First aid and boat repair kits: what we used
It’s a basic tenet of safe paddling: Bring what you need to fix whatever goes wrong with your boat or your body, and know how to use it. Boat repair and first aid kits are permanent fixtures in our day hatches–essentials we’re happy to have and hope not to use.…
read morePaddling gear for trips: what worked well
Our recent trip along the coasts of Pukaskwa National Park and the Lake Superior Highlands was a great opportunity to test a variety of gear. In addition to our ongoing quest for a paddling shoe that fits, protects and lasts–the holy grail of kayaking, we’re convinced–we’ve been assessing the performance of clothing, camping equipment, camera bags and other accessories.…
read moreWhy we chose to paddle Pukaskwa
Well, yeah, because it’s there, but there’s so much more to it than that. And yeah, because our good friend Keith Wikle suggested we paddle it together with him and John Fleming, but that isn’t the whole story, either.…
read moreCross-training our paddling and coaching
Sharon interpreting daily marine forecasts during a wilderness trip.This has been an unusual summer for us. Ordinarily, we spend much of the season coaching locally and at symposia around the midwest.…
read moreAlta Kayak: another cottage paddling industry
We’re fascinated by businesses born of necessity. We’ve written in the past about Snapdragon and Werner, two of the many Pacific Northwest paddlesport companies begun by enthusiastic paddlers who needed gear that wasn’t readily available.…
read moreGreat Lakes skills meet ocean conditions
Seth and Sharon in a tidal race in the San Juan Channel.
Paddling on the Great Lakes can be challenging at times. Strong winds generate large, steep waves; hard break walls produce chaotic clapotis.…
read morePreparing for a trip: Paddling!
We spent several weeks assembling all the gear and supplies we’ll need for our upcoming trip along the shoreline of Pukaskwa National Park and Superior Highlands in Canada. But all the planning and preparation would be for naught if we didn’t also get out and paddle.…
read morePreparing for a kayak trip: Shelter, part one
We’ve become fans of wing-shaped tarps for kayak and camping trips. They offer protection if you have to set up a tent in the rain, a covered but ventilated place for cooking, and an option outside the tent if you’re stuck on land waiting for a storm to pass.…
read morePreparing for a kayak trip: Food, part one
We’ve begun collecting and preparing food and gear for a 12-day trip this August along the Pukaskwa coast and Superior Highlands–a journey of about 120 miles as the crow flies, but longer if you hug the shoreline and explore coves and islands.…
read moreWilderness First Responder course completed
Every year, we start our paddling season by doing some training or an assessment. We do this in order to stay current as coaches and prepare ourselves for whatever might arise with students.…
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