger Award for Distinguished Environmental Stewardship, and was recognized during the party's Hubert H. Humphrey Day Dinner last month in Minneapolis. click here for the rest of the story: http://www.elyecho.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&ArticleID=9582 |
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SunSplash Try Out Days and Sale coming May 15, 16 and 17
 This year at SunSplash Canoe and Kayak Tryout days on the water in Ely, we're going to feature our standard 10% off on New Canoes, New Kayaks and New Paddling Gear. We're also going to feature special deals on Wenonah Blem Canoes and Kayaks and as a special bonus we're going to mark down our "sale fleet" even more. It will be a fantastic weekend to save like never before on your choice of canoes and kayaks. It is always the best time of the year to try out, to test drive, test paddle for FREE any canoe and any kayak you like. Three days of free paddling usually finds you with a variety of weather conditions and lots of opportunity for FUN. To get paddling experience in a variety of canoes and be able to compare designs and functions, this is essential! Our no-nonsense approach to sales and service this weekend gives you one on one opportunities to "talk turkey" with our canoe sales people and reps from the manufacturers. We're on hand to answer any questions you might have, to teach basic paddling techniques and to, above all, make sure you fit the right canoe or kayak to your needs. In today's economy, more than ever, it is wonderful to be able to take advantage of super savings. We guarantee that SAVINGS is an integral part of the weekend! Friday May 15: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday May 16: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday May 17: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you need help with lodging for Sunsplash Weekend in Ely, contact Drew Brockett at 1-800-223-6565 and if you have questions about canoes or kayaks, contact Steve Schon. |
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Outfitting Update
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Is a true African Safari on your list of Dream Trips? Make it happen in 2009!
Only 2 spots left, sign up today for only $2500 plus airfare.
African safaris are frequently very expensive and lavish. But, there is an alternative to the high priced wine and cheese safaris. There is even a benefit to the less expensive tour. The group is tiny. We camp safely where the animals are and the other people are not. And, the chef is the guide, the company owner and the jeep driver all in one. I am looking for two or more clients to accompany me to Africa for a tour of Botswanna, South Africa and Zambia. The highlights include visiting 2 of the top 10 game reserves in Africa. Good chances of seeing Africa’s largest herds of wildebeest and zebra and the elephant eating lions of Savuti. We’ll visit Khama Rhino Reserve, Makgadigadi Gamer Reserve, Moreni Game Reserve of the Okavonga Delta and the famous Chobe National Park. Most nights we camp in safe, comfortable tents perched on platforms atop the jeeps. Sean Stones is our guide and chief cook. Some clients say the trip is worth it just for the campfire cooking. There are openings the last two weeks of September when the wildebeest migration just might be underway. 10 days in Botswana, 4 days in South Africa. This safari includes the following highlights; the scenic Waterburg region of South Africa, one of the largest reserves in Africa – The Central Kalahari, one of Africa’s most well known ‘Natural wonders’ – the Okavango Delta, the third largest Zebra and Wildebeest migration and two of Africa’s top 10 rated game reserves; Moremi game reserve on the shores of the Delta and Chobe game reserve in Northern Botswana. An excellent all round safari offering exceptional game viewing, Excellent birding, and a variety of changing ecosystems.
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