FL Survival / A Survival Community
General Forum => After Action Review => : myakka June 01, 2014, 10:23:36 AM
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We three are back, or traveling back, and I wanted to voice some lessons learned. Due to my ignorance and at my cohort's expense.
I didn't consider the water level on the river, and this slowed us way down and wiped us out physically. I had a specific campsite in mind and my willing comrades were willing long after reaching their physical limits.
In hindsite, I should have scouted the river last week instead of kayaking down a nearby creek. This would have alerted me to the condition of the river.
That being said, and our unmeasurable fatigue aside, it was wonderful. Capt Nat and Swampyankee were true to the image I had of them. They were kind, jovial, and courageous.
I will stop here to let them recount their thoughts and then may share some specific adventures.
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Oh wow--that sounds like a lot of fun!
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Siege, no exaggeration, I had the most fun on this trip that I have had in ages. Both guys were champs, and went out of the way to make it fun.
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I have no doubt. Put 3 good people together. Some water and kayaks. Poof......A great time.
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I learned so much this past weekend its kind of scary. :) Maybe most importantly that my kayak loaded down with stuff needs at least 5 inches of water to glide in. 4 just wont cut it haha. I've only had my kayak since December so it was great experience to be able to take it out for a couple of days straight and put some scuff marks on her. That being said im pretty new to kayaking in general so after the first day even though I was totally gassed I was more proficient at maneuvering. Also I will say it doesn't look like it when you look over a kayak but you can put a lot of stuff into it.
It was really neat to see that we all had similar if not exactly the same gear in most cases. I guess that means were either doing pretty good or making the same mistakes ^-^ this something I'd like to do again for sure. Ill post more as it comes to me.
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A few photos of our intrepid adventurers
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And 2 more:
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Very nice. Thanks for the pics.
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Here is the TRUE account of the trip:
It was hot.
Mr. Myakka is a pro. He knows all of the edible plants in and around the river and is anxious to teach. He has lots of experience bugging out in a Kayak and has the equipment and skills really dialed in. His teaching style is patient, enthusiastic, and effective.
He had a true challenge on his hands taking not one but two newbie Yakkers out on the same trip. He was like a mother duck. I can't imagine how far his patience was likely stretched. In my case, he not only had to deal with inexperience, but also incompetence and more than a touch of dementia. Yet not once did I feel like the slowest buffalo that needed to be sacrificed. Did I mention that it was hot? Day one cooked me, put me in survival mode, and the rest of the trip, I never really carried my weight but my companions filled in with cheer and enthusiasm.
I do have a couple of negative observations though. Mr. Myakka has a slight problem with navigation. A couple of hours into the trip, dripping with sweat and beginning to understand what I had gotten myself into, I asked how much further to our first stop. He confidently replied, "We're about a third of the way." That answer was repeated and we remained "a third of the way" for the next seven hours.
Secondly, Mr. Myakka is not as expert as he thinks he is in recognition of wildlife. On one occasion, he misidentified a hoot hawk as an owl. There were also numerous other breeds of hawk that he misidentified as wild Florida birds. He even made a wrong call on a group of buzzard hawks, referring to them as vultures.
Did I mention that it was hot?
Mr. Swamp Yankee brought that delightful ingredient of youthful enthusiasm that the river just couldn't beat out of him. He provided a great amount of entertainment in that he managed to hit every sandbar except two and most of the logs on the river. While being washed into the top of a down tree, he even got bit by a large spider and came out laughing about it. How can you not love that! Mr. Swamp not only carries his own weight, but is constantly looking for ways of helping his teammates. He is one of those guys that no matter how much effort you put in to remaining neutral, you fail and end up loving him. (in a man to man kind of way). Mr. Swamp also provided security of the camp by snoring loud enough to keep animals away.
The river.
The Peace River is hard to describe. The water is just beautiful. Around every curve is revealed another wonder and the diversity is so great that sometimes you see the true essence of Florida and sometimes it doesn't look like Florida at all. It goes from open grassland to jungle to hammock to giant rock, it's just amazing. We saw lots of alligators, otter, lots of deer, a few cows, and almost every type of hawk, including the great blue long necked water hawk. Fish were abundant and easily spotted in the clear water from minnows to over two feet. It was hot though. At times the swift current flowed along over sandy shallows, requiring you to get out of the Kayak and pull it along to deeper water. This became exhausting, however after about six hundred times, I became very proficient at getting in and out of the Kayak, something I was pretty shaky doing when we left. Actually, after the first day, both Swamp and myself were handling our yaks like experts, though not nearly on the level of Mr. Myakka.
The two nights of camping were an absolute hoot. (hope you got that)
I do have to tell you that it was a might hot. While I was dying from heat exhaustion, I observed that my companions were bathed in sweat also yet it was really fun! The cooking on the fire, setting up of perfect camps, and the camaraderie of two first class operators is about as good as life can get. Besides being "leave no comrade behind" kind of guys, both of these men are intelligent, articulate, pleasant, and just plain fun to hang with. They are also kind to the elderly. They shared food, equipment, skills, and great stories of adventure the entire trip. These are two guys you really want at your back.
As the trip was nearing its end and us newbies were showing some competent yakking skill, Mr. Myakka demonstrated the confidence he had developed in us. He advised that the finish line was only about two miles away. He suggested that we take a much needed break in a shady spot, as it was hot, while he forged on ahead and got our transportation all set up. As I was about to die and Mr. Swamp wouldn't leave me alone, it was readily agreed. Two miles should only be about 30 minutes right? Mr. Myakka gave us some directions and admonished us not to do anything stupid, and in a burst of speed that he had been holding back the whole trip, quickly disappeared around the next bend.
After I had recovered sufficiently, my stalwart companion and I pushed out into the current feeling the adventure of being on our own. We boldly charged down the river displaying our newly developed skill and competence with a great source of pride. We paddled for what seemed like forever and the confidence was beginning to wane from our faces when we rounded a turn and there were kayakers, the first other folks we had seen, frantically paddling against the stream toward us. Hoping to regain my former confidence, as we neared, I called out and asked how much further ahead of us the landing was. Without hesitation, they replied, "You're about a third of the was there". We were approaching civilization because we started running into more and more people but upon inquiry, each time we got the same smiling answer, "You're about a third of the way there".
The trip was a LOT harder than I thought it was going to be. The heat was absolutely debilitating. The shallows were trying both physically and mentally. This trip had all the makings of quintessential misery yet, because of the beauty of the river coupled with the comradeship of two of the greatest guys I've adventured with, I had a GREAT time and hope they will consider including me again. I learned a great deal from both of these very impressive men and am proud to claim that I was a member of their team. Would I do it again? Yes sir, right now! Well, maybe next week...
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We WILL do this again as soon as the summer passes. And there is good news on that front. We are about 1/3 of the way there.
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I gather it was hot? Now Capt., I gotta ask, (being new here), I don't know if you are being serious or not. Hoot Hawk? Buzzard Hawk? For a second I thought you were playing with us, then I thought you might be serious? So I guess I had to ask. I grew up in Florida and never heard of these things of which you speak. I also know Myakka to be as well versed in local flora as any Park Ranger I've ever met, can't swear to his knowledge of the fauna, but if I was a betting man, my money would be on him. Bottom line is, besides the heat, you enjoyed it.
Something I was looking for in the stories and reports was, did anyone do any fishing of any kind? What kind of eats did you guys have? Lastly, having done this now, would you opt for a canoe the time around or were the kayaks okay for the amount of gear that was carried?
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I will attempt to answer some of your queries.
First, Hawk seems to be anything with wings and no jet engine in some people's minds.
Second, we all brought fishing gear, but the only fish to perish died proving that my bow fishing kit was not a waste.
Food was varied. Some brought the dried camp food by mountain house, and others had real food. The first day revealed BBQ ribs, smoked sausage on the grill, and a few other odds and ends.
Breakfast was more diversity, from dried eggs and hash to fried spam and fresh veggies. Other meals included ramen noodles and beef stew. I am sure there were other foods I missed, but these are what I remembered.
Finally, I will let the others add what they may. I prefer the kayak, but I usually find any portage problems can be solved by carrying less gear and sucking it up.
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Capt Nat,
You always have a very colorful way of describing things... You really need to write a SHTF book, I guarantee it would be a riot and a huge success...
Just don't have the guy who read "Going Home" read the Audio Version, he sucks...
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So tell us a little about your Kayaks and what you were carrying.
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Hey Mr. Klingon, Thanks for reading.
At some point early on, a large bird of prey ahead of us flew when we spooked it, providing just a glance. I said hawk and Mr. Myakka said it was an owl. I said that owls are usually night hunters and as it was broad daylight, I still thought it was probably hawk.
A little while later, there is this large full grown owl sitting on a limb close by watching us. Rather than me be wrong, it was decided that it must be one of those Florida "Hoot Hawks" amid a lot of laughter.
That started the fun, poking at me to identify every bird we saw which I identified as some species of hawk whether it was a great blue heron, a vulture, all the way down to little songbirds.
Canoe vs Kayak is quite a dilemma. A canoe wins by carrying much much more in both weight and volume. The Kayak wins on ease of paddling, speed, and agility in obstacles.
If I was looking at a week or less, I would take my Kayak. More than that, I'd take my canoe. A canoe would have been more difficult to get down the section of river that we did with that water level.
We all ate well but Mr. Myakka was the most dialed in and impressed me with the fresh food and cooking he did. I learned that fresh vegetables from markets last longer on trips than veggies from the grocery store that have been in a cooler from him.
I have a Wilderness Systems 12 foot sit on top Kayak. I was pleased with how much it carried and still floated.
In the forward compartment was a dry bag with my hammock, tarp, and entire sleep system. In the open back compartment was a cooler with 2 frozen gallons of water and my fresh food, along with my camp grill and dry bag with food and all cooking equipment along with a solar charger for phone in another dry bag. In the shallow center compartment I shoved hiking shoes with a pair of socks in them and a dry bag with my clothes. I had a small loose bag my wife refers to as "my purse" that I carry stuff I need handy like compass, paracord, knife, fire striker, emberlite wood stove, poncho, dew rag, toilet paper, etc. Like a moron, I stuck a fishing pole in the rod holder but forgot my little tackle box so couldn't fish anyway.
I carried food that didn't get eaten, water that didn't get drunk, clothes I didn't wear, and equipment I didn't use. Mr. Myakka is MUCH more efficient at this.
I had the fishing pole without lures. I could have dug some worms and I'm sure done very well because you can see the fish and they were of nice size. I was just too give out to make the effort.
Mr. Myakka brought his bow fishing rig and he and Mr. Swamp provided much entertainment with their adventures and misadventures in bow fishing. It was like watching two children and provided me with lots of laughs.
Sucker fish from aquariums when released, grow to over a foot long and become very ugly. Mr Myakka knows the real name for them but I settled with "hippopotamus". He speared one with an arrow and they paraded him around like a true trophy. They were running and splashing and trying to make long shots. I think if they settled down and got serious, they would probably feed a group well on fish.
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Fantastic post all of you. How about a list of things to take and leave behind? Capt Nat, would you bring something to keep you cooler next time. Like one of those mister spay bottles with a fan on them?
http://www.healthandbodystore.com/o2cool-squeeze-breeze-water-misting-fan.html?productid=o2cool-squeeze-breeze-water-misting-fan&channelid=FROOG&gclid=COXHh_j-3b4CFWkQ7AodNi0A0w
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By the looks of one of the above pics, some light sun screen would have helped... Gonna get dehydrated that way. Or a larger brimmed hat. But, being that he was wearing a hat with a brim, the reflection off the water may have done it as well.
So, yeah I would stick with sun screen...
Not sure you would want to use the misting fan, or a solar fan. Sweat is meant to cool the body, and keep it moisturized. Drying it off or wiping it off is actually bad for business. Even though we all do it on a daily basis...
A canopy wouldnt be very useful as well, as it would get caught in the trees I would imagine and might getting in and out more difficult. What about one of those umbrella hats...
http://www.orientaltrading.com/umbrella-hat-a2-5_580.fltr
Perfect
http://www.amazon.com/Elastic-Headband-Camouflage-Pattern-Umbrella/dp/B00AUCAE18/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1401812366&sr=8-9&keywords=umbrella+hats
http://www.amazon.com/Steel-Silver-Fishing-Golfing-Umbrella/dp/B00ARB3QE4/ref=sr_1_41?ie=UTF8&qid=1401812413&sr=8-41&keywords=umbrella+hats
For those who think, I'm trying to be funny. I'm not, I'm being serious. Seeing his burn, and SGT asking that made me think of it. It would be a wise way to go, no matter how ridiculous it looks.
This one I think is the one.... Not certain what the thing on top is, but I can imagine it helps keep you a little cooler...
http://www.amazon.com/Creative-SILVER-Ventilate-Umbrella-Fishing/dp/B00JRVNPYQ/ref=sr_1_63?ie=UTF8&qid=1401812528&sr=8-63&keywords=umbrella+hats
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Little more our color
http://www.amazon.com/Como-Polyester-Fishing-Shading-Umbrella/dp/B00AUB6XZU/ref=sr_1_111?ie=UTF8&qid=1401812704&sr=8-111&keywords=umbrella+hats
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Not sure about this, but would have helped as well... But I wonder about air circulation under that....
http://www.amazon.com/Fishing-White-Visor-Detachable-Hooded/dp/B007Q8KWQG/ref=sr_1_302?ie=UTF8&qid=1401812896&sr=8-302&keywords=umbrella+hats
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The hawk and owl jokes never quit on that trip. My kayak is an Ascend FS12T.
As far as what to bring and what to leave behind on the next go around I too realized I brought along too much food as well as clothes I ended up not needing. From the pictures posted that bucket in the back of my kayak was my food carrier. I thought it would be a cool idea since I have a rotating cushion lid for a 5 gal bucket that I could have a camp chair, dry box, food storage container rolled all into one. In reality it proved a little difficult to pack on the kayak and the available volume of the bucket encouraged me to over pack food for a three day. Unpacking all the food back at the house I realized I had enough for seven days, longer if I had to stretch it. Not ideal for the trip but under other circumstances it could be a plus.
The big green sack behind the bucket is a military dry bag and in my opinion its worth its weight in gold. Basically its a huge canvas sack with a thick rubber coating on the inside. A good amount of water would get into the little section behind the seat and at the end of the first day everything behind me was sitting in almost a half inch of water. If that was a good test for it then it passed big time since everything inside was dry as a bone.
The front storage compartment was where I had odds and ends camp stuff such as a folding shovel hand axe clothes and electronics bottled water ect. I used the outer waterproof layer of a military sleep system like a waterproof liner for the whole compartment and it too worked great. At the start of day 2 I transferred some things from the rear dry bag to the front to level off the weight.
Although I didn't have my frog gig in the pouch on the sheath (which would have been fun to try for fish with) I managed to find use for the spear as well. ^-^
Another thing to bring would be a wider variety of cookware. Myakka and Nat had me beat in that department and could prepare a wider variety of things with ease.
Im pleased with my shelter kit although I do need a better tarp system. Overall I need to work on packing in general. Myakka and Nat taught me a lot on this trip and every adventure makes me better. Thank you again Myakka. This trip was awesome.
Will post more as it hits me. Work started sucking my soul almost as soon as I got home lol. Oh and just so you guys know this is the elusive Florida Hoot Hawk.
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Wow, that Hoothawk looks evil... :o
You guys must have been worried...
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That last wake up there was an actual owl in the tree above the hammock that just wouldn't cut the chatter.
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I did day one in a T shirt. Next time for a summer do or die, I would wear a long sleeve columbia shirt and any kind of baggy long pants. Even with sun block, sun shining on bare skin is really hot, even if you don't sunburn. Cover as much skin with baggy clothes as possible.
I had the mindset that I wanted to stay dry and if I got wet, have dry to put on. I think next time I would only take the clothes I'm wearing. And every so often, why not just lay down in the river and roll around. Wet clothes would have been better. I had dry clean clothes packed, but I was so sweaty and nasty that I had no desire to put them on. Embrace the stink.
I had plenty of survival food. What I enjoyed was the luxury of smoked sausage or any meat cooked on an oak fire. It's hard to eat at all when it's that hot so while dehydrated crap will keep you alive long term, for three days, one or two luxury meals would have given me more pleasure.
My water bottle rode between my legs and was heated by the sun till it was almost too hot to drink. It was the last day before I figured out to hang and drag it in the water so that it would be cool. I would have drank cool water more.
To repeat, I spent quite some effort trying to stay clean and dry. I would have been better of laying down and rolling in mud, then wading into the river to wash it off and then start the trip. You're going to get wet and dirty anyhow so resisting it is just wasted effort.
Any kind of flavored mix would make drinking filtered river water more pleasant...
A tow rope long enough to go around waist would be easier than pulling kayak by handle.
An illustrated book showing all species of hawks would be helpful to some folks.
If Mr Myakka leaves your sight for more than a few seconds, be ready for anything.
Oh! Be prepared to secure or hang all food sources or raccoons or other critters will certainly wipe you out not long after it gets dark. Have a way to really secure a cooler lid or the little devils will learn how to open it before morning.
Be prepared, just before daylight it gets really cold...
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A few more memories..........
You have of course heard the "we are 1/3rd of the way there", and "that is some sort of hawk, I am sure."
But did you know:
(Starting out in manly voice full of swagger: ) "We are going to have fun no matter what. There is nothing that can come our way that will keep us from enjoying ourselves."
(1 day later in squeaky voice full of self pity: ) "The wind is pushing against us.... it making it harder...." "My butt hurts" "Someone keeps moving the bridge."
Myakka "Okay guys, go to the left here, don't go OVER the log." 30 seconds later, unknown party member "Ummm I'm stuck on this log." Myakka "Is that the one I said NOT to go over?" member "silence."
Day 3: "I'll go gather some firewood." followed a bit later with "Where's Nat?" "Oh there he is, sawing a TREE down by hand."
Of course somewhere along the way was that moment that comes in any gathering of men.... "Oh I like that knife, here is what I am carrying." "Hmmm yes, that is nice, but have you seen this knife?" "Or this one" Yes.... it was like that.
I had them looking for a bridge the first day, and the bridge was a marker that we were near a special campsite I call the grotto.
It seemed to take twice as long to get to it as it should have, due mostly to the river being so low that it wasn't moving us well, and we had to keep getting out to portage the kayaks.
So about 2 bends in the river before we saw the bridge, I turned back to them, and said, "Guys, I have to admit.... there is no bridge. no grotto. I just wanted to see how far you would paddle on trust."
Now as deflated and disappointed as they seemed in that moment, it was absolutely magical to see them when they finally laid eyes on the bridge. Their pace picked up, and they surged forward, confident that camp was close.
Well, camp still seemed to elude us the first day, so the boys were mighty pleased when I suggested we just pull off and stop where we were. The final quote as we made the first camp was "What's wrong with here?"
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I gotta say, reading all this just makes me wanna go the next time around if for nothing else, the company and the laughs. Sentry is right, you DO have a knack for spinning a yarn!
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Tellin ya, he's gonna write a best seller...
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(Starting out in manly voice full of swagger: ) "We are going to have fun no matter what. There is nothing that can come our way that will keep us from enjoying ourselves."
(1 day later in squeaky voice full of self pity: ) "The wind is pushing against us.... it making it harder...." "My butt hurts" "Someone keeps moving the bridge."
/quote]
I'm pretty sure he was trying to kill me
Myakka "Okay guys, go to the left here, don't go OVER the log." 30 seconds later, unknown party member "Ummm I'm stuck on this log." Myakka "Is that the one I said NOT to go over?" member "silence."
/quote]
This was a very clever trick played on me. He said don't go over it in a way that he knew would provoke me to try. I got hung like a seesaw. I couldn't reach the bottom with my paddle. I would still be there today they hadn't rescued me.
Day 3: "I'll go gather some firewood." followed a bit later with "Where's Nat?" "Oh there he is, sawing a TREE down by hand."
/quote]
He's right, I don't know what I was thinking. I sawed until I was about to drop. They both ended up having to help me get through a crazy big piece of oak.
Well, camp still seemed to elude us the first day, so the boys were mighty pleased when I suggested we just pull off and stop where we were. The final quote as we made the first camp was "What's wrong with here?"/quote]
At that point, I didn't see where it mattered where they located my grave. How about a pretty place overlooking the water...
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Swamp, You said you packed too much food. 7 days may have been too much, but just enough for three would be to little. What if something happened? What if you got stranded without Myakka to find all the good plants to eat? I don't see a problem with carrying enough food for more than just the duration of the trip. Be Prepared for the unexpected.
I used to do 50+ mile trips down the Suwanee from when I was 12 until well past college. One year my best friend and I took another friend from our home town and his buddy. They had both just graduated from West Point. Yes, THE West Point, USMA. First lesson - wow, those west point guys had no idea how to camp. I guess all they knew was sleeping in a poncho on the ground while on a patrol. I thought they died of happiness when I opened a cooler with beer in it. The second day we had a terrible storm - hail, tornadoes, blinding rain. All our gear was soaked, the canoes were needing constant bailing, and all our food required cooking over a campfire, which was not going to happen. After the storm we left the shelter of the shoreline trees and just started paddling. Then we saw it: the sign (Like your view of the bridge) - RIVER RENDEZVOUS RESORT - COLD BEER - HOT TUBS, HOTEL. Talk about motivation. Ended up in a riverfront hotel room, drinking beer at the bar, and using their kitchen to cook our meals - just like those prepper stories where they get all the things they need just in time. Lesson learned - don't depend on a campfire as the only way to cook your meal, always have a backup plan, and always pack cold beer!
Sounds like you all had a good time despite the normal trials and tribulations.
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I absolutely enjoyed ever post on this topic. I had to stop and breath from laughing so much. What a story teller. We all need more of this. I got that it must have been a little hot and flying things might not have been identified but all the post were really great. Thanks. Can this trip be done in winter? If so I might be a player.
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I absolutely enjoyed ever post on this topic. I had to stop and breath from laughing so much. What a story teller. We all need more of this. I got that it must have been a little hot and flying things might not have been identified but all the post were really great. Thanks. Can this trip be done in winter? If so I might be a player.
Yes we will do something for sure.
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If the three of us can have this much fun, I can't imagine how much fun a large group of us would have...
What you wanna bet Mr. Myakka tells me the wrong weekend?
He and Mr. Swamp had me laughing the whole trip, even when I had both feet in my grave and my butt on a banana peel.
Anyone that can make this trip should because it's a great education even when you think you are just having fun...
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On a serious note, I have a piece of information and lesson learned............
I have a large "bag" style water filter like Capt. Nat's. For some reason on the trip it was leaking. This was pretty frustrating in a "survival" consideration since the unfiltered water was streaming down through the threads and dribbling along with the filtered.
I was unable to make a good fix in the field, but it almost seemed that the O-ring was a micro fraction too small. Now I have used it multiple times and it worked fine, so I was a little stumped.
My fix was to take plumbers tape and wrap the filter before putting the O-ring on it. This made the O-ring fit just a little tighter, and seems to have fixed it well.
I carry a small pouch of water line, cleaning sponge etc, that goes with the water filter. Now, included in this is a roll of plumbers tape. This will also be important in case the O-ring is lost or damaged during cleaning.....
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Capt Nat, I just went back and revised the pics. I notice that your boat is bending in the middle and setting a lot lower in the water. This is by design I suspect. Is the water higher or lower in the winter months and just how much portage or walking did you guys have to do to get back to deeper water. Can I take my airboat? No problem with low water but loud as hell and not good for looking at hooters. But I could carry a lot of stuff. OK maybe not the airboat but I need a bigger boat than Capt Nat for sure. A much bigger boat. I think he could use a bigger boat too.
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The water was at it's lowest of the year. When at it's peak most of those places we were walking can run from 11 to 16 feet deep.
The peaks are not great for kayaking either way. When it is low, you walk a lot (which I never minded too much) When it is high the river is fast, dark, and dangerous with hidden hazards. Dislodged trees and debri roll beneath the surface, and can ruin your day. People have drowned, and it is usually when the river is in flood stage.
BUT............ most of the year it is safe, and, silent and serene (except for the airboats LOL)
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I see it all now. Fast, deep, dark, drown, I love it.
I'm in!
Did Capt Nat have to get his boat fixed. Looks to me as if he broke it?
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On a serious note, I have a piece of information and lesson learned............
I have a large "bag" style water filter like Capt. Nat's. For some reason on the trip it was leaking. This was pretty frustrating in a "survival" consideration since the unfiltered water was streaming down through the threads and dribbling along with the filtered.
I was unable to make a good fix in the field, but it almost seemed that the O-ring was a micro fraction too small. Now I have used it multiple times and it worked fine, so I was a little stumped.
My fix was to take plumbers tape and wrap the filter before putting the O-ring on it. This made the O-ring fit just a little tighter, and seems to have fixed it well.
I carry a small pouch of water line, cleaning sponge etc, that goes with the water filter. Now, included in this is a roll of plumbers tape. This will also be important in case the O-ring is lost or damaged during cleaning.....
FYI, you should be able to take the filter or O-ring to Home Depot, Lowes, or Ace. They should be able to match them to ones in the plumbing section. I bought a package to 10 for a project I am working on for about $2. Put them in a little ziplock bag and add them to your kit. O-rings can wear out or dry out over time.
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Thanks for the advice. I had considered contacting Katadyn about getting some, but this sounds better. I will also have to order a couple spare filters, but once I have them, I want to experiment with some generic ones to see if I can convert them to this system too.
I always layer my protection anyway. So I filter the water, but I also usually treat it with chlorine or iodine or boiling. That way I am doubly protected.
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My Kayak wasn't broke, just begging for mercy. It has a design rating of 350 pounds. Weighing in at 285, I'm sure I exceeded that with all the stuff I packed in it. It did perform amazingly well for what it was hauling and I'm amazed at how much I could pack into it. The hull is hollow, and I stuffed it full.
Next time I may take my canoe which has a 500 pound rating. The Kayak sure was fun though and extremely maneuverable...
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Capt Nat, you need some weight forward to counter balance the load on that canoe? My Father used a canoe to take me down rapids on several streams in the mountains of Arkansas when I was 10.
His only instruction on some really hairy rapids was son don't put your paddle in the water unless I yell.
He was a experienced outdoorsman and thank goodness he never yelled.
We spent many fun times fishing and hunting out of a canoe.
I hope to make a winter float with you all. Any fish in those waters? Would a fly pole work?
I might bring a couple of young friends to help me get out of trouble, just might loan them to you if get in over your head.
Lately I always get in over my head. I usually by mistake and as an after thought, think that the body works like it did twenty years ago and oops it don't.
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We saw lots of fish. I would have thought too many trees for fly rod but once we got started, I could see lots of room for slinging a fly.
My poor wife, The Admiral, has regular heart burn over me thinking that I am still young and capable beyond my means. End product is that my body hurts a lot but I'm just not ready to act my age yet.
Mr. Myakka describes the river as deep and roiling with current in the winter. That will be a whole new animal for me and something I've not experienced.
Mr. Myakka is a pro at this stuff and does it quite often so I am more than ready to trust his advice on the trips that I sure hope we do this winter...
He has a bow fishing rig that is just too cool but I would love to try some flies next time. The water was clean enough that any fish caught ought to be good eating.