Paddling into 2015

I paddled a section of the Casselman River today. Solid Class II. This makes four river days so far this year. I'm not really posting about that, tho. My main reason for posting is to let Codger know (and to rub it in a bit) that my local craiglist has a Blue Hole canoe for $200. :)

I'm waiting for the owner to reply with pics of the bottom. The rest of the pics look good so far.
 
My fleet definitely does NOT need expanding. That won't stop me from buying it though. :)

Assuming the bottom looks okay, and assuming someone doesn't beat me to it, I'm gonna grab it. I'll PM you a link to it.
 
I built a skin on frame kayak a year and a half ago, and promptly hurt my back, so I've only used it twice. I'm dying to get out kayaking, I'm hoping this year I'll be able to get out more. Even if I cannot, I dropped my $50 beater kayak at my parents house and can play around with it in their creek and give the niece and nephews rides in it.

Sadly, due to the dry winter, a river that a coworker and I planned to kayak is already too low, usually that doesn't happen until late May (yet in the winter, it sometimes takes out towns).
 
Getting my stuff ready to head out in the morning. These are from my first trip out last week. Location is north side of Lock and Dam No. 11 on the upper Mississippi and a small tributary feed a couple of miles up.

The conditions that morning were just about perfect. Tomorrow is looking good as well. Probably a bit more wind tomorrow but it should be a good morning paddle. Going to try a new put in on the Wisconsin side. Happy paddling.

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Jelous again I am TLR! Enjoy!

I need to get out and work on my mad canoe skilz. Of course I know most of you can do these things but I need to practice.

[video=youtube;wM_evTO_BRc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM_evTO_BRc[/video]
 
Codger_64 said:
Jelous again I am TLR! Enjoy!

I need to get out and work on my mad canoe skilz. Of course I know most of you can do these things but I need to practice.
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That stuff is easy in a canoe. Try flipping or walking the gunwales of a 16' jon boat with a mud motor on it.

:D

Cool stuff Codger! I wonder how many hours he has spent on the water.
 
Well as a native Georgian, I've never had to deal with frozen water. I paddle 12 months out of the year in my kayak, but I definitely know the itch to get in the saddle. Great write up so far! I'll be following along
 
G.Moll said:
Well as a native Georgian, I've never had to deal with frozen water. I paddle 12 months out of the year in my kayak, but I definitely know the itch to get in the saddle. Great write up so far! I'll be following along
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G.Moll, thanks. These now annual paddling threads run the entire calendar year. And everyone is welcome to post their photos, trip reports, questions and answers. I hope you will participate as well. I enjoy seeing the scenery, different boats, experiences all across the nation and abroad. I am an old Southern boy myself and never had to contend with "hard" water more than a few times in my life. More problematic for me is the cold water here and possibility of hypothermia. So I am learning to adapt. Both with gear and skills.

I am really looking forward to this paddling season for many reasons. Not the least of which is that canoeing is one of the very few outdoor activities I can still enjoy. I am certainly not the most skilled or knowledgeable here. And you will note that when you see the hand made boats of others, the demonstration of paddling techniques and advanced equipment some have. Hopefully I make up for it in interest and enthusiasm! I think I'll go out and lace the cages in the Old Town.
 
Well here are a few from this morning on the Platte River. Another beautiful day with very light wind.

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Nice pictures. How do you handle your shuttle? Wife or other family member of friend pick you up or drop you off? That is one of the details I am yet to work out here. I can get to and on and down the rivers by myself just fine. But we don't have a network of outfitters to provide shuttle at a reasonable cost. Back in Tennessee on my most frequented river, my shuttle cost $20 for me, Jake and the canoe. Even if we were the only ones on the shuttle that day. And it was the same cost whether I wanted to go 10 miles up, 20 or 30 miles upstream. Heck I couldn't drive my own truck round trip that cheaply. Much less leave it parked at remote locations at the mercy of local hoodlums.
 
Codger, for what it's worth, if you get creative with craigslist you can find some help. Around southern Michigan there are tons of pontoon boats. People offer pontoon moving services for as low as $30-$40 depending on the distance. Without having to pull the trailer you might get one to truck-top your canoe up the river for a similar price.
 
Codger I generally go out early in the morning and need to get back in fairly early to get ready for a full workday. My schedule is flexible so it's not a big deal if I don't get started with work till 10-11 but it means that I'm usually out by myself. My normal paddle is between 3-10 miles depending on how much time I have, conditions and if there's anything interesting going on.

One day a couple of falls ago I paddled in a large area of the river in the fog and as it burned off I found myself surrounded by thousands of ducks. They took off and swirled around blacking out the sun. I think I sat there 30 minutes or so without paddling just watching and listening.

I pretty much always come back to where I started. The nice thing about the Mississippi is that generally speaking it's not hard to go upriver. Most of the time I canI hit an area several times before I've explored it thoroughly.

I really wish that I had a way to get picked up because I'd really like to do full downriver sections but the logistics have so far not worked out.
 
I may have made that to wordy. I Have a setup on top of my xterra and I load, unload and launch by myself. So far my car hasn't been broken into and usually I'm not to worried about it up here.
 
Thanks guys. Logistics has always presented a problem for me on solo jaunts where current precludes paddling back upstream. And having to keep to a certain schedule to meet a shuttle for return is problematic for me. One of my favorite features of paddling trips is there is no schedule. I can and have taken out well after dark before. In spite of roughly planning to take out well before sunset. Likewise I have sat for hours at a takeout waiting for an appointed pick up time. I have read of some people taking along a bicycle to do a self-shuttle and even dropping off a motor scooter at the takeout to use retrieving their vehicle. I'll check with some of the trout fishing guide services here. There are plenty of those but their usual clientel is moneyed and they may not want to deal with a shuttle for less than their usual fees. They may however be knowledgable as to where my vehicle can be left without worry. Or my canoe while I catch a ride back to my vehicle.
 
TLR said:
Well here are a few from this morning on the Platte River.
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Paddling the sky ... heaven whispers to us from its reflection interrupted, it can't be just me.
 
This absolutely wonderful float river experience just sounds so inviting, in whatever way everyone is able to accomplish it.

So twisty and winding back on itself is my Black River, my sandbank and 'oxbow' heaven here - that I have in past, driven East, put in, taken most of a day paddling home, and then walked (exhausted) as the crow flies back to my vehicle. Mostly wilderness riverbank with all the wild birds and wildlife taken by surprise as paddlers are so rare. Beaver slapping, kingfisher diving, sandbank swallows, herons, mystery critters ... but you are never alone

If I tackled such an adventure today, I would welcome a shuttle ... or hitch a ride with a friend (even more likely).

This summer I will be making up for last. My work is cut out for me. As soon as the flow is close to normal and a little higher in temperature, I will start nibbling away at the strainers caught on the fallen maple that the flood of 2013 dropped into the current. I cannot let this bulk of freed timbers float on downstream so that will be an additional aspect of the work.

The urgency this year is the complete, bank to bank, obstruction.

My trusty Trailblazer saw is going to see lots of action this year! I have a 'float tested' container for the camera too.

Tough job, floating on the water, no deadline, no boss


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Hi Michael,

Re: the dry suit - nice acquisition and worthy work that will extend your paddling in the shoulder seasons :thumbup:

I do not see however ... hmmm ... edgy 2015 haute couture for your prime random ballast control officer, Jake tsk tsk

OK I get it. He already has a spiff PFD and will be tail-wagging delighted to hit the water with the paw friendly round stones of the crik bottoms of Idaho.

May all our paws fall on welcome ground as we go ...

Susan
 
You got it right on the paw friendly round stones in the rivers and streams here. Rounded cobbles are ubiquitous and sharp edged ones rare. Jake's PFD gives him good insulation in addition to his thick fur coat. In fact he has been diving for weeks now in the kiddie pool we keep for him in the back yard. He handles cold weather and cold water much better than I do.
 
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