Trip Report #2: The Manistee, Spring '09

It's a crime and a shame that I have not reported on one of our favorite haunts yet. The Manistee River is a tried and true favorite for me and my paddling-partner-in-crime, the infamous Hiker & Paddler (you really MUST check out his blog, especially if you're into the technical aspects of camping and camp equipment....he's taught me all I know!), and this past Spring, we did our favorite stretch of the Manistee for what had to have been the 3rd or 4th time. We do this stretch again and again because a) it is a great length and pace for a two-night paddle b) there are ample "ninja camping" opportunities since it is in the middle of state forest - just find a nice site along shore and set up camp! and c) we have a great relationship with Wilderness Canoe, who ferries gear and boats to our put-in point for a very reasonable price.

First and foremost, let me state that the Manistee is full of incredible paddling opportunity. The river is clear, has an awesome and easy flow, and there is lots of it! See for yourself!

Map courtesy of Wilderness Canoe's Website....if you're paddling the Manistee, use 'em, you won't be sorry!

Our usual trip starts at US-131 and ends at Wilderness Canoe, which is located immediately past M-37. As far as our pacing goes, we like to get on the river by late morning on the first day, enjoy a leisurely lunch and/or swim, and put in about 3-4 hours of paddling. We usually use Baxter Bridge as a reference point on that first day - once we get past the bridge, it's time to start considering campsites. And thus is the beauty of camping in USFS territory....when we find a nice, flat campsite without an unreasonable bank to scramble up, it's a good time to camp.

On day two, we prefer to camp somewhere before, but close to Harvey Bridge. There are gorgeous potential campsites just before Harvey Bridge, including what we fondly refer to as the "Mofo" site. Though its namesake suggests otherwise, the site's title does not come from our own frustrations or drawbacks from the campsite. This name comes from the simple, neon orange graffiti scrawled down a pine tree on the high bluff on which it sits. Why the tree is a mofo, I have no earthly idea. But what I do know is that the place is fantastic. A nice, high, flat campsite with easy access to the river, along with an abandoned pit toilet left by hunters makes it a personal favorite. And by pit toilet, I mean a wooden box with a hole cut out on top, complete with comfy toilet seat to sit upon. I enjoy jungle pooping as much as the next gal, but such luxury cannot go unnoticed! Unfortunately, on our Memorial Day weekend trip, this site is usually occupied by an RV or trailer, along with the usual local yahoos that we run into throughout the weekend.

Our third day is a leisurely 2-3 hour paddle past Harvey Bridge and back to the livery. This usually gives us the needed time for our livers to detox and our minds to prepare for the long drive home

I know the details are sparse on this trip, but stay tuned for a more detailed report on this Fall's latest trip on a stretch of the Manistee further upriver. If you want a sneak preview, zip on over to Hike and Paddle's blog (seriously...just do it) for his take on our latest adventure.

Keep paddling, and now that the Michigan winter is fast approaching, keep those hopes high until next spring!

Trip Report #1 - The Huron River

Here comes the fist utterly belated trip report of the 2009 paddling season…

Our first overnight paddle this year was one of significance, as it was the boyfriend’s first extended/overnight trip. It’s a pity that this one was as stressful and fraught with minor mishaps as it was, but there were some definite highlights as well.

Our trip took place from Friday, May 1st to Saturday, May 2nd.

My first indication that our two-day trip on the Huron was going to be a bit of a chore should have dawned upon me when I called the Huron-Clinton Metroparks to get an overnight parking permit. At first, there was a bit of confusion, something along the lines of… “You want to do what? Overnight canoe trip? Leaving a car overnight?” Not a good sign. I explained my desire to leave a car at our takeout point, Huron Meadows Metropark, and that it would need to stay their overnight. After working out the details and obtaining the free permit (I had already bought the $20 annual parking permit for all Huron-Clinton Metroparks), I had to pick up the permit at the metroparks’ main office at Hudson Mills. I must note that every ranger I spoke with from the metroparks were beyond helpful and polite, and when I asked the ranger who gave me the permit if folks attempted this overnighter on the Huron all that often, she responded with an amused “No”.

Friday night was spent camping at our put-in point at the Proud Lake State Recreation Area. We were not impressed with the campgrounds. Being the spoiled rotten paddlers that we are and the sort of folks that much prefer pulling up on uninhabited state land and making a campsite of our own, these drive-in campgrounds always seem to leave a bad taste in out mouths with the slew of trailers, RVs, and crowded surroundings. We enjoy referring to the worst of the worst as the “refugee camps”, but again, we are wilderness brats and just need to get over ourselves. The Proud Lake campground fit into this category, but had nice bathrooms and gave us a suitable spot to rest our heads and gear up for what would soon become a test in patience.

After spotting vehicles, leaving one upriver at Proud Lake (we needed the state park permit to park there…permits are required EVERYWHERE on the Huron) and one downriver at Huron Meadows Metropark, we were off. Before putting in at the Heavner Canoe Livery at Proud Lake, we were informed that the river was impassible at 1-96 due to construction on the bridge. According to the livery, paddlers could not get beneath the bridge and would have to be portaged around the area. After haggling with the livery for a bit, we settled on $40 to pick up four paddlers, one canoe, and two kayaks on Kent Lake, portage us around 1-96, and drop us off in the Island Lake State Recreation Area. This was an unexpected cost that had us a bit displeased, but once on the river, our cares began to melt away.

The first bit of the river was wide and slow, but had a fair current that kept us moving along at a decent pace. The river continued to widen and slow in the backwaters of Millford Dam, giving us our first stretch of some hard paddling against the wind, which chose to blow in our faces all day. The Millford Dam portage is a breeze, complete with very nice boat rollers that takes one easily up and over the dam. Certainly a testament to the efforts made by those who want to promote recreational paddling on the Huron. The river continued to be slow-going past the dam, and the worst leg of our trip came as we entered the headwaters of Kent Lake. Though we knew we had some open water paddling ahead of us, with the wind whipping up a surface current towards us, the paddle was absolutely brutal. Aforementioned boyfriend suffered the worst fatigue and frustration out of us all, and our two other companions – my dear friends who join me on nearly every paddling trip are soon to be wed – felt the agony of it all. I felt particularly bad for my friend Mary, who was still nursing a broken wrist…what a trooper! We were overjoyed to find the small park/picnic spot where we would be meeting the folks from Heavner Canoe. After wolfing down a well-earned lunch, we were promptly met by the livery’s van and trailer.

Though their service was prompt, we did have difficulties with the livery staff, and in particular, the driver of the van who seemed to have no idea where we wanted to put back in and no idea where the vehicle with the boats was behind us. It got to the point where I had abandon politeness and say “Hey – we’re putting in at this point, but we’re not letting you go until the boats are here with us. We cannot continue downriver without the boats to carry us and our gear.” This logic finally seemed to register with our driver, and after a few cell phone calls and a wait, out boats arrived. We were on the river for no more than an hour before we came upon our campsite for the evening.

The campsite was, beyond a doubt, the highlight of this trip. Despite all the trials it took us to get there, the campsite, which is in Island Lake State Recreation Area and is restricted to canoe access only, was GORGEOUS! The two sites were incredibly clean, the pit toilet was spotless, and the kind ranger that checked us in even noted that every time he cleared out a dead tree, he took the wood to the site so paddlers would have firewood waiting for them. It was worth every penny of the $8 we paid to camp there for the night. The woods around us were covered in trillium and trout lily, and even in early May, the two guys and I decided to brave the Huron’s chilly waters and had a refreshing swim after are long day. I would almost do a shorter first day of the trip just to get to this site and get to camp there once again, and I can’t praise it highly enough.

Our second day started with stunning scenery through the rest of Island Lake State Recreation Area. This was by far the prettiest stretch of our trip and even had a bit of that “Up North” feel to it. As we continued, the river began to widen, until it reached the point that its high waters turned into wide floodplains. Navigating this stretch was tricky, as we often lost sight of where the river ran. We paddled through trees, through flooded meadows, and got the sense that we were navigating through some odd bayou. There were times when we even got turned around and had to back track just to find our way back to some moving water! Eventually, after lots of flatwater paddling in places that were never meant for paddling, we found US-23 and knew that we were almost done.

Eventually, we reached Huron Meadows Metropark, where the takeout was an ordeal in itself. I’m not sure if we were at the right spot that they claim to be the canoe takeout point, but we ended up hauling our boats up a high embankment and then lugging them across a large lawn to our cars. Way more work than we like, especially after two days of strenuous paddling.

All in all, it is probably not a stretch I’d do again, though I might consider it if we limited it to the all-too-short stretch through Island Lake State Recreation Area. We definitely learned a thing or two on this trip, most notably, the lesson that patience truly is a virtue!

More to come....

I have so many updates from over the summer that it's not even funny. Stay tuned for news of a new canoe, plus trip reports for a Huron River one-nighter, two Manistee trips, and a short paddle down the River Raisin!

The Great Huron Misadventure

I had been chomping at the bit to get on a river and get paddling. This Saturday, I finally got my chance, but as with all things in live (especially when one is impatient!) things did not turn out exactly as planned.

Our first omen came as we were loading the 'yaks into my car. With a bit of misjudged placement and one fell swoop from my back hatch, the front of the green kayak broke a portion of my car's windshield! As of right now, it's a small spiderweb on the passenger side....I may just epoxy the dumb thing, but regardless, it was a bummer. My mother made the comment that someone might need a decent two-kayak top rack for Christmas. I'm not disagreeing with her.

We had to delay putting in due to a line of thunderstorms passing through the area around 2 PM. Based on doppler data, we figured we had a good couple of hours until the next line came through. Unfortuantely, spotting cars took longer than expected and we didn't get on the river until around 4.

When we got to Hudson Mills Metropark, an anxious park employee stopped us at the entrance and told us that the river was at record levels and that they strongly discouraged any paddlers from getting on the river. They cited heavy flow and tree snags as their major concern. Ahead of us a slew of ill-equipped (not a PFD to be seen!) and alcohol-laden paddlers were putting in, despite the warnings of the park, and we figured we'd give it a go anyway. In all honesty, the ranger's concerns were not an issue for us whatsoever. The river moved along at a nice place, but it was nothing worse than paddling up north. As far as tree snags were concerned, we easily manuevered away from any small obstructions, and there were no blockages along the way, though some portions got a bit more technical that what's probably usual for the Huron. The boyfriend and I had to laugh...how typically Ann Arbor, with it's worries of liability and lawsuits!

For the one and a half hours that we were paddling, I was AMAZED by the amount of wildlife along the way! Massive softshell, painted, snapping, and blanding's turtles...more than I've ever seen on one river! The river itself is delightful - lovely scenery and a nice and easy paddle.

Unfortunately, I was anxious (and paddling quickly) the entire time, due to building storm clouds behind us. After that one and a half hours, the dark clouds behind us were growing way too ominous. Fortunately, we came upon Dexter-Hudson Metropark and quickly pulled off. This is where I get to rant and rave about the kindness of two good samaritans. A young couple (who consequently turned out to be the same ages as the boyfiend and I) were playing frisbee with their puppy in the park. Much to the boyfriend's horror, I approached them and stated our predicament. They were happy to offer me a ride down to Delhi Metropark where my car was waiting for me. Along the ride, I came to learn that the guy had been a student at my college's (Vanderbilt) in-state rival school, Tennessee. His girlfriend is doing dental school at my boyfriend's alma mater (U of M), and it was just one of those moments that makes me think we were meant to run into each other. I can't say enough about the kindness and generocity of these two folks. Without them, we would have been in a huge mess, and they epitomized our camp's motto of "I'm Third", which means God (or as I say, one's morals and beliefs) come first, others come second, and I come third.

After another heartfelt thanks at Delhi, I left the kind couple and hopped into my car. As I neared Dexter-Huron Metropark, the tornado sirens began to wail! With petal to the metal, I raced back to the park, only to hurry the darling, patient, wonderful, trooper of a boyfriend (I can't say enough about how good he was about all this) into the car. We ditched the kayaks and drove to go pick up his vehicle before the park closed. It was one hell of a thunderstorm, with reports of up to 80 mph windgusts, quarter sized hail, and power outages all over the place. We waited out much of the storm in my car, and just as quickly as it was upon us, it was gone! Ahh, the meteorlogical wonders of the Midwest!

After returning to Dexter-Huron Metropark, we loaded the kayaks, headed back to Ann Arbor, and devoured a well-earned pizza.

As with all averted disasters, I have learned some valuable lessons:

• Don't rush a trip. Wait until the conditions are just right.
• It's okay to change one's plans when needed. Cutting a trip short is much better than being unsafe.
• There are still good, kind people out there. Be ready and responsible to handle situations on one's own, but there are times when one can rely on the help and goodness of a stranger.
• Don't make fun of the University of Tennessee so much. They produced a very nice engineer who saved my butt.
• Be able to laugh at oneself! As we sat in the car, Mother Nature exuding her fury around us, there was one point where we had to look over at one another and laugh at the absurdity of it all!

I would LOVE to try that daytrip again. Next time, I'd put in at late morning, do a nice picnic lunch at Dexter-Huron Metropark in the middle, then continue on the strech that we did not complete, all the way down to Delhi. But I've learned - I'm not rushing that trip anytime soon.

Should the weather comply, we're still planning on paddling the upper Huron this next weekend. Let's hope we have better success next time!

By the way, I still maintain that my car looks so sexy with the kayak on top.....

A weekend's delay, paddling to come soon!

This Michigan Spring has been a fickle thing indeed. The darling boyfriend and I were planning on doing our daytrip on the Huron on Good Friday, but low temperatures in the 40s helped us quickly change our minds. More driving was done to scout out paddling locations, and we even got to watch a troupe of 3 kayakers shoot the Delhi Rapids. After watching this, we have come to the conclusion that it would be safe for me to attempt the rapids, but aforementioned boyfriend will portage until we know he can make it.

And then there was this weekend.....perfect, sunny, 75 degree weather. And me? Stuck in lifeguarding classes Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We actually held a portion of our class outside yesterday and it postively killed me to be sitting in the sun, listening to lecture, and not being on the river.

The good news? This next weekend. On Friday night we plan on testing out camping gear here at camp. The boyfriend has camped once before, and apparently it was a terrible, soggy experience. We're going to pick a secluded location on camp and give the new tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad (left by a VO camper from last year) to make sure he's good to go. It will be a good test run for our first overnight paddling trip on May 1st.

After camping out on Friday night, we plan to load up my kayaks and hit the Huron on Saturday. We're opting for a shorter (3 1/2 - 4 hour trip) between Hudson Mills Metropark and Delhi Metropark. My uncle's done this strech before and claims it's a lovely paddle. I can't wait! The good news is that if I dump at the rapids, the nice warm car will be waiting for us right there.

More bad news, though....the two week paddling trip (AuSable, Manistee, and Pine Rivers) has been cancelled due to economic considerations. The good news? It might be a blessing in disguise. This may provide an opportunity for me to start grad school this summer instead. Ah, how life twists and turns.

Time to study more lifeguarding......

Paddling Pillow Project.

From the moment I first set eyes on the Crazy Creek AIR Seat/ Backrest Cushion, I thought it would do a great job doubling as a camping pillow. Today, I made a soft, polarfleece pillowcase to help make this dream a reality. I'm sure there are a million different (and better) ways to make this case, but if you want to try my method, below is a link to my methodology:

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/7576/paddlingpillow.png

Some thoughts after creating this project:

• It could be slimmed down much more. there's lots of vertical clearance for the pillow, but not enough to let the cushion slip too much within the case. If space was an issue, I'd make the design much more streamlined.


• If I was more worried about space, I'd probably only make the pillow with a single layer of polar fleece. I wanted something extra padded and warm, so going with the two layers made sense to me.
  
• Velcro tabs on the inside of the flap would make it extra secure, but I don't think it's needed in my case.
  
• "White Lightening" (a name given to my sewing machine by a bunch of middle school kids) had to work extra hard on this project, at times having to go through 6 layers of polar fleece! Take the thicker parts of the case more slowly on the machine...my good ol' girl kicked butt on this one, though!

The pillowcase is a bit too large to fit into the cushion's stuff sack, as illustrated in the picture to the right. The good news? I had a stuff sack for a climbing harness that I got for free from camp that will work just fine. It will probably just be rolled up with my sleeping bag when camping, though.

Scouting the Huron, more gear, and a project!

I spent half of the weekend having a wonderful time with the darling boyfriend in Ann Arbor, and between walking to get groceries and a long morning exploring the city by foot, we put in quite a few miles (6+, I believe?). We're both trying to lose a bit of the winter insulation, and hiking has been a fun way to get active.

Saturday afternoon's adventuring took us to the car, which we were all too grateful to use after a long morning of walking. The mission? Scout out the Huron again. We're looking to do our first day-trip on Good Friday - only 2 weeks away! We started at our put-in point at Hudson Mills Metropark. What a place! The park was buzzing thanks to a frisbee golf tournament, but despite the warnings of the gal at the front gate, the office was not too busy and we had a great chat with the rangers there.

I ended up buying a Huron Metroparks annual parking pass - this will give my car full access to both our put-in and take-out point and just makes alot of sense to have. We can use it for future hikes around the parks as well. We then checked out the spot on the river were we plan to put in. It's just past a decent set of rapids (remnants of the old mill that was once there) and has a great calm spot to load up the kayaks. When we asked the rangers if it'd be okay to chain up the kayaks to a park bench while we spot the other car downriver, they said it'd be no problem at all, which is a welcome relief. They mentioned that they've never had any problems with boats disappearing, but I plan to lock them just to be safe.

We then proceeded to check out a possible take-out point at the Barton Pond Dam. We're torn over whether we'd like to take out there or further upriver (just past the Delhi Rapids). At Barton Pond there is a wonderful dock for portaging, but the portage to the parking lot would be a bit of a haul. There was an odd easterly breeze when we were there as well, which would not make for a fun paddle heading westward across the open water. On the other hand, if we took out at Delhi, we'd only have a 3.5 hour paddle....not long enough for me, if you ask my opinion!

On another note, I am so impressed by the Huron Metroparks' paddling maps. We picked one up at Hudson Mills, and what a great resource! Every put-in and take-out point, every portage, every canoe campsite, and many hazards marked as well! I learned a new term thanks to this map....I can't say I've ever heard the term "weir", but when I looked it up, I knew exactly what it was....a low dam that water can flow over......nothing to portage for, but it's nice that they give paddlers a head's up on the map. It also labels Delhi Rapids as "dangerous"....we're going to give them a go anyway. I actually spoke with a friend who's dumped in the rapids before (she tried to turn her boat sideways in them....oops). Not a big deal, she says. Regardless, a change of warm clothes and some towels will be packed in a dry bag!

The boyfriend wants to grill a lunch on the trip....how ambitious is he! I'm putting him in charge of food while I handle the logistics. A good combo, I think.

Splurged on a new (women's) sleeping bag this week. I hope it resolves my issue of freezing on Spring paddling trips! At a sale price of $60, I couldn't pass it up. Originally went for $124, REI is trying to sell it for $70....I think I got a good deal at "Al's Sports" (http://www.alssports.com/alssports/product.asp?dept_id=3132&pf_id=PAAAIAKMLKJHFHFN&ad_id=froogle&key_id=SierraDesignsRosaSleepingBag20DegreeClimashieldHLSynthetic )

Worked on a project today.....see next post.

Kayaks are on the Water!

This Sunday marked the first paddle of 2009! It was a gorgeous day with temperatures in the upper 60's, and I couldn't wait any longer to get a special guy in a kayak for the first time.

Unfortunately, much of our time was spent driving to the other side of the lake, finding my second kayak (which was mistakenly moved there this Fall), and lashing it to the roof of my car. Some good did come of this when we tested to see if my second 'yak will fit in the car. It does! This is a great thing, seeing as I hope to drive both kayaks out to Ann Arbor this Spring. Now I know that one can fit inside, while the other is lashed on top.

By the way, I still stand by my assertion that my car looks quite sexy with a kayak strapped to its roof.

When we finally got on the water, it was time for kayaking 101. I didn't have to teach a whole lot because the pupil was a quick study. The biggest issues were maintaining a straight course on open water (which is hard to do in the stable, yet "waddling" Keowee kayak) and keeping water from dripping onto one's legs. Other than that, it was a fun, quick trip, complete with a photo opportunity Bruce's Landing.

The best news of it all? He wants to go kayaking again, so despite my best efforts, I did not traumatize him. Hooray!

New & Notable

Spring is coming! The geese and sandhill cranes have returned, the skunks are on the move, and the bulbs in my garden are starting to come up. The temperature is still fridgid and snow flurries are haunting us, but gosh darn it, it's March 1st and I can just feel the days getting longer day by day....

The wonderful boyfriend and I had a great experiment this week. We cleared out the furniture in the upstairs loft of my random house so we'd have enough room to set up the new tent! As expected and just like my old REI tent, set-up was a breeze, and the new tent is SWEET! There is plenty of room for the two of us, with a bit to spare. Though it's advertised as a three-person tent, it'd have to be a third person that we really, really, like. I'll just be happy with plenty of space for me and my guy for now.....

On Saturday, after catching a movie, aforementioned boy and I decided to scout out the one point on a possible Huron River day trip that has me concerned - namely, concerned about whether the boyfriend (a new paddler) can get through one stretch alive. This point of concern is the "Delphi Rapids", listed as class I-II, which are just before you get into Ann Arbor. The water is pretty high due to the recent melt, but even with the heavy flow of water, I think we can handle it. Towels and an extra set of clothes will certainly be packed in a dry bag in the back of my kayak, though! As soon as the air is warm enough, we're hoping to hit the stretch of the Huron River from Hudson Mills to Ann Arbor Metroparks - a good (and supposedly lovely) day's paddle - hopefully in late April or early May!

I'm starting to look seriously at a new PFD.....it's time.....especially if I'm going to dump in little class II rapids....

Vacation!

This week I find myself on Manisota Key, which is right between Sarasota and Ft. Meyers, Florida. My parents, aunt, and uncle had planned a week-long getaway over Christmas break, and they were gracious enough to let me escape work and join them. We're staying in an amazing condo that is right on the gulf, and thus far I've had a great time beach-walking, sunbathing, exploring, eating way too much, and even fishing!

Here around the Gulf and Intercoastal, sea kayaking is all the rage. I've seen beautiful kayaks strapped to the roofs of cars and available for rent at local marinas, and one of these days, I'd absolutely love to try it! There are great canals and islands to explore along the Intercoastal waterway, and to be able to paddle next to manatees and dolphins....what fun it would be!

Here in Florida, there is an incredible department store, Beall's, in which things are always on sale. I've taken full advantage of this. I've bought three pairs of quick-dry, zip-off pants, two quick dry sun shirts, and three pairs of zip-off pants for my boyfriend, who requested them after hearing what a rediculous deal they were. Needless to say, I think I'm set on camping clothing now!

On a silly note, my dad is reading a book by one of my favorite authors, Carl Hiaasen. When he pulled the book from his bag, he noted, "Hey Mer...it's you!". I had to laugh....brunette girl in her red kayak, complete with snake and mosquitos. If only I could grow my hair that long. Even more amusing - the title of the book is "Nature Girl". In the past, I've gone by the nickname of "Nature Mer", so I'm really enjoying the book cover.

It will be tragic leaving the 70s and 80s of Florida and returning to the cold and snow of Michigan, but that's life, and hey....Spring is coming....I know it is....

Buying more gear....

I crumbled.....I bought the Taj 3 tent. If the damn thing wasn't so on sale (I saved over $70 on the purchase), I would have held back. But it is such a good tent and such a great price. And besides, it will never hurt be to have a larger tent. Even if I drag aforementioned significant other on his first paddling trip and he ends up hating it, there are friends to share a tent with, or I can just enjoy more space to myself. Or I can find a new boyfriend. Just joking about that last one.

The tent's going to get in when I'm away in Florida for a week - what a fun toy to play with when I get back, though! I hope this baby serves me well. In examining it further, it looks like the setup is nearly identical to my current one-person tent, so I hope it feels familar and performs just as well as my first one.

I'm ready for camping by myself, and I'm ready for camping with two. Now the ground just needs to thaw, the temperature needs to rise, and I need to be back out in the woods and on the river!

My Wishlist

This weekend I was supposed to be in Ann Arbor, spending quality time with a very awesome guy. Unfortunately, the flu has struck with a vengence and I am on self-imposed house arrest for the weekend, fighting fever, hacking cough, aches, and all the fun that comes with the flu.

In my boredom, I've been knitting, planning spring paddling trips (my first two destinations - the Huron and Dowagiac), and looking longingly at gear that I wish to purchase. In this spirit, I have compiled a list of gear that I would like for my paddling adventures.

#1 - REI Taj 3 Tent

I absolutely adore the one-person tent I got at an REI garage sale two years ago. My current tent is solid as a rock, water tight, and has served me well on several paddling trips. Even in the worst of weather, it hasn't failed me. But it truly is a one-person tent, and with the hopes that I'll have a tentmate come spring (the boyfriend claims he'd love to try overnight paddling trips), I'll need a bigger tent. This tent is rediculously on sale at REI Outlet, it has glowing reviews, and I am so tempted to buy it an the footprint that goes with it. A big purchase, but a practical one, I think. Every year I have one "frivilous" buy with a portion of my tax return. This may very well be this year's purchase.

#2 - A New Paddling PFD

My current PFD, which I've had since high school, is in horrible shape. The fabric is torn and mildewy, the straps are worn, and all in all, it's not very safe anymore. There are so many great and exciting options in PFDs nowadays! The best thing I've found, thus far, is that several women's paddling vests now have built-in cups to accomodate large busts, as opposed to the usual squashing and squishing of past PFDs. As a well-endowed paddler, I'm beside myself with joy to discover this new innovation. It's about time. I'd like one with good pockets in the front (for storing maps, knife, and other tools) and mesh, at least on the sides, for ventilation. The MTI PFDiva and Stohlquist BetSEA are top contenders.

#3 - Primus TechnoTrail II Stove with Ignitor

I was so jealous of Brett's MSR "Pocket Rocket" on a previous trip! I have a two-burner Coleman stove currently. It is huge and totally inconvenient to take on a trip. I always borrow Nate's stove when we're actually on the river, and I think it's high time to get my own. I looked at the MSR, Brunton, and Coleman models of this type of stove, and from the reviews I've read, the Primus has much larger and more supportive arms for holding up a pot than the other models, yet it still folds down to the same size as its competitors. This is another rediculously on sale item that I'm chomping at the bit to purchase. May have found a good cheap one on Ebay.

#4 - A good cookpot/mug

My "el cheapo" mess kit is awesome for basic dining, but I would like a sturdier container for boiling water and cooking up my meals. I really like this cookset, it's only $20, and I think it'd be a fine purchase. They nest together and have their own storage sack....a good addition to my dining kit, I think....

Cushion is in!

My new Crazy Creek inflatable backrest/cushion came in this past Monday, and after examining it, I can't wait to take it out on my first trip in the Spring!

The cushion is certainly large enough to give me lots of support...I just hope it will fit within the cockpit of my kayak. I love the quick relase on the airvalve - it ought to make adjusting the backrest, even while in my kayak, a piece of cake. The straps to attach it look entirely compatible with my kayak's seat, and thus far, it looks like a very good purchase.

I even layed on the ground and tested it as a camp pillow - it feels great! I'm planning on buying some quick-drying fabric from JoAnn's and sewing a simple pillowcase for it. Afterall, I'm not going to want my face against the same fabric that has been against my sweaty back all day. I know, gross....but true.

The stuff sack it comes with will make packing a breeze and I think it packs pretty small. Needless to say, I'm stoked by my latest paddling purchase!

Good Karma!

Remember that last post about paying more for the backrest pad than I should have? Apparently, the fates have smiled upon me. I got a message from the seller today, telling me that the pad is discontinued and I have been refunded the $26.00 I paid....

....so I went directly to Crazy Creek's website and got it for five bucks less....

Hoorah for good karma! The pad was meant to be, and here's hoping it works!

Backrest issue = resolved?

Immediately after writing my last post, I began hunting for a backrest pad to replace my old, destroyed one. I weighed in the option of getting a full sit-on-top kayak chair vs. a simple pad to go on my backrest. My hangup with a sit-on-top kayak chair was that it may not fit into my kayak (since it is not a sit-on-top) and that I couldn't keep it in place with the hardware provided. Plus, they are way more expensive. Then I ran across the Crazy Creek air cushion, as displayed at right.

I thought I found a great deal on eBay for $26.00 total. I bought it. Immediately after buying it, and belive me, I did good research beforehand, I found that Crazy Creek was selling it for $12.50 from its site. With shipping, that would've put it to $21.48. So I paid $5.00 more than I should have....oh well.

I'm excited to try this out come spring! My hope is that the ability to adjust it with the air bladder inside will be a nice, comfortable option for me, and the beauty of its design is that I can also use it for a butt pad on a canoe seat as well. I'm even having grand visions of using it as my camp pillow at night as well! We'll see if this is all feasible when it comes in the mail...

An introduction to "my babies"

I absolutely must give credit where credit is due - in my many years of kayaking, my two kayaks have served me well and certainly deserve a bit of recognition and props! First, their backstory....

When I first became interested in kayaking (early high school, I believe, which would date back to 1997 or 1998), my mother began to look for a kayak as a possible Christmas present. She didn't have to look far! My uncle, an anesthesiologist in Grand Rapids, had bought two kayaks for he and his wife, who had been diagnosed with Lupis. He figured it might be an activity they could share and that she could participate in, especially since she was bound to a wheelchair. Unfortunately, they didn't get much use out of them at all, and as the story goes, my mom got in touch with him, he was willing to sell, and the rest is history.

So here I was, a high school kid thrilled to have two relatively new kayaks. Fast forward to over ten years later, and I still use them, still adore them, and they have served me well.

I've had quite the time researching the model of my primary kayak, and it's so "old school" that I can't find a great picture of the model online. Fortunately, I have a picture of my kayak on the computer!

Boat #1: An Aquaterra (predecesor to Perception) Caspia recreational kayak

This guy can do it all....equally suited for rivers and lakes. I've taken in across three different lakes, use it to paddle to work when the weather's good, and have taken it on all my river expeditions up north. She cuts through the water beautifully, is stable as can be, and super comfortable! My kayak does not have the port hole in the back that this model does, but I've taken to lashing a deck-top dry bag in the back which more than makes up for it. I can jam my sleeping pad, tent, and a few other miscellanous items in the back, and all in all, I can't speak highly enough about this recreational kayak. She has served me well.

Boat #2: A Perception Keowee recreational kayak

I have to admit, I haven't paddled this boat nearly as much as its counterpart, but this little boat has alot of personality and has been a great resource when dragging friends along on adventures with me. I find that its wide, rather "fat" design makes it a bit more stable for more novice paddlers, though it doesn't cut through the water as quickly or gracefully as my Caspia. It will, at times, wobble, or as some like to say, "waddle" through open water, but not so much that it's an annoyance. The interesting feature about this kayak is that it has a second seat that can be slid in and out if you wanted to cram another, presumably smaller person inside. I can't imagine fitting another person in the cockpit of this boat, and therefore, I've never used it in this capacity. If I were going to jam another person in that second seat, you'd better believe it'd be a little little kid. The second seat in mine is removed. I found glowing reviews of this boat at one of my favorite paddling sites: http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showReviews.html?prod=91

Once the feet of snow melt around us, I intend to get some good pictures of the boats to post here. They're going to need a bit of TLC this spring....after all of the abuse I've put them through, some of the detailing is scraping off the Caspia (not a big deal) and they could both use a good scrub. My old back support for the Caspia has finally fallen apart, so I'm planning on hunting for a new pad to outfit the old girl with.

I realize that they are old and not very technical boats, but for my kind of paddling, they suit me just fine. Afterall, you can't beat a classic, right?

Oh Dear....

After strolling down memory lane in my introductory post, I did a bit more research on the state of the Ottawa River, which is also known as the "Ten Mile Creek"....

....I found the official report.....

Along with this delightful picture embedded within it. A deformed carp! Hoorah!

I'm feeling just a tad more concerned about my health now. Ah well....the paddling was good.

And so, the adventure begins!

First and foremost, introductions are in order! My name is Mer (short for Meredith), and as the blog suggests, I'm a paddling enthusiast! This growing addiction started during my childhood at the family's summer home on Wampler's Lake in SE Michigan - just me, an aluminum canoe, and lots of time for exploring, fishing, and learning the ways of paddling. This passion was further fueled by paddling classes at summer camp and a two-week "Venture Out" trip as a teenager in Northern Michigan.

In high school I earned a bit of a reputation for taking my recreational kayak, which I still own and use frequently, down the Ottawa River, which has had warnings posted about using the river recreationally. From Wikipedia:

The Ottawa River Risk Assessment, a report published in 2000, tested the
water of the lower section of the Ottawa River, and found many chemicals in the
water with an hazard
quotient greater than 1 (from highest to lowest concentration): lead, aluminum, PCBs, manganese, iron, DDT, thallium, selenium, chromium, nickel, cadmium, cyanide, and zinc.[1]

Let the jokes about my growing third eye and my future offspring's birth defects begin! I was, and still am a big believer in the river. During my day-long trips from a put in point at Wildwood Metropark to the floodplain off of Bancroft road, I was amazed by the sheer amount of wildlife that resided in and along the river. I've been hoping to make a return trip to the river one of these days, but I'm not as young as I used to be. As I recall, the trip demanded lots of mid-river portages and an occasional spill into the lovely waters described above, seeing as the river is not maintained for recreational use. An adventure nonetheless!

Now, as a director with an outdoor environmental education program at the camp of my childhood, I have made it my goal to use warm weekends in the Spring, Summer, and Fall to enjoy paddling trips in the beautiful wilderness of Northern Michigan. Along with my "right hand man", my assitant director at work and good friend in life, Nate, I have had the opportunity to explore much of the Manistee and have begun to enjoy the Pere Marquette (affectionately referred to by many Michiganders as "The P.M.").

My next trip should hopefully find me somewhere on the Manistee - I'm shooting for Memorial Day weekend. I'm doing my darndest to make sure I can staff one of our camp's Venture Out programs as well. The Michigan Rivers trip will be a nearly two-week trip with 7th, 8th, and 9th graders.......I'll be sure to post more details later!