I’m paddling. Up at 7 and left camp at 10. One stroke after the next. Switch sides. Feel the paddle pull through water. Smile. The first few days, before paddling, I didn’t see the fireweed. Now, I’m passing acres of pink fireweed on river left, scattered among the rock fields beside the river. Acres of flowers create an aura of reddish pink. Except when there are acres, flowers are no taller than my ankle. They appear sharp in color, and are subtle. They surprise announcing themselves. Vast tundra views creates a contrast to these small gems appearing at my feet, worthy of Vermeer. I do love Lupin and Fireweed, the later a member of the Onagraceae family, latin name: Chamaenerion, and the former Lupinus polyphyllus. The Lupins are members of the pea family. I can see the pea pods as they go to seed.
The Fireweed is just beginning:
Keeping things dry is an obsession. I’d rather walk an extra half a mile around boggy ground than get my feet wet. I have a pair of Palladium sneakers and a pair of Salmon boots. I prefer the sneakers. I feel the ground through their soles better than in the boots.
Keeping food, clothes, and the canoe dry are other obsessions. Clear plastic bags with long necks and rubber bands are the best protection against water (see photo at top). You can buy clear plastic bags in different sizes and mill weights. For food, I prefer the medium weight. It’s strong but flexible enough to twist the neck tight, bunch up the twist, and secure it with a rubber band. For added security place several rubber bands at different spots along the neck. I keep the plastic bags of food in a pack where they won’t puncture easily. This system keeps food and clothes dry. I learned these clues from Jim Able, a pro in all things involving canoeing systems.
I use a 3/4 length ripstop nylon spray skirt. The ripstop nylon is lightweight, and rolled up, fits in my hand. My goal is to repel water, not turn Loon 2 into a submarine. I fit a one inch band of Velcro along the inner edge of the sprayskirt and glue and staple a two inch wide Velcro strip to the outside of the canoe, just below the gunwale. Having the two inch wide strip means I don’t have to be fussy securing the skirt. No snaps, no ties, I just run my hand along the sides of the canoe to secure the sprayskirt. Canoeists go to great lengths to secure heavy duty canvas/rubber covers in a death grip to the canoe. Often, they are strong enough to keep everything in the canoe, if it tips over. Another dangerous thing canoeists do is tie everything into the canoe. It’s an example of received wisdom being wrong. I would never tie my gear in. Ripstop material is all you need to shed water. The 3/4 length spray cover allows me to stand up and scout the coming rapid. With a full skirt, you can not stand. If I tip over, the cover pops off and the gear floats away. I can more easily guide my empty canoe to shore, untie my spare paddle, and pick up my gear further downstream. The fully secured cover transforms the canoe into a lethal weapon. So does tying everything in. Ever tried to lift, or maneuver a canoe with hundreds of pounds of soggy gear tied in, and held in, by the spray cover? Or deal with wet items dangling in the river? Impossible.
