Seagull Outfitters Paddler’s Tales
Solo Canoe-Camping
By: Ralph Watkins
Choosing a lightweight Kevlar solo canoe from Seagull Outfitters I’ve enjoyed several solo trips into Seagull and beyond. Since I’m a senior and not the strongest paddler, my preference is to get a tow as far into Seagull as possible, portage once into Alpine, and set up camp to stay several days. With an early morning start I can be in my site for lunch.
The benefits of solo canoe-camping are several:
Since there is no one to talk with, on the lake or in camp, it’s quiet. The result is I see more wildlife.- A pair of moose once thundered through my campsite.
- At dusk a “fish hawk” (goshawk?) came up off the water in a hurry and flew high speed straight toward my face. Dumbfounded, I held its gaze in mine and it veered off at the last second.
- Another time, with binoculars, I watched as a loon worked so hard to swallow a fish too large for it.
- Once I watched two loons swim away from an area leaving behind two “golf balls” floating on the surface of the water. When I paddled there the golf balls turned out to be two white loon feathers, which I still have.
- Once a duck swam to my site, walked ashore and up to me, looked up and said, “Give me something to eat, right now!” and refused to leave until I had done so.”
- Another thing I do that enhances my wilderness experience is to not take along a timepiece of any kind. It helps me connect with nature and my own body senses.
Since there is no one to talk with, on the lake or in camp, it’s quiet. The result is I see more wildlife.Solo canoe-camping is risky, however the benefits are well worth it.
