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I’ve paddled Lake Superior 4 times now. The last trip being a north shore solo kayak trip from Sleeping Giant P.P. to Wawa, Ontario. I had planned for 30 days, but ended up doing it in 22, as the bugs were so bad that it just made sense to press on rather than hang out on a beach getting eaten...

I've got a Nova Craft Cronje in K/S - red with ash gunwales and cherry seats & thwarts. I really like it as a tandem cruiser. Fast. Nice lines. Tracks very well. When I ordered the canoe I had them lower the seats a bit, and I also had the bow seat position changed slightly - the back of...

I've gone through a number of weather radios, and I finally have one that I'm very happy with. After using several models over the years, both in backcountry bush, and out on the Lake Superior coastline, I pretty much figured out what I wanted in a weather radio. After quite a bit of research...

My small pack (35L) is the Ostrom "Portage Specialist". It's designed to be carried while portaging a canoe - low profile...tons of zipper pockets inside & out, with some serious zippers too, I might add. Holy crap - it has got to be the most well made and well designed "day pack" for canoeists...

Oatmeal is king. I dehydrate strawberries to cook with it when outside of blueberry season. I like to hit the oatmeal with cinnamon & maple syrup. I dehydrate my own hash browns & onions and cook them with a little seasoning salt. Killer. Rehydrate in the food barrel over night and just knife...

Algonquin Park is reporting the thickest ice cover they've ever recorded for the beginning of April, since they started keeping track in the mid-1960's. The next five nights will get down to between -6 & -11˚C, with daytime highs maxing out at 3˚C at best. I was hoping to get up to Temagami by...

@ Mihun09 & Red Langford - Thanks for the compliments on the photography. As a DSLR shooter there is no substitute for the Pelican case. I feel pretty confident that no matter what happens to it on the outside, the gear will be safe & sound on the inside. One of my cases, the one that I...

Mowat's books are novels, and I find it odd that people nit-pick over specific facts & details - that misses the point entirely. His writing has engaged the imaginations of countless Canadians, and inspired many to explore the great landscapes of this country. Farley was a true Canadian...

If you've applied a new coat of Linseed, or some other oil, to your axe, it's handy to loop some cord through the hole & hang it to dry.

I keep two lists on my computer - one for gear, and the other for food. Both lists are pretty comprehensive, so depending on the trip, I can cross some things out right away before even starting to pack. I find that each year I tweak the lists a bit, but it's definitely handy to have a...

I'm going to start experimenting with this one over the weekend for sure. With some powdered eggs, pre-cooked bacon & coffee, you could open a paddle-up greasy spoon!

Hey Red Langford, I also carry the GB Small Forest Axe. Excellent. If anyone is in the market for a new saw, the 24" Bob Dustrude Folding Bow Saw is the best design I have seen yet. I've used it on several trips now & love it. Here's a video demo of the saw...

Lake Superior = almost always. Moving water = always. Early spring in rough conditions, or very large, rough crossings = yes. All other conditions = no.

I also use a NC Pal as my solo boat. I've installed the stern seat using wing nuts for easy removal. That said, this year I'm going to try leaving the stern seat in place, but remove the stern thwart instead. The advantage is that it will be more balanced when portaging, while still allowing...

In my garage... 17' Nova Craft Cronje (Kev/Spec) 16' Nova Craft Pal (Kev/Spec) 16' Nova Craft Prospector (RX) 17'6" Current Designs Solstice GT Kayak (FG) 16'6" Current Designs Squall (Poly) - my Wife/Daughter's Kayak

Used to solo in a Prospector...until I bought a Pal. For a tandem, the Pal is far more manageable as a solo boat than the Prospector.

I'll likely be heading up to Temagami for a season opener in early May, probably solo. I'm planning on picking up the Eureka Parawing VCS13 Tarp with the optional bug mesh. All you need is 3 or 4 warm, sunny days at that time of year & the blackflies are out. After a cool weather start, I got...

My thoughts are the same as memaquay. A NC Pal is my solo boat. I'm a lightweight, but I tend towards long solo trips & the PAL provides lots of room for gear. The canoe is symmetrical, and I have the stern seat installed using wing nuts for easy removal while paddling from the bow seat. It...

YC - I've got "Finlay's River" in the collection also, but haven't read it yet. Maybe a good one to bring along on next year's 'season opener'. I've started into "David Thompson's Narrative", which chronicles his explorations from 1784-1812. At 600 pages or so it's a bit of a daunting book...

Just finished reading R.M. Patterson's "Trail To The Interior", which is a great portrait of the Cassiar area of B.C. (Stikine River, Liard River, Dease Lake). He weaves together the history of the area, surrounding the fur trade and gold rush era, with his own experiences travelling the region...