Playing it safe

One of the most important aspects of going out in the woods is safety. We need to be prepared, bring everything we need for survival, and be equipped in case something goes wrong. Hopefully we never have to use some of the items we bring. We have been adding some items to our kit for safety. Just because we haven't been faced with anything too scary, it doesn't mean it won't ever happen.

First and foremost - PFDs, personal flotation devices. As discussed in a previous post here, I wear my lifejacket when I'm in the canoe 99.99% of the time. And I encourage LT to do so as well.

Ready to go

First aid kit - we've been building on this and probably are carrying more first aid items this year than we have in the past. Like I said, just because we haven't needed it before doesn't mean we shouldn't have it on hand. We have some alcohol wipes, gauze pads, tape, and a tensor bandage. We also have some after bite, which is not an emergency item, but well used during June and July. L.T. has added some antibiotic cream, gauze and tape. 

I've added a tick remover. It's not very big and we've been lucky so far, so I'll tuck that into my pack. I also picked up a waterproof match box. We both carry a couple of lighters and I have a great flexible long-nose lighter that is refillable. It's another just-in-case item.

Match box and tick remover

I have a bear bell on the outside of my backpack. Although I probably don't need it as I'm usually talking as I'm walking through the woods on a portage to distract myself from the effort of what I'm doing. 

We have bear spray, which is a large can of pepper spray. The range is about 9 meters, so that bear has to be pretty close if you decide to use it. And the wind better be blowing in his direction not yours! I'm probably more likely to just toss the canister at the bear. 

This is a picture from the MEC website, check it out here.

We both carry Aquatabs, which are used to make lake water potable. We've never used them as we have two forms of water purification in our kit, a filtering system and an ultraviolet light Steripen. I have the Aquatabs handy in a side pocket, easy access.

In the same pocket I have an emergency fire starting kit with several fire starters and a lighter in a Ziploc plastic bag.

I've added an emergency blanket, I got it at the dollar store, so it wasn't a big investment. It's really only a silver plastic sheet that when placed against your body is supposed to reflect the heat you generate back to you. Cheap, small and light.

Pen for perspective

LT has added 2 whistles and 2 LED light beacons to our life jackets. The light is primarily designed for bikes, but it's a button-type light and he's managed to secure it in a fashion that it points forward and is flush with the vest.

And this may not seem like much of a safety item, but having a second set of car keys with us adds to a sense of security in case the first set is lost.

We both carry the same map with us. We use Jeff's maps, which are plastic and will float. One of us just might set the map down on a portage end and forget to bring it with us.  We double up on some items, like our stoves. This is in case one of the stoves fails during the trip. 

We carry an extra paddle. This is one that sometimes comes along with us. Or we bring a regular paddle. We've collected a few, we have 5 total including this one:

Do you have any extra safety precautions you take that you would recommend?

Boldly going where I haven't gone before...preparation

July 28 and 29, 2016 - Lac La Peche, Quebec

LT and I make a pretty good team. We are used to travelling with each other. We each have our own tasks we do while canoe camping. He's a foot taller than me, so he gets all the jobs that are high up (like tying the center line for the bug shelter). And he's much stronger than me, he does all the heavy lifting.

This summer I happen to be a bit more flexible for when I can go camping and he's less flexible because of, well, life. So I decided to ask a friend to go on an overnight trip with me to Lac La Peche. This trip was about going somewhere I'd never gone camping and taking on tasks I'd never done because LT is always there to do them for me.

This lake is fairly close by, just under an hour's drive from home. It's in the Gatineau Park. It does not have any car camping, like at Lac Phillippe. You can make the reservations online. It even has pictures you can check out of the campsites before you select one. All the camping sites are canoe-in sites. There are no hike-in sites. 

Here's a link to the website: https://reservations.ncc-ccn.gc.ca/GatineauPark%2fLaP%C3%AAcheLake%3fMap

Here's what the map of sites looks like:

Map from the Gatineau Park website

The online reservation system works pretty good. I did change our reservation from Monday night to Thursday night due to weather, which cost an extra $11.50. But that was money well spent to ensure a more pleasant experience.

My friend, Liz, had never been canoe camping before and I thought this trip would be a good introduction, mainly because I wasn't going to make her portage. When I checked with her for gear, she was able to get a sleeping bag. Other than that, I would provide all the gear and she would bring her own lunch and snacks. She came over to my place a couple of times so we could talk about what to expect for the trip. I talked with her about what food I'd supply, I showed her most of my gear. I have two regular tents (not lightweight or small). We set up both of them in the park behind my place to see which one we'd bring. And to check that I had all the gear needed for either tent. We chose the newer one.

Set up at the campsite

I would have to drive over to LT's before he left for work on Thursday and pick up the canoe. Then our adventure would start!

Day 1                                            Day 2

Check, check, check....

Enjoying yourself out in the backcountry happens when you're prepared. You're prepared if you've planned well. And planning requires a checklist.

There are multiple places online where you can download someone's version of their checklist of what they need when they go backcountry canoe camping. It's a good place to start, then you improve it by adding your own gear that you bring and feel is essential to a good trip experience.

Did I forget anything?

I recommend printing out your own checklist and using it when packing. Get a pen and cross those items off the list. Or you might forget something essential. It happens.

Here's a list of each individual item that I usually carry:

• sleeping bag
• pillow
• clothes
• toiletries
• air mattress
• stove
• fuel bottle
• camping oven (really just a special pot cozy cover)
• heat diffuser (for evening out the heat from the stove flame)
• pots, frypan, lid, handle, pot cozies
• my own dishes (plate, mug, knife, fork, spoon)
• 2 one-litre Nalgene bottles
• silicone measuring cup (to add water to dehydrated foods)
• cooking utensils
• kettle
• scrubber/sponge
• dishtowels
• camp soap
• multi-tool (pocket knife)
• water filtration system
• large water bag (to take water from the lake)
• spare filter for water filtration system
• pocket shower
• mosquito coils
• Hennesy Hammock
• extra tarp
• chair
• kneeling pad (I mostly use it as a table surface on the ground)
• bug hat and bug shirt
• gloves
• bug spray and sunscreen
• camera
• notebook and pen
• map
• clear map bag
• sunglasses
• reading glasses (2 pairs)
• toilet paper
• biodegradeable baby wipes
• small shovel (in case there's no thunderbox)
• headlamp
• mini tent lamp/flashlight
• bear bell
• rainjacket
• personal towel (1 small, 1 large)
• dried food bag with food

Here are some of the things that LT carries besides the same personal items that we both need:

• saw
• extra tarp
• compass
• map
• map bag with clear side
• waist bag
• bug shelter
• bug shelter tarp
• extra tent pegs
• sink
• special cord with pulley to hang food away from the bears
• extra paddle
• Thermocell with canisters and inserts

All packed up