Recent content by AM

Congrats! Please post pics once you get it. The Caribou is a really nice looking boat. I hope you get a chance to paddle it before the water hardens up there! Cheers, Andrew

Thanks for that kind offer Simon ( @sthwaits )!

Re: paddles. I have several bent shafts of various lengths and several straight shafts. My favourite for the Solitude is a Werner Churchill, which I use sit-and-switch style. I'm not sure that either boats you are looking at are good for that style of paddling -- too much rocker, perhaps? I am...

Your story is similar to mine: long-time kayaker moves to canoeing due to back pain. I don't have any paddling experience in either of the boats in question, but you are lucky in your range of choices: two local companies with longstanding reputations in the paddling community. There is one...

That was a great read, Jon. You guys got hammered with the weather! I’m curious how many days worth of food you had and whether you experienced anxiety about running out — 24 days is a long time to go without resupply. The “brown bear” — was he a brown-coloured black bear or a grizzly...

John, I love the look of the Hilleburg line of tents, but don‘t you find them a little hot and steamy for our coastal tripping season? I have an MSR Elixir, which is a fine tent, but my main complaint is that it has too little mesh. What has been your experience in the Hilleburg and Cloud Peak...

It's awesome that you are happy in your boat. That is a very good place to be, as boat envy is a corrosive and expensive vice! My philosophy is that the best boat is one that you paddle a lot. I do want to gently challenge a couple of your statements. I speak as someone who has owned a few...

Your kids are getting big — a measure of time for us oldsters. I love the three-generation trip. The next time I do one, I’ll likely be the grandpa. Cheers, Andrew

I done that, but only one way: I came in on the Sechelt side and paddled out through Skookumchuck. It’s a bit of work to do it one-way; doing it both ways in order to break up the Sunshine Coast section would be way too much effort IMHO. Cheers, Andrew

One more tip: Hardy Island is marginal camping and worse landing. I would stay at the sublime site on Cape Cockburn, right by Henry Roberts' old cabin.

My opinions (only): 1) West Curme 2) Middle Copeland 3) Willingdon: well managed. I wouldn't worry, but obviously you'll take wallet/phone with you when you go into town. 4) That stretch is the tough part of the trip. Both times I've done that coast, I've pushed through in one long day from...

Not to retread an old tire, but previous discussions of why I am suspicious of Windy modelling as it applies to local effects can be found here, here, and here. Cheers, Andrew

Forecasts are a paid feature. Again, I don’t put too much faith in location-specific forecasts. Cheers, Andrew

This is what I get for free. To get those little purple balloons you have to pay, but they are not government stations.

I'm not the best person to answer your question, as I generally stay low-tech on the water. But on shore, these are the apps I use: 1) A basic navigation app. I have a subscription to CalTopo, but I actually prefer the free Topo Maps Canada app for iOS. It's stripped down and bare bones, but it...