“SOS” is probably the most commonly-recognized distress signal on land, sea or in the air. Oftentimes considered an acronym for “Save Our Souls/Ship,” in reality that sequence of Morse Code’s three dots-three dashes-three dots is simply the internationally agreed-upon way to easily remember and transmit…
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Living on Kodiak Island for a dozen years gave me many opportunities to experience bears in the wild remoteness of the North Pacific coast of Alaska — from the cockpit of a sea kayak! Encounters were frequent, especially during the return of spawning salmon when…
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The action of water, whether on larger bodies or forceful currents in flowing rivers, often challenge paddlers to maintain control of their boats. One of the more common conditions across open bodies of water is the wind, and subsequent waves that create following seas —…
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Most would agree that the camp knife is the overall best camping tool one can have — this is due to its myriad applications, from cutting twigs, splitting small logs, a multiple of slicing needs around the camp kitchen, preparing kindling for the campfire, creating…
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Even in this tech age of global positioning devices and other cellphone-assessable electronic navigational software, the use of traditional maps and charts is still relevant, especially for those exploring major inland lakes, rivers and coastal shorelines by small, muscle-powered watercraft. Although it’s quite common to…
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From rocks to reptiles, mammals to moths, or birds to bushes, there’s probably a guide book published for easy referencing while in the field. With pages of images and descriptions at hand, the nature observer can thumb through a pocket-sized reference (or app) to find…
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Repairing the frames and webbing on snowshoes is similar to administering first aid, at least as far as some structural repair work is concerned. Damage to both wooden and modern metal/synthetic component snowshoes can be repaired to a certain extent based upon both the materials…
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One big question potential kayak buyers ask is whether to get a single or double kayak for their recreational paddling. There are myriad websites extolling the virtues of each style, offering comparisons that include the weight of each type of boat, the freedom (or not)…
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Ranking high among my essential camping gear inventory is my “camp” Frisbee — that classic, traditional saucer-shaped toy. More generically known as a “flying disc,” the Frisbee has been a staple of my outdoor inventory since my days as a Boy Scout. It’s one of…
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While the popularity of kayaking has grown to include sit-on-top fishing platforms and recreational boats with huge, open cockpits, the use of sprayskirts on more traditional kayaks should be considered an important safety procedure among paddlers. The primary purpose of a sprayskirt (a skirt-like garment…
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