This POTD is pretty basic, but I really liked the idea of paddling through caves and so thought I’d post it. It
comes from petitshoo’s photostream and is one of several
photos of paddling Izu Peninsula.
Rafting in California
A few posts now on California, where I happen to be.
The amazing rains in the state this winter and spring have created an abundance of rafting opportunities throughout
the Golden State. Places that years ago were struggling because of a drought are now booming. Outfitters are adding
rafting trips to their daily schedules, but even with bookings 60% above average in some places, some holiday dates
already are sold out. One place to check out if you are looking to do some rafting in California is the
Kern River. Check out
this site for more info about the Kern, and
here for the South Fork of the American River, another favorite. Industry
insiders are expecting higher than average river levels this year, so be careful if you head out. The good news is that
the season will likely be extended due to the ample water flow, and may extend a month or so later than usual, through
August or September.
Watershed Dry Bags
Any long paddling trip, or even a scuba trip for that matter, requires that you keep your gear dry. I almost lost a
camera once thinking it wasn’t going to get wet, and then when my boat tipped it almost slipped into the deep blue
yonder. A $1000 camera gone like that. Fortunately, I caught it, but what I should have had on that trip was a good dry
bag. Now, whenever I’m paddling I bring one along. On long paddles, I bring several.
If you’re in need of a good dry bag, an excellent place to look is Watershed. They even nailed the domain
drybags.com, so you know they’re doing something right. One bag to look
at is the
Watershed Yukon. It runs about $125 and has welded seams and a pretty nifty “Zipdry” closure. These bags keep out
the moisture extremely well, and allow to carry valuables you might not otherwise bring….like a camera, spare clothing,
food, camping stove, and so on.
Inka Pen
I am a pen fanatic. Sounds weird, I know, but over the years I’ve used so many crappy pens that I now am pretty
finicky about what I take with me. If you rifle through my pockets on any particular day (hey! stop that!), you can
usually find at least one (often more than one) Uni-ball Micro, black.
But now I have another favorite. I just got my hands on an Inka
Pen, a real outdoorsman’s pen.
The Inka pen in the brainchild of Greg Adelman, an optical engineer, who came up with the idea for a new kind of
outdoor writing instrument while doing field work for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, where he
helped oceanographers design instruments for oceanic research.
In the course of his work, he discovered there was a real niche for a pen that could hold up under extreme
conditions. Most pens (even my beloved Uni-balls) don’t handle wet, windy conditions, and so Adelman began to think
about creating a pen that you could take anywhere. The result is the Inka pen, which uses a pressurized ink cartridge
that writes in heat, cold, upside down, at high altitudes and under water.
It is great. I keep it now right on my keychain, and even went paddling with it recently. The
uniqueness of the pen stems from its non-corrosive casing, complete with a watertight seal built to withstand harsh
environments. The pen folds up nicely, halving its size when it’s not in use. And it’s ridiculously light, weighing in
at a mere 0.6 ounce.
Completely weaning me from my Uni-balls is probably impossible, but I now take the Inka wherever I go.
Paddlesport Leadership School
And while we’re on the topic of summer events, here’s another one for paddlers: The
American Canoe Association is holding the ACA 2005
Paddlesport Leadership School and Encampment in
Prince William Forest, Virginia. The event runs from July 30 through August 3
and will include a wide range of programs and activities for paddlesport education, stewardship and recreation
programming.