Over the years through trial and error I have come up with a variety of little “TRICKS OF THE TRADE” that help make my canoeing adventures, easier, more enjoyable, and organized. Some were born out of deep thought, others by accident, and still others from companions and counterparts. I tend to take most of them for granted. That is until someone else picks up on one and brings it to my attention. In this article I thought I would mention a couple of them.
Rubber bands. Not just plain old ordinary ones. I am talking about those nice big, red, heavy duty ones you get from the Post Office. They are really handy for a number of things. Take for example fastening an extra paddle into the canoe. The reason for carrying an extra in the first place is to replace a lost or broken one. Nothing like being up the creek without a paddle. Generally when you lose or break one it is because of rough conditions. The paddle needs to be securely fastened in to the canoe but also must be quickly and easily accessed when needed. The HP solution, fasten it in with a couple of rubber bands. It will stay put under the most severe conditions yet a good quick yank will snap the rubber band freeing it up for immediate use.
I like to seal all of my clothes in a sandwich of pillow cases and plastic bags. This system is sealed up with one of those heavy duty rubber bands. It works. I find it keeps things drier than those expensive dry bags. With enough wraps around the neck of the plastic bag even the most tenacious of water molecules will not get in. Of course if you get carried away it may take you some time to get in as well.
Keeping your maps dry is always a problem. They also tend to tear easily after they have been folded a couple hundred times. I have found that sealing them up in contact paper works quite well. They are now water proof and you can even write on them and erase it without damage. It does make them tough to fold. My solution. You guessed it. Roll them up and secure them with a rubber band. Another comment here. Roll them with the face out. They will be easier to handle when you need to look at them.
This past summer the family canoe expedition included several of my kids friends. The planned route had several portages which the guys were required to carry their gear and canoes from one lake to another. One of these ended up being a mile in length. I had taught the kids to carry the canoe in pairs, one at each end, upside down with the gunwales resting on their shoulders. They quickly decided this was not for them and figured out that by tying their life jackets to the seat and then resting it on their heads proved to be much more comfortable. On one portage we passed a commercially guided trip taking a break and resting their tired shoulders. The next time we saw them they were carrying their canoes with padded seats on top their heads.
If you have read past articles then you are most likely aware of my comical friend we call Barry. You never know what he will say or do next so on a trip a couple years ago when he put on two packs for a portage (one front and back) I wasn’t overly impressed. However, when he actually walked away I took a second look. Now why didn’t I think of that. I have been using this method ever since. Having weight in front really helps balance you out nicely. A word of caution. Be careful if you squat down you may not be able to straighten up. Until next time, HAPPY PADDLING!!! Check out past articles/posts at www.hpcanoes.com
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- Hemlock Pete
- The most frequent question I get asked is, "Where did you get the name Hemlock Pete?" First of all my name is Scott Edwards. The Hemlock Pete title was given to me by my grandfather, Howard Wardner. Here is a man who was blessed with three daughters and not a single son. He was an avid outdoorsman born and raised in the Adirondack mountains of upstate New York. His father was an Adirondack Guide working for the Paul Smith's Hotel. When I was born (in Key West Florida) my grandfather drove down to see me. This was a very long trip back in 1957. As the story goes, he took one look at me and declared that I was his "Hemlock Pete". According to my grandmother he could not wait for me to accompany him on his hunting and fishing excursions. Unfortunately for both of us he passed away when I was merely two years old. My grandmother (Mildred Wardner) quite often would mention how much Howard would have enjoyed my company.