Feature Articles of Interest for Paddlers

I have many articles on my hard drive waiting to be edited and they will be shared here. A few rough drafts are up, including a pretty comprehensive reading list on small boat building compiled from my library. Check in for new and expanding content. It was a busy 2005/2006 as I sold my previous residence, married and moved into a 20's era farm house with barn and ponds.

Kayak Camping in Lake Country?
The photo above shows a typical packing job for a sea kayak. Featured above is a CLC West River on Birch Lake outside Ely, MN on a BWCA test trip excursion. This model holds lots of stuff. The difference between packing a sea kayak and a canoe for BWCA trips should be evident. Everything packed in a kayak has to fit through a hatch. This is a non-issue for a coastal camper or if you plan on remaining on Big Sag. If you have portages however, then the fun begins.

All those little packages have to be pulled out of the kayak and carried across the portage. A loaded kayak is too heavy for mere mortals to portage. The only suggestion I can make is have a Duluth Pack stowed for portaging. Toss the many little items in the Duluth Pack and go. The trade off in time to pack and repack your kayak at each portage is only marginally made up for in speed on the water. If there are more portages than water, you will be seriously behind your partners in canoes. It is all about your pace and if your partners have kayak paddles in their solo canoes.

The lightweight wood sea kayak isn't terribly hard to carry, many weight 40 to 45 lbs. A The fiberglass manufactured boat will weigh more than a typical 2 person aluminum canoe 60 pounds plus. I was easily able to carry the wood kayak over my head with the coaming on my shoulders eliminating the need for a portage yolk. The secret is to carry the boat backwards as the bow section is heavier. Your line of sight is seriously hampered on the portage trail.

Birch Lake is a decent kayak camping lake located in the Superior National Forest just down Hwy 1 Southeast of Ely. Lake Jeanette up Hwy 116, north out of Ely is also another fine lake for kayak camping. If you don't already own one, get the latest Superior National Forest Map which indicates "Wilderness" campsites one can paddle to in the National Forest.

These lakes and their camp sites are ideal for campers who decide to get away at the last minute and want a BWCA like experience without the BWCA permit or the portages. They are relatively big water so when the wind picks up you get to enjoy the wave action. I've only camped at lakes like these during the off peak months so I can't tell you much about the level of motorized traffic.

"Sleep tandem, Paddle solo"
Tom Foster, author Catch Every Eddy, Surf Every Wave