Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Group Forum: Other Canoe Camping Locations :: Inside Passage, NW Pacific Coast
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wildernessfan2 |
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RaisedByBears99 |
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BeaV |
Thanks, BeaV |
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w_w_w_31 |
dave |
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BeaV |
quote w_w_w_31: "There are many reasons people use sea kayaks in the ocean, and not a canoe. You may now think it would be a fun trip, but trust me, don't try it in a canoe. You will not have fun. Dave, do you have experience with flat-water kayaking? I don't, so I really can't compare the handling of my solo canoe in rough water vs a sea kayak in rough water. Do you have any specific reasons why a canoe shouldn't be tried? Sometimes a challenge requires foregoing fun. That said, I don't want to end up fish food. |
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BeaV |
quote BWPaddler: "Sister hiked the Chilkoot Pass a couple years back - she loved it. I'm not sure what portion you would have to do as a "portage" but I'm remembering my sister's stories of people using that pass as they moved west - and stories of them dumping things along the trail when they tired of carrying/pulling them - like maybe whole pianos and such! The little I know is it's 33 miles long with 3700 foot elevation to the pass. It will make the Grand Portage look like a walk in the park, I think. I've considered Yellowcanoe's idea of switching to a lighter canoe but the design of the Sea Wind will come in handy when going upstream on the Chandalar River and then on the lower Yukon River where strong westerly winds (in my face) are the norm. The "expedition" keeps growing in scope. It started out with just the Yukon River but than I added the Inside Passage and then I realized by adding the Chilkoot Pass I could combine the two, and then I added the Chandalar and Koyukuk Rivers to the itinerary. Now I'm looking at the Bering Sea heading back toward Anchorage- only problem is the Aleution Islands are in the way and it may be late enough that I'll need malamutes to pull the canoe :) |
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BWPaddler |
Don't know if that is an apples-apples comparison, but there's something about the center of gravity in the kayak that feels right in the big swells of the ocean. I was a nervous ninny on Superior in the open canoe and wanted to sit on the floor - and it was a very sheltered BAY! That said - I am NOT an expert in either kind of paddling. Maybe a solo canoe with spray skirt would be OK in the right hands. Don't let anyone take away your dream, but I guess I would encourage you to try using your equipment in similar scenarios before signing up for a huge trip in that manner... |
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BeaV |
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yellowcanoe |
Solo I did part of the Ontario coast of Superior this summer in a RapidFire. Its a 23 lb pack canoe by Placid Boat Works. I briefly paddled with someone in a Sea Wind and I was pleased at the seaworthiness of the Rapid. I do have a full spray cover for it. The Sea Wind is huge and handy for living where you cannot land. Rapid cannot be lived in at 23 inches wide and 15 foot long. Its paddled sitting ala kayak with a double blade. I think windage is a bit more than Sea Wind but not much. The Inside Passage is full of mountains meeting the sea with sometimes limited beaches. However you may wish for the Rapid on the Chilkoot Pass. A few decades ago kayaks on the Atlantic Ocean here abouts were an oddity. Maine Island Trail initially had canoeists in mind when the Association was founded. You canoed the Atlantic and watched the weather carefully. Nowadays we complicate the trip with a schedule. Before one went as far as the weather permitted. I would consider sending on a light open canoe ahead to Skagway and sending the Sea Wind home then. |
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BWPaddler |
In any case, when she hiked it, I did a bit of reading about the area and it was fascinating. Sounds like you're in for an amazing expedition! |