Open Invitation to Quetico this fall 2004

[Swampy]

John Depa gave me a great idea here. To post an open invitation to all for a trip into the Canadian park Quetico.
It is located just above the Boundry Water Canoe Area (BWCA) in northern Minnisota.
I would also like any input on this trip. If you have paddled the area please feel free to comment on your trip (s). Also any ideas, suggestions, camping thoughts, gear, canoe thoughts are welcomed.
Got a special trip in mind? Share it!
Right now there is a firm comitment of four to paddle after Labor Day of this year. There maybe some on the shore almost ready to cast off with us. Some plan to be on the water for 5-6 days and myself longer. (maybe)
So give us some advise, tips, prayers... what ever you have in mind is food for thought...
swampy

 

[DocMobius]

Swampy

What type of boat are you considering for this trip? You might want to work up an gear list of do's and do not's. Where will you start and end?

Inquiring minds want to know!

I'll be following this thread as I dream of making a trip like this.

DocMobius

 

[Swampy]

Doc, I'm building a wood striper right now. Just finished lofting. Will get frames up within next few weeks ( other things going on too). It's a Gil Gilpatric canoe from his book "Building a Strip Canoe". The Wabniki canoe. It looks to be sweet. I am thinking of blending some 1/8" ply above the troublehome of 1/4" cedar... this should bring it around 50-55 Lbs. I have a choice of it or build a Kevlar canoe... but no experince here with Kevlar and the frame/mold... the book does show how to build the Kevlar from start to finish. James Moran's book Building Your Kevlar Canoe" is the one I am refering to on Kevlar. That canoe weighs 20 pounds at 16 feet long... tell me I ain't tempted!!! But a striper would be class act and keep portages down to a minimum... maybe... well ... sort of... :wink:

Want to get into Quetico... leaving the American side will cost us in time.
Closest that I can figger to get to Canadian side is around Sea Gull River at an outfitter there ( Voyager's). A 4.5 mile shuttle to the Canadian waters and then it's a choice to where there is "least" amount of people and a greater chance of wild life... Moose and wolves are mostly in the eastern parts of this area ( and BWCA). Now if we go north into Canada the thought is putting in at a town called Atikokin which is on the north side of the Quetico Park. That would place us into a more wild area than a launch from the US side. But other thoughts have to be considered before we set the trip layout firm. This trip is for a 4-6 day paddle... hence the time/place figgering out. Some will spend longer time , me for instance if I carry no one else with me. I'd love to stay till snow drives me out! But that's just a dream....
We are looking at a date after Labor Day so there is less crowds and bugs...
Doc... I know yer busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest but maybe ya can get away for a bit and join us... maybe even get Sparkey to go!!!! I think he's terrified of the mice up there when John Depa told us about those critters in his report last fall. ( Jack, I think is planning a menue around them for supper one night... was it "cry of the Wolf" that I'm thinking of here?)
Jack and I have been looking at some camping gear already. I believe I'll use the Hennessee hammock on this one... but will carry a tent in the truck if I find out up there that the hammock will not benifit me. But I think it will. I'll use a fly over it most of the time...
swampy

 

[Kayak Jack]

Hammocks

I'll be taking my hammock. Probably, Charlie will too. I haven't camped in a tent in three years. Gentlemen drink Scotch & tea, and sleep in the air. And NEVER - no never - touch gritz!

(We don't touch gritz either .... we use a spoon ..Chuck. )

 

[Swampy]

IZ THAT OUR BOY AND HIZ RED PEN?!?!!!!

Knew he'd have a lap top around!!! lol :lol:

Jack...... gritz iz on the menue... am planing to sabatage yer food bag and you'd be forced to eat gritz!!! lol

swampy

 

[Kayak Jack]

Swampus,

I gotta cloth bag made out of a Levi leg, I carry my ropes & pulleys in it to hoist up food bags. If I need an anchor, I fill it with rocks and tie a rope to it. I'll loan it to you when you go swimming. And ... you WILL go swimming.

Or, we could fill it with gritz and drain the lake.

 

[Swampy]

mmmmmmm got me some planing to do here.....
How to sabatouge Jack's breakfast foodz and git away wit it.... mmmm..
blame it on the mice??? ..... could work..... where's mah swim trunks????

Solution: carry "yellow" gritz.... the boy is fond of 'em... :wink:

swampy

this is gonna be one wonderful trip!!!

 

[DocMobius]

Swampy

Keep us posted on this trip. I will try to make it, but I can't commit just yet. I will know more in a few months.

What about permits and do we need passports? Tons of questions flood my mind, but I'm sure we will have all this worked out soon nuf. I'll be living in Missouri then and the trip will be only 800 miles or so, much closer than Florida by 1000 miles.

The idea of this trip is just what I needed to get my mind off moving 3 family's to Missouri. Now the other son-n-law wants to move up there too, so the wagon train only gets bigger.

ALL ABOARD next stop Missouri!!! :lol:

DocMobius
Wagon Master for the FeebleMinded

 

[Swampy]

Doc, we'll have all the info together. To cross over to Canada , yoour driver's licence is all you'll need. Park permits will be needed if we go in before Sept 15th. There will be a fee to camp in there. Don't know the rates yet for 2004.
Yea, you'll need a vacation after settling four families!!!! Gonna name the area after you? I can see it now...FORT DOC ....
will keep all posted on how we're doing... and hope to hear from all on ideas and such.

swampy

 

[Pirogue]

Swampy,

Quetico, fantastic.

But, as much as I would love to go this year, I must decline.

Why you ask? (ya gonna ask aren't ya?, huh? are ya?)

3 buddies and I are going to do BWCA in 2005! Yeah, buddy, our group leader gave us the surveys the other day to fill out individually, then we will bring them together and taylor a trip based on the general concensis.

He got a notice that this particular outfitter has sold his limit for this year so we are going to try and go Sept next year.

Also, a couple months ago my boss mentioned me going on an Alaska trip with him this August. I haven't heard much since then but am still holding out.

 

[Swampy]

Pirogue what a great idea to help with panning the trip! A questionaire! Grand!
No word of crowding from Voyager ... but this trip will be after the crowds leave for the summer season.
Alaska! Now there is a trip worth holding your breath for!

Yea, your were gonna get a special "why ain't ya going?" question! lol

swampy

 

[draino]

I want in. I wouldnt be thinking straight fer a second if I didnt make an effort ta come with ya. Keep me informed,here or thru the message list anything I can do to help, Ill do. If by chance your drive up this way comes close to the detroit area ya have a place to stay.

 

[Swampy]

Draino, that's great!
But I got a "pad" in Taylor when I get up into the Motown area. Thanks though!
Your on the list now.
This makes a group of six now. From the forum we have Kayak Jack, Doc Mobis, Draino and yours truely. Sparkey is waivering in the back ground. I think it's a fear of Jack sabatoging his gritz! :shock:
The park has a mandatory limit of ten in a group. We're four short of that right now. By the by, John Depa may be in here also as John wants to make his annual Quetico trip durring this time frame. But John is taking care of his dad. So 3-4 more can sign up and paddle in the wilderness this fall.

swampy
ps Draino can you send me a not via e-mail so that with one "click" I can add you to the present list of in and out going e-mails for the planning?
Feelers for the exact dates out on the waters are being gathered right now.

 

[draino]

Swampy , did ya get my note?
A couple of questions if ya dont mind. Is a Uncle Johns pirouge enough for the trip and any advise on what web site I might study on to get my best info?

Always willing to build a different boat or setup the SSdraino for sail power if need be. Will there be any sailers?
Thanks Duane

 

[Kayak Jack]

Draino,

Uncle John's pirogue is not a good boat for the Canadian Shield country. In calm water, it would be excellent, and we may, in fact, have some of that. It cannot be counted on. You should have something capable of handling 2' - 2 1/2' waves should the occasion arise.

Leave the flat bottomed boat at home, and bring a semi-rounded or shallow arch hull.

 

[Swampy]

Duane, Jack is right on here. Two canoes come to mind for anyone to build. One is from a book that Michstripcanoe ( Al Dansen) showed chuck and I at St Mary's last December.
"Building a Strip Canoe" has several beautiful canoes in it. I am working on the Wabnika, Al has built three Paddle Ducks. And they are sweet!
There are some great canoes in the tape and glue department. Chuck has built a Prospector in plywood. He's got pictures of it.
Most boat plan companies have their offerings in ply planking.
Matt of JEM fame here on the forum has some beautiful crafts also. And he'll design whatever you want in a canoe or boat.
In my favorite folder on the web I have a very lengthy list of boat plans.
I have mentioned my favorites so far.
It'll take a lot of looking and asking about plans that will instill you to start building. Be conservitive.... look at three months to build. Especially your first one. Use quality wood for a keeper and cheap for a 'try outer".
After reading Jack and Ed's posts under spontoons, any boat may work out as far as lake traveling. It's the bottom of the canoes/boats in inland waters that can sink ya. Here 3/8" bottoms with graphite covered bottoms should keep you afloat.
swampy

 

[draino]

Thanks all for the tips. I did quite a bit of studying on strip boats before i came upon the plywood pirogues. I even read Canoecraft cover to cover,although I havnt read the newest additions on how to strip w/o staples. I do enjoy working on the boats , currently the Uncle Johns and a Cheap canoe. I figure that I better get those done quickly and start again. A plywood prospector interestes me, i'll look that up as with the others that you had mentioned .With the price of the strip canoe kits being so much I think that the experience of building,glassing and finnishing on plywood will give me the confidence to some day build a nice strip canoe without to much worries that it wont look good.
Back to the basement for me. Duane

 

[oldsparkey]

draino

I made the Peterborough from 1/8 th inch wood and it weighs 42 pounds. building time was just over 30 day's. I can e-mail you a picture of it if you would like to see it.

Peterborough
http://www.selway-fisher.com/Opcan16.htm#PETER

It was between the Peterborough or the Pete.
http://www.selway-fisher.com/Opcan16.htm#PETE

Jack made the Christine.
http://www.selway-fisher.com/Opcan15.htm#CHRISTINE

Chuck.

 

[michstripcanoe]

Swampy: Been following the developments on the Quantico trip planned for this fall. Tentatively put me on your list to go on this one. The timing is just right for me. It is after the summer salmon runs on the great lakes, before the bow hunting seasons, and the fall color should be coming on strong in that part of the North. It all seems to promises to be a great group and a great time to be canoeing in that part of the world.

I just returned from another trip in Florida. I traveled with Bill Logan and a great guy Joe Fennell from Jupiter, Fl. We travelled for three days down the Ocklawaha. A river near Ocala, Fl. Chrystal clear water; it's source is the Silver Springs near Ocala and it was flowing about 3 1/2 MPH. Truly wild country. No road noise, saw a colony of monkeys, 1,000s of Ibis and other variaties of birds, 100s of gators, fish everywhere in the water, but it's deep swamp with only about 2 or 3 places to get out and stretch or camp. Beautiful river. Plan to take it if you get the chance.

Again, count me if for this fall. I have canoed that part of the world but it was in the 60's so it is probably quite different now. I think I mentioned this to you on the St Marys trip. Plan on doing some fishing because it is great walleye and Northern pike country. Man I can taste those walleye fillets over the campfire and that reminds me it's lunch time. Talking food made me hungry and I know the wife has shrimp for lunch---no-no-n0 gritz.

 

[Swampy]

Al! No gritz on the shrimp??? :lol:
That trip sounds like a wonderland trip. Got to place it on my "to do" list.
You must have grand weather down there as the gators here are laid down for a bit more time with the cold temps around here.
There maybe some changes in the Quetico trip. It is being chatted about right now. I'll get you into the e-mailing that is going on now. The problem ( if any) lies in the amount of time the "worker" are limited to ( two weeks total) vs the retired bunch who have eternity to trip! :lol: 8)
Are you familur with the Big Island Lake Wilderness Area in the UP?
It is just west of Seney Wildlife Refuge Area. This maybe the targeted area. It has the same amiemities that the Minnisota area has , yet one day's drive closer a dn another in returning. This would get you back into the Jackson County area to bow hunt... unless it's else where and yer not gonna tell us. :wink: lol
This will give us some 7-8 in the group.
swampy