Sexsmith, “a bit of a legend when it comes to canoeing,” has become a mentor in the Saskatchewan paddling community
Daryl Sexsmith, canoeist and author, stands for a photo outside of the Saskatoon Canoe Club boathouse in Victoria Park in Saskatoon in December.Photo by Michelle Berg /Saskatoon StarPhoenix
When Daryl Sexsmith was six years old, he heard about an extraordinary adventure — the Centennial Voyageur Canoe Pageant. Paddlers would spend months traversing Canada from the Rocky Mountains to Montreal, making it the longest canoeing race in history.
“I heard on the news that they were racing across Canada to celebrate Canada’s centennial — all the provinces and territories were racing each other, in the big six-person canoes,” Sexsmith recalled. “And I thought, if they ever do that again, I want to do that.”
Decades later, Sexsmith made good on his goal. When a group got together to repeat the first half of the iconic multi-month race in 2008, “I was there, along with some of the paddlers from 1967,” he said.
Sexsmith’s childhood ambition has grown into a lifetime’s love for travelling the lakes, rivers and waterways of the great outdoors, wherever his canoe might take him.
It’s about the natural world and all the wonders of that, and it’s also about travelling at the right speed to absorb it all and not just pass it by,
Daryl Sexsmith
Growing up in Prince Albert, Sask., Sexsmith read every book and magazine article he could find about canoeing and quickly got involved with the local paddling community.
“Because Prince Albert is close to the north, lots of people see that opportunity,” he said. “Northern Saskatchewan is known worldwide for being world-class wilderness paddling.”
From the start, Sexsmith was eager to test his skills and independence and get to know this part of the province from his own boat’s-eye view.
“It’s about the natural world and all the wonders of that, and it’s also about travelling at the right speed to absorb it all and not just pass it by,” said Sexsmith. “But it’s also about meeting the people that live in the north, learning about their culture and how it was always connected to the canoe as well.”
When he’s not paddling solo, Sexsmith travels with various canoeing groups — including some friends from his university days.
“There were 12 of us on that first trip in 1981, and we talked around the campfire about having a lifetime of trips,” he said. “And four of us from that 12, we’re still paddling together. We’ve added other people, but that group has remained paddling together for over 40 years.”
Randy Friesen has been paddling with Sexsmith since the ’80s, and considers him “a bit of a legend when it comes to canoeing,” in Saskatchewan and beyond.
“He’s an extremely adventurous guy,” said Friesen. “He’s been to many places where 99 per cent of us wouldn’t dare to go, whether it’s some remote river or a site somewhere in the country that is extremely difficult to access and has many attendant risks. And you’d be hard-pressed to find somebody who’s paddled a greater number of rivers in so many different parts of the country.”
Friesen has been a part of many of those trips, including one particularly memorable 1997 paddle down a remote stretch of the Foster River in northern Saskatchewan. It was a tricky trip, with dangerous waterfalls along the route.
“Daryl, always being cautious, is keeping everyone in the group aware of where the next hazard in the river will be,” recalled Friesen. “I remember the thrill and the excitement, and portaging all our gear and canoes past this raging waterfall. There’s an absolutely thunderous roar from the waterfall, the ground is vibrating slightly, there’s the spray of mist in the air.
“And here’s Daryl, Mr. Cautious Guy, and he’s just loving it. He’s looking at the falls, soaking up the spray and the mist and the thundering noise, and he’s got this look of awe and wonder on his face. He’s just in his glory.”
When he’s not paddling solo, Daryl Sexsmith travels with various canoeing groups — including some friends from his university days.Photo by Michelle Berg /Saskatoon StarPhoenix
A ‘canoe trip enclycopedia’
Along with his northern travels, Sexsmith is also active in the Saskatoon Canoe Club and the local marathon canoeing community, where he has become a mentor to many up-and-coming paddlers.
“He’s just an encyclopedia of knowledge about canoe trips, because there’s hardly anything he hasn’t paddled,” said fellow canoeist Lori Mack. “One of my most favourite ways to spend an afternoon is marathon paddling with Daryl in a boat and listening to all his stories about his trips. It’s wonderful, in the paddling community, to have him as a resource.
“He’s been committed to a life of learning everything about paddling, and he’s just as committed to teaching other people, too.”
When anyone comes to him with questions about a river he once travelled, no matter how long ago, Sexsmith has insights — notes jotted down on maps or penned in trip journals, photographs, photocopies of articles from now-defunct canoeing magazines, stories of bear encounters and sandy beach campsites, memories of milestones and hazards along the route
“It seems most people that paddle will keep a journal, even if it will never be published or looked at by anybody else,” said Sexsmith. “There’s something about the canoe journey that makes people want to write it down when it’s happening at the end of the day, to journal each night. It certainly is a wonderful place to draw or paint or take photos or write.”
Across the breadth of Canadian art and literature, Sexsmith says it’s no surprise that so much of it has been created by paddlers taking inspiration from their journeys — to him, canoeing has always been a fundamentally spiritual, creative experience.
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When Sexsmith was a United Church minister, he used to find sermon inspirations and life lessons around each river bend and portage trail.
“Canoeists will look at a rapid, and if there’s a big wave and a hole behind it, they’ll say it’s ‘smiling,’ and if it’s smiling, it’s not dangerous,” he said. “But if it’s ‘frowning’ at you, then you should stay away and be cautious; if it’s ‘frowning,’ you’ll get caught in there.
“I found that was very interesting as a sermon illustration, because we often look at life to see if life is smiling at us or frowning at us.”
Earlier this year, Sexsmith made his own addition to the Canadian paddling canon. His memoir, Always Another River, gathers decades of canoeing stories and warm memories of trips and friendships. Looking back on his own admiration for the Centennial Voyageur racers and the daring paddlers he read about in books, writing the memoir felt like a full-circle moment for Sexsmith — a chance to share his lifetime of travelling tales with the next generation of nature-lovers and would-be adventurers.
And the stories aren’t over yet. While Sexsmith says he completed his “last real ‘bucket list’” trip in 2015 — he has now paddled at least one river in every area he wanted to visit and canoe in — he quickly found a new ambition.
“What I’m working on now is getting to all the national parks in Canada,” he said. “For some of those, the best way of visiting those national parks is by paddling trips.”
After all this time, Sexsmith knows his passion for canoeing means so much more than accomplishing a goal or ticking the boxes on a list. There will always be another river for him.
CHICAGO (AP) — United Airlines has struck a deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to offer satellite-based Starlink WiFi service on flights within the next several years.
The airline said Friday the service will be free to passengers.
United said it will begin testing the service early next year and begin offering it on some flights by later in 2025.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
The announcement comes as airlines rush to offer more amenities as a way to stand out when passengers pick a carrier for a trip. United’s goal is to make sitting on a plane pretty much like being on the ground when it comes to browsing the internet, streaming entertainment and playing games.
“Everything you can do on the ground, you’ll soon be able to do on board a United plane at 35,000 feet, just about anywhere in the world,” CEO Scott Kirby said in announcing the deal.
The airline says Starlink will allow passengers to get internet access even over oceans and polar regions where traditional cell or Wi-Fi signals may be weak or missing.
Sony has made it easy for Canadian consumers to preorder the PlayStation 5 Pro in Canada directly from PlayStation’s official website. Here’s how:
Visit the Official Website: Go to direct.playstation.com and navigate to the PS5 Pro section once preorders go live on September 26, 2024.
Create or Log in to Your PlayStation Account: If you don’t have a PlayStation account, you will need to create one. Existing users can simply log in to proceed.
Place Your Preorder: Once logged in, follow the instructions to preorder your PS5 Pro. Ensure you have a valid payment method ready and double-check your shipping information for accuracy.
Preorder Through Major Canadian Retailers
While preordering directly from PlayStation is a popular option, you can also secure your PS5 Pro through trusted Canadian retailers. These retailers are expected to offer preorders on or after September 26:
Best Buy Canada
Walmart Canada
EB Games (GameStop)
Amazon Canada
The Source
Steps to Preorder via Canadian Retailers:
Visit Retailer Websites: Search for “PlayStation 5 Pro” on the website of your preferred retailer starting on September 26.
Create or Log in to Your Account: If you’re shopping online, having an account with the retailer can speed up the preorder process.
Preorder in Store: For those who prefer in-person shopping, check with local stores regarding availability and preorder policies.
3. Sign Up for Notifications
Many retailers and websites offer the option to sign up for notifications when the preorder goes live. If you’re worried about missing out due to high demand, this can be a useful option.
Visit Retailer Sites: Look for a “Notify Me” or “Email Alerts” option and enter your email to stay informed.
Use PlayStation Alerts: Sign up for notifications directly through Sony to be one of the first to know when preorders are available.
4. Prepare for High Demand
Preordering the PS5 Pro is expected to be competitive, with high demand likely to result in quick sellouts, just as with the initial release of the original PS5. To maximize your chances of securing a preorder:
Act Quickly: Be prepared to place your order as soon as preorders open. Timing is key, as stock can run out within minutes.
Double-Check Payment Information: Ensure your credit card or payment method is ready to go. Any delays during the checkout process could result in losing your spot.
Stay Informed: Monitor PlayStation and retailer websites for updates on restocks or additional preorder windows.
Final Thoughts
The PlayStation 5 Pro is set to take gaming to the next level with its enhanced performance, graphics, and new features. Canadian gamers should be ready to act fast when preorders open on September 26, 2024, to secure their console ahead of the holiday season. Whether you choose to preorder through PlayStation’s official website or your preferred retailer, following the steps outlined above will help ensure a smooth and successful preorder experience.
For more details on the PS5 Pro and to preorder, visit direct.playstation.com or stay tuned to updates from major Canadian retailers.
Since the PlayStation 5 (PS5) launched four years ago, PlayStation has continuously evolved to meet the demands of its players. Today, we are excited to announce the next step in this journey: the PlayStation 5 Pro. Designed for the most dedicated players and game creators, the PS5 Pro brings groundbreaking advancements in gaming hardware, raising the bar for what’s possible.
Key Features of the PS5 Pro
The PS5 Pro comes equipped with several key performance enhancements, addressing the requests of gamers for smoother, higher-quality graphics at a consistent 60 frames per second (FPS). The console’s standout features include:
Upgraded GPU: The PS5 Pro’s GPU boasts 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5, combined with 28% faster memory. This allows for up to 45% faster rendering speeds, ensuring a smoother gaming experience.
Advanced Ray Tracing: Ray tracing capabilities have been significantly enhanced, with reflections and refractions of light being processed at double or triple the speed of the current PS5, creating more dynamic visuals.
AI-Driven Upscaling: Introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-based upscaling technology that adds extraordinary detail to images, resulting in sharper image clarity.
Backward Compatibility & Game Boost: More than 8,500 PS4 games playable on PS5 Pro will benefit from PS5 Pro Game Boost, stabilizing or enhancing performance. PS4 games will also see improved resolution on select titles.
VRR & 8K Support: The PS5 Pro supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and 8K gaming for the ultimate visual experience, while also launching with the latest wireless technology, Wi-Fi 7, in supported regions.
Optimized Games & Patches
Game creators have quickly embraced the new technology that comes with the PS5 Pro. Many games will receive free updates to take full advantage of the console’s new features, labeled as PS5 Pro Enhanced. Some of the highly anticipated titles include:
Alan Wake 2
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
Demon’s Souls
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Gran Turismo 7
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Horizon Forbidden West
These updates will allow players to experience their favorite games at a higher fidelity, taking full advantage of the console’s improved graphics and performance.
Design & Compatibility
Maintaining consistency within the PS5 family, the PS5 Pro retains the same height and width as the original PS5 model. Players will also have the option to add an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive or swap console covers when available.
Additionally, the PS5 Pro is fully compatible with all existing PS5 accessories, including the PlayStation VR2, DualSense Edge, Pulse Elite, and Access controller. This ensures seamless integration into your current gaming setup.
Pricing & Availability
The PS5 Pro will be available starting November 7, 2024, at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of:
$699.99 USD
$949.99 CAD
£699.99 GBP
€799.99 EUR
¥119,980 JPY
Each PS5 Pro comes with a 2TB SSD, a DualSense wireless controller, and a copy of Astro’s Playroom pre-installed. Pre-orders begin on September 26, 2024, and the console will be available at participating retailers and directly from PlayStation via direct.playstation.com.
The launch of the PS5 Pro marks a new chapter in PlayStation’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge gaming experiences. Whether players choose the standard PS5 or the PS5 Pro, PlayStation aims to provide the best possible gaming experience for everyone.
Preorder your PS5 Pro and step into the next generation of gaming this holiday season.
