26-05-09, 08:44 AM
Hi to all of you out there.
I joined a month ago but get little time due to having now been retired for 11 years, let's just say I'm over 60.
My canoeing history?
Started at 8 years old in Cardiff docks, ( 1956,) our cub pack was affiliated to the local Sea Scouts.
First big trip was at 18 years old,(1967,) I attempted to canoe in a Canadian canoe from Milk River in Canada to New Orleans. Spent two months on the water starting within 60 miles of the Rockies and made South Dakota. Lived out on the bank and hunted and begged food from ranchers on the way. There were two of us and it was a Centenial project to mark the 100 years of the Canadian Nation.
A wild interesting trip sleeping out ( no tents,) with wild coyotees prowling on the opposite banks, it was also beaver country.
In recent years apart from trips down the Ardeche and Tarne gorges in France I have been canoeing down the Wye, ( a three day trip from just below Builth Wells to Ross-on-wye,).
One of the worst trips was with my wife who lost her two front teeth when she broached a rapid in the Ardeche. ( She's just about forgiven me now, 10 years later.) She has two lovely porcelains.
Biggest trip in recent years was three years ago when I took my Old Town, Canadian, to the upper waters of the Saone in France and spent a week leisurely canoeing down what is a very wide, well travelled, river. I met boats on their way to the Atlantic and was swamped the first night by a very large barge at dusk, where the part of the river has very high steel banks for 5 miles and no way out.
The portages of a half a mile had to be done in three trips which meant a total of 3 miles walking there and back for all the gear, this was a solo trip. I managed to reach just above Macon which is just above Lyons.
Unfortunately for me it was slog all the way as there is no flow.
Today I am off to the Arun, having palnned this for a few weeks and it's the wettest day for a month.
Future trips?
Beginning of July, I'm off to the Ardeche and Pirynees with the Old Town for 12 days solo canoeing.
I spend much of the summer off-shore at Pett Level in East Sussex mackerel fishing from the canoe.
When the wind is right I sail with the aid of an umbrella from Hastings to Pett Level about 6 miles, sometimes a mile off shore to catch the wind.[/size][/font]
Silverbuzzard
I joined a month ago but get little time due to having now been retired for 11 years, let's just say I'm over 60.
My canoeing history?
Started at 8 years old in Cardiff docks, ( 1956,) our cub pack was affiliated to the local Sea Scouts.
First big trip was at 18 years old,(1967,) I attempted to canoe in a Canadian canoe from Milk River in Canada to New Orleans. Spent two months on the water starting within 60 miles of the Rockies and made South Dakota. Lived out on the bank and hunted and begged food from ranchers on the way. There were two of us and it was a Centenial project to mark the 100 years of the Canadian Nation.
A wild interesting trip sleeping out ( no tents,) with wild coyotees prowling on the opposite banks, it was also beaver country.
In recent years apart from trips down the Ardeche and Tarne gorges in France I have been canoeing down the Wye, ( a three day trip from just below Builth Wells to Ross-on-wye,).
One of the worst trips was with my wife who lost her two front teeth when she broached a rapid in the Ardeche. ( She's just about forgiven me now, 10 years later.) She has two lovely porcelains.
Biggest trip in recent years was three years ago when I took my Old Town, Canadian, to the upper waters of the Saone in France and spent a week leisurely canoeing down what is a very wide, well travelled, river. I met boats on their way to the Atlantic and was swamped the first night by a very large barge at dusk, where the part of the river has very high steel banks for 5 miles and no way out.
The portages of a half a mile had to be done in three trips which meant a total of 3 miles walking there and back for all the gear, this was a solo trip. I managed to reach just above Macon which is just above Lyons.
Unfortunately for me it was slog all the way as there is no flow.
Today I am off to the Arun, having palnned this for a few weeks and it's the wettest day for a month.
Future trips?
Beginning of July, I'm off to the Ardeche and Pirynees with the Old Town for 12 days solo canoeing.
I spend much of the summer off-shore at Pett Level in East Sussex mackerel fishing from the canoe.
When the wind is right I sail with the aid of an umbrella from Hastings to Pett Level about 6 miles, sometimes a mile off shore to catch the wind.[/size][/font]
Silverbuzzard
I think you have enough experiance for the lot of us. 
Good to have you along for the trip.