Talking About Adventure In Small Boats
JoeWildlife
Member
Decide if it is going to be a race or a challenge for you, and stick with it either way.
If you ever get to the point of giving up, stop, eat something, get some rest, and allow at least two hours to pass before you make such a decision.
Stay in the boat until you are too tired to go on, then start looking for a place to stop, possibly paddling a couple more. You should paddle to midnight and take 6 hours sleep at a time, at most. That is, if you want to go fast.
my 2 cents
Joe
Scareman
Member
Some of the best advice that Chief reinforces, and which I truly believe in...
Sleep on it!
Do not drop out unless you get some sleep. Do not give up if a storm is blowing through until as JoeWildlife noted and camp, eat a hot meal, and rest. Do not quit because you miss a deadline. Reassess your travel plans and extend your trip, even if you finish beyond the event deadline. Hopefully you put your employer or employees on notice that your trip may be extended
My perspective is based on my experience as a CP manager, a competitor that had to cut an EC short due to Bronchitis, and as an EC finisher, I urge you to sleep on it and finish the course when conditions and your state of mind improve.
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”
― Heraclitus
After every trip make a list of what worked and what didn't and keep making improvements.
That said, you will always strive for improvements because sometimes gear/technique that worked great for one EC/trip will fail miserably for another. For example in my first EC my bumfortable (foam seat) was fantastic, last year I got blisters and paddled in pain for the last two days.
In concert with the above, expect that there will be unforeseen issues, deal with them to the best of your ability, and don't let it throw you when it happens. It's all part of the experience.
Greg
Ridgerunner
Member
Go online and write down the tides for each inlet (even if you don't plan to take them) and laminate this so you have it with you.
Spend hours studying each possible route and carry a full sized charts (that little GPS screen is sometimes not enough.
Keep drinking and eating. It's very difficult to catch up from behind, especially if you're paddling. Those short breaks are also useful for rest (you'll tighten up during long stops. Some quick food in easy reach will enhance this.
And don't forget about being warm and dry and rested before you decide to quit.
If you are in racing mood, dont read any further.
Here are tips I developed just for finishing the EC.
I didnt finish a few, they tought me more than ones I finished.
First. Do not burn yourself at the start and during first two days.
I was coming from NY, long tiring trip, either by a car or an airplane.
I have a folding boat, It takes quite a labor to put it up together.
Lesson #1. get a good rest during prestart night. If you can, go get a motel, dont stay at the campground. Use sleeping pills, if you have to, but get a good night rest.
Lesson #2. do not push yourself beyond limits in first two days. Basically, you need to cover 40 miles a day to finish the race. I found that for me the best tactic is to take it easy on first two days. I start the race untrained, coming from frozen north, and pretty much spent, because of long trip and boat's assembly.
I cruise the first two days. making it as far as I can, but I sleep every night. Then I start pushing myself hard.
It somehow worked for me. In my first two attempts i burned myself in first two days. I just dont do it anymore...
It is like getting myself in tune with the envirement. Letting the things settle. On third day I feed from the surrounding energy. It takes time to get the energy flowing. But, as soon it is there, I can go non stop.
Sirtackalot
Member
One other tip. I use a hand held Garmin Color GPS with the built in chart plotter. ( I can get the model if anyone is interested. ) Almost any hand held GPS can get you from point A to B and tell you speed and way points/ routes etc. But a plotter can be a huge life saver when your planned course changes. In 2011 with Kokopeddle we had to back track north and go the inside route through Whitewater bay in the Everglades. Kokopeddle was able to navigate at night right to a chickee. We had never planned on going this way so it was seat of the pants navigation as the plans had changed. Last year going through the backside of Marco Island at midnight it was needed. Its basically nothing but mangrove islands and not the easiest to go through, especially at night. For the record, I also carry water proof "paper charts" and a simple GPS that will give speed, waypoints and course...just in case.
PainenDias
Blocked
Hey, Sirtackalot! Give us the model number. I was out to Pavilion Key in a crappy canoe with a Garmin 78SC and it drove me nuts looking at that dinky little screen that drifted off my position every time I changed scale to see the next mangrove clump on the way back to Chokoloskee. I also love Navionics, but the phone went dead.
For all the people looking for another tip: Bring a fu**ing anchor! Throw that sucker out and rest! Land is never around when you most need it!
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