Kayaking the back country
- Thread starter blackfoot
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- #162
Yep.
But, does calling in sick fly when you work at a hospital?
That is an interesting question. We see people come to the ER for the stupidest things.
Pt.:"I am having chest pains."
Nurse: For how long?"
Pt: "A week or two."
Pt: I have a tooth ache.
RN: For how long?
Pt: a couple of days.
What is it that makes this an emergency at 0200 hours in the morning? Thise things can be emergencies. But the vast majority are not. So, when someone tells us they had to go to the ER, it means nothing to us.
My wife went to the ER because her leg was cold
- Thread starter
- #165
you are the one you thought she should
- Thread starter
- #168
I just wanted to give the ER staff a good laugh.
I don't think the check in lady was laughing
- Thread starter
- #170
L
Lo'Tek
I kayaked all summer, but never white water.
I just bring life jacket, water, snacks, (other drinks), headlamp, multi tool, stuff like this. I attach a lot to me by small retractable cords - like the multi tool for example (so it doesn't fall out). Everything else goes into zip-lock bags including my car keys - I don't like leaving them with the car; but white-watering, I may make an exception to that. If you wear glasses get one of those string things you wear around your neck, like your sixth grade teacher used (know what I mean), it would suck to drop your glasses out there. Some Para-cord could be a life saver in white water, and I've seen people have to use it on TV. A bilge pump, though I've never had to use one.
. . .straight razor, strop, karaoke machine, light sabor, laptop, Tardis - if you have one. . .
I just bring life jacket, water, snacks, (other drinks), headlamp, multi tool, stuff like this. I attach a lot to me by small retractable cords - like the multi tool for example (so it doesn't fall out). Everything else goes into zip-lock bags including my car keys - I don't like leaving them with the car; but white-watering, I may make an exception to that. If you wear glasses get one of those string things you wear around your neck, like your sixth grade teacher used (know what I mean), it would suck to drop your glasses out there. Some Para-cord could be a life saver in white water, and I've seen people have to use it on TV. A bilge pump, though I've never had to use one.
. . .straight razor, strop, karaoke machine, light sabor, laptop, Tardis - if you have one. . .
- Thread starter
- #172
I've never done any white water either. We do want to take a trip on a river, but we will keep it light. And paracord is invaluable!
Here is an amusing story from my last trip. The map showed a trail that went to the water. We decided to paddle over to it and hike the for the afternoon. The map was not precise and the water level had completely changed the shoreline. Therefore, we were having trouble locating it. I decided to put in and walk around a little to see if I could find it.
Two things to point out. I have a military web pistol belt with harness and several MOLLE pouches on it. This is how I carry my camera and equipment. In the butt pack, I also carry several survival type things. A whistle, basic first aid supplies, para-cord, lighter, etc. I also have my compass on the harness, a hunting knife and my kukri on this belt along with a canteen. I shove it to my feet when paddling and put it on when I get out. I did not take this. I was not planning on leaving sight of my kayak.
Second thing, I do not get lost in the woods. I have hiked around, over and between hills for hours without paying any attention to where I was going. When time to return, I can point in the direction I need to go and end up back safe and sound. Again, I point out I had no intention of leaving sight of the shore.
You can guess where this is going. I was able to see water the entire time. I have no idea what happened. Not only could I not find the trail, I could find my kayak or friends. Even my wife, and you can never lose them!
I knew I was in trouble when I was heading back and had to go through some thicker stuff. I didn't remember this, but I had made a circle. Man, I wish I had my kukri right now to cut through this.
Ouch! small cut. No big deal, if I get a bandaid on it right away, it won't even get sore. Hmm, well as soon as I get back to the boat. Speaking of which, I wish I had my compass. That would help.
An hour later, I am still lost. I tried yelling to get everyone's attention, but to no avail. If only I had my whistle right now. I'm sweating horrible and need a drink too.
Finally, I hear a tractor. It sounded like it was getting closer and closer. I am a very paranoid person. I have some good reasons to be. However, this means I consider everybody an enemy until I can confirm differently. And I am unarmed! The tractor stopped moving for a bit. So, I crept up on it. Not too hard. You could sneak up behind a blind Indian next to a noisy tractor. I surveyed it for a couple of minutes. Sure enough, the tractor was on the trail. However, no one was around. So I followed the trail down to the water.
Ironically, It came out right where I had thought. But, with the terrain, you couldn't tell it was there from the water. Fortunately, my crew were nearby and saw me. Larry paddled me in the canoe back to my kayak, a long ways away!
We sat on the shore and had lunch. Now, here is the real kicker. We started hiking up the trail. We hiked maybe five minutes. We were getting eaten so badly by mosquitoes, we turned around and went back to our boats and paddled for the afternoon! We discovered that as soon as you got away from the water, the mosquitoes were horrible. I mean two or three bites at a time bad. So, all of that for nothing. But, like everything else, it is a story I can now laugh at and have learned from.
L
Lo'Tek
I prefer to hike where no man has gone before without taking my house with me like some people like to do. I find that the chances of getting turned around are directly proportional to the number of hikes. Meaning, if you do it enough it will eventually happen. I've hiked & camped hundreds of times and I recall getting turned around three times. For me it seems to happen when the chances of getting lost are minimal, that’s when you get cocky. When you’re way out there you’re more cautious. If you stay cool and collective you're not really lost.
One time I was hiking down stream alone and decided to check something out. After I was finished checking out – whatever, I continued to walk with the stream within eyeshot. If you follow water, you always know where you are, right? After some time I turned around and straddled the stream from afar; but nothing looked familiar. I dismissed this because I had crossed the water at one point so things would naturally look different from the new angle. The stream started to thin and turned into a trickling brook. This was clearly not the main body I had come down, I should have come by a bridge. It turned out that one time that I had taken my eyes off the main stream, a small inlet intersected with it and I was following that. So I cut through the woods and finally came to the original stream.
I also find that some dry cloths are very useful for kayaking if you’re staying out into the evening. Especially dry socks. A lot of Mountain Climbers carry spare socks & shirt because the others become drenched with sweat and the dry change makes for a more pleasant decent. I find this handy late in the evening when the chill comes on; especially if you've gotten wet (maybe capsized).
I had to type this post three times because I’m on an ooooold PC at a friend’s and MAN is this slow; and with dialup to boot; and I don’t know the password to hook up my faster Mac. I hit some key twice and lost everything, and finally I was ready to submit and got bumped off. Had to write on Word and transfer.
One time I was hiking down stream alone and decided to check something out. After I was finished checking out – whatever, I continued to walk with the stream within eyeshot. If you follow water, you always know where you are, right? After some time I turned around and straddled the stream from afar; but nothing looked familiar. I dismissed this because I had crossed the water at one point so things would naturally look different from the new angle. The stream started to thin and turned into a trickling brook. This was clearly not the main body I had come down, I should have come by a bridge. It turned out that one time that I had taken my eyes off the main stream, a small inlet intersected with it and I was following that. So I cut through the woods and finally came to the original stream.
I also find that some dry cloths are very useful for kayaking if you’re staying out into the evening. Especially dry socks. A lot of Mountain Climbers carry spare socks & shirt because the others become drenched with sweat and the dry change makes for a more pleasant decent. I find this handy late in the evening when the chill comes on; especially if you've gotten wet (maybe capsized).
I had to type this post three times because I’m on an ooooold PC at a friend’s and MAN is this slow; and with dialup to boot; and I don’t know the password to hook up my faster Mac. I hit some key twice and lost everything, and finally I was ready to submit and got bumped off. Had to write on Word and transfer.
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L
Lo'Tek
This is the spot where a near duplicate of the post above which was submitted before that one somhow misteriously made it down here.
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- #175
Wilderness survival is really not that hard with a little forethought. But computers are a pain the in the 
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