Dear Wintertrekker, I remember watching these videos around the time of their release: you have been a source of insight and inspiration to so many for so long…Thanks for all of the great content over the years, I appreciate all that you have shared! - David
Thanks Martin for those very kind words! I just got back today from another canoe trip, alas with no video. I don't always bring the camera because of its demands. But after your kind words I will endeavor to bring it next time. Cheers from Thunder Bay, ON, Canada!
Thanks BT! I figured you would be out on the long weekend! I was very fortunate as a kid that my parents sent me to a dedicated canoe tripping camp for many summers, where I learned the foundation paddling skills, and then have been working on them for 40 years (and still working on them too!). Its totally soggy here in NWO and no fire ban. Wishing you lots of rain in NEO so that fire ban comes off.
That paddle is a square tail too, which I prefer. I bought that paddle when I was 14 years old at canoe camp, many decades ago. Its solid maple with knife edges for slicing a Canadian stroke. No logo or label on it. I too am searching for the original maker (who may be dead now?), or the factory. Its the best I have ever owned.
Thanks! I have been a ground dweller all my life, so old habits die hard! When hiking, one can always keep moving until one finds a suitable hang site. But in canoeing it can be very difficult to find an alternate camp site since the shores are unsuitable and bush can be very thick. But as it turned out, that site was a great hammock site with lots of open room to hang between trees. I wished I had brought the hammock instead of the tent!
Love the Canadian stroke. My favourite whether I'm paddling alone or tandem, nothing feels as smooth or keeps on one such a straight course. Looking forward to the next installment. -Martin
Thanks! I am in NW Ontario here and we are soaking wet with no major fires to worry about. In the NE Ontario however, they are tinder dry and in an extreme hazard right now, with major fires going and fire bans in place. Last summer we were on fire in the NW, but so far this spring we have had lots and lots of rain and some wet snow.
The sound of canoe gliding across the water is music to my nature/desperate ears. And btw, it's in Bb. Brings back memories, when I would take solo trips to the BWCA every June in the 80s when I live in the MinneApple. They should make a map that shows the easiest portages for us seniors. I'm going to go back someday. I think I may have my ashes scattered over Clearwater Lake on a windy day. Almost every time I went there, I saw lots of Auroras. boB
Thanks C! That paddle shaft is whipped (no knots) with a hard sheath 2mm kernmantle cord. Its Mammut "3mm" sold by MEC, but its less than 3mm. Its a great all purpose cord that is good for tent/tarp guy lines too. I used spar varnish to seal the cord. That paddle is not sized with any method. It just fits me perfectly for solo cruising. Its 56 1/2" long and the grip comes up to my mouth. (I am 5'4"). Paddle tip to throat is 27 1/2" inches, so ratio of blade+throat to shaft+grip is almost 1:1.
Certainly apreciate the time and effort you take to film edit and upload the clips from these trips mate. Between you, Kevin Callan, and Maddythegoose Ive seen a lot of Canada that Id otherwise never have seen. Hope you keep the vids coming. Cheers from Cannock Chase, UK
Yes, although there are several ways to do it. With the loop at the other end you do get the extra thickness of the cord you pull through across the inside back of the entire wrap, so make sure you decide which side you want it on. I did it that way. Another way is to leave a short loop tag end out near the other end of the wrap and pull the line part way through several loops, so that you get the extra thickness only part way. Not as secure initially, but the varnish should lock it.
Thanks Martin! I can paddle like that all day if the wind is not too bad. Ran into some tough wind on the way home, and my arms are not yet in shape, and I was hurting! :o)
Thanks Nate. Give it a try! Its about turning the corrective hard "J" into a smooth slicing return stroke that does the recovery sort of on its way back to the next slicing entry. Use the gunwale too as a fulcrum and let it do the work of the correction. A good sharp edge convex paddle profile helps a great deal too. Blunt edged paddles have alot of turbulence and splashing. Hard to find a good wooden paddle on the market these days for the Canadian stroke.
Thanks! I also have the LB Sr. but have not used it yet, since I travel solo and keep the weight down. But the Sr will no doubt be easier to use: more space for feeding bigger sticks, and it can be pre-loaded with a bigger wood load for a longer burn. Stick stoves become addictive if you are not careful!
NICE!.... That first portage looked quite well established, well used, and obvious, once located. GREAT trip!!! I can hardly wait to be RETIRED, and make this kind of trip for weeks on end!, all thru the year!
Hoop: Your videos are very good and I always enjoy them. The fact that you are shooting these segments solo is amazing to me. While I fancy myself as an outdoor guy, I've learned a lot from your videos and your web site. Not sure what your day job is, but it seems like you have formal speaking and editing training. In any event, I am one person who appreciates very much your work. Thank you!
Thanks! That is a whipped lashing, so there are no knots. I also varnished it to seal it, so it does not soak up water and it hardens the finish on the cord. I used a small 3mm diameter climbing accessory kernmantle cord (Mammut brand from MEC), that has a hard finish. The hard finish gets harder with the varnish. So far it has held up very well.
A pair of garden pruners make short work of those little sticks for the stove. You can get some pretty light ones too. Thanks for the trip, it's really beautiful up there!
Super! what a fine way to spend a cold,nasty,snowy March evening. i also do traditional canoe tripping,16 foot open canoe,wood paddle that sort of thing.i have thought about going up into the crown land in Canada but i think unless you know just where to go you might end up in some over used power boat lakes or back in a tangle of boring low country.i spent 25+ years in Quetico,we honeymooned there,and now i'm back to the BWCA to look around my old haunts. i look forward to your 2013 videos.
I too have a Cooke Custom Sewing tarp 8 x 10 in sunny yellow and a pack that was custom sewed for the length of my torso. A friend of mine returned a few weeks ago from a portage clearing trip with Phil for the Wabakimi project. What a labor of love. Enjoy your trips and tips!
Good question. Its an old habit of comfort. Currently I have only a heavy duty very high flotation Extrasport High Float, which I show wearing at the end of part 4 of the series. Its my whitewater and arctic expedition PFD, with extra paddling over the shoulders for portaging. It also has internal webbing, prussiks and biners for Z drag boat rescues. Its uncomfortable to wear when its hot out. I need to get a smaller, more ventilated PFD for easy trips and hotter weather in the south.
Just to confirm. A "whipped lashing" is when you lay a the piece of cordage parallel to, in the case the paddle, leaving a loop at one end. You then wind the cord perpendicular to the shaft beginning at the end opposite the loop. You finish by putting the tag end through the loop you created earlier and pull the exposed end (the end you began winding at) opposite the loop to pull the tag under the perpendicular winded segment. Sorry for the long winded (lol?) description...
It is a great stroke that can be done all day long once it gets refined into that special rhythm. I am paddling a small prospector type boat there, and with the lean, the Canadian stroke is comfortable at that angle since the gunwales are down low. The width and lean of the prospector makes it want to level back down, so its a relaxing and safe lean, unlike narrow solo boats that are touchy and don't have that same secondary stability. That boat is getting heavier though as I get older :o)
The rain was a good sound, and held off for the other days of the trip. The spring peepers are tiny tiny frogs, and impossible to find, and they climb trees too! :o) No frog legs for me! But I did catch and eat fish later!
Thanks for those kind words Jim! Yep, rain is just about guaranteed at least once per trip! Day 2 & 3 were rain free, and it was great. More vids to come for those days.
Great vid Hoop! Thanks for demonstrating the Canadian stroke, I do a longer J stroke but like this concept a lot better, very efficient. Just completed a quickie 3 day trip with 2 of my boys in the Nopiming on the Bird River. We didn't quite make it to the Ontario border but had a great time. Will be posting a video soon.. Looking forward to your next in this series as your experience shines through.
Yeah, I've been through a few stoves myself. I picked up a used stainless steel version of the Emberlit and it works quite well. It also packs flat which is a plus. They also have a titanium version of it for those gram weenies among us. I also have the LittlBug Jr., but it doesn't see much use any more since I got my Emberlit. I also had a Vargo Ti Hexagon woodstove and didn't like the way it burned. Collecting camp stoves is addictive and is only a problem if your spouse mentions it ;)
Really like the great job you do by showing everything & letting us feel like we are there. This year I am gonna do the same here in the Adirondacks. Thanks for sharing pal.
Another excellent video as always. I really appreciate what you show everyone. Looking forward to moving to Ontario in about a year. Then some real bush time.
That can happen, but so far I have not had spark holes in my tarp. In a heavy downpour that evening, my tarp was driven down with pooled water, and I had to push it up to keep it from getting too close to the stove. But a stick stove with big combustion chamber will burn internally to some degree, so its not nearly as sparky as an open fire. Rig the one side very high up, which also helps the smoke to draft out. In heavy rain the fabric gets damp, which is not as bad with the sparks.
Hey Hoop! You are likely just embarking on another great trip, while I am a couple weeks away from two small ones of my own. I've been struggling to learn the Canadian stroke, so I've watched these segments over and over! Two features that strike me as a musician (hence my screen name!) are the beautiful sound of the paddle and boat in the water, and the lovely, steady rhythm. The music of canoe country!
mistermaestro Thanks MrM! It is indeed a music of canoe country! Practice on your strong side and it will come. Try and extend that basic J into a smooth, linked and continuous return slice through the water. That return slice should, with practice, transition to a correction stroke (i.e. it provides a force to counter-act the turn of the canoe away from the side of the paddle). Have a great time on your trips to come!
mistermaestro More slice. The angle is subtle and its ultimately outwards just as a pry is outwards, so they are related, but the angle of the top hand is reversed. The top hand is often ignored in the basic instructional texts and videos, but in many ways its the top hand that controls everything on the return. I wish I could capture the top hand on video, buts its impossible with a fixed camera angle (as you know the top thumb points down and forward on the Canadian return slice, instead of up and back as in a stern or bow pry, so in that sense it is not a true pry). A true pry is a hard force, but the Canadian slice is spread out along an arc. The gunwale is used for a fulcrum which makes all the difference in arm fatigue. If you look at my bottom hand it is often releasing the paddle on the return, which lessens repetitive strain on the bottom hand, and relaxes the forearm muscles. This is important when paddling all day, to open that bottom hand that pulls all day, so that the fingers and hand don't cramp up.
Yes that is what will happen without a correction stroke like the Canadian stroke. This stroke is an advanced version of the basic "J stroke". The J-stroke will be well documented in how-to-paddle references. If you get training on the J, then a whole new world opens up to you of lake paddling, coping with wind, and river running. From learning the J, then you expand the skills from there. :o)
Thanks Joe! Bear spray, yes always. In the next vids to come in this series I do some tripod work and you will see the bear spray on my belt. Did not fish on day 1 because of distance needed to get in and camp set up before storms hit. But on day 2 I fished and will show the results! :o) My mantra is "always tie the boat down, always"!
Thanks! I think can smell those brats! Ya stick stoves are so fun to play with, even at home. I also need to get out in the yard to burn some stick stoves more. I love the UL quality of the LB Jr. I have a Firebox that the owner Steve sent me to do a review on, and I have been tardy in doing that. The Firebox is also great unit, large combustion chamber for a gooad load and long burn, much heavier but bomber. Good for group trips, or home/vehicle kits.
Great Vid. I'd paddle with ya any day! Liked the idea of winding parachord/cordage around the throat of the paddle to help against abrasion and noise during the Canadian Stroke. I will be doing the same.
Great show, I love the cooking on the Littlbug jr in rain, sounds are wonderful. Thanks for sharing. I have the Sr version of stove, is much heavier but I can use larger pieces of wood and don't need much to cook , very little processing a few pieces. See my older vids cooking from hammock. Ted.
Hi Art! That is Mammut 3mm static cord that I got from MEC. (actual diameter is more like 2.5 mm, but they label it 3 mm). Its a whipping wrap. I also varnished it, which makes it hard, abrasion resistant, and waterproof. Its my standard accessory cord I have used for years for guy lines on my tents and tarps. Good cord.
Nice ! Thanks Hoop, and you're welcome.... ( I participated in te Wabakimiproject 2 year sago, that,s a typical Phil Cotton Wabakimi fireplace with'capstone'. ) I love the Canadian stroke. Keep the video's coming ( and kleen your lense ; ) I love them.
Hi Bob! I want to keep that area sorta secret, since that campsite is rarely used and the fishing is pretty good. :o) But suffice to say its just under 200 miles north of the MN-ON border. I would say that northern Minnesotans are much like us northern Ontarions, especially the paddlers! In fact I would say that other than accents, you could not tell the paddlers apart except for maybe where they buy some of their gear. I hope to have my ashes scattered on a canoe route too.
I just boiled organic potatoes out on my driveway over my LittlBug Jr stove with hand cut and spilt local applewood, all right next to my vintage Weber Smokey Joe cooking Famous local Usinger's bratwurst here in Urban Madison Wi. Just tryin' to get my campfire fix....I even had to light the LittlBug with my steel for fun...I'm stuck in town for just over another week before camping again. By the way I thought I suscribed to you you months ago, I'll try again...great vids BTW!
So, Hoop, I went to the Sylvania Wilderness (in Michigan's far-western Upper Peninsula) for a four-day trip, and to Algonquin for four days as soon as that one was over. Both were too short! Trips ended when just the shakedown was complete. Sigh. But I'll be back! Worked non-stop on the Canadian stroke on both trips. I'm really just doing a J now, with a gentle to firm pry off the gunnel instead of a goonie/rudder which I've used for forty years of river travel. (I never had heard of the Canadian stroke until I saw your videos.) I bought a beautiful new Grey Owl paddle and that made a huge difference in the stroke. Still don't have it down, but I'll keep at it! Maybe by freeze-up! Thanks for continuing to educate and inspire.
+mistermaestro Hi MrM! Ya 4 day trips are hard because you just get in the groove when its time to go back home. Keep working on that Canadian stroke! That J pry off the gunwale can be transitioned to a smooth return slice with some practice. Once you get it, the muscle memory locks in, and you have it for life! BTW, I still do not have the smooth Canadian on my weak side (right), which is still a clunky J after 40 or so years. My strong side is my left side. My theory is that the top hand does most of the guidance work, and I am right handed, so it makes sense to me that my strong side is the left side of the canoe. The left arm is pure power with no finesse, but my top right hand does all the fine control throughout the stroke, and of course that top hand thumb points down on the return ;-)
Thanks Chris! I am on edge many times in older stands too. The base of trees will show rots signs when the crown of the tree looks very healthy. Look for pileated woodpecker holes and ants, which are often at the base, indicating rotted wood. Black spruce often has root and butt rot while the rest of the trunk is solid, and they blow down when their roots snap. Younger is safer. Unfortunately its often so thick you don't have a choice of sites. Look for lean too.
Thank you for your trail work! Next vids in the series will show burning wood in that fireplace. I show inserting shelf rocks into the set to rest my little Purcell Trench grill. Yes lens will be cleaned next time! :o)
Another great vid as usual. I love camping in the rain as the sound relaxes me and puts me to sleep like a baby at night. I'd give $10,000 to trade place with you now. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks! I only had bear spray. But the research is showing bear spray is very effective. Most of forested Canada and all of the tundra is all bear country! I had bangers too, but never saw a bear this trip. I often see bears and they take off most times without need of the bangers. Keep a clean camp! :o)
I've watched this playlist about 8 times now ha ha. I'm an amateur solo canoe-camper - I've done 5 solos for 5/6 nights in BWCA & Quiteco. If you have any good general advice please do share. Very inspired by your videos so thanks for sharing.
Thanks Alisdair! Its great you are getting out on solo trips. The more you solo, the more you will solo on more trips....careful - its an addiction! :o) I will try and work in some more advice into the videos. Showing some things is hard to do with just a camera and tripod, and being without a camera-man to follow and shoot dynamic scenes, but I will work on it.
Thanks for that advice. I will keep my eye out for a lighter model than I have, and I have probably been over-thinking it about breaking. I should just take it on trips and use it and see what happens, and if it breaks, no big deal since I have knife and axe anyways.
Well, here's a fella thats dipped a paddle before. When a was a kid the America visitors that came up called it the "Canadian stroke." While the old bushwackers I knew called it the "Indian stroke." In any case, its been my experience that a man who paddles like that knows his way around the bush. (keep yer powder dry there, Wintertrekker).
I like your stick stove. I have a couple of models of the Solo stove. A biomass, gasification stove. I also added a tiny propane burner stove and carry an alcohol stove as a wet weather alternative. I like your method of open fire cooking on the grill. I'll have to give that method a try on this years Montana adventure. Based on your example I'll also be carrying bear spray this year. Northwestern Montana is known to harbor it's share of bruins. LOL
Rick Zolla Thanks again Rick! Its rewarding to use fire as much as possible for living outside. For the rainy days, I use an alcohol stove (Trangia + Clikstand). Bear spray is good to have for sure.
Thanks! Yes the crown land does require some research. Its amazing to me the gov't does not publish brochures on crown land camping. They used to, and had junior ranger programs to maintain the portages - they cut most of those programs, and no longer publish. I can't believe it. Tourism would flourish if they promoted it more. But a good resource on route info is Canadian Canoe Routes, or MyCCR. Friendly Forums with lots of knowledgeable people.
Thanks Widltreat! Your spring wild edibles vids gave me the itch to get out earlier too. The BF's are not yet peaking, so I got off easy. I find with the right clothing, no use of soap or shampoo on body, a good hat, and with 25% DEET rubbed into my face, neck and wrists, I can avoid getting bit. I spritz liberally on the nether regions for the call of nature, and I am good for the duration. :o)
Great idea! You're full of them actually.I just bought a big hank of the 3mm Mammut MEC for my tarps and have enough left over to do a nice job. I don't think they make a paddle that goes up to my mouth lol. I do have a 59.5" beavertail though. That's an awesome paddle you have, I like the 1:1 ratio and now realize that's what drew my attention. Where do you find such a paddle? Have never seen one in the canoe shops in Winnipeg. . . love the maple leaf.
Great video HOOP. Any particular reason you didn't take your hammock on that trip? Looks like you had to hunt for a flat on ground that will drain to pitch your tent. The LittlBug Jr. is a good wood burning twig stove, I think the Emberlit is a bit better. It comes with a solid bottom so you can use it any where and it has a fair size feed port that you stuff finger to thumb sized branches. That allows you to burn more evenly and tend to the stove less. Looking forward to the next video.
Ooops, I just realized you're in Ontario. You know, there is little difference between a Minnesotan and a Canadian. Where you're at does resemble the BWCA. Oh well, I should watch whole video before commenting. Have fun man, I love it, just like I used to do. Great vid, bbboB
Thanks! I use the axe to chop lengths of sticks, but they fly all over the place and its a chore. I did buy a cheap garden pruner for its lightness, but have not taken it on a trip yet. I might take it on the next trip. The better (and probably more reliable and better steel edge) pruners seem to have some significant weight to them. Any ideas on the best value of low weight but reasonable quality pruner?
Excellent ! I really liked the maple leaf on the paddle. Do you carry bear spray ? No fishing ? It would be very easy to troll as you paddle along. I had my canoe which was behind my house upside down picked up during a windy night and tossed a long distanse in my neighbors yard. Look forward to pt 2 !
Don't discount ones made mostly of plastic. I've had one as my main home pruner for 20 years and the only thing I've managed to break on it was the metal blade! Sadly that model is no longer available but I'm sure there are some around that weigh very little. For sticks as tiny as the wood stove requires, anything would do, especially since you are in a predominately softwood area.
Terrific and helpful video, thanks! I enjoyed the whole series, and I'm looking forward to getting out there. Question: With blowdown so common there and rot often difficult to detect, do you have a particular approach for picking a tent site to mitigate the risk? Or do you just look over the nearby trees and take your best guess? Laying in the tent among the trees during a strong blow, I admit the possibility of a fall sometimes keeps me on edge, however careful I've been in placement.
Dear Wintertrekker, I remember watching these videos around the time of their release: you have been a source of insight and inspiration to so many for so long…Thanks for all of the great content over the years, I appreciate all that you have shared! - David
Thanks Martin for those very kind words! I just got back today from another canoe trip, alas with no video. I don't always bring the camera because of its demands. But after your kind words I will endeavor to bring it next time. Cheers from Thunder Bay, ON, Canada!
Thanks BT! I figured you would be out on the long weekend! I was very fortunate as a kid that my parents sent me to a dedicated canoe tripping camp for many summers, where I learned the foundation paddling skills, and then have been working on them for 40 years (and still working on them too!). Its totally soggy here in NWO and no fire ban. Wishing you lots of rain in NEO so that fire ban comes off.
That paddle is a square tail too, which I prefer. I bought that paddle when I was 14 years old at canoe camp, many decades ago. Its solid maple with knife edges for slicing a Canadian stroke. No logo or label on it. I too am searching for the original maker (who may be dead now?), or the factory. Its the best I have ever owned.
Thanks! I have been a ground dweller all my life, so old habits die hard! When hiking, one can always keep moving until one finds a suitable hang site. But in canoeing it can be very difficult to find an alternate camp site since the shores are unsuitable and bush can be very thick. But as it turned out, that site was a great hammock site with lots of open room to hang between trees. I wished I had brought the hammock instead of the tent!
Love the Canadian stroke. My favourite whether I'm paddling alone or tandem, nothing feels as smooth or keeps on one such a straight course.
Looking forward to the next installment.
-Martin
Thanks! I am in NW Ontario here and we are soaking wet with no major fires to worry about. In the NE Ontario however, they are tinder dry and in an extreme hazard right now, with major fires going and fire bans in place. Last summer we were on fire in the NW, but so far this spring we have had lots and lots of rain and some wet snow.
The sound of canoe gliding across the water is music to my nature/desperate ears. And btw, it's in Bb. Brings back memories, when I would take solo trips to the BWCA every June in the 80s when I live in the MinneApple. They should make a map that shows the easiest portages for us seniors. I'm going to go back someday. I think I may have my ashes scattered over Clearwater Lake on a windy day. Almost every time I went there, I saw lots of Auroras. boB
You've put some major strokes on that paddle then!? You know the old saying, "they don't make them like they used to." Beauty paddle!
Thanks C! That paddle shaft is whipped (no knots) with a hard sheath 2mm kernmantle cord. Its Mammut "3mm" sold by MEC, but its less than 3mm. Its a great all purpose cord that is good for tent/tarp guy lines too. I used spar varnish to seal the cord. That paddle is not sized with any method. It just fits me perfectly for solo cruising. Its 56 1/2" long and the grip comes up to my mouth. (I am 5'4"). Paddle tip to throat is 27 1/2" inches, so ratio of blade+throat to shaft+grip is almost 1:1.
Certainly apreciate the time and effort you take to film edit and upload the clips from these trips mate. Between you, Kevin Callan, and Maddythegoose Ive seen a lot of Canada that Id otherwise never have seen. Hope you keep the vids coming. Cheers from Cannock Chase, UK
Yes, although there are several ways to do it. With the loop at the other end you do get the extra thickness of the cord you pull through across the inside back of the entire wrap, so make sure you decide which side you want it on. I did it that way. Another way is to leave a short loop tag end out near the other end of the wrap and pull the line part way through several loops, so that you get the extra thickness only part way. Not as secure initially, but the varnish should lock it.
Thanks Martin! I can paddle like that all day if the wind is not too bad. Ran into some tough wind on the way home, and my arms are not yet in shape, and I was hurting! :o)
Thanks Nate. Give it a try! Its about turning the corrective hard "J" into a smooth slicing return stroke that does the recovery sort of on its way back to the next slicing entry. Use the gunwale too as a fulcrum and let it do the work of the correction. A good sharp edge convex paddle profile helps a great deal too. Blunt edged paddles have alot of turbulence and splashing. Hard to find a good wooden paddle on the market these days for the Canadian stroke.
Thanks Canesser1! The Canadian stroke will take you far, and its a joy to do. I look forward to your upcoming video!
Thanks! I also have the LB Sr. but have not used it yet, since I travel solo and keep the weight down. But the Sr will no doubt be easier to use: more space for feeding bigger sticks, and it can be pre-loaded with a bigger wood load for a longer burn. Stick stoves become addictive if you are not careful!
NICE!.... That first portage looked quite well established, well used, and obvious, once located. GREAT trip!!! I can hardly wait to be RETIRED, and make this kind of trip for weeks on end!, all thru the year!
It is a great stroke. To me it seems to give you a real feel for the stability of the boat in the water.
I had a teacher in high school for an outdoor ed course who taught us that stroke of the paddle! Makes it enjoyable and respectable to watch
Thanks Brad! I think it may be a dying skill these days. I hope I am wrong. Good to know its being taught.
Hoop: Your videos are very good and I always enjoy them. The fact that you are shooting these segments solo is amazing to me. While I fancy myself as an outdoor guy, I've learned a lot from your videos and your web site. Not sure what your day job is, but it seems like you have formal speaking and editing training. In any event, I am one person who appreciates very much your work. Thank you!
Thanks! That is a whipped lashing, so there are no knots. I also varnished it to seal it, so it does not soak up water and it hardens the finish on the cord. I used a small 3mm diameter climbing accessory kernmantle cord (Mammut brand from MEC), that has a hard finish. The hard finish gets harder with the varnish. So far it has held up very well.
Thank you! If you can, move to the north of Ontario! Mostly all public land, lots of lakes and forests, all free for residents.
A pair of garden pruners make short work of those little sticks for the stove. You can get some pretty light ones too. Thanks for the trip, it's really beautiful up there!
Super! what a fine way to spend a cold,nasty,snowy March evening.
i also do traditional canoe tripping,16 foot open canoe,wood paddle that sort of thing.i have thought about going up into the crown land in Canada but i think unless you know just where to go you might end up in some over used power boat lakes or back in a tangle of boring low country.i spent 25+ years in Quetico,we honeymooned there,and now i'm back to the BWCA to look around my old haunts.
i look forward to your 2013 videos.
Thank you! Sleep sound and dream of the north (minus the blackflies and mosquitos of course!)
Best Canoe camping video I have seen yet. Knowledge not BS.
Thanks Dan!
I too have a Cooke Custom Sewing tarp 8 x 10 in sunny yellow and a pack that was custom sewed for the length of my torso. A friend of mine returned a few weeks ago from a portage clearing trip with Phil for the Wabakimi project. What a labor of love. Enjoy your trips and tips!
Thank you for those kind words!
Good question. Its an old habit of comfort. Currently I have only a heavy duty very high flotation Extrasport High Float, which I show wearing at the end of part 4 of the series. Its my whitewater and arctic expedition PFD, with extra paddling over the shoulders for portaging. It also has internal webbing, prussiks and biners for Z drag boat rescues. Its uncomfortable to wear when its hot out. I need to get a smaller, more ventilated PFD for easy trips and hotter weather in the south.
Thanks Jeep! More to come in the series with more stuff to do in the bush!
Just to confirm. A "whipped lashing" is when you lay a the piece of cordage parallel to, in the case the paddle, leaving a loop at one end. You then wind the cord perpendicular to the shaft beginning at the end opposite the loop. You finish by putting the tag end through the loop you created earlier and pull the exposed end (the end you began winding at) opposite the loop to pull the tag under the perpendicular winded segment.
Sorry for the long winded (lol?) description...
It is a great stroke that can be done all day long once it gets refined into that special rhythm. I am paddling a small prospector type boat there, and with the lean, the Canadian stroke is comfortable at that angle since the gunwales are down low. The width and lean of the prospector makes it want to level back down, so its a relaxing and safe lean, unlike narrow solo boats that are touchy and don't have that same secondary stability. That boat is getting heavier though as I get older :o)
Thanks for bringing me along my friend!! That was a fine time!!
The rain was a good sound, and held off for the other days of the trip. The spring peepers are tiny tiny frogs, and impossible to find, and they climb trees too! :o) No frog legs for me! But I did catch and eat fish later!
Love the video's Wintertrekker!!! I hope the current forest fires aren't affecting your favorite camp spots.
Thanks for those kind words Jim! Yep, rain is just about guaranteed at least once per trip! Day 2 & 3 were rain free, and it was great. More vids to come for those days.
Sure hope you get to do some fishing. What beautiful country! Thanks for taking us along.
Thanks again CJ181! Good luck this summer in the Adirondacks!
Just like guaranteed rain while on canoe trips guaranteed to be a great video from you my friend
Great vid Hoop! Thanks for demonstrating the Canadian stroke, I do a longer J stroke but like this concept a lot better, very efficient. Just completed a quickie 3 day trip with 2 of my boys in the Nopiming on the Bird River. We didn't quite make it to the Ontario border but had a great time. Will be posting a video soon.. Looking forward to your next in this series as your experience shines through.
Lookin good man, always love your stuff
Yeah, I've been through a few stoves myself. I picked up a used stainless steel version of the Emberlit and it works quite well. It also packs flat which is a plus. They also have a titanium version of it for those gram weenies among us. I also have the LittlBug Jr., but it doesn't see much use any more since I got my Emberlit. I also had a Vargo Ti Hexagon woodstove and didn't like the way it burned.
Collecting camp stoves is addictive and is only a problem if your spouse mentions it ;)
Really like the great job you do by showing everything & letting us feel like we are there. This year I am gonna do the same here in the Adirondacks. Thanks for sharing pal.
Another excellent video as always. I really appreciate what you show everyone. Looking forward to moving to Ontario in about a year. Then some real bush time.
Thanks for sharing this nice trip ... I haven't been on a real paddling trip too long.
That can happen, but so far I have not had spark holes in my tarp. In a heavy downpour that evening, my tarp was driven down with pooled water, and I had to push it up to keep it from getting too close to the stove. But a stick stove with big combustion chamber will burn internally to some degree, so its not nearly as sparky as an open fire. Rig the one side very high up, which also helps the smoke to draft out. In heavy rain the fabric gets damp, which is not as bad with the sparks.
Oooo I wish. As it stands it'll have to be near Acton, but trips up north will be as frequent as possible. Again, much thanks!
Thanks Tim! Hope you can get to go on a back country canoe trip soon!
Hey Hoop! You are likely just embarking on another great trip, while I am a couple weeks away from two small ones of my own. I've been struggling to learn the Canadian stroke, so I've watched these segments over and over! Two features that strike me as a musician (hence my screen name!) are the beautiful sound of the paddle and boat in the water, and the lovely, steady rhythm. The music of canoe country!
mistermaestro Thanks MrM! It is indeed a music of canoe country! Practice on your strong side and it will come. Try and extend that basic J into a smooth, linked and continuous return slice through the water. That return slice should, with practice, transition to a correction stroke (i.e. it provides a force to counter-act the turn of the canoe away from the side of the paddle). Have a great time on your trips to come!
Do you feel more pry or more slice?
mistermaestro
More slice. The angle is subtle and its ultimately outwards just as a pry is outwards, so they are related, but the angle of the top hand is reversed. The top hand is often ignored in the basic instructional texts and videos, but in many ways its the top hand that controls everything on the return. I wish I could capture the top hand on video, buts its impossible with a fixed camera angle (as you know the top thumb points down and forward on the Canadian return slice, instead of up and back as in a stern or bow pry, so in that sense it is not a true pry). A true pry is a hard force, but the Canadian slice is spread out along an arc. The gunwale is used for a fulcrum which makes all the difference in arm fatigue. If you look at my bottom hand it is often releasing the paddle on the return, which lessens repetitive strain on the bottom hand, and relaxes the forearm muscles. This is important when paddling all day, to open that bottom hand that pulls all day, so that the fingers and hand don't cramp up.
Yes that is what will happen without a correction stroke like the Canadian stroke. This stroke is an advanced version of the basic "J stroke". The J-stroke will be well documented in how-to-paddle references. If you get training on the J, then a whole new world opens up to you of lake paddling, coping with wind, and river running. From learning the J, then you expand the skills from there. :o)
Thanks Joe! Bear spray, yes always. In the next vids to come in this series I do some tripod work and you will see the bear spray on my belt. Did not fish on day 1 because of distance needed to get in and camp set up before storms hit. But on day 2 I fished and will show the results! :o) My mantra is "always tie the boat down, always"!
Thanks! I think can smell those brats! Ya stick stoves are so fun to play with, even at home. I also need to get out in the yard to burn some stick stoves more. I love the UL quality of the LB Jr. I have a Firebox that the owner Steve sent me to do a review on, and I have been tardy in doing that. The Firebox is also great unit, large combustion chamber for a gooad load and long burn, much heavier but bomber. Good for group trips, or home/vehicle kits.
Great Vid. I'd paddle with ya any day! Liked the idea of winding parachord/cordage around the throat of the paddle to help against abrasion and noise during the Canadian Stroke. I will be doing the same.
Great show, I love the cooking on the Littlbug jr in rain, sounds are wonderful. Thanks for sharing. I have the Sr version of stove, is much heavier but I can use larger pieces of wood and don't need much to cook , very little processing a few pieces. See my older vids cooking from hammock. Ted.
Thanks! Check back soon as I have some more vids in prep from this trip to take you along on! :o)
Hi Art! That is Mammut 3mm static cord that I got from MEC. (actual diameter is more like 2.5 mm, but they label it 3 mm). Its a whipping wrap. I also varnished it, which makes it hard, abrasion resistant, and waterproof. Its my standard accessory cord I have used for years for guy lines on my tents and tarps. Good cord.
Nice ! Thanks Hoop, and you're welcome.... ( I participated in te Wabakimiproject 2 year sago, that,s a typical Phil Cotton Wabakimi fireplace with'capstone'. ) I love the Canadian stroke.
Keep the video's coming ( and kleen your lense ; ) I love them.
Hi Bob! I want to keep that area sorta secret, since that campsite is rarely used and the fishing is pretty good. :o) But suffice to say its just under 200 miles north of the MN-ON border. I would say that northern Minnesotans are much like us northern Ontarions, especially the paddlers! In fact I would say that other than accents, you could not tell the paddlers apart except for maybe where they buy some of their gear. I hope to have my ashes scattered on a canoe route too.
WT...great trip to share... keep it up... I may not need to trip any more with such good footage... do it all from comfort of my computer.
Thank you! Best wishes for a great trip!
I just boiled organic potatoes out on my driveway over my LittlBug Jr stove with hand cut and spilt local applewood, all right next to my vintage Weber Smokey Joe cooking Famous local Usinger's bratwurst here in Urban Madison Wi.
Just tryin' to get my campfire fix....I even had to light the LittlBug with my steel for fun...I'm stuck in town for just over another week before camping again.
By the way I thought I suscribed to you you months ago, I'll try again...great vids BTW!
So, Hoop, I went to the Sylvania Wilderness (in Michigan's far-western Upper Peninsula) for a four-day trip, and to Algonquin for four days as soon as that one was over. Both were too short! Trips ended when just the shakedown was complete. Sigh. But I'll be back!
Worked non-stop on the Canadian stroke on both trips. I'm really just doing a J now, with a gentle to firm pry off the gunnel instead of a goonie/rudder which I've used for forty years of river travel. (I never had heard of the Canadian stroke until I saw your videos.) I bought a beautiful new Grey Owl paddle and that made a huge difference in the stroke. Still don't have it down, but I'll keep at it! Maybe by freeze-up!
Thanks for continuing to educate and inspire.
+mistermaestro Hi MrM! Ya 4 day trips are hard because you just get in the groove when its time to go back home. Keep working on that Canadian stroke! That J pry off the gunwale can be transitioned to a smooth return slice with some practice. Once you get it, the muscle memory locks in, and you have it for life! BTW, I still do not have the smooth Canadian on my weak side (right), which is still a clunky J after 40 or so years. My strong side is my left side. My theory is that the top hand does most of the guidance work, and I am right handed, so it makes sense to me that my strong side is the left side of the canoe. The left arm is pure power with no finesse, but my top right hand does all the fine control throughout the stroke, and of course that top hand thumb points down on the return ;-)
Great video hoop I hope to see more productions in 2019. Thanks.
Thanks Chris! I am on edge many times in older stands too. The base of trees will show rots signs when the crown of the tree looks very healthy. Look for pileated woodpecker holes and ants, which are often at the base, indicating rotted wood. Black spruce often has root and butt rot while the rest of the trunk is solid, and they blow down when their roots snap. Younger is safer. Unfortunately its often so thick you don't have a choice of sites. Look for lean too.
Thank you for your trail work! Next vids in the series will show burning wood in that fireplace. I show inserting shelf rocks into the set to rest my little Purcell Trench grill. Yes lens will be cleaned next time! :o)
Another great vid as usual. I love camping in the rain as the sound relaxes me and puts me to sleep like a baby at night. I'd give $10,000 to trade place with you now. Thanks for sharing.
After watching this video, I might just move back to Canada just for the canoetrips....
Man i miss Canada (Denmark aint toooo bad)
Thanks D! Hello to Denmark! We are very lucky here to have the vast areas for back country canoe tripping, that's for sure.
Nice stroke. Like the padding around the oar for gripping. Nice touch. Canoeing, the journey not the destination.
Thanks Walter! Yes definitely the journey! That wrap around the paddle is 2.5mm climbing accessory cord, whipped, and varnished. It works very well.
Thanks Joe!
Thanks! I only had bear spray. But the research is showing bear spray is very effective. Most of forested Canada and all of the tundra is all bear country! I had bangers too, but never saw a bear this trip. I often see bears and they take off most times without need of the bangers. Keep a clean camp! :o)
Thanks! I hope to make some more paddling and canoe tripping videos this coming up season.
Real nice job! Looking forward to the rest! Terry
***** Thanks Terry!
Thanks Mike!
I've watched this playlist about 8 times now ha ha. I'm an amateur solo canoe-camper - I've done 5 solos for 5/6 nights in BWCA & Quiteco. If you have any good general advice please do share. Very inspired by your videos so thanks for sharing.
Thanks Alisdair! Its great you are getting out on solo trips. The more you solo, the more you will solo on more trips....careful - its an addiction! :o) I will try and work in some more advice into the videos. Showing some things is hard to do with just a camera and tripod, and being without a camera-man to follow and shoot dynamic scenes, but I will work on it.
Thanks for that advice. I will keep my eye out for a lighter model than I have, and I have probably been over-thinking it about breaking. I should just take it on trips and use it and see what happens, and if it breaks, no big deal since I have knife and axe anyways.
Well, here's a fella thats dipped a paddle before. When a was a kid the America visitors that came up called it the "Canadian stroke." While the old bushwackers I knew called it the "Indian stroke." In any case, its been my experience that a man who paddles like that knows his way around the bush. (keep yer powder dry there, Wintertrekker).
Thanks for those very kind words Lennard!
Well will be looking forward to more my friend
Have a great trip! Bring the fishing gear!
Emberlit is on my list to get. I have several stick stoves, with some not yet used and tested! So I might be developing a problem :o) Its addictive!
I like your stick stove. I have a couple of models of the Solo stove. A biomass, gasification stove. I also added a tiny propane burner stove and carry an alcohol stove as a wet weather alternative.
I like your method of open fire cooking on the grill. I'll have to give that method a try on this years Montana adventure.
Based on your example I'll also be carrying bear spray this year. Northwestern Montana is known to harbor it's share of bruins. LOL
Rick Zolla Thanks again Rick! Its rewarding to use fire as much as possible for living outside. For the rainy days, I use an alcohol stove (Trangia + Clikstand). Bear spray is good to have for sure.
Thanks! Yes the crown land does require some research. Its amazing to me the gov't does not publish brochures on crown land camping. They used to, and had junior ranger programs to maintain the portages - they cut most of those programs, and no longer publish. I can't believe it. Tourism would flourish if they promoted it more. But a good resource on route info is Canadian Canoe Routes, or MyCCR. Friendly Forums with lots of knowledgeable people.
Thanks Widltreat! Your spring wild edibles vids gave me the itch to get out earlier too. The BF's are not yet peaking, so I got off easy. I find with the right clothing, no use of soap or shampoo on body, a good hat, and with 25% DEET rubbed into my face, neck and wrists, I can avoid getting bit. I spritz liberally on the nether regions for the call of nature, and I am good for the duration. :o)
Thanks again for the eye opener, I will be checking into the J-stroke. :?)
Thank you!
Thumbs up for paddling like a machine.
Great idea! You're full of them actually.I just bought a big hank of the 3mm Mammut MEC for my tarps and have enough left over to do a nice job. I don't think they make a paddle that goes up to my mouth lol. I do have a 59.5" beavertail though. That's an awesome paddle you have, I like the 1:1 ratio and now realize that's what drew my attention. Where do you find such a paddle? Have never seen one in the canoe shops in Winnipeg. . . love the maple leaf.
You must have natural talent!!
Thank you for watching and commenting! And yes there was fishing and eating of fresh walleye later on. Will show in the next vids in the series.
Great video man!! I hope to get out within the next 2 weeks!
Great video HOOP. Any particular reason you didn't take your hammock on that trip? Looks like you had to hunt for a flat on ground that will drain to pitch your tent. The LittlBug Jr. is a good wood burning twig stove, I think the Emberlit is a bit better. It comes with a solid bottom so you can use it any where and it has a fair size feed port that you stuff finger to thumb sized branches. That allows you to burn more evenly and tend to the stove less.
Looking forward to the next video.
Ooops, I just realized you're in Ontario. You know, there is little difference between a Minnesotan and a Canadian. Where you're at does resemble the BWCA. Oh well, I should watch whole video before commenting. Have fun man, I love it, just like I used to do. Great vid, bbboB
Thanks! I use the axe to chop lengths of sticks, but they fly all over the place and its a chore. I did buy a cheap garden pruner for its lightness, but have not taken it on a trip yet. I might take it on the next trip. The better (and probably more reliable and better steel edge) pruners seem to have some significant weight to them. Any ideas on the best value of low weight but reasonable quality pruner?
Super-confidence...no life vest; great!
Great stuff, thanks for sharing!
Excellent ! I really liked the maple leaf on the paddle. Do you carry bear spray ? No fishing ? It would be very easy to troll as you paddle along. I had my canoe which was behind my house upside down picked up during a windy night and tossed a long distanse in my neighbors yard. Look forward to pt 2 !
Don't discount ones made mostly of plastic. I've had one as my main home pruner for 20 years and the only thing I've managed to break on it was the metal blade! Sadly that model is no longer available but I'm sure there are some around that weigh very little. For sticks as tiny as the wood stove requires, anything would do, especially since you are in a predominately softwood area.
Thanks!
great video- very informative.
Thanks man!
Terrific and helpful video, thanks! I enjoyed the whole series, and I'm looking forward to getting out there.
Question: With blowdown so common there and rot often difficult to detect, do you have a particular approach for picking a tent site to mitigate the risk? Or do you just look over the nearby trees and take your best guess?
Laying in the tent among the trees during a strong blow, I admit the possibility of a fall sometimes keeps me on edge, however careful I've been in placement.