News from Ely and the Boundary Waters

Piragis Northwoods Company

July 25, 2012 Email Newsletter

Greetings!

Ely is busy. It didn't take July long to warm up temperature-wise and the population in town is now popping! It is our annual Blueberry Art Festival Weekend and canoe-trippers' favorite time to be in the Boundary Waters.

Festivities Include:

32ND ANNUAL 2012 BLUEBERRY ART FESTIVAL

LOCATION:   Whiteside Park in Ely, between 7th and 8th
Ave. on E. Sheridan St.

HOURS:   Friday, July 27,   Noon to 7 pm.
Saturday, July 28, 10 am. to 6 pm.
Sunday, July 29, 10 am. to 4 pm.

EXHIBITS:   300 Exhibitors - Original Art, Handcrafts,
Ethnic Foods

STAGE SHOWS:
Friday, July 27
4 DEGREES OF FREEDOM
1:00 & 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 28
THE BLUE DRIFTERS
11 am. - 12:30 p.m.
1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 29
PAT & DONNA SURFACE & BOUNDARY WATER BOYS
11 am. - 12:30 pm.
1:30 - 3:00 pm.

13th Annual Ely Craft & Antique Show at the Ely Ice Arena, behind the school on 4th & Harvey Street, Friday, July 27 & Saturday, July 28 from 9 am to 6 pm

$1.00 donation at the door (children 12 & under are free)

"Miche" Bags, Chainsaw Carving, Soy Candles, Beewax Soaps, Personalized Storybooks & Embroidery Towels, Watkins, Quilts, Antiques & Antique Furniture, Handmade Soap, Lotion Body Oils, Folk Music CD's, Birdhouses, Magnetic Jewelry, Art Prints & Cards, Tupperware, Strudel & Potica, Homemade Rugs & dolls, Wind Spinners, Bamboo Plants, Scroll Saw Art, Custom Made Fishing Rods, Arbonne, Many Handmade Items and Much More!

Ely Hockey "Bling" for Sale

Food: Sloppy Joes, Popcorn, Hot Dogs, Taco in a Boat & Snacks.

Come enjoy indoor comfort of the Ely Ice Arena for Crafts, Food, Music, Prizes and Much More! Craft & Antique Show sponsored by the Ely Timberwolves Hockey Booster Club

Check out our Used Canoe and Kayak sale page and we've got a wide variety of in-stock NEW canoes and kayaks to choose from. Call Steve Schon at 1-800-223-6565 to order your new boat today!

A look ahead at the next few days of Ely weather. Don't blame the weatherman if you miss out on great weather in Ely, Minnesota. It has been known to change here on a dime, so this is more just to show you how beautiful it usually is here :)

We hope to see you soon in beautiful Ely, Minnesota!

From the End of the Road,

Tim Stouffer, Marketing Director and Webmaster

Piragis Northwoods Company

What's Going on in the Boundary Waters?

Hi Drew,

"Thank you for helping us put together an incredible trip. Your organization and the contractors you set us up with (shuttle, flight, tow) were all first class."

My best, Fred Christians

Thanks, John A. Larsen

Sometimes, our customer service goes above and beyond the above and beyond. Sometimes we give the shirt off our backs :) Thanks Josh for all you do!

Hi Josh,

"When I opened the mailbox today, I was surprised to see a package from Piragis. I wondered how sending an email asking if the Seliga t-shirt was still available had so quickly led to this soft, t-shirt-sized package. Upon opening it, I was even more surprised to read your note. If this leaves you without a Seliga shirt, I don't feel I can accept your generosity. I still have my old one. I was simply looking to buy a new one before the old one got too ratty. The thought of me possessing multiple Seliga shirts while you have none makes the needle on my Guilt Meter move too much?!?

I had the pleasure of spending a morning in Joe's garage shop a few years before he died. He kindly wrote in my copy of Jerry Stelmok's book about him, writing in the names of all the people in the end-paper photographs."

Peace, Steve

"Just received my BW regular pants and and very pleased with them, as well as your prompt service."

Thanks, John A. Larsen

"I spoke with you at the store a couple of weeks ago after completing a canoe trip. We talked about the Boundary Waters Pants and Shirt, which I have been wearing on canoe trips during the past three years. The fabric and features have worked very well for me, notably, the two security zip pockets -- left rear and right front. I also want to comment again on the Quetico Trekkers, which I have been using since 2007. In 2011 I added the Chota Caney Fork Knee High Wading Sock and have used them on two canoe trips, as well as numerous day outings. The combination of the Quetico Trekkers and Wading Socks affords me sure-footed support on portage trails and the freedom to step comfortably into the water as needed at put-ins and take-outs and in loading and unloading the canoe. This sense of freedom, security and comfort are important to my canoe-tripping style, and help to ease the transition from paddling to portaging and back to paddling. I hope you will continue to offer these excellent products."

Sincerely, Brent Brye, Wausau, Wisconsin

Send us your trip pictures, comments and journal entries. Let us know how your Boundary Waters adventures went! We'll post to our email newsletters and facebook. You can share with all your friends! Just email to our webmaster.

Piragis Clothing on SALE for a Limited Time
Save $10 - $20 on pants and shirts:

Men's Canoe Camping Pant was $69 now $59

Men's Zip-Off Canoe Pant was $79 now $59

Piragis Cotton/Nylon Camp Shirt was $69 now $49

Women's Convertible Pant was $49 now $39

The Piragis Northwoods Company Boundary Waters Blog - Pictorial Delights

Dinner Light Show at Underhill Farm Last Week

Photography can be demanding of time, patience and pure will but last night the clouds lit up and photos appeared between sips of a really pretty darn good cabernet and bites of a really damn good organic roast just off the grill.

Here's what I shot of the clouds from our homestead while Nancy and I sat eating a lovely dinner on our deck. We were on the northern edge of some severe weather that was passing by us just to the south and changing flashing bold colors and patterns, changing by the second. Wish you all could have been there.

Steve Piragis

To see the rest of the fabulous storm pictures click HERE

The Piragis Northwoods Company Boundary Waters Blog - Cliff Jacobson

GOING NORTH-WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THE BWCA?
By Cliff Jacobson

You've made many successful trips into the Boundary Waters. You've never gotten lost-maybe just confused for awhile; you've weathered storms, made fire in the rain, never capsized or been threateningly cold. After each trip, you've come home smiling. Now you dream of canoeing a wild river in Canada or Alaska. Does your experience in the Boundary Waters qualify you for a remote northern adventure? Yes and no! Here's what you can learn from your years of canoeing the Boundary Waters.

NAVIGATION
Rivers that flow into Hudson Bay are terribly confusing as they approach the Bay. Here, the delta sprawls amidst a mix of islands and dead-end channels. The flowage changes from year to year so maps can't be taken too seriously. Still, navigating the Boundary Waters can be equally confusing. Why? Because even the best BWCA maps are no match for the detailed 1:50,000 scale Canadian topos. The Boundary Waters has plenty of islands, bays and channels to confuse you. In short, if you can read a map and compass well enough to confidently canoe the BW's most complex lakes, you'll do fine in Canada. However, you'll need to understand magnetic declination and contour line interpretation and, if you bring a GPS, the UTM system of positioning.

To read the rest of Cliff's Blog click HERE

Product Review: Collapsible Crawfish Trap Video!

Video Footage of One of our New Favorites:

Our intern Tanner has been working hard behind the scenes to improve the quality of our online catalog. One of his projects has been to produce a series of videos that enhance our product presentation.

Collapsible Crayfish Trap from the Boundary Waters Catalog and Piragis

Get trappin and eatin! $24.99 Click Here

DETOUR THIS SUMMER ON HIGHWAY ONE To Ely

Click Here for Map

Have you taken Your Kids Fishing Yet? Get them out into the Boundary Waters This Summer!

One of our most read blogs this Summer is our Tips for Taking Kids Fishing:

On our recent trip last week, we paddled up to camp and began to unload. All of us that is except Lucy, my daughter. She jumped out of the canoe, grabbed the first pole she could lay her hands on and a container of nightcrawlers and proceeded to catch one fish after another. For the next hour, we set up camp and she caught enough fish for the five of us to enjoy fresh fish for dinner. And yes, she helped clean them.