✔pack gear in small bundles 5-, 10- and 15-litre dry bags work best for single kayaks. Nylon dry bags slide through hatches


better and take up less space than heavy plastic ones, and tapered dry bags make best use of the space in the ends of the kayak.


✔to dry bag or not to dry bag? Tents, tarps and other items that are likely to get wet anyway don’t need to be packed in dry bags,


particularly if your hatches are reasonably watertight.


✔the fridge and pantry Separate your provisions into dry (grains), cold (meat and dairy) and fragile (fruits, vegetables and eggs),


and pack like with like. For example, fragile fruits and vegetables should be kept in a well-marked stuff sack (these items need not be waterproofed) and loaded in the kayak in a place where they won’t be disturbed. Keep eggs in the shell in a secure location or crack them and freeze them in a sealed plastic container.


✔develop a packing routine Light-touring kayaks have more storage volume than an expedition-sized backpack, but it’s critical


CLOTHING and PERSONAL GEAR Toiletries


Paddling apparel


Beach and camp clothes Rain suit


Books, binos, camera First aid kit (in Nalgene bottle)


to pack with a plan. Load heavy, bulky items close to the bulkheads and long, light items in the ends of the boat. Practice at home. You’ll ap- preciate knowing where everything is the first time you set up camp in a rainstorm or pull ashore starving for lunch.


✔dealing with overflow It’s okay to pack some stuff in the cockpit, such as bladders of fresh water on ocean trips. But avoid strap-


ping gear to the deck where it will make your kayak top-heavy and impede rescues.


✔keep your bags packed While the warmth of your sleep- ing bag depends on keeping it loosely packed between trips, there’s no


reason why you can’t keep camp clothes, dry food staples, tent, tarp, cook- ing gear and paddling apparel dry-bagged and ready for your next trip.


✔raid your fridge Fresh fruit and veggies are all fair game, as are meat products for weekend trips in temperate climes. Your favourite


Saturday night dinner will whip up just as easily and taste even better at a wilderness campsite.


✔don’t bite off more than you can chew Draft a list of agreed-upon objectives and choose your destination and route


accordingly. Plan on paddling no more than 15 kilometres per day if your goal is relaxation.


Thousand Islands, ON. In First Nations lore, the islands of Lake Ontario’s eastern end were the petals of heavenly flowers. Today, the Thousand Islands Water Trail highlights nine paddling routes from Kingston to Brockville. paddle1000.com


Maine Island Trail, ME. A weekend trip barely ripples the surface of options for sea kayaking along this vast 560-ki- lometre-long swath of the Eastern Seaboard. Weigh the countless options at mita.org.


✔eliminate the shuttle Look for areas with lots of islands and plan a loop trip that returns to your point of departure to cut the time-


consuming hassle of jockeying cars before and/or after your trip.


✔mark charts and maps beforehand It’s impossible to work with maps and charts on the damp, cramped space of a kayak deck.


Highlight campsites, rest spots, hazards and magnetic compass bearings prior to departure, and seal your map or chart in a waterproof case.


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planning


packing


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