Portaging can suck, but it gets you to where you are going.

To some, a canoe trip without portaging is simply not a trip at all. Tripping by its very nature requires the tripper to move many kilometres into the interior of any given nature reserve or wilderness area. This requires the tripper to carry everything they have across land, on designated or non-designated trails known as portage routes. 

Portage trails usually follow the shortest route to the next lake. The problem is - not all portage trails are equal; some trails will test the endurance of seasoned veterans. 

It is important to plan your trip according to your capabilities. If you are new to canoe tripping, stay on well traveled portage trails. These routes will be well maintained and if you find yourself in trouble, a fellow tripper will come along in a short time to help you sort your trouble out. 

Portaging is a workout. It will force you to use muscles you may not have known even existed. Heat, bugs, rain and a myriad of other environmental factors could cause your mind to slip a gear and force you into a state of self reprisal. You may even wonder what the heck you were thinking when you sat down at your desk and planned the route you now find yourself on. 

Yep, a picture is worth a thousand words. This photo was taken on day six of a planned ten day trip. Total trip length was 140 km. The yellow signs informing us of another portage ahead became beacons of foreboding. Unless you have crossed the same portage prior - you have no idea what lies within the twisting confines of the forest trail which you are about to traverse. Once crossed, the mystery of that trail is now exposed and you have learned much. 

The trials of the trail are soon left behind as you set up camp and settle into the wilderness. The soft subtle sounds of the forest serenade you as the fire sends tendrils of smoke into the air and fills your camp with its intoxicating smell.

The primitive person in you escapes from the confines of civilization and your mind relaxes to the point where it is free to roam where it chooses. The only way to get here from there - is across the portage trail. 

Happy camping!

How to handle flying vampires.

Living outdoors is a perfect way to reconnect to the world around you. Every sense in your body is awakened as you immerse yourself in the subtle lessons the forest and trail offer your questing mind. 

Weather becomes a reality which can't be ignored by closing a door and reclining in a climate controlled environment. You are forced to deal with rain and temperature variations which in turn teach you lessons about your own resilience. 

Biting insects are a fact of the trail. They are an essential part of the ecosystem through which you paddle your canoe and portage your gear. As you set camp, they can swarm you in numbers too vast to count and can cause major physical discomfort, which in turn, can taint your love of the outdoors. 

There are ways to mitigate the havoc these pesky little creatures create. Setting your camp up in an area where wind can infiltrate is one such method. 

Some people are not too adversely affected by insects, others are a meal ticket and draw the little devils in like magnets. One thing is for certain, you must have a game plan in place in order to withstand the clouds of winged vampires; if you want to keep your sanity while traversing the trails. The only time when you will be bug free is when the temperature drops to single digits.

This video shows some methods which have served me very well over my many years in the forest. 

Every time I wander into the bush, I always remind myself that I too am part of the system. A few donations to the flying blood bank is well worth it. 

How to load your canoe.

A canoe is a light-weight boat capable of carrying loads ten times or more than the weight of the craft itself. 

Stability is the key. If you load your canoe improperly; the boat will not track well and you are putting yourself at risk of tipping. 

A properly loaded canoe will sit evenly in the water and will be easier to control in winds and waves. Always take into account the weight differential of the bow and stern paddlers.  

Less is always best when canoeing. Think carefully about the gear you wish to bring with you. Make sure that it is absolutely necessary. You will understand this statement when you have completed a long portage. 

© R.G. Wright

Have a great trip. 

  

Winter fades away to spring.

Winter is fading as the sun returns to warm the land. The forest streams are trundling their way to nearby lakes and ponds. 

The wild ones that persevered through the cold months shake off the chill and meander around the woods loving the warmth. Migrating birds are returning and filling the silent woods with their songs. Frogs and turtles rise from their deep sleep and move to the surface of the ponds to say hello to a world they have not seen for several months. 

Spring peepers; small frogs with huge voices, call out into the night creating a chorus of sound which fills the hollows of the forest with deafening power. 

Soon the black-flies will come out from under the leaf litter and fill the air with their clouds of annoyance. Knowing that they in turn will feed the fish, makes their arrival easier to accept.  It is simply part of the cycle which makes the forest healthy and whole. 

Into this awakening world I move, as quietly as possible and without purpose. I want to soak in all the sights and sounds of the spring for I know, without question, spring will turn to summer and new sounds and sights will fill my mind and spring will fade into memory.    

Once again my paddle can dig into the cool water and my canoe can glide silently into the wilderness carrying me into the world which I call home. 

  

How to set up the king of all tents. The Tipi.

The tipi is one of the best portable lodges ever conceived. The design allows for a fire to be set within the shelter without the fear of asphyxiation from smoke inhalation. The smoke flaps are totally adjustable allowing for wind to flow across the extended wings, this in turn creates a suction effect which draws air in from the base of the lodge. Smoke from the fire is literally pulled out of the interior keeping the occupants comfortable and safe. 

©R.G.Wright

An experienced person can have the lodge set up and a fire going within twenty minutes. The conical design sheds snow and rain exceedingly well - all the while keeping the interior dry even with the smoke flaps open. 

I have had this cover for well over twenty years and it is still serviceable. It has withstood high winds, deep snow and torrential rains and it still keeps me dry and warm. My sled dogs and I spent many hours within the warm comfort of this lodge and their spirits still mingle with the smoke from the fire. 

Much of my book, "A Long Paddle Home" was written within the lodge while the wilderness played it's symphony and firelight danced on the canvas walls.

When your mind struggles for clarity and your body is filled with anxiety, settle into the comfort of a tent and you will find much needed solace. If that tent happens to be a tipi, you will discover that no amount of effort is required for you to relax, the lodge does the work for you.  

©R.G.Wright

The poles connect the earth to the sky, and the fire completes the circle. Energy is channeled straight into the lodge and your ancient soul will respond.

©R.G.Wright

Please refer to my YouTube video on how to remove the cover.   Taking Tipi Cover Down

Restoration of a 1956 Peterborough Canoe.

©R.G.Wright

Canoes are the quintessential water craft of the Canadian wilderness. These little vessels were used as a primary means of travel well into the 1800's by people who lived along the waterways located throughout the country. 

©R.G.Wright

The canoe depicted here was built by the Peterborough Canoe Company in 1956. They named her the Minetta. This canoe has a mid-ship depth of 30.5 cm. (12 Inches) and a beam of 84 cm. (33 Inches) and she is 457 cm. (15 ft.) long.  She has rocker and tumblehome  designed into her hull which makes this little boat a thrill to paddle, but you have to be careful because she can be real touchy and dump you if she's not treated right.  

I found her in a carport where she was being used to hold firewood. The canvas cover was rotted and her ribs were in danger of splitting. 

I re-canvased her within a few days of getting the canoe home. I did a haphazard job yet she carried my son and I on several long canoe trips without complaint.  

I decided to strip the canoe down to it's ribs and refinish it properly. The picture above depicts the extent of hull rot that I had to carve out of her. 

©R.G.Wright

After extensive repair to ribs, keel, thwarts and gunwales, I sanded her down and decided to add a thin coat of fiberglass cloth to her stern and bow. I do realize this is an affront to canoe craftsman; however, I never professed to be a craftsman.

©R.G.Wright

With the ribs repaired and the planking back in place; it was time to put the canvas on. I rigged up a stretcher using ratchet straps and pulled the canvas as tight as I possibly could. Then I slipped the canvas over the canoe's hull and tacked it in place. 

©R.G.Wright

©R.G.Wright

The next stage was to paint a canvas sealer over the hull to ensure the canoe would be water tight. 

©R.G.Wright

©R.G.Wright

As the canvas dried, I had to reinstall the old seats to ensure upper hull integrity. 

©R.G.Wright

My next task was to install the new gunwales which was a task in and of itself. I had to steam the wood in order to obtain the various bends required to fit the hull.  Then I varnished the canoe with several coats of high performance marine grade varnish. This step had to be done with great care and patience. Mistakes here would make or break the finished product. 

©R.G.Wright

The new seats were then installed along with a new yolk. 

©R.G.Wright

The final stage of the rebuild was painting the hull. This again was accomplished using high grade marine paint and a heap-load of patience. 

The very last stage was to apply the Peterborough decals to the decks and the brass prow strips to the bow and stern.  

©R.G.Wright

The moment had come; after several months of patient work, I lowered her into the water and held my breath. Gently pushed by a slight wind she responded by trying to weather vane. She felt alive.

I climbed into her bow and faced the stern. Plunging my paddle deep into the water I pulled the canoe up to hull speed and fell in love with the little boat that was once used as a fire-wood holder. 

She responded to my influence like a well trained horse, turning on a dime with a deft stroke of my paddle we returned to the center of the pond and I laid in her hull for well over an hour. I wanted to feel my pulse mesh with the hull. To say that I was elated would be an understatement. 

©R.G.Wright

©R.G.Wright

©R.G.Wright

This canoe paddles like a dream and is the fastest boat I have ever paddled. She sheds high waves due to her tumblehome and she can carry a heavy load without complaining. The designers of this canoe knew exactly what they were doing. 

The Peterborough Minetta was produced between 1948 and 1963. The model number is 1815 followed by the serial number. Unfortunately the numbers were part of the rot I had to cut out on this one. I will never know her true build date.  

©R.G.Wright

 Wood canvas boats are my favorite, as I stated before, no other canoe moves like them. I often tell people that these boats feel alive when you are in them. 

My average trip length is a minimum of 130 Km. with many portages. I refuse to use my Minetta on such journeys - she is tough but the work I put into her was so extensive I don't want to repeat it. 

I take her off the rack when I want to cruise a wilderness lake and limit portages to a bare minimum. She is quiet and swift, allowing me to pass unseen by campers as they sit around a fire as the stars circle Polaris. 

Easy build survival stove.

Tin cans have been utilized as makeshift stoves for many years. The tin-can stoves became known as Hobo stoves due to the fact that they were used extensively during the great depression as people drifted around the country looking for work. 

As a survival or camp stove, the tin-can stove is perfect. It will boil water in less than five minutes, it is easy to make and it is lightweight.  There is no need to carry bulky propane canisters or white gas containers and it is easy and safe to use.  

If you create a rock cairn around the stove, you can place your pan on the rock-rim and efficiently direct the heat to cook your food. 

When you are cold and wet from a long haul through the portage trail, this little stove is a quick way of warming up before hitting the rain laden lake for the next leg of your journey. 

The only downfall to this little stove is the noise it makes as it clangs off your backpack when you move down the trail. Stuff it with leaves and forest debris and that will help solve the issue of noise. (Unless of course you feel more comfortable letting the wild ones know you are coming.) 

I make these stoves very plain and simple. There are many fancy designs floating around on the internet. As long as you have a loading/air intake hole at the bottom of the stove - it will work perfectly.  

Give this little stove a try, I am sure you will love it.