Know Your Neighbours: Paddling Without Partners

December 2003 - January 2004

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: > DOWNLOAD

by Bryan Nichols

Ah, the joy of paddling partners. They provide great conversation, wise advice and a safety net for potential trouble. They inspire us to get out on the water, help with the camp chores and keep us warm and occupied on cold rainy nights. This issue is full of reasons to love your paddling partners.

But paddling partners aren’t always convenient. You’ve probably heard the excuses. Go kayaking? I’d love to, but I work that week. My in-laws are visiting. My new boyfriend doesn’t like it. My trick elbow has been acting up. Maybe after the kids are 18…

So every now and then you get civilization weary and consider going on your own. A solo trip. Perhaps just a day, perhaps longer. You start to grumble about the problems with paddling partners. They constantly babble when you crave quiet and their “wise” advice always gets you soaking wet. When you think about it, your group hasn’t actually practiced an assisted rescue since kayaks were made of sealskin.

Well, what about going solo? Could you do it? Should you?

There are advantages. On your own you’re quieter and will likely see more wildlife, you can fit into the tiniest little campspots, and can choose whichever route you like. You eat what you want, when you feel like it, and make all the decisions on whether to stay or move on. Sound pretty good?

It’s not for everybody. Many people are uncomfortable with their own thoughts and work hard to avoid confronting them. They have busy jobs, busy social lives and switch on the TV the minute they get home. These people are uncomfortable in the wilderness, even in groups because occasionally they end up alone for a moment or two with no loud distractions.

Most of us paddlers aren’t that bad, but few of us really spend much quality time alone in the wilds, where Ms. Nature can captivate, terrify, humble and bore us all on the same day. Solo, it’s just you and her, and in the quiet moments she loves to leave you alone with your thoughts. People have been seeking peace and personal wisdom by venturing alone into the wilderness for thousands of years—go on a solo kayak trip and you might find a piece of what everyone’s looking for.

Then again, cold and rainy nights alone are still cold and rainy, plus they’re a lot more boring. Nothing can replace a warm and affectionate tentmate—especially when the weather isn’t cooperating. If you do decide to venture out on your own you’ll find a solo trip can be very different than a group trip—even on the same route. When all the decisions are yours alone, you’re forced to accept responsibility for your actions, whether you want to or not,and if you solo much there will be times when those decisions are difficult. Your personal learning curve will be steeper but ultimately very satisfying—the feeling of self sufficiency you get will be good for your self esteem, even back in our strange world of pavement and pop culture.

For this issue I’ve chosen ten non-human “partners” to bring along on a solo trip. Everyone will have a different list of course, but these will provide some food for thought. I’m not really a gearhead— food, shelter and clothing are necessities that take me there and keep me alive but they’re not things I drool over or spend happy hours meticulously preparing. I don’t dream about the brand of my paddling top or sinfully covet my neighbor’s cool sprayskirt.

Instead I’ve chosen five objects for safety and five for sanity. On a good solo trip you need to keep both your mind and body intact, and hopefully improve them. These will help you along the way.

© Instead of working diligently on his dual masters in Journalism and Marine Science, Bryan Nichols is probably off paddling solo amongst the gators of south Florida. Drop him a line at brynichols@wildmail.com.

TIPS FOR GOING SOLO

Tie your boat! Bring an extra long bow line and always tie your boat, at night, at lunch stops, whenever. It will seem a bit anal on occasion, but the habit will save your solo butt some day when the tide, a gust or a freak wave steals your kayak from a remote island shoreline. You might even see it happen—but you sure don’t want to be swimming alone in treacherous waters after a kayak skating away on the wind.
Keep your tent small. You might long for more room when the weather gets ugly, but you’ll really appreciate being able to get into tiny spots that you’d never consider with a group. A big tent will limit you.
Know your tides, know your weather, know your chart. In theory, you should be aware of these things every time you get into your kayak, but unless you actually lead trips, you’ve likely let them slide now and again. Maybe you’ve let them slide a lot, but ignorance is not bliss when you’re alone. There’s no one around to cover for you if you didn’t do your homework.
Leave a Float Plan. Again, you’re “supposed” to do this on every trip, but maybe you haven’t been the one doing it—or it hasn’t been done at all. For soloing it’s critical—call one of the partners who bailed on you because they had to work or raise a family, and let them know where you’re going and when you expect to be back. Tell them who to call if you don’t return, and specify when they should. Besides the obvious rescue safety blanket, this forces you to plan carefully and allow extra time for unforeseen delays.
Constantly reassess dangers. Before you charge in between that sea stack and the cliffs, remember where you are and who’s around. Sure you’ve done stuff like that before, but you had friends watching and cheering and making sure you came out the other side upright. Soloing will require you to gracefully defer to caution more often, especially when you’re in remote areas.

Checklist 34 - Ten Good Buddies for Solo Trips:

For your Mind

GUIDE BOOK

The places you can just randomly explore are increasingly few and far between, particularly if you want to come back intact and on time. Though it’s probably safest to only solo areas you know, that may not always be practical. A good guide book will be invaluable when you don’t have a professional guide, an experienced friend or knowledgeable trip leader along with you. It will tell you what to avoid, what shouldn’t be missed and help out with the logistics of coming and going.

GOOD SELF RESCUE DEVICE

This doesn’t mean a hunk of something strapped to your back deck that’s been there so long you forget its exact purpose. While those ubiquitous paddle floats can be effective, you must practice. Self rescue is one part equipment and four parts practice. You’re on your own out there—if you end up swimming, you’d better be able to get back into your boat and it had better end up more stable than it was when you tipped. The outrigger effect of a good paddle float will do this, and there are other gear possibilities (I often carry sponsons) but the most important thing is to practice. If you’re not confident about getting back into your boat by yourself in choppy conditions, you’d best stick to paddling with people who can help you.

VHF RADIO

I admit, I’ve fallen in love with BC’s automated weather reports voice, though she can’t replace a warm companion on cold nights. Aside from love, though, a VHF radio is your first and best line of communication on the water. Who ya gonna call? Probably no one, but you sure want to be able to. Some may choose to supplement it with a cell phone (useful only where there’s cell coverage) or satellite phone (if you’ve got money). As far as enjoying a solo trip, an important thing about these buddies is they don’t talk unless you switch them on, and unless it’s for a weather check or an emergency, don’t. I’ll be a bit clearer for you cell phone junkies—leave the cursed thing off!

EXTRA PADDLE

Few people carry a spare paddle in a group, but on your own this is crucial. My extra paddle also provides blade variety— I can use either depending on whether I want to play (regular blade) or cruise (much narrower blade). Strap it to your deck so you can get to it whenever you like, and reconsider a paddle leash for your primary paddle if you haven’t used one before. You sure don’t want to be floating alone with no paddle.

GOOD CHARTS

I’m a map & chart junkie—I pore over them, imagining routes, planning day trips, eagerly exploring the nooks and crannies with my mind. In that sense, they’re good for body and mind, because in addition to keeping you out of trouble, they allow you to connect the meanderings of your mind, your body and the great big world.

For Your Body

NATURAL HISTORY FIELD GUIDES

It’s great to paddle with someone who really knows their stuff, but on your own you’ve got the time to poke around with a couple of field guides and learn more of the local life. I usually bring along books that cover invertebrates, plants, seaweeds and birds—plus a star book. You’re more likely to remember what you see while on your own because you’ll pick things that really interest you and work a bit to find out what they are.

CAREFULLY CHOSEN BOOK

I love reading but prefer to keep my sense of place intact when I’m visiting the wilderness or a different culture. Instead of bringing along the latest sleazy lawyer bestseller, I try to find relevant historical novels, stories by local authors, etc. After all, why do you need escapism when you’re on a kayak trip? It’s better to use someone else’s insights, research and experience to help you develop a greater understanding and appreciation of where you are.

PENCIL & NOTEBOOK

Ah, there’s nothing like living in the wilderness and keeping a journal of your thoughts. This is difficult when you’re with a group— distractions abound. However when you’re alone, trapped by bad weather or uncooperative tides, you’ll have plenty of time to wax poetic. When the sun comes out and you’re basking naked on some spectacular little beach, your notebook (or PDA) will allow you to jot down epiphany after epiphany as you meld with nature’s oneness. Most of it will turn out to be junk of course, but there will likely be some gems. Either way, it’s good to write.

CANVAS FOR YOUR VISUAL ART

Bring a camera not so much to record the trip (here I am in front of the sea cave, here I am cooking dinner…) but to work on capturing a piece of the magic you feel in the wilderness. Sketchbooks or watercolor kits are great alternatives. Your pictures will never match “being there”, but the time can be well spent, encouraging you to see things in new ways and to appreciate how light paints our world.

STUFFED PENGUIN

Eventually, you’ll need someone to talk to, or your voice will get rusty and scare people when you return. Lyle Lovett sang about how sensitive penguins are, and he’s right. With your stuffed penguin you can discuss trip plans, politics, existentialism and even gossip about friends and coworkers—and it will seldom disagree. When it does get contrary, you’ll know you’ve been on your own too long and it’s time to head back to civilization and all the myriad joys of human company.