CANOE

First, a note for the folks at West Marine: the life jacket works really well.

So I recently bought an old Grumman aluminum canoe for $200.  Having spent nearly that much again for the aforementioned life jacket and other accessories, I had the opportunity to go out for my first trip yesterday.   I have now learned a number of things.  14 feet of aluminum canoe is heavy.  One of the accessories I bought was a sort of wheeled dolly to make it possible to move it around.  Without that I’d never have gotten it in the water.  The second thing is that a fast-moving rain-fed stream with lots of snags wasn’t perhaps the best choice for a relative novice’s first trip.

I struggled upstream for about three hours and managed to travel perhaps one mile.  It was quite a workout, and I am pretty stiff today as a result.  But it was the return trip that was my downfall.  I thought it would be simple.  Just sit back and let the current repay me for all my effort in getting upstream.  But my wake-up call happened as soon as I tried to turn around.  Once sideways to the current I got swept under an overhanging branch, and into the water I went.  Well!  Anyway I pulled the boat to shore and clambered back aboard, got myself organized again, and set off once more.  A short time later I struck something submerged, broached sideways and got dumped again.  This time the boat was swamped, which where I learned another thing.  There is enough air in the enclosed ends to keep this beast afloat, at least temporarily. 

Once again I hauled it ashore at a point where I could roll it over to empty it out.  But my troubles were not done.   A little further down, I went under what I thought were just light branches overhanging the stream.  Rookie mistake, as the leaves were hiding a more substantial branch, and I swamped the boat once again.  It’s a good thing I tied off my cooler and supplies bag, but I still unfortunately contributed several cans and bottles, and a blanket to the trash in the creek, for which I am sorry.  Most of my supplies were in plastic bags, but my phone was not so protected, so I’ve been trying the rice trick to get it dried out.  I also am lucky to not have dropped my glasses.  I’ll have to buy a safety strap for them.

I think I’ll look for a quiet lake for my next journey.