Seems like it might be interesting to hear about the best (and worst) of campsites. I've got a couple in mind. Here is one of my worst experiences that was also a good one. -------------------- Three days to cover ten miles? Well, it might be expected when the wind is in your face and two of the boats are doubles paddled singly, with a kid up front. Great company, but difficult to make miles. And, on top of it all, here came the rains, after a week of sunny, fine weather. The east side of Nootka Island (Vancouver Island, BC) is a narrow waterway easy to thread, but bereft of good places to camp. However, Kirby's map promised one on Nootka, just north of Bodega Island, a few miles from Plumper Harbour. Alas, it was not to be. The site was nonexistent, or only usable during neap tide phases, and we had maximum tides, with a big one at 2 am. So, we moved our cumbersome entourage down-bay, along the west side of Bodega, shifting and searching, eyes and ears on the oncoming front. Rich and Bill spotted a slight, flat bulge in a cove on Bodega that might be above the tide, studded with two-inch alders on two-foot centers. Nobody liked it, so they sent me around the corner to see if Plumper was a possibility. Fifteen knots of headwind and increasing drizzle nixed that, so we were stuck. An hour of brush thrashing and rude sawing on the alders formed enough area for three tents, and as the rains intensified we got them up, and erected a double tarp over the fronts. Now the rain was gushing, and Rich and the kids took baths on tarp dumps, all laughing. The adults grinned determinedly. Dinner was impromptu, emptying our larders of everything -- our ride out was due the next morning. As the rain increased and the wind reached gale force, whipping us, the tarp, and slicing rain onto us, we dined magnificently. Eleen was stunned I had a few scraps of dry paper towel to assist cleanup, and we cackled like demented crones at our "fortune." Asleep. And, then, awake at 2 am, to the sounds of adult groans and kidweeping next door, the outcomes of a horrible inside-the-tent bathroom accident (no, not number 1 -- number 2) at the highest tide stage. We were squeezed onto small, isolated islets barely three inches above the water, hoping it did not lap onto us. Our only resort would be scrambling up the bank behind us and grabbing trees. The boats banged and drifted, afloat and tied off to a big stump. An hour later, the tide began to recede, and all of us crashed again, to awake at first light, for cleanup of the number 2 accident, and a gargantuan breakfast. Two hours later, our shuttle arrived, and we shifted the gear to the boat, boats folded or strapped on, the rain still pounding down. We were wet, wet, wet. On the way back to Zeballos, Bill and I got the stern, cleaning ourselves with the lash of wet, and howling at the gonzo experience we had just had. Memorable and horrible. Is this existential camping? -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Paddlewisers, My own bad campsite experience: My family and I went car camping at a state park in the local mountians here in Southern California last year. We thought we found quiet neighbors to camp by, but as we were putting our tent up, loud music started blaring from the site next to ours. I went over and politely asked the man if he could turn the music down. His reply was simply, "It's my birthday!" Needless to say, we moved to the other side of the campground. Duane Strosaker *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
on 7/15/03 3:44 PM, Dave Kruger at kdruger_at_pacifier.com wrote: > Seems like it might be interesting to hear about the best (and worst) of > campsites. Our worst campsite ever was at the start of a kayaking vacation in Florida. We had a great time in the Okeefenokee Swamp on the way down from North Carolina, then after a night in the Ocala National Forest, we were on our way to the Daytona area, to launch the following morning for the Canaveral National Seashore. Only problem was, we needed to find a place that night around Daytona, and car racing fans that we're not, it never occured to us that it was the weekend of the Daytona 500. There was not a motel room within 100 miles of where we were. We managed to find a camping spot (read 5 foot by 5 foot) at a public campground. We were the only tent campers there, the place was filled with RVs. Many of the RVs were festooned with Budweiser banners, and all manner of beer accoutrements. The men drinking beer around the nearest RV moved their chairs in a circle to watch the amazing spectacle of two women with a car covered with sea kayaks, setting up a tent. While setting up the tent is usually a time for at least minor bickering, if not all out war, Elizabeth and I managed to set up the tent flawlessly, and in record time. I slept with a hammer, screwdriver, and my "fog horn" air horn, ready to ward off any intruders. As it was, those who didn't pass out by evening, went off to the races and didn't return. If the campsite wasn't also located on a noisy highway, it actually wouldn't have been that noisy a night. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
The worst campsite ever. Hmmmm. I've been washed out by floods, froze, cooked, eaten alive by bugs, attempted to sleep in bushes and on rocks and driftwood, been blown to kingdom come and back --- and I have nothing but fond memories of each and every trip. While some campsites have had more "character" then others, I really can't say that I have ever had a "bad" one. Heck, if I'm out camping then how bad can it be!!?? Along the same lines I would be really hard pressed to try to narrow it down to the "best" campsites. Certainly some have been more comfortable then others. But I survived them all, and when you get right down to it, that's about all I can ever ask of a campsite. If it was comfort I was looking for, then I'd of stayed home :-) Scott So.Cal. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 21:10:03 EDT, KiAyker_at_aol.com said: > While some campsites have had more "character" then others, I > really can't say that I have ever had a "bad" one. Heck, if I'm out camping then how > bad can it be!!?? About 15 years ago I went on a group canoe trip, an annual event for some lumberjacks based in north east Rhode Island. For part of the camping experience we had someone drive through where we were camping (he was with the group) while in an altered state, he got hog tied to a tree (for his safety), then put in his car and the doors tied shut, and someone slept on the roof of the car to make sure he stayed in the car. My tent was about 30 feet away from the gentleman sleeping atop the car... Did I mention the guys playing paintball, in full camo gear, in and around the tents and cooking fires? I don't know Scott, I think this one might have had enough "character" to rate as a bad camp site.... Kirk -- Kirk Olsen kork4_at_cluemail.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
My brother in law likes to plan big family canoe trips down the Colorado river. Of course he always wants to camp on sand bars as he did when a scout, but they're pretty hard to depend on for large groups! The last time at everyone's insistance, he said he had scouted out two regular campgrounds and off we went. At the first stop, like Duane, we had to share with a big boating group playing loud music, drinking and setting of fire works!!! That was till the Reservation Police showed up on ATV's and started handing out tickets and asking for camping permits. As we had all been told the camping would be free, few of us brought much money along and we thought we were in for trouble. But when they heard a bunch of our party were Eagle scouts they cut us a deal. The second campground turned out to be a picnic area only, so we ended up camping along a railroad embankment and trestle. Paul said as long as we kept to the left of the big sign that said "No Camping Beyond This Point" we were perfectly legal!?! As land was scarce and the water rose at night, I slept surrounded by water in two folding lawn chairs, waves lapping at my feet. Not real fun at the time, but these kind of trips make the best memories. Mark Sanders *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I'm trying to locate Pete Casson (RI). Does anyone know where he currently teaches? Mike. Mike Hamilton, Biologist 1205 Leonardtown Service Bldg University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 301-314-3486 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 7/16/2003 10:29:46 AM Eastern Standard Time, khamilto_at_wam.umd.edu writes: > I'm trying to locate Pete Casson (RI). Does anyone know where he currently > teaches? Mike You can try this email and ask him yourself - Casson19_at_cox.net Ray Killen ACA Instructor Trainer Educator ACA Coastal Kayak Committee Chair BCU Coach 3 609-296-9510 Home 609-432-8435 Cell Katabasis L.L.C. Sea Kayak Instruction I'd rather be upside down in my kayak than sitting upright at my desk! www.seakayakinstruction.com or http://members.aol.com/kayakillen/katabasis "A Sea Kayakers Navigation Primer" to order go to: www.kayaknavigation.com ANorAK - Editor For Sea Kayakers, By Sea Kayakers, About Sea Kayakers http://members.aol.com/gokayak/anorak *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 7/15/2003 3:14:22 PM Central Daylight Time, kdruger_at_pacifier.com writes: > Seems like it might be interesting to hear about the best (and worst) of > campsites. Best: Rio Llorona river mouth, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica. Has a waterfall cascading on the beach wherin we showered and did laundry in the 94F/33C heat. crossed a river mouth at a low-ish tide. Saw the Croc slides but knew the bull sharks wouldn't get there for at least a couple more hours when the water rises. Slung the hammock under a pair of coconut trees and guyed out the canopy extra tight to trampoline any potential hail mary's. Coffee table book style sunset replete with *ration* of scotch. Fisher bats skim the river mouth surface, but the Croc slides revealed no Crocs. Saw a pair of Crocs two rivers past. Would see one again in the surf in the next couple of days. Dawn greets us with flocks of Scarlet Macaws. Finally, only the solitary track of a westbound hiker, but many tracks of large jungle cats and tapirs. Even saw the tapir. Worst: No name cove in Scidmore bay area, Glacier Bay National Park. Clouds of flies and gn-gn-gna-gna-gnuh-gnats. Ate with net on and neoprene gloves. Pitched tent on top of a boulder as I discovered a *person-hole cover* sized bear track after the bags had been unloaded and all gear set up. Slept like one would expect after pitching tent on a boulder. The first grizzly that came in was the biggest. Swam in really. was somewhere in the Discovery Channel size range or maybe even leaning into the Jimmy Buffet's Gods Own Drunk category. Found myself suffering from a particularly acute case of *shrinkage*. He left after little discussion. The next one (might've been the same, too dark to see) came in and stayed on and on, like my good aunt Myrtle. Flippin' over Rock's, moving through the cove at a stately 1/4 mile per hour. Packed up and on the water by 430am when he turned the corner and was no longer in sight. The following night we slept on another collecton of boulders on an isolated point that even the bugs failed to notice. Cheers, Rob G *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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