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How to Prep for a 30 Day Canoe Trip & How to Come Out Alive

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An instructional video on how to prepare for a 30 day canoe trip using footage taken from a 30 day trip in the wilds of Temogami. Check it out, give it a like subscribe and let me know what you think!
 
It's always good to come out alive after any canoe trip, whether it's one day, 15 days, 30 days or 60 days. In your experience, are people worried about coming out alive? All paddlers I have known expect to come out alive. Perhaps it's just a catchy title, but most paddlers I know retreat to wilderness tripping to escape the dangers and anxieties of the modern world. Coming out alive is a given. The wilderness is not an adversary. The wilderness is a nurturing lover.

Thanks for joining our group! Your insights are very welcome!!
 
I'd definently agree, I love retreating into the wilds, escaping the noise of the modern world. I do always expect to come, but there are no guarantees in life, as things can happen. It's all part of the adventure.

Thanks
 
We canoe on the ocean, which can be dangerous. My number one goal, which informs all our plans and decision making, is to come out alive. Everything else is secondary. I think hard about the risks, consequences and dangers of our route and make changes or plans to deal with those. Paddling on the ocean requires extra bits of knowledge and skills. We carefully examine the route and discuss critical parts and our risk tolerances and skills. Often, we paddle in areas we are not familiar with, and despite careful and in depth planning, I do feel some fear. That fear keep us on our toes and helps us make go/no go decisions constantly. Taking care of those issues has led us to some amazing places on BC's west coast.
 
Nicely done video on planning for a long trip but, as you probably noticed, there are a lot of experienced trippers on this website that are going to bristle a little when someone shows up out of the blue and starts promoting their Youtube videos with a name like "The Tripping Authority".

You'll noticed there is no advertising on this site and we like it that way. That doesn't mean users aren't welcome to post links to their videos and photos but mostly we prefer a good dialog between friends. So stick around, pull up a seat around the fire, and join the conversation.

Alan
 
Sorry if this sounds snarky but I watched the first video you posted the other day and this all seems to be an avenue for self promotion. Most of the folks here are pretty understated; not particularly bragging about their personal exploits. My guess is you're a very talented individual with a lot to share. Unfortunately, and I'll only speak for myself, this is coming on in a pretty strong manner. And hey, if you're not an understated kind of guy, that's fine. I'm just not sure the approach works that well with folks who are open to sharing, discussing and not into self promotion.

Just my 2 cents. Take them for what they're worth.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time....be well.

snapper
 
I'm gonna take this thread sideways, just because.
That's an interesting observation jeffski. Fear as a manageable warning system, always adding knowledge from others and one's own experiences to adjust that fear factor. Different people have different comfort zones based on their own (in)experience and bias, but with varying degrees of edge of the enveloppe testing and pushing changes can be made. Or not. I'm probably bias but I believe staying just within reach of one's comfort zone yields results. Kinda like adding layers of comfort as you go about testing those limits? My wife and I are both nervous/scared of big water. We both also have far different definitions of big water. As such I'm always trying to boost her confidence (carefully) as we canoe trip and at the same time question if and when I might simply be foolhardy. I never want to be that. That's when you are apt to become a statistic. Last summer we paddled an ordinary stretch of bumpy water I found a bit of a challenge while she was sickly scared. We kept things calm and we did alright. Afterwards we talked about it and (I hope) she learned a new comfort limit to her abilities. "Her enveloppe is no longer right here but a bit further out there." With a little measured risk taking and practised skills she overcame that limiting fear. Hopefully that fear has been pushed a bit further for the both of us. I have more confidence in her (and me) and she has more confidence in herself. And we're getting that much closer to agreeing what is "big water".
I was hoping for some day paddling out on your coast this summer Jeff but those family trip plans look like a bust. Our family trips are like herding cats. Oh well. Sea kayaking (guided) around Ucluelet and Tofino was going to be a thrill for me. Maybe a west coast adventure will happen another summer.

ps . My wife told me she would be staying ashore, and wasn't agreeing to the paddling plans. "The water is too big." Ha ha. She's probably right.
Anyway, sorry for the blab.
 
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Odyssey, I likie your atitude. Your experiences with your wife sound a lot like mine with my partner. I got back into canoeing after 20 years of mountaineering and rock climbing and was happy to tone things down a bit. I still have performance and achievement goals, but my primary goal is just to be out with her. So, my need and joy to push the limits are tempered by her needs. Yet, we do push our limits, slowly though. I still remember our first big ocean crossing--about 3 km across a sound. We both agreed that it was optional and that we would decide what we would do when we got to it. As it turned out, the water was calm and the air was still. Now, 5 years later, we're good to go in up to 2 m non-breaking swells or waves (not both). Paddling grade III+-easy III white water in an open canoe has also improved our boat-handling skills.

I've written a fair bit about our advenures. Have a look at kjandjeff.ca and my youtube page (jefffski)
 
Just drag the POS.

Drag a Sportspal? Not far you won’t.

This is perhaps my all time favorite canoe review:

This is my worst nightmare come true. I ordered this thousand dollar package from a huge NY retailer because of its ability to paddle, row, motor, & sail, and 44 lb weight. Its made in Canada, and our initial river run with it proved horrifying: soft sand beaches wrinkled & dented the tinfoil skin, it leaked water at about 3 gallons per hour, and handles like a floating bathtub. Any wind blows the high profile and light weight like a dead leaf.

I settled for this oversized kipper can welded together like a patchwork quilt.

I forgot about the Sportspals and Raddissons in my top three pick of worst manufactured canoes, but once reminded had to modify my vote:

http://www.canoetripping.net/forums...-construction/61051-worst-manufactured-canoes
 
I'm gonna take this thread sideways, just because.


Different people have different comfort zones based on their own (in)experience and bias, but with varying degrees of edge of the enveloppe testing and pushing changes can be made.

Afterwards we talked about it and (I hope) she learned a new comfort limit to her abilities. "Her enveloppe is no longer right here but a bit further out there." With a little measured risk taking and practised skills she overcame that limiting fear.

I’ll take it further sidesways.

Part of my personal comfort zone is from experience in recognizing how just many lemons I am juggling.

Oh, heck, I’m far from shore on a big lake, the wind is picking up, and I need to make a turn back towards land that will briefly put me on a beam reach in the waves.

Crap, that strainer came up unexpectedly, I’m on the fast outside of the curve, and this seat is too low to comfortably get my feet under.

crap, that’s three lemons already.

I have never heard of “The Lemon System”, but have come to better recognize it and try to avoid the cumulative effects.

http://myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=44674

Lemon juggling awareness comes from recognizing that Lemon #1 and Lemon #2 already put me in a dicey situation.

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/r...e_brown_105028
 
This is my worst nightmare come true. I ordered this thousand dollar package from a huge NY retailer because of its ability to paddle, row, motor, & sail, and 44 lb weight. Its made in Canada, and our initial river run with it proved horrifying: soft sand beaches wrinkled & dented the tinfoil skin, it leaked water at about 3 gallons per hour, and handles like a floating bathtub. Any wind blows the high profile and light weight like a dead leaf.

Yeah, I thought about that again after I posted it. My mother owns a Sports Pal. It has been used once, and leaks.
 
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