Going on a GLSKA Trip?

This information is intended primarily for club members who have promised themselves that they will go on their first GLSKA member-organized trip. I have assumed that you may be fairly new to kayaking, and so have little or no experience of camping out of a kayak. To help, I have included some general information and a “what to bring” checklist.

GLSKA TRIP ORGANIZERS DO IT FOR FUN, NOT PROFIT!

It’s important to note and remember that the person organizing your trip is a club member, like you. They are organizing and participating in your trip as a volunteer. They are not being paid and neither they nor GLSKA are legally responsible for your safety or welfare (that is why we asked you to sign a waiver when you joined the club). Having said that, GLSKA members who organize trips will do their best to help you have a good time and a safe time. As in all group situations however, members who respect and support the trip organizer and each other will increase the chances of an enjoyable trip for all in the group.

PREPARE AS IF FOR A SOLO TRIP

Each member on the trip is responsible for bringing their own kayak and associated safety gear, their own tent, sleeping bag and pad and their own food and the means of preparing it. On most trips, especially those longer than a weekend, plenty of opportunities for cooperation and community-building will occur. People may swap dishes, cooperate by contributing different courses, get together for a pot-luck dinner on the last night out, and so on. The advantages of the solo system are the division of labour and the built-in safety factor of every member, in the event of accidental separation from the group, having the means to travel, eat and sleep. And last but not least, there is no point in complaining about the food! If you are travelling as a couple the principle of individual self- containment can apply, or you can act as a unit and work out between the two of you who gets to carry the tent, who the stove, and so on.

NEW TO KAYAK TRIPPING? HERE ARE SOME IDEAS

There are lots of good books, magazine back-issues and web-based resources that can provide masses of useful, if sometimes opinionated information on equipment, food, safe ty issues and so on. But here are some FAQs to get you started.

What kind of food should I bring?

Don’t be afraid of fresh food. Packed in hard containers and kept in the bottom of your boat, bagels, eggs, fresh vege- tables and salad ingredients will keep 3 to 5 days. Some, like rye bread, potatoes, onions and cabbage, preserved meats, some types of bacon, summer sausage and hard cheeses will keep much longer. Dried pasta, flour or pancake/biscuit mix, spices, condiments, need only to be properly packed (keep dry foods dry and wet foods from leaking). Canned foods work fine, but they are heavy and the cans need to be cleaned and packed out with any other garbage you generate. If you must have your baked beans, don’t forget a can opener. Snacks such as energy bars, candy or fruit can be packed to be available on the water or on breaks. Bring along a water bottle to stow under a deck bungee. Most people plan their food by working from the number of breakfasts, dinners etc. they plan to eat, or laying out a daily meal-plan. Allow for an extra meal or two, just in case.

Can I drink the water?

Not these days, sorry to say. Fresh water is bulky to carry in a kayak, but manageable for a weekend’s needs. Allow at least 3 L a day per person. On longer trips, a filter pump is a great idea. Boiling and purification with iodine or chlorination are also possibilities.

Will bears and other critters want to share my food?

Yes, sometimes; but there are things you can do to reduce the chances of these guests enjoying your supplies. Keep in a container with a tight lid any food that’s not canned or sealed. Wrap foods carefully and put them into a sealed hatch for the night. Some campers prefer to sling a rope over a convenient tree branch and hoist the food up into the air, in the belief that bears can’t stand on their tip-toes. That’s fine, but sometimes there is no convenient branch, or even a tree. Do not take any food or snacks into the tent with you: remember that includes the energy bar you popped into the pocket of your PFD but never got around to eating. And reas- sure yourself that you are much more likely to be bothered by mice, squirrels and porcupines than by a bear.

I’d love to go to Georgian Bay, but isn’t it swarming with rattlers?

If only! The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake is an endangered species and it is rare to encounter one, even in the heart of its range. The snake is shy and retiring, not at all aggressive. They are sometimes frightened into biting by people pitching tents on top of them or rummaging in the underbrush for firewood. If bitten, the bite is painful and needs treatment as soon as possible but is very rarely fatal.

I always use biodegradable soap, so a bath in the lake is fine, isn’t it?

Please don’t. Although called “biodegradable,” these soaps do not break down completely in cold water. Instead, wash in a bowl then take the bowl away from the water’s edge and discard the contents (use the same technique for toothpaste).

Any hints on taking care of business?

Too rich a topic to summarize here – get a copy of GLSKA’s leaflet, “The Scoop on Poop” (a pdf version is available on the Club Publications page at the GLSKA website). For even more detail, read Kathleen Meyer’s tasteful classic How to Shit in the Woods. For health and aesthetic reasons it’s important stuff to know.

Rehearse! Rehearse! Rehearse!

It’s amazing how much stuff can be crammed into a kayak. But there is a limit, and the time to find that limit is not at the put-in with your fellow-trippers fuming as you try to decide whether to leave behind your food or your sleeping bag (hint: often a sleeping bag can be crammed in the cockpit, ahead of the foot rests – but make sure it’s well bagged). If you have any concerns, assemble your gear and food ahead of time and try fitting it all in. For equipment needing to be bagged, a number of smaller dry-bags will work much better than a few large ones. Tents can be split up and poles, body and flysheet pushed separately down either side of the skeg box. Tapered dry bags are available for use in the front hatch, with the tapered end pushed up into the bow. These should be used for clothes and other not-very-heavy stuff. Heavy stuff goes as close to the middle of the boat as possible, with the really heavy items on the bottom. If your boat has fixed footrests you can stuff large bulky objects like a sleeping bag ahead of the footrests; make sure to use a good-quality dry-bag or even double-bag the item as an inch or so of water in the cockpit is not unusual. And don’t forget that water, fruit juice etc. can be placed at the back and sides of your seat. Carry liquids in collapsible plastic packs.
As a general rule, strapping a bag on the rear deck is not a good idea – windage is increased and climbing back in in the event of a rescue is much more difficult. Sea Kayaker Magazine has an illustrated guide to packing a kayak.

And finally …

Don’t forget to take along a sense of humour and a sense of adventure; and don’t leave your commonsense at home either.

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

This is not intended to be the final word – to find other examples browse the web (Sea Kayaker Magazine has a good one).

THE BOAT AND ITS ATTACHMENTS

• A decked kayak, with bulk-heads fore and aft of the cockpit for storage, accessed through water-proof hatches
• A paddle, and a spare, if you have one
• A well-fitting approved PFD, a 15 m tow-line or throw-rope that floats, a bailer or pump, a whistle (You are required to carry these items by Canada’s Coast Guard.)
• A spray skirt
• A paddle float (but it’s not much use unless you have learned how to use it)
• A water bottle
• Deck-mounted compass (optional)

TENT AND CONTENTS

• Tent; plus a small tarp if you have one
• Thermarest, foam pad or air-mattress
• Sleeping bag
• Flashlight

CLOTHING & PERSONAL

• Windbreaker or paddling jacket
• Brimmed hat or peaked cap
• Sunglasses
• Long-sleeved shirt for paddling(something quick-drying)
• Shorts for paddling
• Rainwear for in camp
• Long pants and fleece top and/or sweater for cool evenings in camp (socks too)
• Swimsuit and towel
• Underwear
• Shoes or sandals for paddling, plus a pair for camp
• Toiletries, toilet paper, medications incl. sunscreen
• Binoculars; camera; books; pen & journal
• If you have room, a small folding chair will add a touch of luxury
• Waterproof bags: (A must for your sleeping bag and clothes). Doubled garbage bags will do for a weekend but a few dry bags in small and medium sizes are better.

KITCHEN

• 1-burner stove,  fuel, matches
• Cook set, cooking implements, your cutlery, plate, mug
• Washing up bowl (purpose-made collapsible canvas, or use your large pot), small container of washing-up liquid, scrubbing pad. To dry, use a dish towel or hang up the stuff in a large mesh bag to air dry. Such a bag is also great for carrying kitchen gear to and from the kayak.
• Your food

Keith Rodgers