Paddling in an Apocalypse

[Black_Fly]

I envy Canadians who have the option of driving/paddling away from future apocalyptic conditions. Be it pandemic (most likely) or nuclear exchange, getting away from population centers and military industrial targets will be important, nearly impossible for most. Then there’s the whole destabilizing civil war scenario, which is all too real in my neck of the woods. Surviving would be a secondary challenge, either against nature or neighbors. What’s your apocalyptic strategy to get family away from the devastation? Does it involve paddling? Or, are you willing to ride it out, hope for the best? Canadians have options yanks don’t.

 

[Art D]

I always thought that under such conditions I would retreat to wilderness. During Covid, I learned that pretty much everyone else had the same plan, and we saw huge population growth in our small rural communities in Maine, so much so that Covid transmission became just as active here as anywhere else. What I learned was that, ultimately, there is no safe haven.

 

[yknpdlr]

When I was on active duty in the Air Force as a senior flight navigator during the height of the Cold War, my home happened to be well off base, but not far from the flight path center line off the extended end of the runway. If the big one ever happened, I knew that flight timing to reach us was such that at least some of the incoming weapons would be targeted to cause destruction away from the runway, along our expected departure flight path. I told my family that if conditions were about to look that bad, they should head in a perpendicular direction and upwind from where I told them the primary flight path was. Deep woods in either direction with known sheltered places to go. As for me, I would soon be in the air, either still in the target area or hopefully well beyond, navigating my butt off with my crew, flying on our preplanned flight path which had us heading mainly northward to complete our assigned eventual mission.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

One of my favorite books in my youth was Earth Abides. In it, the protagonist actually comes out of the wilderness and back to civilization - only to find it completely fallen to deadly pandemic. I tend to think the story is a bit more realistic than the idea of escaping to wilderness.

I guess because of that, my mind has always gone to ideas for getting along with social breakdown, loss of utilities, and such. Using human powered tools, conveyances, and methods. Forming alliances - in advance and among survivors. Things like that. Keeping canoes, bicycles, canoe carts, fabricating tools, etc, and practicing their use is all part of that.

If the Yellowstone super volcano goes off though, I probably won't have to use any of that

 

[Foxyotter]

If preppers spent their time and money on getting to know their neighbors and investing in their community they would be safer, more resilient and more likely to survive a survivable apocalypse. Most people are good people and most people what the same thing. If I need to be armed to the teeth and locking out starving women and children from entering my compound then I failed as a human. Civil war in USA is pipe dream of people with no grasp of reality. There are too many honorable and honest patriots who have sworn an oath to the constitution and sadly, and probably more importantly the people who have all the money and power loose the most in a civil war. That is why they make others think it could happen so people don't invest in their neighbors and realize the scam they are enduring. Blaming others and creating fear has worked to control the masses for thousands of years. A good con artist tells you what you want to hear and robs you while blaming someone else. Eventually more and more will catch on to the ruse. Civil unrest is certain. Civil war is one of many forms of misdirection. Love they neighbor and serve your community and we can all go visit our great Northern neighbor and enjoy spectacular wilderness adventures. Most Americans agree on 90% if you can phrase the questions to take out the divisive politics. Follow the tax cuts and spending cuts to see exactly who helps the future and who lines their pockets.

 

[Ripple]

I Live to close to NYC. So if unfortunately I wasn't taken out in the first wave. I would probly try to use bike paths to get north. I don't really think of these scenario as survival. As I do running for your life. We should all just get along, and increase the peace. Just my 2 cents!

 

[Steve in Idaho]

If preppers spent their time and money on getting to know their neighbors and investing in their community they would be safer, more resilient and more likely to survive a survivable apocalypse.

That's really the key. Beyond that, having valuable skills and tools to put them to use is always good currency. I like to think that being able to move a canoe both upstream and downstream can be a useful skill set.

 

[Alan Gage]

If this is something that's actually a concern then it's probably best to be proactive and put yourself in an advantageous position well ahead of time.

I personally feel that heading into the Canadian wilderness with a canoe full of camping and fishing gear would be one of the worst things I could do. Finding a community of people working together with pooled resources would be the best, and I don't think that would be too hard to find.

But even more than that I don't see this as a likely reality so I just live my life and don't worry about it.

Alan

 

[Black_Fly]

I told my wife if a single nuke flies in Europe, we would head for the cabin. Although it was located 400 miles downwind from Minot AFB, a major ICBM location and doubtless target. Still, we would be closer to the Canadian border, although Im not sure Canada wouldn’t be targeted along with the U.S. In a serious pandemic, fewer people would be best. Besides the contagion, the loss of supply chains would cause a breakdown of social order. Less society the better in my book.

 

[Alan Gage]

Not pointing fingers at anyone since this has not gotten political yet but please keep in mind the "No Politics" policy as this thread could quickly go off the rails.

 

[kahel]

life is beautiful, even if it sometimes seems difficult - and there is always a solution to every problem.

 

[Foxyotter]

kahel I think you have the answer to many problems. Having the attitude that life is beautiful can carry us through some challenging times. Thanks for the reminder it will help me appreciate today a little more deeply. If we have an apocalypse or pandemic I will try to help those in need. If it's a massive nuclear war I bet there would be some amazing sunsets and sunrises and hopefully I will savior the opportunity to still see the beauty.

 

[Punkinhead]

...so now you're in the Canadian wilderness., the week or two of supplies you fit in your canoe has run out and winter is approaching - what now? Or is this one of those apocalypses that only lasts a couple weeks?

 

[Robin]

“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” Mike Tyson

Stay home.

 

[Foxyotter]

...so now you're in the Canadian wilderness., the week or two of supplies you fit in your canoe has run out and winter is approaching - what now? Or is this one of those apocalypses that only lasts a couple weeks?

Dude I have watched most seasons of Alone on the history channel. So I know exactly what will happen. I will likely starve to death or loose my marbles and go for a cold water swim.

 

[memaquay]

I grew up on Canadian air force bases, my Dad was a radar technician. Nuclear war was a daily reality for us. Because we were the base for the Argus, and then the Aurora, both submarine hunting planes, we were told that we would be included in the first strike of nuclear bombs. The air raid/nuclear bomb warning would go off on a semi regular basis, mostly as a test. We were taught "Duck and Cover" in school, to hide in place under your desk.

The result of this is that until the Berlin Wall fell, myself and many of my friends lived with a fatalistic viewpoint of the world, and most of us were involved in getting our kicks in before the whole sh!thouse went up in flames. We never thought of bugging out, we knew from the myriad presentations we had at school and at local air shows that the devastation would be complete, the only thing that could be disputed is whether you would die instantly or linger for a time with radiation poisoning.

When the Berlin Wall fell, a great weight was lifted off my shoulders, and I was finally cured of my nuclear annihilation disorder. It was no small thing. With the state of the world today, one could develop NAD pretty quickly, but I'm not falling victim this time. I have faith, perhaps displaced, that the world will not go down that path.

If it did, forget about escaping, there are no safe places anymore. When covid first started, I watched two middle aged chubby women wrestling over toilet paper in the grocery store. I have a place picked out to weather the storm, only accessible by canoe, but lets be realistic, I'm getting on in age, I would probably die a horrible death during the first winter. A group of free love hippies came up here in the early 70's and tried to survive a winter on the shores of the Namewaminikan river. My mentor has spoken to them in the spring, there were about 30 or 40 of them, all from the US, trying to live off the land. They were gone by February.

So this long ramble is all to say I don't worry about anything much anymore, I'll just deal with stuff day by day, enjoy life as much as I can, try to do no harm. The air is thick with smoke from forest fires fires today, but pretty sure I'm still going fishing in my freighter.

 

[yknpdlr]

I grew up on Canadian air force bases

I flew into CFB North Bay to partiipate with my aircraft in their air show static desplay and flyover, around 1981 as I recall, for the retirement ceremony of the Canadian produced CF-100 aircraft. Then just a few years ago I made a special detour with my canoe to pass through on my way to Whitehorse, a long way from there. The only other thing I remember about North Bay is it was the home of the once famous Donnne Quints, and is mentioned in song by my favorite Canadian folk band, Tanglefoot.