Keep alert

Hey Midwest Paddlers, keep alert, we have high water, plan accordingly if going out on the rivers, dress for the water temperature.
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It might be a good time to check out some of the lakes in the area; minimal boat traffic, no moving water, could have the whole lake to yourself, safer then rushing water and forced through a strainer.
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Paddle smart paddle safe.
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The Capt'n

Log of the Ibi

Lots of good information on the Ibi Blog - you can follow along with SPOT too. Good article for overview of the trip - click here
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Wind on the nose all day, getting a feel for the Southern gulf breezes.

Keep er moving!!

Lowes Lake

Click to enlarge
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Good weather arrived on Easter Sunday, we took advantage of the warm afternoon breeze and paddled from Monches Pond up to Lowes Lake. This is a great section of the Oconomowoc River, with a remote feel that takes you to far away lands. Just another great back yard adventure.
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Forgot my camera, but this was taken with my new HTC Inspire Cell phone, Brian Judy and Sandy working it down river.
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We saw quite a few people out this afternoon which is unusual for Easter Sunday; A couple came by in a Nova Craft Blue Steel Canoe; their website boasts
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Our unique, high-tech Infusion System, adapted from the aerospace industry, offers distinct advantages over traditional boat building systems:
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I don't know anything about that, but the canoe sure looks nice on the water.
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Afterward we headed over to the Rustic Inn in Mapleton; Great after paddling stop with good food, cold beer ( Creamy Dark on tap, I resisted) and a steak sandwich to die for.
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The Capt'n

Drifting Rock Lake WI

Christy digging deep into the sea chest of days gone bye finds a post card from Granny Smith dated 1909 depicting the traditional family outing on Rock Lake. Golden moment for sure.
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I'm gonna need to check around in some old barns to see if any of these boats are hanging in the rafters; First stop Topel's.

Camp Wanapitei

The VII canoe trip highlighted in Emma's documentary style video is offered by a canoe tripping camp (Wanapitei) in northern Ontario. Camp Wanapitei - Click here

It's the pinnacle trip offered to 18 year olds, most of whom have been going to the camp since the age of 10-12. As they return year after year during their formative years, they progress to more and more difficult trips.

They experience their first whitewater trip at 14, first month long trip at 14/15, first river trip with an ocean paddle at 16, then take a one month leadership training course at 17 in addition to a highly intensive 28 day whitewater trip, and it's all topped off at 18 with VII (which stands for voyageur 2 month).

It's an amazing camp that offers such a wonderful opportunity to young adults. It's a rather tight knit community too, 8 of them from the group were hired on as 'interns' for next summer and in all likelihood in about 7 years two of them will have made it through and will become trip leaders themselves, taking out their own groups.

Once again the Capt'n has been schooled; and loving it. You're never too old to join in on a summer camp!! For the V2 video - Click here

Thanks Emma for all the info!!

The Capt'n

Rock Hounds and Paddle Tramps

As luck would have it, Open Mic at Waterhouse Foods; this made way for good music great food and musings of adventure. A "bing" of the phone...
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Finds the "Rock Hound" Christy Smith (Geologist) sharing tales of adventure in the Northwest territories while duffing it in a Hudson Bay 21' freighter.
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It appears the V2 video sparked energy for an Archive Dive; just another rock hound living the geologist dream.
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Christy worries me, he knows me all too well, no adventure story counts unless you have pictures to back it up; with a click of the mouse he forwards me a couple of pics and weaves mystery and intrigue into the adventure.
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With the rebirth of the true coffee house and the advances of new technologies, adventures unfold. I may have found my calling "Paddle Tramp" seeker of truth.
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Give me a hot steamy cup of coffee and some blue water and we're good to go...
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The Capt'n

The Big 5 Kayak Challenge

Sea kayaking the Inside Passage, 1000 miles Vancouver Island to Alaska from Richard Harpham on Vimeo.

Sea kayaking the Inside Passage, 1000 miles from Port Hardy to Glacier Bay Alaska.

Surely you jest...

The wind just about ripped the Sawyer from the roof rack; my only defense was to tie it off to the porch as the garage door froze shut with the pelting rain sleet and slush. Didn't I have green grass and buds on the trees just 24 hours ago.
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The Capt'n

The Missoura draws you in...

Not sure if I heard right; but the great great great great grandson of William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame working it on the Platte River, planing a little canoe trip down the Missouri River; Faithfully submitted by Norm Miller

Inspiration...

get your adventure on...



Thanks Emma for sharing the V2 adventure!!

The Capt'n

1001 boats

Came across this interesting site as I was drooling over this Nimble Yawl posted on Ebay - 1001 boats - she's a beauty. Funny when you're looking for information on one topic how you get drawn to another.
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If your passion pulls you to blue water, it's worth a gander as the pics and information fly on the 1001 boats blog.
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Back to the issue at hand, a sail for the Voyageur canoe for the Tip of the Mitt. It appears from all information I could gather a square rigged loose foot sail would be best suited. I am thinking the the KISS methodology is best. Or
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So I will have to dig around the sail loft (garage) and see what I have for fabrication.

Cause for alarm!

No not that gas prices are rising, our government is in turmoil, radiation levels are rising; No the cause for alarm is I found a stalk of broccoli in my fridge that has been there no less the 6 weeks and still looks edible... - See ya in the ER!!
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The Capt'n

As the mind wanders

The mind wanders; back to Pass a Grille, stone sidewalks and colorful shops line the avenues. The salty sea air makes me want to go shopping or at least pack mule bags of gifts and sundries for ladies in fancy hats and sundresses.
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Haven't seen one of these looking glasses in years; leave it to Pass a Grille to have one in pristine condition. Or maybe there everywhere and I haven't been to any places worthy; I think I need to travel more.
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Only 3650 days till retirement.

Saturday's Paddle

A great day for Wisconsin; took awhile for the haze and dampness to burn off but it ended up being sunny and in the high 60's. We took the opportunity to get out on one of Wisconsin's great sailing lakes, Lake Mendota.
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Paddle sailing the bluffs, we work our way off the wind, John catches this photo of me as I zoom a head.. . (inside joke) John with his Balogh 38 and me with the HP 36.
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A shot of John as we head to the bluffs, duffing it, sailing in comfort; I'd like to thank John for his array of tools in his truck. I had changed out the lee board clutch and ran into the holes being off by a smidgen; We looked for a bigger hammer, but the vise grip sufficed.
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Steve in his Adventure Island joined us; he gets honorable mention showing up 3 hours late; Fred gets an F for not showing at all. I really wanted to see the performance of his sailing Klepper. Tisk Tisk Freddie...

Which came first..

Like the chicken and the egg; it's hard to tell which came first the bench or the sign? But the outcome is exactly what I had expected...
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Nothing like sitting on $700 dollar bench (estimated cost to pour concrete, sink anchors and install) to witness a beautiful sunset on Rock Lake. - Nice work Walt! (City worker; friend )

News

Well I might have made some sort of impact on my oldest; Emily is going through many of her photos and designing a website to share them with the world. Finally!! wOo hOo!
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Yes I was one of those nagging pushy parents who got her to submission; sharing her passion for photography. I may be biased, but her work is good. Some of her work has even been used for greeting cards.
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Emily my original adventurer will tell many a true tale of our adventures; she has also shared with me she is looking forward to some adventure on the Wisconsin River this summer. Hope she brings her camera; catching her pops in rare form!!
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Emily has also set up some social networking sites:

Tumblr

FaceBook

Weber Photography

Nice work kiddo!! - Pops

We got weather

We got weather, good weather coming our way; good news as the lakes in the area busted wide open. The ice blanket has left us with cool crisp water to paddle / sail on.
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The rivers have been open for a while, now swollen like your gran mammy's ankles with all the recent rain; It will be nice to get out on the lake spread the wings so to speak.
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So Saturday I am headed to Lake Mendota to paddle sail around and take in some of the forecasted 60 degree weather; great lake to sail on. Now it is Wisconsin, barring a rig bending breeze out of the south it should be a good day.
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John will be out there as well tearing it up; not sure if any of the other rendezvous peeps will be making it.
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The Capt'n

Darin and Mike (dog) are off!

A Remarkable Journey to Combat Obesity

Canoe Across America is 5,200 miles, 8 months, one man, his dog, and their canoe. It is an extraordinary effort to canoe cross-country while bringing light to the American obesity epidemic.

The paddles in the water.. looks like they are off on their adventure! click here for more - http://canoeacrossamerica.com/

Back to the world

Boo and I pulled in after 31.46 hours romp in the hoopty jeep; we are back in Wisconsin. This was a great trip, in fact outstanding; it was so good that I never mentioned in any of my FB/Twitter posts that I was even sick during the trip. It just didn't seem to matter.
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I really appreciated Toby (whitecaps) for venturing out and meeting us for a few days; the weather was interesting; it rained it poured, lightening to read by. It was AWESOME. Toby put on a clinic for dehydrated homemade meals, that boy can cook. Some whacked potato dish with hamburger onions and mashed tatters.... very tasty. His Dan Cooke Tarp was the bomb; good call on bringing that out. Toby ran his new DreamCatcher through the paces, it's a beauty. I didn't know that Toby had a feminine side, his purple PAS is lovely.
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Marissa (Boo) is always a great camp/paddle partner; through the eyes of a child, they see things at such a basic level. Boo weathered the storms, endured my humor and has quite a selection of music on her eye pod; there were only a couple of times I felt like driving the jeep into the guard rail.
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Now to unpack, sort and clean gear; the before during and after. I can't wait to do another big trip.
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The Capt'n