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Guest
Guest
Starting this as a new thread, hoping there are some tales to share.
The wayward companions have long been, and remain, on the list.
OK, not always wayward. I really enjoy combining solo and companion trips. On open water trips I will often start off by myself and spend a couple days solo before meeting up at some designated site a few days later. In that situation I use the little monocular to occasionally scan the horizon for a glimpse of company coming.
The last truly wayward episode was on Chincoteague Bay some years ago. Five of us had launched together into the bay aiming for a site conveniently located 5 miles south. Downbay there are two distinct route choices, nearshore and offshore.
Nearshore it is easier to discern what few landmarks there are (the Spartina grass and pine hummocks all blend together at any distance), but it is often sandbar shallower. Offshore a few miles out in the bay offers deeper water, but few positional clues.
Kathy and I opted for the nearshore route and had to wade the boats across a few sandbar shallows. Brian, Tom and DougD opted for the offshore route. Brian and Tom had done this trip several times before, but DougD had not, so he was following their lead.
But, Brian and Tom had always done the trip solo paddling MRC Explorers, with the speed characteristics of a tugboat. Both had recently acquired Wenonah Voyagers and were making their first trips in those canoes. As they paddled a couple miles out into the bay the more direct route Kathy and I took saw us a pull a mile ahead, but they soon drew even, still far out in the bay.
As Kathy and I made our final turn into the campsite gut I remember her remarking “They are still a long ways out there”
We landed, off loaded gear and walked out to a peninsula to watch them come in. Hmmm, they are now well past the site, and still a long ways out. We tried flashing them with a mirror, but they were headed away from us. Away and away and away, until they disappeared near a site 5 miles further down the bay.
And as we watched them disappear I remember Kathy saying “They are not coming back”.
But, eventually, come back they did, 5 miles back into a strengthening north wind. 15 miles to reach a site 5 miles away.
I had not done a trip with Doug before and learned something about him with that episode. Brian and Tom were in their Voyagers, no doubt blazing away out in the bay to test their respective mettle. DougD was in a soloized RX Explorer. That’s mettle.
@ Mike Mcrea "I do still carry a compact monocular for spying distant camps, entrance points or wayward companions, which is something else that wasn’t on the list 15 years ago."
I laughed. Was it the wayward companions or the monocular that wasn't on the list 15 years ago?
The wayward companions have long been, and remain, on the list.
OK, not always wayward. I really enjoy combining solo and companion trips. On open water trips I will often start off by myself and spend a couple days solo before meeting up at some designated site a few days later. In that situation I use the little monocular to occasionally scan the horizon for a glimpse of company coming.
The last truly wayward episode was on Chincoteague Bay some years ago. Five of us had launched together into the bay aiming for a site conveniently located 5 miles south. Downbay there are two distinct route choices, nearshore and offshore.
Nearshore it is easier to discern what few landmarks there are (the Spartina grass and pine hummocks all blend together at any distance), but it is often sandbar shallower. Offshore a few miles out in the bay offers deeper water, but few positional clues.
Kathy and I opted for the nearshore route and had to wade the boats across a few sandbar shallows. Brian, Tom and DougD opted for the offshore route. Brian and Tom had done this trip several times before, but DougD had not, so he was following their lead.
But, Brian and Tom had always done the trip solo paddling MRC Explorers, with the speed characteristics of a tugboat. Both had recently acquired Wenonah Voyagers and were making their first trips in those canoes. As they paddled a couple miles out into the bay the more direct route Kathy and I took saw us a pull a mile ahead, but they soon drew even, still far out in the bay.
As Kathy and I made our final turn into the campsite gut I remember her remarking “They are still a long ways out there”
We landed, off loaded gear and walked out to a peninsula to watch them come in. Hmmm, they are now well past the site, and still a long ways out. We tried flashing them with a mirror, but they were headed away from us. Away and away and away, until they disappeared near a site 5 miles further down the bay.
And as we watched them disappear I remember Kathy saying “They are not coming back”.
But, eventually, come back they did, 5 miles back into a strengthening north wind. 15 miles to reach a site 5 miles away.
I had not done a trip with Doug before and learned something about him with that episode. Brian and Tom were in their Voyagers, no doubt blazing away out in the bay to test their respective mettle. DougD was in a soloized RX Explorer. That’s mettle.
