Paddling Notes

[caleb]

Swift Prospector 16' Carbon/Kevlar fusion and it's GREEN!
This will be mostly flat water paddling. We are scouting for multi-day adventures and of course we will have to get Zac the new uber Standard Poodle comfortable before we go nuts. Also, just scored two cherry tripper paddles. Delivery is about one week away.
STOKED

You could pull your Airstream to the Dawson Trail Campground on the east end of Quetico in 23 hours for some great day trips. Mid-September would be an amazing time to be up there. Just planting the bug.

[Too Tall]

You could pull your Airstream to the Dawson Trail Campground on the east end of Quetico in 23 hours for some great day trips. Mid-September would be an amazing time to be up there. Just planting the bug.

I looked! Very good recommend. We are booked until mid-October. We plan to visit lake Philpott on/off ( https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ph...2cqy?entry=ttu )until I've finished my "duties" at the Airstream Park than the world is our erster'.

Since we have a late start this yr. we think southern destinations in late October and early Nov. are more likely.

[steve garro]

Swift Prospector 16' Carbon/Kevlar fusion and it's GREEN!
This will be mostly flat water paddling. We are scouting for multi-day adventures and of course we will have to get Zac the new uber Standard Poodle comfortable before we go nuts. Also, just scored two cherry tripper paddles. Delivery is about one week away.
STOKED

Beautiful boat !
Completely not for what I do - AZ rocks chew them up, it's tragic.
Often some for sale here cheap from out of state folks tho.........


- Garro.

[Too Tall]

Beautiful boat !
Completely not for what I do - AZ rocks chew them up, it's tragic.
Often some for sale here cheap from out of state folks tho.........


- Garro.

Understood. Baby steps. Mrs. Too might get there, for now lakes, puddles and slow rivers. Training the pooch should be interesting.

[Too Tall]

Standard Poodle approval.
Just arrived our new canoe. For a name I'm considering "RowVwave"

rowvwave.jpg

[PaMtbRider]

Have you had the new canoe in the water yet? We need a paddle report and more pictures.

[Too Tall]

Have you had the new canoe in the water yet? We need a paddle report and more pictures.

My dewd we barely got it before we took off for my sister's place. We can't wait to get that thaing wet. Isaac the new version of Sully Poodle is already jumping in and out of the boat so I think the biggest hurdle is done. Also, we bought two really nice cherry paddles from Swift. The design are tripper / beavertail.

My gosh, we are blown away how nice their work is.

[sk_tle]

Is anyone bikepaddling/bikerafting here?

[open roader]

Road Trip!

Nelson, Victoria - Australia to paddle the Glenelg River.

A four + hour drive from home but no need to drive through Melbourne (our State capital city)

Early to mid spring - the bush was still verdant and lush, plenty of water in the river upstream but we limited ourselves to the lower 7 miles from Nelson on the coast up beyond Donovan's.

Fabulous place to be - mostly deserted in shoulder season. We rented a local holiday house for 3 nights, ate at the local pub, paddled 2 days and car toured the Lower Glenelg National Park for half a day.

The Glenelg River is a rarity on Australia's south coast being reasonably long and remarkably wide, still 80 to 90 yards wide as far as 18 miles upstream. Lots of gorgeous limestone cliffs on both banks, some lovely old fishing shacks outside of the National Park boundaries and plenty of excellent camping sites and launch ramps inside the National Park.

4 days away very well spent.

[j44ke]

Nice!!

[caleb]

The Boundary Waters came in at #42 on the NYT list of top 52 travel destinations for 2024: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...ions-2024.html



Fun fact: In the picture, my brother is in the stern of the canoe.

[Too Tall]

I've paddled Boundary Waters into Quatico four times. We navigated using common sense and waterproof maps and boy howdy there is nothing on earth like getting a few days away from civilization, motors or any human sign.

We were ambitious so long portage and slogging up leech infested creeks was how we were able to visit places nobody except rangers and legally insane folks would go. WORTH IT :)

By all means, do this if you have real interest visiting one of the great natural resources in N. America.

[vertical_doug]

It's amazing how hard people have had to work over 10 decades to protect the BWCA and surrounding areas.

Friends of the Boundary Waters organized in the 1970's to fight Acid Rain at the time as it was threatening the lakes and pine forests. They helped sponsor the first environmental bills to reduce acid rain pollution.
It was hard to believe 50 years later the fight had to continue as Twin Metals Mine by Antofagasta in 2010. A copper Sulfide mine in the superior national forest is just a bad idea. (this one is basically killed now).
They also worked hard to keep motorized vehicles out as there was a big push to let them in. They lost some of the fight but kept most of the area safe.

But Glencore, has proposed a copper mine near Babbit. Glencore is the British Miner which was originated as Marc Rich & Co. (Marc Rich was charged with violating sanctions against Iran embargo for trading oil, and fled the US. He was later pardoned by Bill Clinton which probably still ranks as one of the dirtier pardons until Trump came along.) Glencore would be a disaster for the region environmentally.

https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/

I was fortunate as a student in a school that had a summer biology program which took as up into the Boundary waters for a few weeks every year. It is how I spent part of my summers in high school. We used the old-style canvas tents and backpacks which were heavy as hell. (At least to a lazy high schooler). Portages were a bitch.

The late 70's were an interesting time for environmentalism, it is when we really turn the tide. I doubt we'd have the boundary waters if it hadn't happened. It was also when the push started to stop Reserve Mining from dumping mercury rich taconite waste into Silver Bay on Lake Superior.

There is always someone who wants to wreck it. Look at Bears Ears.

[Too Tall]

Good insights Doug. Thanks for that.