Rick posted: >"Hey", everyone. I've reduced my participation to lurking for most of this >year... work and family issues have totally taken over my free-time, with no end in sight. My boat hasn't even touched water this year. :-( < Excuses! Excuses! What are you, a golfer? :-) So, don't cut the lawn; or don't clean the car; or don't do something in order to make up some time to go paddling. >Anyway, my girls are now both teenagers, and the things that didn't used >to be an issue for them are becoming issues. Mainly, creature comforts >while camping. Camping out of kayaks or canoes has become out of the >question (according to them).< Yeah, my girls were all ready to go canoeing in the Deer Group this past July, but didn't want to forgo certain amenities in the end, so we went to Bamfield car-camping instead, staying at Pachena Bay Campground. I had to buy a new tent - one with a middle wall (my four-person mountain tent is too small, and not private enough, you know). Got an 8-person for the four of us, and there still wasn't enough room for clothing, hairbrushes, and Barbie Dolls. But, hee hee, we did hike part of the very muddy West Coast Trail - and did they get wet! and dirty (very traumatic, apparently, t-hee). Well, I had to carry the 12-year old over the biggest, deepest ruts. >They are still interested in car camping, but they want me to try to do >something about the sun, rain and bugs. I wish I had that sort of power, >but the best I can do is buy a canopy/shelter/gazebo type of thing with >no-see-um mesh and removable sides for rain protection. It needs to be big >enough to get a picnic table under. I've never even been under one, much >less own one. To that end, before I start my research... actually, I >suppose this "is" starting my research .... can anyone comment on the good >vs.. the bad, features, brands, etc. Any and all info is much >appreciated.< I told the family I'd get one of those gazebo things too, but the best one I could find for our purposes was a basic gazebo, to which one purchased separate fly, netting, etc., and even a whole tent kit if desired - it was a bit pricey given I was purchasing a new tent too, so we put up with bugs at the picnic table, though I did put up a 30 x 30 rain tarp (yes massive, but were super dry during the downpours, and as it was a white tarp, so wasn't so gloomy underneath). The gazebo is by Canadian Tire, so not sure of an equivalent product state-side. Funnily enough, to the chagrin of my family, I bought a screened gazebo upon my return from camping to use as a spray booth in my back yard for spray-painting all my house/room doors ( I'm switching from previous oil-base to acrylic (I'm a fussy renovator). A quick shot of repellent pre-painting, and look ma, no bugs). I tried bringing my kayak along to Bamfield, and did have opportunity to paddle around Cape Beale (my fav spot for getting pounded in rebound waves) but in the end, it didn't work out (trying to combine solo day-kayaking while on family vacation). I did get to play in the surf out front of the tent, and taught my 10-year old daughter to surf a 100 pound Nordkapp with a big bladed paddle. Amazing. My younger daughter is a total jock. I'm glad I impressed her with the need to hug the deck if she flipped in order to avoid a spinal/head injury. I should have, in retrospect, got her to put on her bike helmet - then again, perhaps kept her out of the surf zone. A sleeper wave crept in and I lost grip of the stern of my kayak as she sped away. My life flashed before my eyes (or, at least, hers). She was pummelled sideways, but obeyed her dad, kissing the deck, and coming out unscathed. Wow! she exclaimed, then deferentially hinted that maybe she should, "head back to the tent to play Poly-pocket dolls; thanks Dad, it was fun." Great eh (?), now I'm trying to kill my family. Well, we won't do that again until she's a bit more ready with an appropriate sized craft. Now, if I can just get these renos finished, I can get a few more gales in while it's still blowing hard out there this season. Happy paddling. Stay safe. Doug Lloyd Victoria BC *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> >They are still interested in car camping, but they want me to try to do > >something about the sun, rain and bugs. I wish I had that sort of power, > >but the best I can do is buy a canopy/shelter/gazebo type of thing with > >no-see-um mesh and removable sides for rain protection. It needs to be big > >enough to get a picnic table under. I've never even been under one, much > >less own one. To that end, before I start my research... actually, I > >suppose this "is" starting my research .... can anyone comment on the good > >vs.. the bad, features, brands, etc. Any and all info is much > >appreciated.< I haven't noticed mesh shelters to be particularly popular here in Pacific NW, but may be for FL or So Cal it makes sense. Here is a link to MEC Funhouse 8 (anf there is also Funhouse 6), a sort of hybrid of tent and gazebo: http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=8455244425 92385&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302702837&bmUID=1123388055978 I see only one drawback - no sun protection without the fly, and too much sun protection with the fly - so you'll need a tarp. It has huge windows on all 4 sides, and the fly covers windows only partially, yet this could be too much during a day in southern areas. The floor area is 3.65 * 3.65 m (12 * 12 ft) - I guess this is big enough for a picnic table. You wan't be able to walk normally inside it, since its peak height is 1.88 cm (6 ft+), so it will be about 160 cm (5'4") in the corners, where ceiling meets the walls. Funhouse 6 is slightly smaller, and still big enough for a picnic table. Prices are in CDN: USD 450 for Fun 8 and USD 325 for Fun 6. This is not too cheap, but this is a real tent, with a fly and mesh vestibule. Most gazebos don't even have a floor. MEC isn't an MSR or Sierra Designs, but not a no-name Walmart product either. I had some products by MEC, and they are quite decent. This is something like REI in Canada - has its own brand and sells other brands as well. May be you'll find something similar among top brands for the same price - MEC is not very cheap store. These long links often don't display properly on mail-lists, so dial http://www.mec.ca and then use your intelligence. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Check out http://earth.google.com It is a free download and is the coolest thing. There are distance and mapping tools. Some tools may require a subscription or purchase. The basic program is good enough just to check out all those paddling routes you are thinking about. You can also set it up and just fly across the globe. Have fun! Brgds, Jeffrey Bingham *************************************************************************** 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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