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For Whom The Old Presque Isle Bell Tolls
The Old Presque Isle Lighthouse was built in 1840 and operated until 1871. It’s one of the oldest surviving lighthouses on the Great Lakes. The park preserves both the old keepers house and the light. When originally restored, the owner used wood from a nearby shipwreck, so the interior features knotted wood with lots of holes. He also used all the doors from the ship to replace interior doors, which gives the keeper’s house a wonderful nautical feel. When I was there, the park volunteer had a small fire burning in the fireplace, which made the house feel even more welcoming. After being rescued from a shipwreck, it would have…
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Spring, Cabin Fever and Wanderlust
Spring is almost here in the northland and on the shore of Lake Superior. Robins flew back into town the other day. I saw a raven carrying sticks for nests. The gulls are back and loud and dive-bombingly protective of the shoreline and their islands. Tons of eagles soar along the shore. And the deer, both dead and living, line the highways where the melting snow exposes grass. The wolves have followed the deer. These signs signal spring. Lake Superior never really froze over this winter, so I’ve been paddling all winter long, but the weather is heating up and the days reach temperatures above freezing, the days are longer…
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12 Months of Paddling
I did it! On Saturday, I closed the circle and paddled year round for the third or fourth year in a row. I set a goal for the last few years to paddle at least once a month, even in winter when it’s cold. Most years in my area, Lake Superior remains completely open, but every once in a while it freezes completely over. This year, it didn’t even get close, and the area experienced enough warmer days throughout the winter to make paddling bearable for a couple of hours at a time. So, I did it! 12 Months of Paddling in a row. I usually don’t write about personal…
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Lightweight Paddling Philosophy
Back in 2004, I wrote an article called Nessmuking: A Return to Simple. In it I argued about the need to emphasize skills over equipment in the lightweight movement, because if you have the skills to survive in the wilderness, you can carry less and travel more simply. The argument continued that enjoyment is increased through simplicity and flexibility achieved through skills. I named the philosophy after Nessmuk, the pen name of George Washington Sears, who wrote for Forest and Stream in the late 1800s. His book, Woodcraft and Camping, which despite being over 100 years old remains relevant to today’s wilderness enthusiast, mixes the practice of bushcraft with a…
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Increase Your Paddling Glove’s Grip with Sex Wax
When wearing paddling gloves, it seems like I always have to suffer a trade-off: warmth vs. good grip. On those cold and wavy days when Lake Superior’s 40°F water threatens to turn my hands into a solid popsicles, the lake leaves me no choice except to don the gloves. Just the other day when wearing glove–I forgot my secret formula from making a paddle shaft grippy–I almost missed a brace when my glove slipped right off the paddle shaft. To compensate for the lack of grip, I notice I tend to tighten my hold onto the paddle’s shaft, which locks my wrist into an angle that flares up my tendonitis.…
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Why I Canoe
A guest post by Amy Funk of Campgirlz.com To talk about why I canoe, I have to first address my passion for the natural world. Sometimes tragedy can push you to find comfort. The year I turned six, my brother was killed in a car accident in July. A few months later, one of my Mom’s best friends died of a brain tumor, and the following month, my cousin was killed in a fire started by a Christmas tree. I remember this time as very confusing and scary. I also remember this time as my first glimpse of the healing solitude of the outdoors. Trying to deal with all the…
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How I Got Started Paddling
Over at Kayakquixotica.com, Derrik asks, “I know there are lots of very experienced paddlers out there. Help me out and share how you got into paddling in the first place…” Taking up his challenge, I posted a comment on his blog. Many more comments followed mine, and I found each comment interesting and enlightening. From the comments, it’s easy to see how appealing the sport is to all types of people. The more I thought about this, the clearer it became to me that doing a post on Nessmuking about how I got into paddling would be a perfect way for me to expand the topic. How I Got into…
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Winter Kayaking
“There is no bad weather, only the wrong gear.” -Minnesota Proverb Winter shorelines feature ice formations, ice caves, and the air is crystal clear which allows you to see for miles. On a blue-sky winter day, I feel there’s no other place I’d rather be than on the water paddling. With the proper gear and precautions, winter needn’t be a reason to stay off the water. Luckily, for me I live on the north shore of Lake Superior, and its shores remain ice-free for most of the winter. Some winters, we have only a few weeks of ice, and during some, we have months of ice. If you have open…
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10 Paddling Books to Read in 2010
Canoeist and kayakers should start off the new year and a new decade by resolving to read a few books. In the past I’ve done round-up reviews of boat building books and paddling books, but it’s about time for a new round-up. These 10 stand out as the paddling books you should read in 2010. Kayaking Books Sea Kayak Rescue, 2nd: The Definitive Guide to Modern Reentry and Recovery Techniques (How to Paddle Series): First published in 2001 and updated in 2007, this guide presents the most up-to-date rescue, reentry, and recovery techniques for sea kayakers. The book is well-written, easy-to-understand, and laid out in a progression that instructors could…
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Funny Kayak Videos
Over at Xtranormal, a website that allows users to easily create animated videos, a number of paddling related videos are appearing. They take a humorous look at serious issues and debates that occur within canoeing and kayaking. Many of the videos are based on some of the actual silly online debates that have occurred over at paddling.net. Note: Xtranormal discontinued its video service many years ago. These videos were pretty funny, so it’s too bad that they are gone. Also the links to the old paddling.net threads were broken years ago when paddling.net change forum programs. Pungo Kayak Expedition A funny examination of the Dunning-Kruger effect: 1. Incompetent individuals tend…
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A Paddling Emergency Ditch Kit
A common fear among paddlers is losing the boat or getting into a situation where the boat must be abandoned. Usually, along with the boat, the gear is lost too. It happens. An example of it happing comes from Canoe Trip: Alone in the Maine Wilderness. The author David Curran finds himself on the wrong side of a flooded river upstream of a rapid that would likely mean his death. After getting to shore, he abandons his canoe in an attempt to walk back to his car. In the process, he leaves essential gear behind. Another example comes from Robert Pruden when his kayak was swept over an unexpected rapid.…
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Watch Free Classic Paddling Films Online
Injured? Is the water frozen? Or is there some reason that you can’t get out on the water? If you have a high speed Internet connection, there are dozens of online classic paddling film to help you pass the time. It isn’t a complete substitute for the joy of being on the water, but, at least, you get to watch something that you really enjoy. Bill Mason Films If you’ve never taken the time to watch one of the original paddling documentary film makers work, then it’s about time you did. You’ll be captivated by his love for the Great Lakes and northern woods. Watch online: Bill Mason’s Films at…
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8 Easy Ways to Go Lighter
Lightening the load in your kayak or canoe saves you energy, makes your load easier to portage, and ends up making camp life easier. These 8 easy tips are a few ways that you can reduce your load. Store your composite kayak or canoe upside with the hatches open. As composite materials age, they can absorb water, which makes your canoe or kayak heavier. If as little as a quart of water absorption, you’re craft will gain 2 pounds. Not only does this matter on the portages and for car topping, but a heavier boat performs worse on the water. New dry bags are now lighter and just as waterproof,…
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The Lightweight Secret
Most paddlers would sit up and listen when told they could actually travel the same distance without working any harder in less time. They'd lean in much closer when told that there was a secret that could allow them to travel an additional 24 miles in a ten day trip without any additional hours on the water, and most would be surprised to learn the secret is actually simple. Learn the secret in this article.
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Book Reviews
Jacobson, Expedition Canoeing. Connecticut, The Globe Pequot Press, 2001. Cliff Jacobson lays down the law of canoeing big and small rivers of the Canadian North. He covers details such as researching, picking a canoe, picking gear, navigation, cooking, hazards and rescue, and much more. Jacobson also includes other great Canadian explorers as additional voices to enhance his book. You’ll here from such greats as Verlen Kruger, Bob O’Hara, and many others. If you buy one book on how to canoe, this should be it. Get the book at Amazon here. Excerpt: page 53: “Some people are turned on by beautiful cars. With me, it’s canoes. So it was natural that…