2023 Year in Review

Stokers on the Scantic

The year started with a New Year’s Day trip on the Providence River, and ended with a New Year's Eve camping trip at Burlingame. In between, it was another great year for paddling.

My whitewater season started in February, and I got out on a lot of old favorites including Tville (1, 2), the Upper Millers (1, 2), Otter Brook, Knightville, Housatonic, Lower Deerfield, Pemi-Bristol, the Piscat, the Took and Crystal. I ran the Scantic Spring Splash whitewater race and was able to get into the swiftwater rescue class with the Boston AMC at Zoar Outdoors.

Swiftwater training with Boston AMC

I paddled my sea kayak almost every day of my summer vacation, but only got it out for a couple of other trips. I did the Providence River (1, 2), Point Judith Pond and the Seekonk River with the Flatwater group, and Potter Cove with the Sea Kayak group. I also took the advanced stokes class at the Kayak Centre.

I led one Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trip - Rice City Pond, and three RICKA Flatwater trips – Providence, Point Judith Pond and the Lower Deerfield. I also coordinated the RICKA Flatwater Training. 

Piscat surfing

I did 51 trips which is 3 less than my 12 year average of 54 trips. I had three swims on three consecutive trips – Scantic, Branch, and the Upper Millers. I did one poling trip on the Ware River. 

Here are some of my more significant trips:

• January - Providence, Willimantic
• February - Tville
• March - Scantic Spring Splash, Branch River Icebreaker
• April - Upper Millers, Otter Brook, Knightville
• May - Lackey Dam, Housatonic, West River, Potter Cover
• June - Pawcatuck River Overnight, Tville, Rice City Pond, Assabet
• July - Providence, Upper Millers, Point Judith Pond
• August - Lower Deerfield, Seekonk, Pemi – Bristol
• September - Charles, Allagash Wilderness Waterway
• October - Piscat
• November - Contoocook, Ware, Crystal
• December - Santa Paddle in Wickford, Winter Camping at Burlingame

Here is the video of some of my favorite trips.


Favorite Trips of 2023 from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

I paddled almost every day of my summer vacation on Great Island including a RICKA trip on Point Judith Pond.


South County Vacation 2023 from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo. 

I did get out for a spring camping trip at Burlingame, and a fall Allagash trip with Jonathan, Conrad and Bob. 


Allagash Camping 2023 from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo. 

The year ended with a winter camping trip at Burlingame on New Year's Eve.

Moose Hill hikers

Not sure why, but I didn’t do quite as much hiking this year:

• Harold Parker State Forest
• Mercy Woods
• Moose Hill
• Moore State Park
• Noanet Woods

In terms of resolutions from last year, I did pretty well. I did take a training class in my sea kayak, I did a camping trip on the Allagash, and paddled quite a bit of whitewater. Unfortunately, I didn’t get my sea kayak out in rough water conditions, and I didn't make it back to the Dead.

Tandem paddling on the Took

In terms of resolutions for 2024, they are just like 2023.

• Keep practicing with my new sea kayak – especially in rough water conditions.
• Keep camping – maybe the St. John, or the Allagash again. I’d still like to do a summer trip on the St. Croix, or the Maine Island Trail in my kayak.
• Keep paddling whitewater as long as my knee holds up.
• Get back to the Dead – always a great trip.
• Practice rolling – I’ll keep including it until I do it – maybe in the sea kayak.

I won't be paddling on New Year's Day, but there are plenty of rivers to paddle, plenty of trails to hike, and plenty of places to go camping in 2024 - looking forward to it. Happy New Year everyone.

End-of-Year Camping at the Burlingame Canoe Campsites - December 30-31, 2023

Heading out from Bradford Landing

We’ve been having a relatively warm winter, so I was hoping to get one more camping trip in before the end of the year. Without too much arm-twisting we got a group of 5 together for an overnight trip at the Burlingame Canoe Campsites – me, Bob, Dan, John and Chuck.

The weather forecast was mixed with slight chance showers Saturday afternoon, day-time temperatures in the 40’s, and night-time temperatures dropping into the 20’s. I met the group at the Bradford Landing at 11:30 for the 3-mile trip up to Burlingame. With several inches of rain over the past two-weeks, the river was high and it was a bit of a slog paddling up to the campsites.

Camp set up in the field

We are fortunate to have a several very nice campsites on the Pawcatuck River. There is Stoney Point on Worden Pond, the Carolina Canoe Campsite just upstream from the Richmond Landing, the "bootleg" site at the confluence of the Wood River downstream from Alton Landing, and of course, the Burlingame Canoe Campsites upstream from Bradford Landing in the Burlingame Management Area.

The Burlingame Wildlife Management Area extends north from Watchaug Pond in the Burlingame State Park to include a large woodland along the Pawcatuck River. The land is managed for both wildlife protection and recreation with hunting, trails for hikers and mountain bikers, and the Burlingame Canoe Campsites. These campsites are only accessible from the river or by hiking in from the parking lot on Buckeye Brook Road or from the North South Trailhead on Burdickville Road. 

Baking biscuits in Bob's Camper Kitchen

At the Burlingame Canoe Campsites there is an open field and five wooded sites. We decided to camp in the field. We hauled our gear up from the river and set up camp. The tents went up first, then the rain fly, then the kitchen. We got a short rain shower after everything was set up, but we stayed dry under the tarp while we enjoyed John’s chili for lunch

After lunch we took a walk to check out the other campsites before lighting the campfire. Dan cooked nachos in his reflector oven for an afternoon snack, quesedillas in his Big Daddy Skillet as an appetizer, and Tuscan White Bean Stew with grilled garlic bread for dinner. Desert was Strawberry Shortcake with Bob’s homemade Bakewell Cream biscuits baked in his Camper’s Cook All Camper Kitchen baking pan.

Dan cooking breakfast

The sky eventually cleared, and we got a great view of the night stars as we sat around the fire. After many tall-tales and war-stories we finally turned in for the night at around 10:00. I was snug and warm with my father’s winter camping gear -  a Eureka Expedition tent and Sumberjack Quallofil sleeping bag. Compared to today’s gear, both are big and bulky, but they still work great – no complaints from me.

Before I knew it I heard someone moving around outside. It was Dan getting the morning fire started. It was 6:30 and still dark, but I reluctantly climbed out of my sleeping bag to join him. After warming up by the fire, I got the coffee perking and fired up my Dutch oven to make a batch of my grandmother’s cinnamon rolls. Dan cooked bacon and home fries in his 20” Big Daddy Skillet on the fire, and I cooked omelets on the stove. John said this trip was all about the food, and he was right - we didn't go hungry.

Exploring the marsh along Poquiant Brook

After breakfast we packed up camp for the trip back to Bradford Landing. Dan had his drysuit on, so he did a New Year's Polar Plunge off the rope swing before we left. With the high water, we were able to take a detour to explore the marshland along Poquiant Brook, which flows from Watchaug Pond in the Burlingame State Park to the Pawcatuck River. Great trip and a nice way to end the year. 

Year-end Canoe Camp, Pawcatuck River, RI

Link:

My Pictures

John's Video

2023 Paddling, Hiking and Camping

I got this cool travel map from Jennie for Christmas, and plotted my adventures for 2023 - yellow is sea kayak, light blue is flatwater, dark blue is whitewater, red is hiking and green is camping.  

One camping trip in ME, a few whitewater trips in NH, but I didn't make to to VT this year. Most of my paddling was local - RI, CT and MA. Hopefully one more trip before the year ends.  

Winter Camping

We are planning to do an overnight camping trip on New Year’s weekend, so it’s time to think about cold weather camping. At this point, we are not expecting snow, possibly rain and relatively warm temperatures (days in the 40’s, and night in the 30’s), but there are still some things to consider when camping in cold weather.

Tent - a three-season tent will probably work fine for this trip, but a four-season tent is even better. A four-season tent is designed to withstand heavy snow and wind. The tent fabric is heavier, which allows it to retain heat better. I'll be using my father's Eureka! Expedition. You can't find this tent today, but it was originally designed as a mountaineering tent. Here are a couple of advertisements from the late 1980's. 

Sleeping Bag – to ensure comfort on cold nights, it’s a good idea to use a bag that's rated at least 10° colder than the temperature you will be out in. I have my father's Sumberjack Quallofil winter bag with draft tubes at the zippers, and drawstrings at the shoulders and on the hood to help keep the heat in the bag. I can't tell from the bag itself, but it looks like what they sell today as the Boundry 0.

Sleeping Pads - in cold weather its best to use two sleeping pads to keep from losing heat to the cold ground - a closed-cell foam pad on the tent floor, and an inflatable pad on top of that. Pads designed for winter use usually have an R-value of about 4.0 or higher. I'll use my father's ¼” closed-cell foam pad and a Klymit Static V insulated pad with an R-value of 4.4. I also have my father's original Therm-a-Rest - they don't make them like that anymore.

Clothes – as always, dress in layers to match the conditions – a base layer next to the skin, then insulating layers to provide warmth, and finally outer layers to protect against rain and wind. Look for synthetic fabrics or wool that dry quickly and wick perspiration away from your body. Don’t forget a hat, gloves and appropriate footwear for the conditions. Be sure to adjust your layering before you over-heat or get cold, and bring warm, dry cloths to sleep in.

Stoves - liquid-fuel stoves like the Whisperlite work fine in below-freezing temperatures. Canister stoves like my Jetboil need to be kept above freezing to produce vapors and work properly. When in doubt, cook on the fire.

Food – your body generates heat as it digests food, so if you’re feeling cold try eating some food. (Moving around will also help.) Before you go to bed, have a snack to keep your metabolism going and keep a candy bar nearby if you get cold in the middle of the night. I don't think we will need to worry about having enough food with this group.

Water - don't forget to stay hydrated. I usually bring jugged water, but in the winter you may need to pump or melt water. 

I'm lucky that my father was a winter hiker, so I have a lot of his old gear. For real winter camping you need to get out in the snow, but we'll try that another time.

The Christmas Canoe

Another one to save for the future...

Not sure it beats my big red canoe Christmas Story, but it is good. Ray saw this on Facebook and posted about a Quebec beer - La Maudite - that uses the flying canoe as its logo. It evokes the legend of La Chasse-galerie - the flying canoe - that tells the story of men who would made a deal with the devil to fly home in a canoe to spend a night with their loved ones. This also earned another poem from Tom.

a Chasse-galerie,
the Devil put in play.
Feather paddle through sky. Curse words won't fly.
Avec mon cher dans Christmas Day.
TW

The Christmas Canoe

River Knives

There was a post on P.com on attaching a river knife to your PFD. I’ve had an NRS Pilot knife on my PFD for years – once you attach the clip the lash tab it is never coming off. To be honest, I’ve never been in a situation where I needed to use it for anything other than spreading peanut butter. The blade definitely rusts over time. When it gets too rusty I buy a new knife (cheap, so maybe you get what you pay for). They hadn’t changed the design in years, so the new knife still fit in the old clip. I knife I have is now in close-out, so I just bought one last knife

NRS Pilot River Knife

I never thought to actually try to cut rope with this knife until I saw this video. Just like in the video, it took 5-6 swipes to get through an old safety rope. I think the little cutting hook at the base of the blade made it harder to get through the rope. I had better luck with just the serrated section of the blade. On the newer version that hook is a lot smaller.

Just for kicks, I dug out my father’s old river knife – turns out it’s a Gerber Blackie Collins River Master. There are different versions of this knife, and all are rare and collectible. This is the version that I have. 

Gerber Blackie Collins
River Master Knife

With a longer blade and better serrations it usually cut through the rope on the first or second swipe. Leave it to my father – he always bought the good stuff. I’ve never used it as a river knife. It’s been in my kitchen kit for years. It still has a sharp factory edge, so I guess I’ll keep it there.

Noanet Woods - December 9, 2024

Noanet Peak

It has been a while since I have been out on a hike, and I didn’t see any paddling trips today, so I decided to join Papa Joe and the crew at Noanet Woods in Dover, MA.

Noanet Woods has 17 miles of trails adjacent to the Hale Reserve. We started our hike at the Powissett Street entrance and hiked into the Hale Reserve. From there, we hiked over to the Mill Ponds to check out the old mill site and dam. Then, we hiked up to the Noanet Peak to check out the view of Boston before heading back to the cars.

Links:

My Pictures

Noanet Woodlands Trail Map

Baking with Steam

What you need

I’m always looking for different ways to cook in camp. I love to make baked goods, but lugging the Dutch oven along can be a pain. I saw an ad on Facebook for the Can Cooker, and it intrigued me, so I thought I would give it a try. This method can be used to bake a cake on the stove using moist heat/steam.

When you bake a cake in the oven (or Dutch oven), dry heat surrounds the cake. The water contained in the batter evaporates, creating steam that helps the cake rise before it sets and gets firmer. While steam does play a role in baking in dry heat, the results are much different when it acts as the main cooking method.

Covered cake pan on the rack

Steaming a cake on the stove relies on moist heat. Using a double boiler of sorts, you elevate the pan on a rack above steaming water inside large, lidded pot. Steam creates the heat that gently cooks the cake. Because the moist environment prevents the water in the batter from quickly evaporating, less water is lost in the cooking process, resulting in a moister cake. Since baking with steam is done at a lower temperature (212 degrees for steam vs. 350 degrees in a dry oven), the cake will not brown.

Even at a lower temperature, though, steam will cook the cake faster than dry heat since it transfers heat more efficiently than air. Steaming a cake will take between 20 and 25 minutes, while dry baking it at 350 degrees will take 30 to 40 minutes.

Closed up for baking -
the frying pan on the top is just
there for weight

This method works for cakes, quick breads and brownies. You could also use it for a main dish like meatloaf or steamed fish and vegetables - just increase the cooking time. What will you need:

• Stove with the ability to hold a pan of water at a low boil. If you are careful, you could do it on the fire.
• Set of nesting pans - the larger must have a tight fitting cover.
• A rack to raise the inner pan out of the water like a double boiler.
• Cooking spray.
• Wax paper to line the bottom of the cake pan
• Aluminum foil to cover the inner pan

The finished cake in the pan

Here's how you do it:

1. Fire up your stove
2. Place the rack in the large pan and add enough water so that it is just below the rack. Cover, put the pan on the stove, and bring the water to a boil.
3. While waiting for the water to boil, mix up the batter for whatever it is that you want to bake. Spray the inside of the smaller pan with cooking spray and add the batter. (Lining the bottom with wax paper will help the cake release easier from the pan when cooked.) Cover the top tightly with aluminum foil.
4. Once the water boils, reduce to a low boil and put the smaller pan on the rack inside the larger pan. Replace the cover and don’t remove for 20 to 25 minutes. You want just enough steam in the pan to cook the cake. 

The finished cake removed 

The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it rest a few minutes before releasing the sides and removing from the pan. 

I'd definitely call this experiment a success. The key is to cover the inner pan with foil to prevent condensed water from dripping on to the cake and making it rubbery. These pictures are Jiffy Mix cornbread, which came out perfect - just add chili for a great dinner.

Santa Paddle at Wickford Harbor - December 2, 2023

Santa's elves are ready to launch

Its that time of the year when Santa visits cities and towns around the country to get kids excited for Christmas. Usually he arrives by fire truck, but in the coastal village of Wickford he arrives by fire boat, and RICKA members dress-up like elves to escort him down the harbor into town. This year, Michelle decided to come along as well to watch and take some pictures from shore.

Wickford is located on the West Passage of Narragansett Bay, and is built around a large, well-protected harbor. It was settled in the early 17th century when Roger William purchased land from the Narragansett Indians and established a trading post. Wickford grew to become a major port and shipbuilding center.

This elf is ready to go

Today, Wickford is a picturesque village whose waterfront streets are lined with shops, restaurants and colonial-era homes. Each year the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce organizes a Festival of Lights with holiday themed actives. Since 2010, RICKA has participated in this event by escorting Santa down the harbor for his big arrival at the Town Dock.

We arrived at the put-in at the end of Main Street next to Gardners Wharf Seafood at around 11:30 to decorate our boats and get our elf hats and candy canes from Pat. At around 12:10, Michelle walked down to the dock and the rest of us headed over to meet up with Santa for the paddle into town. I am always amazed at the crowd that gathers for this event. 

Santa Paddle at Wickford Harbor from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

And I got another poem from Tom - this time on Facebook.

What is appeal

neath cone of teal

with a Blitzen towards the bow?

Well is not it pleasant

that behind the present

canoe there's an elfish pal?

TW

Links:

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Day after Turkey Paddle – Crystal – November 24, 2023

Crystal/Punch Brook Rapid

Like the New Year’s Day Paddle, the Day after Turkey/Black Friday Paddle is becoming a bit of a tradition around here - skip the shopping and get out on the river to burn off calories from of that turkey dinner. When I saw that Paul D. was running a CTAMC leaders choice class II trip on Black Friday, I decided to join.

We got some rain on Tuesday that brought up a lot of rivers up and gave us hope for some interesting options. Paul’s initial list included the Salmon, Shepaug, Naugatuck and Housatonic, along with several class II sections of the Farmington - Riverton, Satan’s Kingdom, and Crystal. Unfortunately, by the time Friday came, most of the rivers had dropped, so we ended up on the Crystal section of the Farmington River – fine with me.

Surf wave at the wall

The Farmington arises near Otis, MA and flows generally south and east for 47 miles through Connecticut until it flows into the Connecticut River near Windsor. There are several sections of the Farmington that are popular for whitewater boating – New Boston - class III/IV, “Tville” or the Tariffville Gorge - class II/III, Riverton - class I, Satan’s Kingdom - class I/II(III), and of course Crystal - class II.

Back in the day I took many trips out to Crystal to paddle with Matt and Scott. It’s a long drive for a relatively short run, so I hadn’t been there for years when COVID hit. With the Farmington River Trail running alongside, Crystal was an easy bike shuttle, so Paul and I ran it three times in three months (January, February, March) in 2021. By April most people were vaccinated and the car shuttles started up again. This would be my first time back since then.

Bernackie Rapid

We arrived at the put-in (185 Canton Road, Burlington, CT - 41.794267, -72.925324) at 10:00 to run the shuttle down to the Red Barn. The river had peaked at just over 6.5 feet, 1,000 cfs. on Wednesday, but had dropped back down to 5.5 feet, 700 cfs. by the time we got on the river - low, but still runnable.

The run is a series of class I/II rapids that start off easy and get more difficult as you move downstream. The first major rapid is the site of the Punch Brook Slalom. From there, the rapids continue as a series of rock gardens and wave trains. We spent a lot of time surfing and ferrying through the rock gardens. The largest rapid is the ledge above the Route 4 Bridge that we ran to the right. The run took us about 2 1/2-hours and I was home by 4:00. Sure beats shopping.

Seal Launch from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

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Unionville Gage
River Description from American Whitewater

Ware River Poling Cruise - November 18, 2023

A nice collection of poling boats

I don’t do a lot of poling, but I do try to get out a couple of time a year – usually the Branch in the spring and something else in the fall. Last fall we had a nice group on the Souhegan. This year we were back on the Ware River.

The Ware River flows 35-miles through central MA before joining the Quaboag River to form the Chicopee River. There is a class II section in Gilbertville from Hardwick Furnace Launch to the Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge that we poled on a snowy day back in 2009. I’d like to do that section in my whitewater boat sometime. Today we would be poling the 6-mile section from the South Barre Dam (42.3864 -72.097) to Hardwick Furnace (42.343812,-72.157774) that we last poled back in 2013.

Below the Wheelwright Dam

I arrived at the put-in at around 10:00 to find Matt, Oz and Bob waiting for us on the river. They had put-in early and poled up from the put-in. The rest of us – me, Chuck, Dan, Chris and Jonathan - still had to run the shuttle. The river was at a nice poling level – 3-feet, 45 cfs on the Barre gage. 

This section of the Ware is pretty with lots of twists and turns down to the backwater from the Wheelwright Dam where we stopped for lunch. As we played in the quickwater below the dam, Kaz, Rick and Dave paddled upstream - they used the put-in at the Wheelwright Road Bridge (42.38012870629823, -72.11359100862931). For us, it was a short trip down to the Hardwick Furnace take-out. 

The crew at Wheelwright Dam

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Barre Gage

Class II Contoocook - November 5, 2023

A selfie from Jonathan

Jonathan and I joined the NHAMC for a tandem run on the class II section of the Contoocook in the morning, followed by their Pot Luck/Annual Meeting in the afternoon. The first time I paddled this section of the "Took" was was during the NHAMC Whitewater School back in 2005.

The Contoocook River arises at Poole Pond in Rindge, NH and flows generally north for 71-miles to Concord, NH where it empties into the Merrimack River. With a large drainage basin and a total drop of over 700 feet, the Contoocook is one on the best-known whitewater rivers in New England with the class III “Freight Train” section from Hillsboro to Henniker, and class II section in Henniker ending at the Ramsdell Bridge.

That's me in the stern

We met at 10:00 at the take-out (Ramsdell Road Bridge in Henniker, NH) to scout the final rapid. The level was low but runnable – 6.5 feet, 500 cfs. We ran the shuttle and put-in at the railroad bridge piers on Western Avenue at around 11:00. At this level, the top was quickwater until we got past Bridge Street in downtown Henniker. From there it was mostly class II rock dodging down to the Broken Dam Rapid at the Ramsdell Bridge.

After the run we headed off to the Pot Luck/Annual Meeting for the NHAMC Paddlers. The food was great, and we heard about the China Lake River Restoration project. It was nice to see the club so active.

 Running the Broken Dam Rapid below Ramsdell Bridge

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Henniker Gage

Class II Section description from American Whitewater

Class III “Freight Train” Section description from American Whitewater

Halloween BBQ on the Piscat - October 28, 2023

The crew at the put-in

For 20-years the MVP and NHAMC have been sponsoring a Halloween Paddle and BBQ during the fall drawdown at the Gregg's Falls Dam on the Piscataquog River. I did my first whitewater trip here in 2005 after taking the NHAMC Whitewater School and purchasing my first whitewater boat, and have padded here many times since. This year would be the third time paddling tandem with Jonathan in my Mohawk.

The Piscataquog River arise in Deering, NH and twists and turns for 35-miles before flowing into the Merrimack River in Manchester. We would be running the class II section below the Gregg's Falls Dam. I met Paul at the MacDonalds in Uxbridge for the trip up to Goffstown. As usual, I missed the exit in Manchester and we arrived late after taking the long way around the reservoir. Jonathan was already there, and Conrad and Ellen arrived shortly after.

Paul at Powerline

We dropped off our boats at the dam and ran the shuttle down to the road behind the prison. By the time we got back to the put-in there was a long line waiting to launch. The release was a little lower than usual due to issues with the dam – 5’, 700 cfs. The day was sunny and in the low 80’s – can’t beat that.

This section is about 3-miles long with the most consistent rapids in the first mile. The section just below the dam was a little boney at this level. Conrad and Ellen got hung up on the rocks, but Jonathan and I made it through fine. We did get into the big eddy for the surf wave below the power lines, but got flushed downstream before we could catch the wave. We did our best to turn the boat into a submarine at the surf wave above Henry Bridge, but didn’t swim!

Surfing the wave above Henry Bridge

From there is it mostly quickwater with a couple of easy rapids on the way down to the take-out. There is a squirt line where the river takes a sharp right turn. We pulled into the eddy, and got spun around on the strong eddy line. The last rapid is a rocky drop just above the take out. We got into the eddy on the left, but once again got flushed downstream before we could catch the surf wave.

After the run we headed back to the dam for the BBQ – hamburgers, hot dogs and good company. Great day as always.

Piscat Tandem Surfing - 2023 from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

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Surfing above the Henry Bridge in 2023

Surfing above the Henry Bridge over the years

River description from American Whitewater

Goffstown Gage

Planning a Canoe Camping Trip

What’s not to like about canoe camping. You spend the day paddling in nature’s beauty, and then spend the night relaxing around the campfire. I did my first canoe camping trip 2012, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I soon learned, though, that there is more to canoe camping than meets the eye. Planning is the key to a safe and fun trip.

Don't forget to plan for the shuttle

What trip will you do?

Canoe camping trips can run the gamut from easy overnights to month-long excursions, and anything in-between. Choose a trip that fits the group’s skills and schedule. Water levels and weather will determine the best time to run the trip, and the potential hazards you might face. 

For beginners it is a good idea to start off with shorter, easy trips before moving on to longer, more ambitious ones. You will also need to arrange the shuttle in and out, which can add a day or two to each end of the trip.

Crew of five at the end of a trip

Who will you go with?

Your friends of course! If they are not your friends at the start, they will be your friends when you finish. You can solo if you wish, but a group of four to six is my preference. More than that and it can get crowed in camp. Less than that and you may not have enough support if things go wrong. Choose a group with appropriate skills and a willingness to share camp chores.

When deciding on the group, you need to make sure that everyone agrees on the focus of the trip. Some people prefer an easy day of paddling with time in camp for nice meals and adult beverages. Others want to do 40-mile days and have oatmeal for breakfast and dinner (skipping lunch). Make sure the group agrees on where the trip falls in this range.

Chili for dinner

What food will you bring?

The trip you do will definitely influence the food that you bring. On trips where portages are few and weight is not an issue, you can bring coolers filled with fresh food. You will also need cooking gear, which takes up additional space. On trips with portages where every ounce counts, the food is more likely to be dehydrated or freeze dried and cooked on a backpacking stove.

Layering for the conditions

What about clothes?

Canoe camping is a water sport, so you should plan to get wet. Cotton cloths should be avoided. I tend to bring synthetic fabrics rather than more traditional wool. Wools socks are the exception – I never forget the wool socks. Layering allows you to be comfortable regardless of the conditions. Outer layers protect from wind and rain. Inner layers provide insulation. Don’t forget a hat and gloves if gets cold, shoes for camp, and your toiletries.

A roomy campsite

Campsites

Unless you are traveling in the remote wilderness, you will probably be camping in established campsites. The perfect campsite is elevated above the river on a flat section of land that has nice views of the surrounding landscape. If you are lucky, your campsite will have a picnic table with a ridgepole for your tarp, a fireplace, and maybe even an outhouse or thunderbox. Find a level spot for your tent that is away from dead trees and sparks from the fire.

Rain tarp is up - just in case

Tarps

If rain is in the forecast, the first thing that goes up is the tarp. Tarps are usually rigged for protection from rain, but can also be used to protect from sun or wind. A good tarp must be large enough to cover the group and have lots of attachment points. Poles are nice, but tall sticks and paddles work just as well. You’ll need a collection of stakes and guy lines to rig the fly in different configurations.

Home for the night

Tents

There is nothing like waking up in the morning to birds singing and the sun streaming into your tent. Tents have come a long way from the heavy canvas tents of old. The nice thing about canoe camping is that there is room for a bit of extravagance. You don’t need to jam yourself into a tiny one-person backpacking tent, unless you want to. Choose a tent with plenty of headroom, a full fly and good ventilation. 

A room with a view

Sleeping Bags and Pads

Waking up all snug and warm in your sleeping bag can make it tough to think about climbing out of the tent. The sleeping bag you use will depend on the season and the weather. All my bags have synthetic fill and are mummy shape, although I admit that a roomy rectangular bag would be nice.

A good sleeping pad can make sleeping on the ground not just bearable, but quite comfortable. Inflatable hiking pads have come a long way in terms of comfort and durability. Combination pads that inflate but also contain foam like the original Therm-A-Rest are also available. Its not for me, but some people prefer camping hammocks to sleeping on the ground.

Camp kitchen for a large group

Camp Kitchen

Your kitchen kit should include pots, pans and utensils. A good frying pan and large pot are essential, and you will also need a knife, spatula, serving spoon and tongs. Long handles make it easy to work around the fire, and fireproof gloves are a nice addition. Don’t forget a scrubber and biodegradable soap for the dishes, trash bags to pack out garbage, and a water filter or Aquatabs to purify water. 

You will also need to decide if you will cook on the fire or the stove, or both. If you cook on the fire you will need a grill or fire grate, and your pots and pans will get covered in black soot – a badge of honor for many camp cooks. A plastic bag will keep the grime from your pots and pans off your other gear.

Sitting around the evening fire

Campfire

When a campfire cook has passed through a campsite you can always tell by the fire pit. It will be clear of ash and debris allowing ample room for wood under the grill. If it is round, it will be large with multiple cooking spots depending on the type of cooking to be done and the heat needed. Or it will be “U” shaped and just wide enough to support the grill.

Firewood should be collected selectively to leave the site and scenery as undisturbed as possible. Standing deadwood is likely to be the driest wood. Softwoods are usually easier to find and burn the fastest. Hardwoods produce a cleaner, longer lasting fire and better coals.

The morning coffee

For cooking, keep the fire contained under the pots and pans. It is often easier to cook with small sticks rather than large logs. The most important part of the cooking fire is the height of the grill – too low and it will be tough to get wood underneath, too high and it will take a lot of wood. A grill grate at 8” to 10” seems to work best. Shift the pans around to get the heat that you need and prevent hot spots.

You should always leave the campsite better than you found it, and that is especially true of the fire pit. Make sure everything that you place in the fire gets burned completely. Never burn foil, plastic, styrofoam, bottles or cans. Don’t leave anything behind, except perhaps a pile of dry wood for the next campers.

Backpacking stove with a cozy

Stoves

When I started canoe camping everything was cooked on the stove. Over time I have gravitated more to cooking on the fire, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bring a stove along. When firewood is not available, in bad weather, or if you run out of daylight a stove may be needed. Stoves range from two-burner base camp models like the classic Coleman stove, to small backpacking stoves. 

Splitting wood - be careful

Axe/Hatchet or Saw

An axe or hatchet is good to have along to split wood - especially when conditions are soggy. Remember though that splitting wood is one of the most dangerous things that you can do in camp. A saw is a must for gathering and cutting firewood. I usually bring two – a straight, folding saw for gathering wood, and a folding bow saw for cutting it into lengths.

Dinner by lantern light

Lanterns and Flashlights

One of my memories of camping as a kid was lighting my father’s white gas Coleman lantern with silk mantles. It was very bright and made a unique sound when lit. Today, there are lots of small battery powered lanterns that produce the same light and are easier to carry. A headlamp is essential for working in the dark, and a flashlight is good to bring along as a backup.

Drybags ready to be loaded

Dry Bags and Barrels

Comfortable camping is all about keeping your gear dry, and drybags and barrels allow you to do that. Vinyl drybags are the most durable, but nylon coated drybags are lighter and easier to compress to fit in small spaces. I use both. Drybags use a roll-down top and heavy clips to create a water tight seal. Some come with pack straps for easy portaging.

I double bag critical items that need to stay dry (sleeping bag, camp clothes) in smaller nylon drybags before packing in the larger vinyl drybag. I also use mesh bags to organize things that I tend to use together. For me, two large dry bags (one for my tent, clothes and sleeping gear, and one for everything else) and a small day bag seem to work right. I know – I don’t pack light. I need to work on that.

Barrels provide a waterproof and animal proof alternative to drybags. They are especially good for storing food, and have the added benefit of serving as chairs and tables in camp.

On the portage trail

Portages

If portaging is part of the trip you will definitely need to pack light. I usually pack for a two carries – the first with my boat and lighter dry pack, the second with my heavier dry back, day bag and anything else. In some areas, a portage cart can be used on rock and root-free trails. On rivers, wading or lining may be an alternative to portaging, and you might be able to run easier rapids empty. 

Enjoying a safe trip

Staying Safe

Safety on a canoe camping trip is just like safety for any other paddling trip - except that you are paddling a loaded tripping canoe and may be days away from potential help. In remote locations you'll need to take extra precautions just in case. 

The best way to stay safe is to anticipate what can go wrong, and avoid it. You'll need to know the conditions (recognizing that conditions can change quickly), know your group and its skills, and plan accordingly. Always wear your PFD and dress for the conditions. Bring appropriate safety gear including a first aid kit, throw bag/tow line and pin kit. 

You will also need to bring appropriate navigation and communication equipment. In remote areas, a satellite communication device will keep you in touch and allow you to send and receive messages in case of an emergency.