Piragis Northwoods Company
105 North Central Avenue
Ely, Minnesota 55731
1-800-223-6565
www.piragis.com
May 24, 2010
Your Friends in the Great Northwoods

News from Piragis Northwoods Company and the BoundaryWatersCatalog.com:

"Thanks for another great outfitting job.  I have all the gear I need for BWCA trips except the kevlar canoe.  Your equipment is always top notch.  I liked the new carbon paddles and the new life vests.  In fact, I bought the one I wore on the trip.  My nephew Matt is 24 and this was  his second trip.  We did one seven years ago, again renting the canoe from you. 
 
We were lucky on the weather and the fishing this trip.  We got excellent tips from your fishing guide Aaron Chick.  Some of the holes he recommended yielded good fishing, and those that did not were probably due to our technique and time of day we were there.  We also enjoyed listening to the wolf pack from our campsite on Clear Lake.
 
Your staff seems to be uniformly excellent and super friendly and helpful.  I can't suggest improvement:  just keep it up. I do have one suggestion.  I support the Friends of the Boundary Waters organization and feel that everyone who enjoys this wonderful place should do something to help protect it." Karen Thom



SunSplash Canoe and Kayak Try Before You Buy Days this Weekend

Saving at SunSplash Memorial Day Weekend May 28 - 30

This year at SunSplash Canoe and Kayak Tryout days on the water in Ely, You are going to save 10% off on New Canoes, New Kayaks and New Paddling Gear. It will be a fantastic weekend to 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. If you purchase a new canoe this weekend we'll give you some hands on paddling clinic time with George Arimond. He's a great instructor of the efficient paddle stroke! (Read his article here)

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 28: Noon to 5 p.m.
Saturday May 29: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday May 30: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

How do I get to Ely? and Piragis Northwoods Company?



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.




Take an African Safari with Steve Piragis
LIONS, LEOPARDS, RHINO AND ELEPHANTS

Special Piragis Group Trip to Africa Nov. 2 – 15.

Trip Cost per person from Maun $7566. Estimated Cost of Airfare on Delta from Atlanta $1600 rt

Botswana, in the center of the south of the African Continent, is among the earth’s best preserved ecosystems. It’s a world away from North America, almost a different planet with its amazing variety of animals. In two weeks on our tour you’ll see all the major game animals, a dozen or more antelope species, perhaps 200 varieties of birds and live for a time in three distinct ecosystems. The camps of the our host company, Wilderness Safaris, are clean, comfortable, well stocked with food and drink and always located in the private parts of the national parks.

You fly to Johannesburg South Africa via Atlanta and on to Maun, Botswana. We’ll visit 3 remote camps in the Okavango Delta, the Chobe National Park and the Zambezi River. After a visit to spectacular Victoria Falls we fly down stream to Mana Pools National Park and 3 days of paddling and camping along the Zambezi River. Our adventure in Africa is specially designed for our group to experience the best of the best in southern Africa in 13 days. You may never want to leave and I’m sure you’ll want to come back.

Please call me personally to discuss this trip. The group is limited to 7 guests and me as liaison to be sure all your needs are met.

To adventure in Africa call me on my cell at 218 343-3294 or email to steve@piragis.com




Get the Lead out! Read more on our Blog!

"Lead is a toxic metal that, in sufficient quantities, has adverse effects on the nervous and reproductive systems of mammals and birds. Found in most fishing jigs and sinkers, this metal is poisoning wildlife such as loons and eagles.



But there is hope. There are alternatives to traditional lead tackle. Anglers can now use sinkers and jigs made from non-poisonous materials such as tin, bismuth, steel, and tungsten-nickel alloy — and they can find them at established sporting goods retailers and on the Internet.

 Read the rest here at our BLOG:
http://piragisnorthwoodscompany.blogspot.com/



From the Outfitting Desk:

The Boundary Waters is the place to be these days. We've had some rain and the fire ban has officially been lifted. Extend your stay from Sunsplash and come on up and get a quick trip in before the summer season begins. The fish are beginning to pound the topwater baits and the water is (thanks to our prematurely warm days) warm enough to swim in.

Keep in mind that it’s best to reserve your permit and canoes ahead of time. Certain dates this summer are getting very full and we want to help you out in the best way possible.

We rent screened-tarps for $14 per day. They can be a lifesaver during the bug season (it is here!). Call to reserve one today. Quantities are limited.

We still have space on our Guided Group Trips. Join in the fun and sign up today.

http://www.piragis.com/outfitting/guidedgrouptrips.html

Call Bert or Drew at 1-800-223-6565 with any outfitting needs you have. We look forward to seeing you in Ely this summer and sending you off on a great journey.

Adventurous regards,

The Outfitting Staff

e-mail Drew Brockett or Bert Heep with questions and to plan your Canoe Trip today.




Two New Websites to help you with Paddles and Maps

We're proud to announce that we've developed and launched piragispaddles.com and boundarywatersmaps.com to help you purchase the maps and paddles you need for your Boundary Waters adventures. Sizing a paddle correctly and getting the right maps for your trips are big deals. We want to give you all the tools necessary to do this on your own, but please realize if for any reason, you ever want to call us and talk to a real live person who paddles the Boundary Waters, we're here for you. That is the heart of our business. We hope this avenue of customer assistance and service helps you and provides a valuable online source of information. Check them out when you get time!



Each site has valuable information in easy to find places. We will add to this content as time goes on, making sure to include FAQs and helpful hints when choosing the equipment you need most to make your canoeing experiences the best they can be.



Worldwide Adventure Paddling now has a new Website!

Kim has been busy scheduling the 2010 lineup of new trips and revising his website. For some of the finest paddling adventures you'll ever see, check out http://www.funtripper.com



Enjoy $ALES at our Piragis Outlet Store when you come to Ely!

Each year we re-stock our Outlet Store (yes it was all gone except for a few items last summer). We search out the best values for summer clothing we can find and stock up on them. We contact our favorite shoe companies and come up with deals you can only believe when you're trying them on and falling off the chair with the right kind of sticker shock. This year is no exception. We've got the big building at the other side of our Outfitting Department nearly bursting at the seams. Kerri and Michelle and their staff have done a fantastic job merchandising all the new fashions for men and women and posting all those 40% off signs. Don't miss the opportunity to shop after your canoe trip this summer!

Of course if you live near Ely, just come up to shop. After Memorial Day, the Outlet will be open every day of the week. You know of course that our retail store here on the corner by the Chocolate Moose restaurant is open longer hours than any other store in town! 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

We've got you covered from Northwoods Gifts to the Northlands best Independent Bookstore, to a full-service canoe and kayak shop, to camping gear that is up to the task and don't forget the hidden gems like our Women's Fashion department that draws shoppers from Minneapolis on a weekly basis! (Oh yeah, our selection is that good!).



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