Here in Australia the bureau of meteorology broadcasts marine weather forecasts by HF radio. Is there a similar service in Canada? Does it make sense to invest in a HF radio?

thanks

Well Smeyn I'm not sure about the exact terminology of radio type and wave lengths and am sure someone else will post with a much more pertinent post (A Dave where are you?) but my experience is that here in north america the weather broadcasts are on Wx bands whatever the hell those are I first bought a inexpensive (cheap!) weather radio to use on my trips to Vancouver island and did the stand on one foot at the far end of the beach while thrusting the radio high into the air while trying to hear through the static dance in order to get some semblance of a weather forcast. Then I bought a VHF radio for safety and found that it's reception of the Wx stations only required the occasional one step dance to get reception. So I'd say if you want daily weather reports you need a high quality reciever usually found in the vhf radio package. Another question is whether or not the location you'll be paddling has good Wx coverage.

please forgive my hemingwayesque writing, I've just spent a few hours drinking high gravity beer and am presently finishiing a 16 year old Adambier

Dunno. Google this string and you will know more than I do: "Canada marine weather HF radio"

Well if you already had a HF radio, then you could get info via the boater's net on Vancouver Island:
http://www.bcbn.ca

But you are better off with a VHF marine radio that receives the following WX channels:
WX1 162.55 MHz
WX2 162.40 MHz
WX3 162.475 MHz
WX8 (21B) 161.65 MHz

Yeah if you VHF radio has the WX channels built in to it.
Standard Horizon HX851 has it built in(I use it EVERY time I go fishing).

Environment Canada only sends via VHF.

Coast Gaurd transmits Navtex (teletype text) via MF.

So the only way to get HF broadcasted forecast here is if there is a ham operator providing the service.

Thanks all. Clearly HF isn't provided. Seems the Prince George WX service is the best option. We'll just have to suck and see what the reception is like.

In Australia, coastal weather forecasts are provided four times a day via certain frequencies in the HF area so you can pick them up almost anywhere. It has certainly been very helpful for us when we were down in SE Tasmania, giving us sufficient warning to get out of 40 kts winds on one occasion.
Then again, inland weather may be quite different and driven more by locality than overall weather patterns.

-stephan

That's right, you're going to North Tweedsmuir.

I'll suggest that WX Prince George will not provide you with any relevant information. The marine forecast will be worse than useless.

In the mountains (where the terrain rises up from the ocean to more than 2000 meters) the weather is extremely variable (sub zero and snow to plus 30C and clear in a day is possible) and differs from valley to valley. Any forecast beyond basic weather trends is useless and unreliable. You might try picking up local radio broadcast on AM or FM bands but I doubt you'll get a signal. The only weather service that you likely will find useful is that of observing local trends yourself. Local knowledge will help with things like 'the wind picks up every afternoon'.

This reminds me more and more of weather in Tasmania. I once had in a single day driving snow and blazing sunshine in early January (i.e. it was supposed to be summer). Talk about a hassle of trying to get in and out of the clothing while you are travelling.

Local weather observation has always been a hobby of mine. But as you point out each region's micro climate is different and a central mountain one does not compare to a, say, Sydney coastal one. So it will be more one of observe and learn.

The more I work on my preparation the more interesting this trip is getting.

Is it true that toothpaste attracts bears and should be stored with the food in the trees? Or has someone been pulling my leg?

-stephan

Yes, very true. Same goes for gum, candy, or anything else that has a strong, sweet odor. Smoked salmon is a definite no, no.

*****

White gas (shellite), all toiletries including toothpaste, and toilet paper are attractants and should go up the tree or in a bear proof container.

No fooling.

Kayak hatch is distant second best. It will keep out mice, raccoons, and other pests. Most bears won't try it (unless they have had previous success) but there is the small risk of having your kayak smashed open. Odds of a bear encounter in camp are minimal but mice are almost a certainty.

In Oz dingos are a problem in places and we got small ratlike marsupials that will gnaw through drybag material. So hanging things in trees is good practice.
Backpackers have had experiences with marsupials and certain birds being able to open zippers and backpacks.

No bears in Oz but Crocs have been known to drag a person out of their tent (I sleep in a hammock).

I didn't have everything in it. This was start of a ten day hike and there wasn't space. I lost jujubes (in ziploc) and crackers that were left on the ground (no trees) in a garbage bag in a nylon stuff sack.

Fortunately more than a hundred yards away from the tent. Fortunately the bear didn't kick the canister into the nearby canyon.

Lovely