It’s hunting season now and I’m glad I was out yesterday, because the steady, cold rain falling today makes it a fine day to stay warm and dry indoors. A couple of degrees colder and we’d be in the midst of a snowstorm, but so far November has been, like last year, unseasonable warm.
Looking out at my canoe shed, I can’t help but think how little I’ve gotten out paddling this past year. Sitting here with coffee, I'm feeling a little nostalgic, recalling all the experiences and places a canoe has taken me.
I grew up around various small watercraft; light fishing boats and flat-bottomed duck boats, but my canoe knowledge was limited. I was in high school when I’d saved enough money to buy a brand new 17-foot Grumman aluminum canoe. For not much more than two hundred bucks it came with two cheap paddles and two orange ox-collar PFDs. That was the start.
I kept that Grumman for years, hauling it atop my vehicle to the various places I lived and exploring the rivers and lakes around the state. It was my access to fishing, trapping, and recreation. Of course, the wilderness area became a favorite locale and after I settled down I couldn’t shake the lure of canoe country, and even though partners were easy to find, I was taken with the thought of solo paddling – going it alone. The Grumman was sold, and I went through several canoes of different materials before I was satisfied with one royalex for the rough stuff that would also serve as a tandem when needed and a light-weight kevlar solo canoe that has taken me hundreds of miles to wilderness waters and camps. The fishing was great, the sights wonderful, and the life outdoors incredible.
I hope those days aren’t over.
