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After you’ve righted yourself your
first thought will most likely be,
“Oh snap, where’s my (fill in the
blank).” Losing your phone, wallet,
keys, or your precious TP could be
tragic for the whole crew. Keeping
all your valuables in air-tight dry
bags will allow you to rest easy.
Small items can be kept in personal
dry boxes or even sealed up in zip
lock style bags like the LokSak.
(www.loksak.com)
7. Don’t Overdo
It’s easy to get overzealous when
planning any outdoor trip. The
excitement of getting out on the
trail or water can cloud your better
sense of planning. Always keep
the weakest member of the group
in mind. If they can only paddle 10
miles a day, then don’t exceed that
limit. Take into account the number
of stops you plan to take as well.
Making a one hour lunch into two
hours can change the trips mileage
significantly.
8. Safety First
You never plan on getting injured,
but often that is the best way to be
ready. Keep a thorough First Aid
kit on hand. Make certain that you
have enough items to treat more
than one injured person. Also, keep
medications in your kit beyond
pain relievers, such as Benadryl for
allergic reactions. Knowing if your
partners are allergic to specific medications
is important as well. Many
of our favorite routes are in remote
areas. Even though there may not
be consistent service on your trip,
keeping a cell or sat phone in your
gear is a good idea. Lastly, check
the river gauge before leaving, and
know what the acceptable level is
for paddling this stretch of water.
9. Creature Comforts, Not
Kitchen Sink
For those accustomed to going
light on the trail an overnight paddling
trip can create an unfamiliar
sense of freedom. Suddenly you
can bring along creature comforts
like folding chairs and Frisbees.
But be wary of which cushy items
you decide to bring. A boat can fill
up quickly, and evaluating if something
is necessary or not can often
rule out items that could slow you
down. Pre-pack your boat before
the trip to ensure all your gear will
fit. This will also save time and
make you look like a hero at the
put-in when you snap everything
into its place with ease.
10. Build in Extra Time
Finally, don’t underestimate mother
nature and the unforeseen. Anything
can happen on the water. An
injury or miscalculation can cost
you precious hours. The last thing
you want is get caught paddling in
the dark and make a wrong turn or
roll the boat in the dead of night.
Build an extra 2-4 hours into your
trip. Make sure you can arrive at the
take-out early in the event things
don’t go as planned. The worst
case scenario is that you hang out
with your buddies and start the preplanning
for your next overnight
while you await your ride.
Adventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 25