Cutten’s Corner: Summertime

Garretthinchey.com is proud to present the latest edition of “Cutten’s Corner,” featuring guest blogger Joe Cutten:

Let’s talk about summer.

In my opinion, there is nothing better than a hot summer day: a light breeze, just enough to keep the mosquitoes away, and the sun high in the sky, blazing down.  Not a cloud in the sky, wearing shorts (shirts are optional), with a cold lemonade and crazy straw just for fun.

Nothing beats it. Long summer days are the shit.

In honour of the coming of summer, then, I present to you my five favourite things of Yellowknife’s summer season (in no particular order):

Outdoor Concerts / Music Festivals

In Yellowknife, even though we really only get one weekend with an outdoor show, we make the most of it; Folk on the Rocks is probably the most fun weekend of the summer. The weather is usually warm and sunny which is perfect to sit in the beer gardens or on a blanket in front of the main stage. It is always surprising how much talent is provided by local NWT musicians, and the bands that come from other parts of Canada are always excited and bring a lot of energy. If I could describe the atmosphere of the weekend in one word, it would be “ecstatic”. With tons of dancing and singing, along with an annual appearance from the city’s favourite rapper (you know who it is), the weekend is one that shouldn’t be missed by any Yellowknifer.

If I had to choose a weekend for tourists to visit Yellowknife it would be Folk on the Rocks.  There is not a doubt in my mind they would leave impressed. Last year Sam Roberts, who was headlining, put on a show to be remembered, and its these energetic, upbeat performances by well-known headliners that keep audiences coming back year after year.

Another great thing about the festival is the location. The Folk on the Rocks site is perfect on a hot day, as Long Lake is located directly behind the main stage. Whether off of a boat beforehand, or as a quick dip right before the headliner, swimming is a rockin’ addition to the day’s activities.

So go for the music, stay because of the atmosphere, and come back because of the friends. For everyone from face-painted youngsters and intoxicated teens to adults of all ages, Folk on the Rocks is always one of the most memorable weekends of the summer.

Camping

I’ll say it: I love camping. It’s always fun to pack all your gear into a canoe and push off for a night of fun in the sun. Canoeing out to an island and claiming it for the weekend is always an adventure. There are usually new things to find, even if you’ve been in the exact same spot before, and to be honest, it gives me a sense of “roughing it,” even though we’re really far from it (we’re usually so close to town we can hear the ice cream truck from our island).

There’s just something about building a fire and cooking your food on the end of a stick that can’t be replicated in a big city.  The best part about camping in YK is the fact that the sun is up for most of the night, which usually leads to a non-stop party. With the right friends, it’s a great time. I love everything about it, from setting up tents to late night swimming, and because of those and countless other reasons, suffice to say I cannot wait to get out camping this year. With in-town activities taking up most of the summer weekends, it’s always nice to have a weekend where there is nothing to do but enjoy being out on the lake, without a care in the world.

Just like garretthinchey.com, Garrett takes all the credit while Joe does the work.

Sports

Although winter sports are fun to watch, there’s no time like the summer to get outside and start playing yourself.

Basketball, football, stick ball, blue balls, rec halls? “You’re going to love my nuts.”

There’s nothing like getting a group of friends together and playing some outdoor recreational sports. It’s fun to feel the grass under your cleats or the sand between your toes and just live in the moment. My personal favourite: basketball. It always brings me back to when I first started playing the sport outside of schools and against anyone that would play. On nice new courts like the ones put up in Yellowknife at Mildred Hall School, it’s one of my favourite ways to spend a summer evening. Although it often gets competitive, in the end, the best part of the experience is just going out to have a good time. Whether on the beach, a field or on the court it’s never a bad time to be with a group of friends and just toss a ball around.

Fishing

When I was growing up I loved being around the water, and that’s something that hasn’t changed to this day. Although this is a summer sport (Garrett’s note: no, it’s not), I figured it deserves its own spot on the list. Whether it’s a river, lake, pool or ocean I love to be out on it with a fishing rod.

Luckily for me, then, Yellowknife has some amazing fishing. With a boat launch to Great Slave Lake easy to access from inside the city, it couldn’t get much easier for anglers-to-be to head out. Numerous spots on one of the largest lakes in Canada (everyone has their own) just a short boat ride away make for a great weekend activity.

As well, some of the world’s best and most picturesque fishing lies just beyond the city of Yellowknife.  Although I’ve only been once, believe me when I say that the East Arm of Great Slave Lake is as beautiful as it is a good spot to fish. We Yellowknifers are truly lucky to have access to so many great fishing locations so close to the place we call home.

As the saying goes, you can give a man a fish and feed him for a day, or you can teach a man to fish and he’ll sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

Cliff/Bridge jumping

There has always been something about the thought of flying that has exhilarated me. Unfortunately, the only flying that I do is while sitting in a small seat being served miniature bags of snack mix. Luckily, when the lakes and rivers warm up enough to be swimmable, jumping off cliffs and bridges is the closest I can come to flying without being on a plane (although if you want to be a stickler, I guess it might be considered falling). My first bridge jump of the year (last night) was glorious. The river really wasn’t warm (Garrett’s note: I can attest to this.  It was FREEZING) but it was good to know that the rest of summer season will be filled with nights of driving out to all the familiar spots around town, just for the rush of jumping off a high structure. I don’t know if it’s the adrenaline, or maybe just feeling cool for looking brave, but I always love it. It’s so much fun to hurl yourself from the edge and feel your speed pick up until you finally crash into the water below. The sensation of water rushing by as you slowly stop is incredible. Then you make your way to the surface of the water and although it has only been a few seconds, it was filled with emotions: from the initial fear, to being overwhelmed, and eventually joy.

The moral of the story: although I may never actually fly, I can always jump off something high and land in some water below.  And that’s not bad either.

With only a list as long as 5, I’ve definitely missed a few activities that make summers in Yellowknife so great. A few honourable mentions which could have definitely made my list:  bush parties, BBQing and patios.

I have always considered the summer to be my favourite season. There so much to do outside and it seems there is never enough time to do it all. Let me know what your favourite activities are in the comment section, and have a great weekend!

Over and Out,

J. Cutten