RE: [Paddlewise] BC MARINE TRAILS NETWORK - Assistance Required

Gathering information on campsites and widely distributing it will have the
effect of drastically increasing the number of paddlers using and abusing the
limited resources. What was once a wilderness experience will become tamed and
crowded. Is this what you really want? Much like the hiking guidebooks that
seemed like such a good idea when they first appeared, but later became guides
to where not to go hiking on a weekend, a marine trail is likely to have a
similar result. Once the trail is established it becomes a destination for
those who wouldn't have struck out on their own but now have a goal to paddle
the "trail" that is nicely mapped out for them right down to the GPS
coordinates. Next we will see fees and permits required. With the new crowds
will come restrictions as to where one can and cannot camp (that don't exist
at the present or are not enforced on the rare kayaker making a bivouac out of
necessity). Following that will come a reservation system so you will get to
deal with the bureaucracy some more in order to get your "wilderness
experience". How many times does this have to happen to see what a trail and
publicity for it create?



Because of the new kayak crowds, the landowners along the route will likely
learn to loath kayakers like many shore residents have already learned to do
in Washington State's San Juan Islands. The once friendly natives, when kayak
sightings were a rare, later conspired to close put-ins near ferry docks to
discourage the new kayaking blight as much as possible. Keep the BC coast a
wilderness experience, do not sell it out by revealing the campsites you know
about for the sake of taming and crowding it!
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************