Each year that we host this Sociable we are surprised as we never know who will be coming or what is in store for us. This year the weather was looking really unsociable and we considered cancelling for a better time, then decided Friday morning to do it anyway and in between squalls we had a surprisingly good turn out.

I set the camp up Monday and no sooner was the tent and sun shelter up then it hosed down for 3 hours. The return of "RA" allowed me to go and get a truck load of boats and head back to the river. No sooner were they unloaded and the rain returned. This cycle was my Friday and Patrick showed up top help and sit out the rain later in the evening. This year our little fleet consisted of two white water boats, a Nautiraid two folding kayak, two sea kayaks and " Big Red" my Old Towne discovery 174. I had a inflatable canoe as well but we just never got around to using it. Paddler Patrick brought his Zodiac with a 15 HP kicker which we use as a rescue raft and tour boat. The kids love to zoom up and down the Yellowknife river with Patrick and we gave the Sombe Ke kayakers a run upstream where they didn't have to paddle.

Our biggest success however was getting our VP into a boat and paddling her up stream for a ways and back to camp. Our VP is very afraid of water and it took us six years to get her this far. She promises to try again and one day she will paddle and overcome her fear and life will be grand.

Saturday dawned beautiful and was sunny and warm most of the day. We did catch a few good showers but nothing compared to Friday. Folks started showing up bright and early and before we knew it, I was considering going back for more boats. Many of the folks are first time paddlers and we really didn't have enough time to go back for more boats.

This year our guest book was forgotten inside its water proof box as every time we went to get it, the rain came. Managed to collect a few on Sunday and they are some very nice comments. We were pleased to provide this oppourtunity for folks to paddle. Sundays weather was much like Saturays but less rain and we got the camp put away dry.

This year we had a very wide group of paddlers that came out to play, folks from Africa both east and south, England, Scotland, Europe and the USA. There were many local folks and we consider the whole Sociable Affair to have been a big success.

For a small group we recieve great support from the local Yellowknife population and with out them in attendance, it would be a much smaller affair.

Personally and as the Paddlers president I would like to thank the following for their support in the promotion of the event, The Yellowknifer newspaper, Coffee Break News, the NWT Visitors center Elddons Jewelery and all the local posting boards. The Folks at YK trader for providing such a great Comunnity Event board and Announcement board as well. To the locals and visitors that came and played you were great and thanks again for putting in with us for awhile.

Mr. Luke Coady and the Parks deparment staff treated us very well again this year and without their premissions to use the Yellowknife River Bridge area we would be unable to provide this service. They are a great bunch and have some very nice improvements lined up for the area.

Our next little event will be a one day Affair taking place September 28th. at the bridge. This will be our second Annual hosting of Worlds River day and we invite you to come out and play. Water a little colder then but we will bring boats and other interesting amusments ( slack -lining, greenlandic rope games, extreme croquet) and of course we will feed you all if your hungry.

Until next year happy paddling. Sociablly yours, Greg