I am a confirmed solo paddler. I love the opportunities solo paddling gives me in terms of going where and when I want. There are a few things that do cause a bit of discomfort though and I'm wondering if there are issues that bother you.
The main thing I hate is having to carry a portage more than twice. I've done this more than once because I pack TOO MUCH STUFF. I some how can't seem to get over the "I may need this" syndrome when I'm getting ready to go.
Any others that come to mind?

I've found myself triple portaging sometimes, most recently this past trip thru the Death March. Sometimes it's because I have too much gear, other times because it's a short portage and I don't want to kill myself.

But, like you, I sometimes pack "TOO MUCH STUFF". But, like you, I'd rather pack those creature comforts than go without. To those who can canoe without much, my hat's off to you. But I enjoy a chair, screen tent, extra fishing gear, a bigger tent, reflector oven, fresh food, etc, etc. And if I get a headache, I always pack extra tylenol, motrin, and vodka.

not so much a headache, just a little frustration.

navigation...i need to get past always second guessing whether im really at where i think im at. 99.9% of the time i am right but im always questioning myself.

The biggest frustration for me is loading and unloaded the canoe at portages. Take out the pack, the canoe floats away. Turn to get the pack to put in, the canoe floats away, GRrrrrr....

Mostly just not having someone there to share it with. Of course that usually erases the freedom part, if they were there. Can't have it all.

to much stuff...alone with no one to provide a back up flash light or whatever i take to many backups.i triple portage keeping the packs around 45 pounds.things like stove fuel,tang and pancake mix are the heavy items.
yes the load and unload are a major hassle,i like to keep my feet dry and do a lot of fooling around to land in just the right spot to keep them that way.
camp chores..just getting water, the tent and shelter up the pack hung,wood if i want a fire all take time and energy and the same with packing and moving out which i try and do every day.
the "no one to look over you shoulder" problem in camp and on the carries.
wind-wind-wind..with two people you can push against just about anything,i have found myself using the paddle as a push pole to move along the shoreline into the wind.

Here's my big beef about solo trips: There's no one to take photos of fish! I hate that. I've caught some big fish in my little boat, but no proof.

My wife thinks that I don't fish on my annual solo trip. I took a photo of my fishing gear set up with the leader and the lure on the line. No accusations this year, although it was so windy, that all I caught were two rocks from the shore. Lost two lures that I should have tossed years ago. Sounds like a good excuse for a Cabela's day trip to Hoffman Estates, IL, and maybe a side trip to REI in Schaumburg, IL. Silver lining in every cloud . . .

TomW

I don't romanticize solos. I did months-long solo trips when I still a kid. Cut an artery and the tannin-stained waters of the north will leak out. Cut a vein and the muddied waters of the south will trickle out. I think solos function as a rite of passage for some, but I passed through that rite decades ago. I'm pragmatic when it comes to solos. I like not having to care for someone else. I like being free to veer. I like being free to scrape the cracklings from the pan without having to ask, "Do you want some?" I don't like adjusting to the noisy night. I love getting the first cast at all the sweet spots. When canoeing with someone else, I'm in the stern 99.9% of the time and that means I get the scraps.

Here's what I don't like about soloing:

It is noisy in the woods and it puts me on edge for the first night or two.

I have to carry everything.

No fish pics.


That's about it. Otherwise, it's all good.

quote missmolly: "Here's my big beef about solo trips: There's no one to take photos of fish! I hate that. I've caught some big fish in my little boat, but no proof."

Ah huh... WE believe you...

I have to agree with the "TO MUCH STUFF". I can usually double portage and only triple portage like PK on the shorter ones. Food is the big one for me. I may try a shorter trip next year in the BW. If Lord willing I get back to the WCPP, it won't be short. My ambitions there are kind of big...

quote nctry: "

quote missmolly: "Here's my big beef about solo trips: There's no one to take photos of fish! I hate that. I've caught some big fish in my little boat, but no proof."

Ah huh... WE believe you..."

Is that the royal we or are you typing by committee?

quote missmolly: "

quote nctry: "

quote missmolly: "Here's my big beef about solo trips: There's no one to take photos of fish! I hate that. I've caught some big fish in my little boat, but no proof."

Ah huh... WE believe you..."

Is that the royal we or are you typing by committee? "

Ha Ha.. I usually include Bernice as if she had input in anything... (She's my paddlin buddy and dog). I hope you took no offence as I was just teasing. Of all the fishing people on this site I think of you as one of the best. When you mentioned your long excursions of the past it reminded me of the times I used to dissappear for weeks on end. Sometimes I wondered if anyone even realized where I'd been. I used to go up to Wallace lake up in Manitoba and paddle my little mini adventures. I had a good relationship with the forest service up there so at least somebody knew where I was.

quote nctry: "

quote missmolly: "

quote nctry: "

quote missmolly: "Here's my big beef about solo trips: There's no one to take photos of fish! I hate that. I've caught some big fish in my little boat, but no proof."

Ah huh... WE believe you..."

Is that the royal we or are you typing by committee? "

Ha Ha.. I usually include Bernice as if she had input in anything... (She's my paddlin buddy and dog). I hope you took no offence as I was just teasing. Of all the fishing people on this site I think of you as one of the best. When you mentioned your long excursions of the past it reminded me of the times I used to dissappear for weeks on end. Sometimes I wondered if anyone even realized where I'd been. I used to go up to Wallace lake up in Manitoba and paddle my little mini adventures. I had a good relationship with the forest service up there so at least somebody knew where I was."

No offense. I was teasing right back. I don't think I'm an especially good fisher. I just fish in exceptionally good places.

quote missmolly: "...I don't think I'm an especially good fisher. I just fish in exceptionally good places."

Now I would think that is by far the best summary for most of us paddlers/fishers...

quote missmolly: "Here's my big beef about solo trips: There's no one to take photos of fish! I hate that. I've caught some big fish in my little boat, but no proof."

Very true....

Only done one little solo but I was thinking, when the going got tough: crap, I have to do all this hard work myself?! But in the end, I think that's what makes the trip great...the challenge. It's the sense of accomplishment.

quote PineKnot: "

quote missmolly: "...I don't think I'm an especially good fisher. I just fish in exceptionally good places."

Now I would think that is by far the best summary for most of us paddlers/fishers..."

Yep. Where you are matters more than what you know. If the fish are numerous and ignorant enough of fishers, than your numerous mistakes and ignorance are canceled. This works up to a point. I have found that great lakes break down lesser equipment. You can only catch so many fish on a poor reel or old line before they betray you.

quote Sierra1: "

quote missmolly: "Here's my big beef about solo trips: There's no one to take photos of fish! I hate that. I've caught some big fish in my little boat, but no proof."

Very true...."

Yep, but at least I remember the big ones. I truly do. I especially remember those big pike that I hooked on six-pound test with no steel leader. I've left most of the big muskies I've caught in the water too. They're just too much fish to bring into a little boat by myself.

I for one take way TO MUCH stuff, according to most...but like PineKnot I like my comforts and good food, and especially the chair and reflector oven... with that said, the biggest reason I like solo, is being able to experience all of the trip and experience's in a very quite, solitude atmosphere. I think it is good for my soul.
That is what I really like about the solo.
SunCatcher

quote missmolly: "Here's my big beef about solo trips: There's no one to take photos of fish! I hate that. I've caught some big fish in my little boat, but no proof."

Have you ever thought of dropping the fish in the bottom of the canoe for a minute while snapping a photo? While on my last trip (my first solo), I got a smaller pike. Since I could tell it was well-hooked, I was able to pull out the camera and take a few quick photos before unhooking it.



Where there's a will, there's a way.

From my first solo last month (Oct. 2011), I discovered on particular headache. On travel days, I like getting on the water as early as possible. When traveling with a group, there's usually someone getting breakfast ready while others are breaking camp. As a solo paddler, since you have to do it all, everything gets stretched out, meaning you get out on the water later in the morning.

As to the portages, I've decided that double or triple really isn't that bad. I took my camera with me on some of the walk-backs (to where gear was waiting), and I treated them more like a nature hikes. It took the pressure off, and let me enjoy the scenery.

quote HikingStick: "From my first solo last month (Oct. 2011), I discovered on particular headache. On travel days, I like getting on the water as early as possible. When traveling with a group, there's usually someone getting breakfast ready while others are breaking camp. As a solo paddler, since you have to do it all, everything gets stretched out, meaning you get out on the water later in the morning.


As to the portages, I've decided that double or triple really isn't that bad. I took my camera with me on some of the walk-backs (to where gear was waiting), and I treated them more like a nature hikes. It took the pressure off, and let me enjoy the scenery."

Congrats on your first solo. I too like to get a good start, but also like to "enjoy my coffee" in the morning. In june I was paddling with a guy who I always felt under the gun as far as my mornings went. I didn't once sit and enjoy the place I worked so hard to get to. I liked my solo trip as I could get up and enjoy my surroundings such as the mist on the water and the sun coming up. I get a system down for my morning rituals and still get off at a decent time. One trick is to get up (and October might mean before sun rise) and before exiting the tent having all your stuff in the tent packed and ready to go. Have a system down that works for you. Even practice at home. I have to have a good breakfast so I do everything I can to do it... get it done and with the least amount of work. Some days it's breakfast bars and get going. But usually it's eggs (this year with rehydrated salsa)and sometimes with pancakes. If I keep my dishes under control and work quickly it goes pretty good. My key to getting up is to go to bed at a decent hour. Sometimes the bugs help this to happen. Just make sure your fire is out.

quote nctry: "One trick is to get up (and October might mean before sun rise) and before exiting the tent having all your stuff in the tent packed and ready to go."

I picked that one up from my old Scoutmaster, Don Herhold in northern Illinois. In general, I never leave my tent until my gear is packed. During my solo, this meant until everything was in it's stuff sack or dry bag and tossing it out of the tent. Since the only pack I was using was a rubber dry bag (for tent, pad, sleeping bag, clothes, and misc.), I couldn't do a final pack until I had the tent down and rolled, but otherwise would have had that one packed, too. It is definitely a great time saver, especially when you are trying to get your scout troop home before midday on a Sunday morning (once the kids learn the lesson).

I, too, enjoy the mornings. If I didn't spend that time watching and exploring, I wouldn't get so many great pictures.

quote bear bait: "The biggest frustration for me is loading and unloaded the canoe at portages. Take out the pack, the canoe floats away. Turn to get the pack to put in, the canoe floats away, GRrrrrr...."

I also find this to be one of the annoying things about soloing - the landing, loading/unloading, and putting on the yoke/taking off the yoke. Then there's the paddling in the wind with half the paddle power, the slightly heavier loads, plus all the extra time it takes to do all the camp chores myself. But, there are some compensations...

Honestly... one of the main reasons I solo is so I can enjoy the time by myself without having to listen to others complain about how hard the trip is. :)

to much gear, but this year, i am going back to my hennessy hammock. that will allow me to single portage. i love the portages and the walking, but i will travel further in a week, and see more area's.
safely, it can be done.

isn't that the truth brent! god i just can't listen to whiners.

No headaches that are not cured by a little hard work.
Solo trips are much more work but they are also more relaxing for me, as I can stop when I want, take a nap where I want and generally poke along at a much slower pace. I am not a death march guy on solos. Once I get a few miles in and off the beaten path I really have no place to be so I take my time and enjoy the wilderness. I pack light and still double portage. I do not fish so I do not have to deal with the fish chasers. The only schedule I have to keep is meeting the plane or getting back to the car, the rest is simply poking along.

I agree with Nctry. My mornings are quick..one hour from get up to go.I pack the contents of the tent before exiting..pack the tent while the water is boiling etc.

I find that with groups the getting going is much longer. It takes time to move an army. Someone always has to look for something, take a pic, take a pee etc.

And solo I am not happy with being on the water after eight.Usually its before. Once I my watch got reset without me noticing and when I finally found someone days later found that: no the sun had not set at midnight and I was not on the water at nine.. I was working hard to get up so early and it did not work. Turned out the sun set at nine and I was on the water each day at six am.

This next trip next week in order to beat the tide I will be up at three am and on the water at four in the dark.

I thought I was losing the solo bug, but I read this thread and it's straight back there. (But oh no....not sure I have enough vacation time next summer....)

The biggest headache/worry is getting sick or hurt. I tore my rotary cuff on the portage into Frost Lake last year falling on my left shoulder and could not paddle with my left arm. When this happens you are not sure what to do (call for help, hit the emergency button on a SPOT-if you have one, tell someone camping near you that you need help or what ?). Since no one is there to help, you have to make multiple difficult decisions yourself. It could be tough if you were hurt badly or got sick also. You have to do all the work around camp and figure a way to get back out of BWCA - this is difficult when you are hurt or sick. In my case, I rested for 2 days until I could paddle and portage out with help from other parties going out. But this now will always be the biggest worry for me on future solo trips which I am planning on doing this upcoming summer. Hopefully I will not get hurt again, but how do you know.

i changed my mind. i really dont have any solo headaches. i love the challenge of being alone on a long trip. makes me feel alive again. last septembers trip has made me look for something even longer now...time and miles. 2012 will be a group solo with friends, a much needed trip. 2013 trip will be something really big i hope, God willing.

push yourself. yould be amazed at what you can accomplish when you do. set the bar high.