On May 5 I will begin a 8-day trip up the Eastern Shore of the Bay. I did the western shore last year. Here is my equipment list. I am a minimalist (light as possible), but do you see anything important I have left out?
Thanks,
Pete
Kayak and paddling gear
Epic 18X Sport
Seals Extreme Tour 1.7 spray skirt
Yakpads seat cushion (bottom only)
Epic Active Tour Euro carbon paddle
Epic Mid-wing carbon paddle
Stohiquist semi-dry top for bad weather
Paddle gloves
Paddle boots
Navigation
Garmin 76CXs GPS with Chesapeake Bay Blue Charts
Compass mounted on front deck
Set of Chesapeake Bay marine maps (waterproof)
Safety
Emergency contact info in my life jacket pocket
Rope
Bilge pump (repair)
Paddle float and stirrup
SPOT
Icom IC-M34 floating VHF Radio and charger
Cell phone and extra battery
Flares
Horn
PFD with attached knife
First Aid Kit
Paddle leash
Hydration
One gallon water bladder
4 – one-liter bottles
Water filter
Water purification tablets (in case of pump failure)
Repair
Screwdriver and wrench to fit kayak hardware
Duck tape
Air mattress repair kit
Light rope
Sleeping
Sleeping bag (40 degree bag)
Air mattress (light backpacker model)
Ultra light ¾ Therm-a-Rest pad (relaxing along the way)
Stuff sack for pillow
Tent (Hilleberg Una – 4 pounds)
Cooking
Whisper light cook stove (5 oz)
Fuel bottles
Matches
Fry Pan (lightweight backpacker’s) and pad to clean it
Cup
Fork
Spatula
Food and supplies
Cooking oil for fish
Spices for fish
Food bag for each day (1 pound of food per day – same as backpacking)
Clothing
2 White long sleeve paddle shirts (UV protection, quick dry)
2 short sleeve paddle shirts (UV protection, quick dry)
Paddle shorts
Long pants (insect proof pack pants)
Fleece tops
Long sleeve bug shirt
Large-brimmed paddle hat (sun protection)
Baseball cap
Fillet knife
Lightweight rain top and pants
Fishing
3- piece St. Croix carbon fiber pole with case
Shimano Sedona 4000 reel with braided line
Extra braided line
Removable rod mount on rear deck
Bait artificial (crab, shrimp, mullet)
Bait rigs, jig heads, and lures
Deck bag for fishing gear (can be stowed when not in use)
MD and VA saltwater fishing licenses
Toilet kit
Vitamins and meds
Biodegradable liquid soap
Small quick dry backpacker towel
Razor and small metal mirror (also for signaling)
Paper towels (4 squares per day – multi-purpose)
Miscellaneous
Insect repellent
Sunscreen
2 – pair sunglasses
Dozen AA batteries for electronics
i-Pod and earphones (2 pair) plus auxiliary battery pack and waterproof Otter Box case
Waterproof headlamp
Cash, credit card, driver’s license
Dry bags (2 tapered for bow and stern, plus 4 others)
Pentax Optio W-60 waterproof camera and spare battery
Extra pocket knife
Looks like a complete list…
The only thing I would ad would be a small AM/FM radio for news, tent entertainment, etc. I take it your VHF radio gets the weather radio?
Off course, a small bottle of spirits can help one relax at the end of a long paddling day....
Are you starting at the lower end of the Eastern Shore or coming down from Maryland? I live near Onancock, Va., almost directly across from Tangier Island, 14 miles from Tangier.
Good luck on your trip, and if you need a lift to the grocery store or somthing like that when you get near Onancock, look me up....
E-mail:
Tracy@tjadventures.com
PS:
There is a great camping spot at the mouth of Onancock Creek, where Onancock Creek meets the Bay, there is a sandy hook just inside, with high ground, sandy beach, accessable only by boat.
take a pair of long john pants …
..... some good warm gloves like Redheads from Basspro , and make sure whatever your top covering is , there's something available like a cold weather jacket , and something hooded with a bit of insulation value too .
On the bay , even in early May , you want to have the cold and wet weather back-ups in clothing right there and ready . Stay dry and warm . Just yesterday I wore regular jeans and shirt , but put a full body insulated Carhart suit on over them (zip up the front construction style) ... was out on the bay by first light , the suit came off after noon or so .
For your fire starting , consider making up a zip lock bag or two of cotton balls lightly saturated with regular petroleum jelly . A single flint spark will kick them right off and they are good backup that takes absolutely no room or weight .
Consider these items as well , lip balm and gel cap vitamin E tabs (break them open and put on skin , lips , ect. just like a cream med.) .
Do take a simple spark stone along , not just matches , lighter , etc. .
Suggest you mark up a paddling route with expected time plan and fixes on a chart to leave with someone back home ... a semi detailed float plan that can be of value in various ways .
Not sure what style of maps you are talking about , but here's one that will cover all you can possibly need ... the ADC Chesapeake chart book ... http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3401849 , read it in the rain no matter ... the "spiral bound" style one "is best" and easiest to use .
Are you equipted with any of these manual chart course plotting tools ... http://www.landfallnavigation.com/tradtool.html ??
I'm kinda curious what your planned route and shore stops are expected to be . Care to share your start , nav. courses , fix points , stop overs and destination point ??
Looks good, but I am curious…
Why are you bringing the VHF charger?
Seems like unnecessary baggage.
Jack L
Beer
Toothbrush and paste.
Camp chair…
If you were traveling by canoe, you'd have room for a folding camp chair!
What do kayakers use to sit on while in camp? Crazy Creek chair?
I once did the Everglade Wilderness Waterway in a tandem canoe with my paddling partner, traveling with a kayaker. She "Poo-Pooed" the camp chairs we cairried, but we did carry one for her, she warmed up to them once in camp....
A knife to wear
I’m curious what role the fillet knife plays in your wardrobe - listed under “clothing”…
Alan
Thanks
Thanks for the advice. It was helpful, especially pilotswinz.
Camp chairs are nice for sitting around the fire and drinking beer with buddies. But, I’ll be alone, so usually I crash in my tent after a long day.
Thanks again. Everyone who replied had good points.
Pete
Don’t know if it works for you or not
or if you have it already in your kit, but I make sure to have a few packs of yellow mustard for leg cramps at night in the tent. After a long day paddling, sometimes those hit me. I know it’s folk medicine, but danged if eating a packet of yellow mustard won’t stop a leg cramp. At least it works for me.
The other thing is hand sanitizer, or those little packs of it.
things you can live without
Here’s what I would not take (your list modified). Notes at the bottom.
Kayak and paddling gear
Yakpads seat cushion
Epic Mid-wing carbon paddle
Stohiquist semi-dry top for bad weather
Navigation
Garmin 76CXs GPS with Chesapeake Bay Blue Charts
Safety
Rope
Stirrup
SPOT
Cell phone and extra battery
Horn
Paddle leash
Hydration
Water purification tablets (in case of pump failure)
Repair
Screwdriver and wrench to fit kayak hardware
Air mattress repair kit
Light rope
Sleeping
Ultra light ¾ Therm-a-Rest pad (relaxing along the way)
Stuff sack for pillow
Clothing
2 short sleeve paddle shirts (UV protection, quick dry)
1 fleece top
Baseball cap
Fillet knife
Lightweight rain top and pants
Miscellaneous
Dozen AA batteries for electronics
i-Pod and earphones (2 pair) plus auxiliary battery pack and waterproof Otter Box case
Extra pocket knife
If you go without electronics, you won’t need batteries. If you go with a low tech boat, you won’t need a repair kit. If you have a sun hat, you don’t need a baseball cap. If you have one knife, you may not need three. If you’re dressed for immersion you may not need devoted rain wear, etc., etc. You get the idea. I enjoy traveling with as little as I can. What you get pleasure from may differ. I second what Pilotwings said about planning for cold weather on and off the water. Lots of other good ideas there too. Sounds like a great time. Have a nice trip!
Spare paddle, head lamp,
and I second the camp chair for kayak camping.