Down to the wire- A little help

[jdeforest]

So I am a long time lurker on this board and have only posted a hand full of times, but now I was hoping to pick the brains of the community. In about 3 weeks I am doing a fundraiser for a non profit organization. The fundraiser is a solo paddle from Chesapeake Bay to Key West utilizing the Intracoastal and Atlantic Ocean. I think I have everything but, everyday I come up with the what if questions. I am lucky enough to have my one of my cousins input (he went from California to Hawaii in a off the shelf kayak in the 1980's) and his tips were go light and don't take many rest days.

I am pretty sure I have the big ticket items (Kayak, paddle and compass), but I'm looking for the little over looked items that can make a paddle easier ( a clue, a motor, a friend towing you), It never hurts to have others insight, especially from this forum.

P.S.- This board is one of the best around.

Justin

www.ice2009.com

[subaruguru]

So what's the NPO?

If you do a search you'll find several lists of recommended gear here as well on outfitters' sites.

Have fun.

Ern

[scamlin]

My personal packing list for expedition travel. This is comprehensive: I probably don't take all of this on every trip. More likely to take more, the more remote the area. Consider this a list of things to consider, then decide what you really need. I agree with your friend's advice: travel light, keep it simple.

Kayak/Camping Packing List

PFD

1. Flares (3)

2. Running Light

3. Strobe Light

4. VHF Radio

5. Noseclips

6. Sunglasses

7. Headlamp

8. Emergency Food

9. Hand Compass

10. Lendal paddle key

11. Emergency Kit

a. Batteries

b. Money

c. Energy Bar

d. Matches

e. Mini-light

f. Compass

Kayak Clothes

1. Sunhat

2. Gloves

3. Pile cap

4. Paddle jacket

5. Wetsuit

6. Paddle shoes

Spare Clothing

1. Pile top

2. Pile bottoms

3. Rain jacket

4. Rain pants

5. Rain hat

6. Neoprene hat

7. Wool Sox

8. Pile Gloves

9. Neoprene gloves

Kayak Kit

1. Spray skirt

2. Spare paddles

3. Tow belt

4. Charts

5. Hand compass

6. Nav-Aid

7. GPS

8. Writing pad and pen

9. Grease pencil

10. Spare watch

11. Flares

12. Throw bag

13. Hand Pump

14. Paddle Float

15. Extra tows

16. Extra rope

17. First Aid Kit

18. Spare radio

19. Emergency hatch covers

20. Float bags

21. Spare spray skirt

22. Sponge

23. Headlamp

24. Batteries

25. Cell phone

26. Sunblock

27. Poop kit

28. Thermarest seats

29. Lendal paddle key

30. Water bottles (2)

Repair Kit

1. Duct Tape

2. Glass fabric and resin

3. Epoxy kit

4. Resin Spreader

5. Latex Gloves

6. Plumbers tape

7. Awl and thread

8. Zipper kit

9. Glasses kit

10. Caulk

11. Snaps

12. Aqua Seal

13. Tools

a. Philips screwdriver

b. Regular screwdriver

c. Crescent wrench

d. Pliers

e. Wire snips

f. Knife

14. Bolts, washers and nuts

15. Screws

16. Soft Wire

17. Electricians tape

Survival Kit

1. Flashlight

2. Batteries

3. Spare bulbs

4. Strobe light

5. Compass

6. First Aid

7. Money

Camping Gear

1. Solo tent OR small two-person tent OR bivy sack

2. Thermarest pad

3. Small tarp (8’x10’)

4. Sleeping bag

5. Plastic shovel

6. Extra parachute cord

Land Clothing

1. Wool sox

2. Spare underwear

3. Nylon pant

4. Fleece pants

5. Fleece sweater

6. Capiline shirts (long and short)

7. Pile Hat

8. Insulated jacket

9. Rain jacket

10. Rain pants

11. Spare hat

12. Flip flops/Crocs

Kitchen

1. Stove (Jetboil or mini-propane)

2. Jetboil extra pot, 2 liter Jetboil pot

3. Cook kit (1.5 liter pot, 2 liter pot, lid, 1 liter kettle

4. 10†fry pan

5. Spatula

6. 2½ gal. water containers (2)

7. Lexan bowls (2)

8. Lexan utensils (forks, spoons)

9. Insulated mug (1)

10. Lexan cups (2)

11. Dr. Bronners soap, scrubber, sponge

12. Matches

13. Spare zip lock bags

Food

1. Oils, spices, condiments, salt, pepper

2. Onions, ginger, garlic

3. Couscous, whole wheat bulgur, buckwheat (kasha)

4. Pasta

5. French lentils, adzuki beans

6. Tofu/seitan

7. Vegetables (broccoli, peppers, carrots, beans, etc.)

8. Fruit (apples, plums, etc.)

9. Pita bread

10. Whole wheat bread

11. Hummus

12. Olives

13. Lemons

14. Oatmeal

15. Trail mix

16. Peanut butter

17. Flour and yeast

18. Tea

[subaruguru]

Ha! Well there's a few grand you hadn't quite figured on spending, eh Justin?

[jdeforest]

So what's the NPO?

If you do a search you'll find several lists of recommended gear here as well on outfitters' sites.

Have fun.

Ern

By no means am I trying to solislit money on this forum or advertise my cause. I asked the question because I can count the number of times on both hands that I have paddled with others. I kayak mostly solo because I love the feeling of being one with the water or it could be that I can't get my wife to go when it is snowing out.

The NPO is a small but extremely important organization, Wildland Firefighter Foundation (www.wffoundation.org). The foundation helps wildland firefighters and their families in times of need. For example, this weekend there is a fundraiser to help ten wildland firefighters whose homes where destroyed in the Southern California wildfires last week. Before that it was to help the family of Forest Service employee Tom Marovich who died while rappeling from a helicopter on a fire in Northern California. The list goes on and will continue long after my paddle.

I been extremely lucky in life and I have the best job in the world that sends me to places that people only see as screen savers or postcards (even though there on fire). I work full time for the National Park Service and supervise a module that travels the country, sleeps in the woods, eat MRE's, dig fireline with shovels and work long hours only to do it again the next day. By having people donate a penny a mile, I like to think of it as a payment on the insurance policy for every wildland firefighter.

Thanks "Scamlin" that list is outstanding. Better than I could ever come up with.

Justin

www.ice2009.com

[eneumeier]

I also do a list by function, and mine looks very much like Scott's, then I organize it by where I pack each item in my kayak. That makes packing go faster and by consistently putting things in the same hatch I can get what I need quickly. Also, if I end up with space in a hatch, I can pretty readily figure out what I am missing. Liz

[risingsn]

Ha! Well there's a few grand you hadn't quite figured on spending, eh Justin?

Hi Justin,

These are ,IMHO, the two most important things you should bring & most people I know don't have them. Situational awareness & risk assessment skills.

On the lighter side, how have you determined camping & landing area. This is a trip I always thought would be great to take, but I was thinking in the opposite direction. Of course going from North to South gives you the advantage of having gravity on your side.

Have a great trip,

Chuck

[Suz]

Scott,

That is the best list I have seen and much better than mine. So, yours will become mine after I copy it! Many thanks.

Suz

[spider]

Though my trips are shorter I like to bring a SPOT device so I can send an "ok message" at the end of the day or every other day depending on personal preference. Hope it's not being redundant in case it has been it has been previously mentioned.

Good Luck !

[jdeforest]

Hi Justin,

These are ,IMHO, the two most important things you should bring & most people I know don't have them. Situational awareness & risk assessment skills.

On the lighter side, how have you determined camping & landing area. This is a trip I always thought would be great to take, but I was thinking in the opposite direction. Of course going from North to South gives you the advantage of having gravity on your side.

Have a great trip,

Chuck

Your correct on the SA and ORM, it's kept me safe so far in my current job and as for when I was in the military, I was a C student. In 2005 I became a disabled veteran, but I had a lot to think about my actions and action of others in the hospital.

I mapped out my possible sleeping and landing spots in 10NM increments along the coast. I used overlays of state parks, WMA, camping areas, national parks, wildlife refuge, etc. The State of Florida just created a paddling trail around Florida, so half of my work was stolen from them. With all that, I have about 80% "allowed sleeping spots", the other 20% is exploration and a little luck.