I pulled together a comprehensive presentation to help get new folks–families–involved in canoe camping. It’s focused on NY and the Adirondacks but should be helpful to anyone trying to get their friends involved for the first time. Sharing here in case it’s helpful. =)
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What about Kayak camping?
thanks for sharing that, nice how you linked videos and scaffolded the experience starting with a base camp and building to a multi day river paddle trip. My own mind works a bit differently. I look for some place that I want to paddle. Research it and everything else is derived from that. How long, how far, how much gear, and boat type all change according to the destination. In general it is a whole lot easier to paddle and plan without gear in the boats so often I go gearless (day trips, daily shuttles on a river trip). Sometimes the situation demands (wilderness areas) or people like the idea of camping out away from roads. More to think about- more complexity. That’s usually when I start forgetting stuff! With families you are going to have more gear and amenities. My own solo version is often way more stripped down- simple food is fine, long days of paddling make for less in camp time and shift goes to the paddling and less about the comforts of camping. The good thing about canoes and rafts- you can take paco pads! I read through the aca course outline- all great stuff- i guess I learned most of that from the boyscouts back in the day. If I go back to the dacks to paddle and camp it will be after july 4th, less bugs and I will take better maps (northern forest canoe trail maps not all that great). There are a lot of ways to do stuff. Sometimes we forget that. Best practices do have their place in a teaching curriculum but the more I’m on the water the more I appreciate the diversity of methods being used. Perhaps sadly, but for me canoe and kayaking camping is really about having a place to stay while paddling and not really an end to itself. But hey, I’m currently planning a kayak camping trip to sc! Time to get my act together! The big question is what kind of camp chair will I take!
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Good job.
I often think of it as backpacking but with a boat. Safety needs to be emphasized much more in the sport. I like to get people in the water, have them swim rapids, practicing throwing ropes and belaying and exploring the limits of capsizing right in the beginning. Next comes reading water.
PFDs, dress for immersion and practice rescues all the time.
Alas, at 75 the days of difficult white water are behind me.
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There are similarities, but obvious differences. It appears that this is where the OP’s expertise lies (thanks @Taliesan) If you’re looking for “kayak camping” advice, you probably should look in another thread or if you have the knowledge perhaps create a similar presentation and share it.
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I appreciate that, but it was not a general question, it was a question to this specific poster if he had studied and researched kayak camping as he has canoe camping.
Hi! 90% of it is the same. The main difference is how to pack the boats. I go into that in the longer version of the gear guide linked from the deck. Kayaks can go into rougher waters. Can’t carry quite as much stuff. And are more annoying to portage, though it can be done.
The biggest difference to me is in what you can carry and how good you can eat. Kayak camping is more like backpacking. Canoe camping can be almost like car camping if you don’t have to do any long portages.
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