There is Hope of SPRING!

Just returned from 10 days in Georgia paddling and I know spring is on its way. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and this for me is one of those pictures. For more just read on.








Do to calm conditions, did a little sight seeing. Tybee Lighthouse was interesting. It is in the process of being restored.








It's easy to see there conditions were fairly flat at Tybee on my first day. Next day there were 2 to 3 footers in the Triangle and I had a good time. Forgot to take the camera that day, so just imagine fun in small surf conditions.







Launch day at Crooked River State Park, on our way to Cumberland Island. The island is a National Park. It is one of many barrier Islands protecting the East Coast.







Picture of Harris (he is from Lithuania) on our way down the Crooked River. Tide was on ebb and moving about 2.5 knots







This was our first stop (Plum Orchard) on Cumberland Island. There is a Mansion here formerly the Island was owned by the Carnegie's.







This mansion was built for there son and is quite beautiful both inside and on the grounds.







Early morning shot going through Christmas Creek on the flood tide. Its about 6:30 am left Brickhill Bluff at about 5:00 am. Paddling in salt water in the dark leaves a bio-luminescent trail in the water which has to be seen to be believed.







Landing just beyond the mouth of Christmas Creek after playing in 2 to 4 footers in the shoal off the creek. Wind was from the east and building. Later in the day waves/swells were running 3 to 5 feet making the day much better for playing.







On the third day the waves were 3 to 5 foot with winds from the East 10 to 15 knots and the seas was building to 4 to 6 feet. I had to learn how to get through dumping waves and learn the concept of timing to get out without getting trashed in the process.









This was our home for the 2nd and 3rd night out. The oaks are bent over forming an arch to camp under. Spanish moss was hanging from all the trees and it was warm!!!!! Mid to high 70's in the day and Mid 50's to low 60's at night. Just great weather no rain or especially no snow.








This is just one of the many visitors in our campsite. It's not every day you get to see and armadillo wandering thru.











This was the only night we had a campfire as there are only two campgrounds were its allowed, but it was a great ending before leaving on the last leg of our trip.






The next day we packed up and punched thru solid 5 to 6 foot dumping waves. The surf zone was nearly a football field long with 3 different break zones to get thru. The seas on the outside of the zone were running between 6 to 8 foot swells winds began from the East and then shifted to the South 22 to 25 knots creating waves from the East and South making paddling very interesting. We ended up beaching because we could not make progress into the winds and of course we were heading South to the St. Mary's river. Slogged along the shore until we reached the river, portaged around the jetty and up the River to St. Mary's. There was some hard paddling on this trip but I learned a lot about myself and gained a greater understanding of the sea, tides and currents.

Werner Paddles

Just a bit of shameless product promotion. Admittedly, I've drunk the Kool-Aid when it comes to Werner's line of foam-core carbon fiber paddles. They're super light, super buoyant (which means less fatigue over time), and--as this little vid that's been making the rounds on the net illustrates--super strong!

Recycling Fuel Canisters

For multi-day trips, I opt to use a white gas stove. White gas is easy to find, and white gas canisters are refillable. Some people aren't comfortable with the priming process, but in reality, white gas stoves are safe and easy to operate. Maintenance includes periodic cleaning to keep the fuel lines and burner jets free of deposits.

I also carry a MSR Pocket Rocket canister stove. This operates using a pressurized fuel canister which contains Iso-Propane fuel. These are easy to operate (just turn them on and light), which is ideal for that getting the coffee going in the morning when you're cold and groggy. One drawback to these stoves is the fact that the canisters lose pressure as they draw down, so the BTU output reduces over time...they also lose pressure in cold temperatures. In addition, the canisters aren't refillable, however they are recyclable.

How to Recycle a Spent Fuel Canister

>Simply empty your canister of all fuel, then puncture it with a tool (Snowpeak makes a handy one, but a big rock works too!), then put the canister in with your alumnium recyclables.

Check with your municipal works department to determine just what the requirements are for recycling canisters in your area...some will take empty (marked EMPTY with a sharpie), but un-punctured canisters.

Happy paddling!

Equipment: VHF

I believe too often we stereotype equipment into broad categories and never think outside of the box enough to realize the full potential of a piece of gear.

As an exercise think of all the things you can use your paddle for other than propelling your kayak. Another piece of gear placed in the proverbial box is the VHF radio. This piece of equipment is meant for more than bouncing around in your boat waiting for the unfortunate day when you may need to call for somebody to pluck you out of the raging ocean with a helicopter. Lets take the VHF out of its box and look at some of its versatile features and also how to communicate appropriately using it.

If you do not already own a handheld VHF the following are what I feel a few key features to look for when purchasing such equipment.

Battery: with any electronic device that I purchase, one of the most important features I look for is what type battery the unit uses. There are two reasons for this. The first is how long it is going to last in the backcountry and how am I going to recharge it. The second is can I use this battery in another device or in this case more importantly, can I steal the batteries from a non-critical device (camera) to keep my means of potential emergency communication functional. In many VHFs you can purchase aftermarket battery trays that accept common AA or AAAs that replace the factory provided battery.

Size:as is the case with all of our gear we need to consider the volume that a piece of equipment is going to displace.

Dual band: this is a typical feature on most –if not all modern VHFs, and is extremely helpful. It allows the user to set the unit on one channel for casual conversation while also monitoring another channel (say 16).

Weather: I use the weather band of my VHF perhaps more than any other feature. Because NOAA continually broadcasts local forecasts I can quickly tune into local marine forecasts. This is much more beneficial than the regional forecasts perhaps picked up on standard AM/FM stations.

Waterproof: while it may seem intuitive, there is a drastic and potentially devastating difference between waterproof and water resistant. Waterproof implies that the unit is submersible to some degree; water resistant simply refers to the ability of the unit to handle light splashes. While not standardized, most manufactures rate the waterproofness of their units using the government standard for durability (JIS). Higher numbers usually imply the unit can endure more intense environmental exposure. Look for at least a JIS 7 rating (waterproof up to 1meter for 30min). Even though your unit may be waterproof it is still a good idea to use some sort of drybag made for VHFs that allows full functionality while in the bag.

Communication by VHF

While I feel there are frequently better means of group communication (e.g. visual signals) the VHF radio can, in many situations be a desirable and vital means of getting in touch with somebody while on the water. A couple hints on communicating with the VHF.

First, remember the VHF was never meant to be a cell phone. You cannot chat with your paddling partner like a 13year old girl on the way to a Justin Timberlake concert, even if you sang SexyBack on the way to the water. When you begin a conversation announce who you are and who you are calling, for example “Orange Kayak this is Green Kayak come in.” Wait for an acknowledgement and then begin your conversation. Remember your purpose should be to obtain or give information which is pertinent to a specific condition. If you are planning on hailing somebody outside your party there are three technical introductions which need to be used each in relation to the nature of the call. They are:

Urgent Emergency: MAYDAY…MAYDAY…MAYDAY

Potentially developing problem: PAN…PAN…PAN (pronounced pahn)

Common safety notification: SECURITE… SECURITE … SECURITE (pronounced Su-cure-uh-tay)

When you are finished with your call announce it by saying either OVER (if awaiting further communication) or OUT (if ending all transmission), using both is redundant.

E.g., If I were crossing a channel I may announce “SECURITE (3x), this is Kayak 1, beginning crossing of channel near big blue light. OVER”

Second hint tip, it would behoove you and your group to designate a “working” channel for common chatter (68, 69, 71, and 78A are all open channels -- click here for a full list of VHF channel designations in the US). You'll get a firm reprimand from local authorities for using 16 to discuss where stop for lunch.

Other Tips

Become familiar with the function of your VHF, practice using it in your group. You will quickly learn how to maximize its usefulness as a verbal communication tool.

Keep your VHF close to you; it does little good tucked away in a day hatch underneath your lunch, spare clothes, water and first aid kit. I made a simple modification (see photo above) to my PFD using a piece of bungee and two brass grommets from the fabric store. When I am in a situation where I may use my VHF I keep it fastened to my PFD, I can quickly grab the unit, pull it free of the bungee and have full access for communication. Because it is tethered by the cord I can also let go of it and be ready to paddle in an instant.

Pack and transport your VHF in a way that ensures the unit is not accidentally turned on while traveling. I do this placing it and my other electronics in a plastic case. This will help you avoid the sinking feeling of putting on your gear and finding the batteries in your VHF have gone dead.

Summary

To recap, with your VHF you can: get the weather forecast, use the removable antenna as a finger splint, actively communicate with your group, communicate with other boat traffic, turn it up really loud and wake up a whole camp, make EMERGENCY calls.

Campstove Cuisine: Pad Thai

Cooking in the wilderness has its challenges. Limited storage space, lack of refrigeration, and a finite amount of cooking fuel all limit your choices in menu planning. However, meals in the back country don't have to be boring or repetitive.

Each month, we'll bring you a new field-tested recipe to add to your repertoire. My principles for backcountry cuisine: any meal should be simple to prepare, lightweight, nutritionally balanced, take little space*, require a minimum of stove fuel, and should result in a little waste. And most importantly, it should taste good!

This month's recipe: Pad Thai. This Thai rice noodle dish is flavorful, contains plenty of protein, and is wheat and gluten free.



Ingredients

Main dish
- 8 oz. package Pad Thai (wide rice) noodles
- 4 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 package extra-firm tofu (in non-perishable, aseptic packaging)
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 4-6 scallions - thinly sliced and the green ends reserved.
- 1/2 cup crushed peanuts

Sauce
- 1 lime
- 3 to 4 tbsp fish sauce (available at Asian foods markets & most grocery stores)
- 3 tbsp sugar (or 4 packets sugar in the raw)
- 1 to 2 pinches red pepper flakes.
- 2 tbsp. cilantro (from tube)

Directions:

- Bring 1.5 liters (that's 1-1/2 Nalgene bottles, or 48 oz) of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add 8 oz. package of rice noodles. Soak noodles for 7 minutes, then drain and set aside.

- While noodles are soaking, make the Pad Thai sauce by combining fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, red pepper flakes, and cilantro. Stir and set aside.

- Heat tofu on a non-stick frying pan to draw water out and toughen the proteins. After browning on both sides, slice the tofu into 1/2" cubes.

- Heat approximately 2 tbsp of vegetable oil to the pan. Add minced garlic and scallions and sautee with the tofu. Toss well.

- Reduce heat to low, then add noodles, sauce, and half of the peanuts and toss well with tongs. Cook for approximately 2 minutes over low heat.

- Garnish with remaining peanuts and chopped greens from the scallions.

Serves 3-4 (or 2 really hungry guys!). A good side dish for this meal is an iceberg lettuce and cucumber salad, tossed with rice vinegar.


Notes:

I keep a "kitchen" pantry of spices, oils, and other cooking condiments. Pre-package liquids (oil, fish sauce, vinegars, etc.) in Nalgene bottles (stored in a ziploc bag for extra leak security). I bring packets of sugar in the raw.

Minced herbs are now available minced and packaged in tubes...these make for easy dispensing, last longer than fresh herbs, and taste much better than dried herbs.

Do as much pre-packaging as you can. This will save time and waste. Remember, whatever you pack in has to be packed out.

On trips I carry a small soft cooler with vegetables. In cold water climates, the bottom of your kayak will remain cold and keep vegetables and other perishables cool. However, you need to time your trips to make certain that perishable items are being used.

* When I say "take little space," I generally aim to fit all the contents for a meal for 4 adults into one quart-sized Ziploc bag.

How Stuff's Made: Plastic Kayaks

If you've ever wondered how exactly a plastic kayak is made, here's a short video showing the production of an Easky 15 kayak at the Pyranha / Venture / P&H Sea Kayaks production facility in the U.K.



How about the new lime color for 2008!


Part II: Seats, decklines, etc...