Tips for Meal Organization

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In preparation of one of your meals, have you ever had to go back and forth to your kayak because you keep realizing you’re missing an ingredient or utensil to prepare your meal; having to check through both hatches, looking through bags, emptying your kayak until you’ve finally found it? Maybe it’s raining hard and you’re taking a short break for lunch but you’re searching for your soup and sandwich, hatches open and water streaming in. Don’t worry, you’re in good company. We’ve all misplaced things and not a big deal unless it’s the coffee rations!
Now, let’s try to minimize these memory lapses through meal organization. This starts at home before the trip, or even at the beginning of the season to help you pack faster for your trips. Whether it’s a weekend or a two week trip, you can follow the same principles.

  • Use different coloured stuff sacks to represent your breakfasts, lunches, dinner, and drinks. The drink bag (including sugar/milk if that’s what you use) can be prepared for the whole season. Just keep adding when your supplies start to get low.
  • Use the same colours for each meal type every trip so you don’t have to keep opening the bags – you will start associating colours to meals.
  • If your meal bags are getting too bulky, divide in two.
  • Use mesh bags for items such as your fruits and vegetables. It might be better to store in mesh anyways so that they can breathe. Mesh bags also come in handy, especially if you’re trying to chill your beer or wine, or hang up your mess kit to dry.
  • For larger groups, a foldable pop-up mesh laundry bag (buy at dollar stores) is great for holding everyone’s dishes and pots and pans to dry.
  • Use old film canisters to store your spices. Do this at the beginning of the season using fresh spices and put in a zip lock bag. I bring this on every trip in case I have to “fix” a meal.
  • Have a small bag with an emergency meal or two in case you end up spending an extra day out on the Bay because of bad weather. Packing some rice and one of those boil in a bag Indian dinners, and some instant oatmeal will take up very little room. Each trip, you keep putting this same bag back into your boat.
  • Store your lunch for the day in your front hatch within easy reach when you land; or if it turns out your group decides to eat on the water, someone can easily grab your lunch for you.
  • Keep a separate knife/fork/spoon, salt/pepper, just for lunch in a thermal bag rather than always having to remember to make sure to add these things in the morning. Lunch time, just pull this one bag out.
  • In my pot set, I keep a small round cutting board (dollar store) whether I plan to use it or not on a particular trip. It’s just always packed together and doesn’t take up additional space.
  • Keep a thermos of something hot inside your cockpit within easy reach. This comes in handy if you or someone in your group gets cold and it is quickly accessible while on the water. My Current Designs boat has a spot on each side of my seat where I can put my thermos and water filter on one side and my pump on the other.
  • Keep some gorp or an energy bar handy in your deck bag or life jacket, but remember to put it in your kayak at night to keep critters away.
  • Take off all excessive packaging and label if needed
  • Double up your Ziploc bags. In case the seal breaks on one, you have a second.
  • You can use the extra Ziploc bags to hold your garbage. If you have coffee grounds, try and re-move as much moisture as possible before putting in a Ziploc and double bag. Use this bag only for coffee grounds.
  • By using the smaller Ziplocs, it is easier to store in the kayak and by double bagging, it reduces the smell.
  • Separate garbage such as coffee grounds, squashed cans and organics. Coffee grounds can get especially messy when mixing and matching. Organics will be more compact if kept together.
  • If you are worried about leakage from the garbage even with the double bagged Ziplocs, use a drybag. If it can’t fit in your boat once you’re fully loaded, either leave in your cockpit or strap to the back of your kayak.

Quinoa Guacamole

Use your favourite guacamole recipe and add about 2-4 tablespoons of cooked quinoa into the guacamole. It will be a smooth light texture, especially nice in the summer, and will also stretch the amount of guacamole. This recipe is super easy and if you happen to be cooking quinoa the evening before or in the morning, just hold back a few tablespoons to make this appetizer. Note: A green avocado placed in a paper bag takes approximately 5 days to ripen.

 

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Participation in Sea Kayaking Activities involves various risks, dangers and hazards including the risk of serious injury, paralysis or death. Sea Kayaking Activities often take place in remote wilderness locations, where assistance, medical and first aid services and evacuation may not be readily available, and communication may be difficult or not possible. The risks, dangers and hazards that may be encountered include, but are not limited to: accidents which occur during transportation or travel to and from the departure point; slips and falls while getting into or out of the boats; overturning of the boats; loss of balance; impact or collision with objects; cold water immersion; repetitive strain injuries; dislocated shoulders; hypothermia; drowning; changing and inclement weather conditions including storms, high wind, high waves, and lightning; encounters with domestic or wild animals; infectious disease contracted through viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi which may be transmitted through direct or indirect contact; negligence on the part of other participants; and NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART THE RELEASEES. I UNDERSTAND THAT NEGLIGENCE INCLUDES FAILURE ON THE PART OF THE RELEASEES TO TAKE REASONABLE STEPS TO SAFEGUARD OR PROTECT ME FROM OR WARN ME OF THE RISKS, DANGERS AND HAZARDS OF PARTICIPATING IN SEA KAYAKING ACTIVITIES.

Please refer to the GLSKA Risk Management Strategy section of their website for further information regarding the risks, dangers and hazards that may be encountered during Sea Kayaking Activities.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY, WAIVER OF CLAIMS, ASSUMPTION OF RISKS AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT (hereinafter the "Release Agreement") BY ACCEPTING THIS DOCUMENT YOU WILL WAIVE OR GIVE UP CERTAIN LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO SUE FOR NEGLIGENCE OR BREACH OF CONTRACT OR TO CLAIM COMPENSATION FOLLOWING AN ACCIDENT

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

I AM AWARE OF THE RISKS, DANGERS AND HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICIPATING IN SEA KAYAKING ACTIVITIES AND I FREELY ACCEPT AND FULLY ASSUME ALL SUCH RISKS, DANGERS AND HAZARDS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, PROPERTY DAMAGE OR LOSS RESULTING THEREFROM.

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