Re: [Paddlewise] safe night sleep

> Nigel Foster and Kristen last summer). The primal fear of predators that
eat
> humans rather than fear them should do wonders for keeping Northern
Labrador
> relatively pristine. One of the questions after their slide show last
> Tuesday was, "How did you sleep at night?" Kristen said that they were
very
> tired after paddling 20 mile most days and slept well. A voice piped up
from
> the audience to answer the question for them, "denial".

One of options is using battery-operated IR alarm with 110dB siren.
Reportedly, this keeps *some* bears away, or at least makes them pause and
wakes you up, so you may reach your gun. Yes, there could be opponents of
the very idea of travelling with a gun, but natives were laughing when John
Waterman in his book Arctic Crossing told them that his protection from
polar bears was a spray-can siren like one used by yacthsmen.  (And he
eventually got a gun later in his journey). These IR alarms also come with
softer chime signal (enough to wake you up), or with both.
http://www.globetrotter.de used to have them, but no longer has, and I can
understand why.

I've bought and tried similar model from Radioshack (frankly speaking, from
e-bay for $6). Made in China, though design could be from USA, it's not as
good as the one from Globetrotter (4AA instead of 3 and keypad instead of
actual key), otherwise works similarly - 30 ft range (it was more when I
tested it), and 100 degree horizontal angle (so, in theory, you need 2 of
them - one on each side of tent).  I used only chime option, due to
inconvenience of keypad password de-activation, and too sensitive response,
causing it to chime any time when bushes swayed under the wind (not to
mention moving walls of tent, so it had to be placed outside).  2-3 times a
night it woke me up even when there was no wind - for coyotes, and once -
for people (I camped on beach in a mexican  village in the first day).
Coyotes are dangerous since they prey for the same things that I need - my
fresh water and food. And they often steal whatever they can, whether they
need it or not. Seems like with adjustable sensitivity such a device would
do better.   In areas with more wildlife, and with polar summer daylight in
the night, - I'm afraid it would wake you up every hour.  But who knwos -
may be this is better than to be eaten once... Globetrotter now has a
different sort of alarm (in Reisearticel, I think), with a keypad, and it
reacts both on touch and on some close movement, as I could understand from
very short description and so-so on-line translating program.  Couldn't find
anything similar in the USA through on-line search (except for some toy for
little brother that wants his room to be safe from nosy little sister).
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