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For some reason, respondents think you want to go in July/Aug. If true, water levels could become an issue. My first thought is the James. Andy Lee published a TR on his trip down the entire James. Maybe even on the old p-net, so it could be here somewhere. IIRC, he had to do a lot of commando...

I’ve tripped with big cast iron fry pans on trips with no portages. But if I’m carrying, fry pans stay home! Most of my meals are vegetarian, so there’s not much use for a fry pan anyhow. I’m impressed by those of you who portage with fry pans, and will argue it is you, not the pans, that are...

The axe would be the first thing to go. But I would take one of the light weight, collapsing saws. I bring water shoes and hiking boots. I have foot problems such that on all but the shortest portages, I change into the hiking boots, so I'm not carrying them on the portage. I have never taken...

Marrettes (new word to me) are a great idea. I'd be concerned about the metal rusting after a while. I wonder how much of a mess it would make if you greased the inside of the marrette (auto correct does not like this word!) prior to install. But it's just an inexpensive marrette. You could just...

I've heard about hot springs but have never had the good fortune to paddle near any. I thought I might run into some on the Rio Grande (another "don't drink the water" river), but I'm betting they'd not be as clean and clear as those on the Nahanni.

When traveling, I often carry water in re-purposed, gallon, Arizona Ice Tea jugs. I regularly take "jug showers." I start by pouring water on my head and splashing it around the critical areas, then soap, then douse myself with more water. Usually, there's about a third of a gallon left in the...

Patapsco Valley State Park offered a canoe, trash-collecting, trip on June 26, 9-11 a.m. That's not much time, but the Daniels stretch is nice, and they were bringing the gear, so what the heck, I went. It was kind of a shock when the leaders (young adults from Americore) asked us to turn back...

At the time I took this photo, I was naked and drying off in the wind, thinking, this is the nicest bathroom ever. Reflecting on it now, my thinking was probably influenced by how good it felt after 7-days of desert heat and accumulated, caked-on, wind-blown dust. It's the Green River, and the...

You probably already figured out that trim is critical. The upstream end of the boat needs to ride higher, and you want the downstream end of the boat deeper. This is similar to tandem canoe. The current will push the deeper end of the boat downstream. A fun exercise is to circumnavigate a rock...

3 years ago, I paddled around Valcor Island on a day trip. I didn’t know there were campsites there, and I was really surprised to learn it was part of the NFCT. south of Plattsburg, isn’t it out of the way? Regardless, it’s great you were able to provide volunteer support to NFCT! Many...

I missed the outage. However, thanks for reviving CT, and pointing out its Canoe Day!

Many places I paddle are swampy and it is difficult to find dry ground on which to step out. It may have started out as a bailer, but the plastic jug with the bottom sliced off, at an angle, is now known as an OBU, on-board urinal. I never thought about the OBU sinking. Foam in the handle idea...

Based on the name, I can see where you might ignore Rocky Mountain Kayak in New Stanton, PA, which is less than a hour from Pittsburgh. But at least give them a call about canoes. I went there about 2005 looking for a canoe. They had some, but I ended up going home with an 18’ sea kayak—long...

After our first night camping on Maine’s St. John, my friends small dog wanted to stay. She wouldn’t get near the boat. she was too quick for us to catch and we ended up shoving off without the dog and returned a half hour later. The dog was then happy to see us and anxious to get aboard. For...

I wish I could find more than the name and serial number for the plane named Bessie. I’d love to replicate the nose art, but lacking photos, I would have to settle for something generic. Painting a bathing-suit clad woman on the nose was a classic in nose art, but I probably won’t attempt that...

The 20’, glassed, cedar plank, Maine freighter I rehabbed got named “Wontonna,” because it could, almost literally, haul a ton of gear. The Northstar B-17 is named “Bessie.” Other canoes have just been called by their model names. The OT Tripper is just the Tripper. The OT Appalachian is called...

MRO did a shuttle for me in 2019. Good folks and service, they did exactly what they promised they would. I recommend them.

It looks like you have a nice pole there. What's it weigh? You calling it a "learning pole" makes it sound like you might be new to poling. One can figure it out, but sometimes pointers are handy--like Harry Rock's "Canoe Poling," or his video "canoe Poling with Harry Rock." If you'd like I can...

Something else: The brim of Tilley hats is so pliable that it will be pinned against your forehead in a stiff wind, and the sun will roast your face. Other than that, nice hats.

Good one, Mason—made me laugh. I considered diving in, but stayed firmly outside the dumpster. There was a Pamlico in there and it didn’t look to have much wrong with it (I couldn't see the bottom). isn’t that one McCrae would turn into a soloized sailing canoe? I had to tell myself there were...