row, row, row yer boat. . .

“Is anybody else here a paddler? I'm probly gonna get my ass up and go to Bryson City this week and get some time in before the spring surge subsides. It's been a very dry spring so far round these parts, so I'll see. It'll still be fun though. Anybody up for some gnarly paddlin?”

“I just did rowboating. I rented it from a college campus for $6.50. I realized later that they rented kayaks, so I will have to go back.

I saw loads of baby ducks, turtles, and herons.

pisqah, what happened to the continuation of you "love adventures" thread?”

“Man, the canoe was my first taste of non car-camping. My first real step towards backpacking. Still some of my favorite memories.
Haven't gone in a while.”

“what is "gnarly" paddling?
I have been spending most weekends this month paddling and looking for good spots to camp along the water trails.
in florida, where there are no mountains and getting hot and buggy and crowded with humanity.........backyaking is my alternative to get to nice quiet campsites with swimming options.”

“What tommy said.

My longest trip was nine nights on the Altamaha River, GA. - tha longest unobstructed river in the East.

I plan to do a multi-niter on the Ocmulgee (a tributary of the Alt) this summer - prolly early June. The Upper Ocmulgee includes shoals that reach class III (when generating power from Jackson Lake dam), as well as long stretches of flat water that offers good fishing.

I no longer own a canoe, but I can borrow one. I would love to get a tandem kayak (for me and Belle) as soon as I can afford it. Kayaks rule!”

“What the heck are "shoals?"”

“damned yankee!”

“Canoer. Haven't been since last summer though. Found an infant life preserver we can afford finally. Now we have to rig a seat for her. Or maybe get a babysitter. I prefer to go in the fall. Less bugs and trout fishermen.”

“We have a canoe. Good summertime activity.”

“Occasional canoer here. Never done a canoe/camping experience.”

“Confirmed paddler -- tandem canoe, two solo canoes, two solo kayaks, one sit-on-top ww kayak, and an inflatable kayak for the kids, between me and Reino. None in the water yet this year though! Am I nuts or what? My school's on a lake, my town is at the confluence of two rivers, and the boats are dry. But I'll be less "busy" this summer.

If you are ever headed up this way (Wis. Northwoods or U.P.) and want to be pointed to good paddling spots, give a shout.

If you are in the Midwest and want to see some of the top competitive ww paddlers, the Wausau ww course on the Wisconsin River will be hosting the US National Slalom championships on Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 1) and the World Cup Finals on Sept. 8-9.”

“3 kayaks and a canoe here. Tight Wad Bob, err, I mean Honey was a canoe boy until I turned him on to kayaks.

When are we going to do a paddling back country trip? wwwndrr (sp?) was talking about doing something in GA when we were at Wilson Creek. How about it?”

“I love to paddle. Flat water, narrow, twisty places are my favorite. I have a fifteen foot fiberglass clunker that used to be a rental at a park in Maryland. I put a couple concrete blocks in the bow, get my extra special hardwood paddle, and go solo most of the time. Nice and quiet. I?ve got my eye on some fancy canoes made by Mad River, but the price is too high for me at this time.”

“Shoals are rocky, shelf-like ledges that occur where the Ocmulgee, et al, works it's way across the Piedmont enroute to the Coastal Plain. The last shoals on the Ocmulgee are a few miles above Macon, GA - where the Plain meets the Piedmont. The remaining 200 miles of river are flat and meandering from there to the coast.”

“Recovering white water kayaker. Sold the boat before I killed my self. I was no good and spent to much time swimming. Heck if I was going to swim why did it need that expensive boat. Still have a 16 foot expedition canoe but no place to use it. Don?t like being around the motor heads (wakes) and Idaho rivers are mostly to vertical. Best whitewater anywhere. In the canoe I can move 800 lbs faster than most people can hike with a light pack. It?s a great method of wilderness travel.”

“drool drool drool mtn gal. I'd LOVE to go to Idaho and paddle the Snake and whatever else is up there. I don't know really many specific rivers up there, but I've heard wonderful things about the paddlin up there in general.

I've never gone canoe camping before, actually. I'm strictly a whitewater kayaker. I tried open boating for a while, but I didn't like it as much as kayaking.”

“Whatever happened to the planned blow-up doll paddling trip?”

“Yes indeed. What happened to the blow up betty trip?”

“Unless you're on a river with no portages of any kind, remember that all the stuff you cram into your canoe will have to be carried at some point. Backcountry portages go much better with light loads -- so don't forget the lessons backpacking taught you when you finally go canoe camping (which is a fabulous way to travel the wildnerness).”

“I am the good bote peddler but I do not peddle much cuz I hafta look fer dogfins that try to get yer food and I hafta watch where my daddy peddles and say "watch out! we are gonna run over the land!" or some thing.

See what I sayed?

I like to ride in botes. I am cited bout goin cacoonin next time when me and my daddy go cacoonin. I think we will see gaters and brids and deers and ratcoons and hogs and get fishes.”

“sarabelle, your link is temperarilly unavailable, but I'll check it out later.

gojo, I was thinking about you this weekend on my rowing trip. There was a guy paddling a canoe with his dog sitting out in front. It was so cute, I wish I could have gotten a picture to send you.”

“sarabelle, your picture is available now. You look very pretty and happy.”

“She does look happy.

I love to canoe camp. After Labor Day most rivers are empty.”

“I am actually an instructor for a canoe training program.”

“do canoes listen well?”

“huh?
/o:3”

“BTW - Sarabelle's link was to a picture at I-AM-OM's Photopoint page.

Nice shot, OM!”