josko Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 <p>What's the difference between a kayak camping trip and a kayak expedition? I would think that an expedition would have some non-recreational (e.g. scientific) underlying purpose, but I gather that's not a common definition.</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyork Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) For me, expedition=sea safari, a trip of previously unpaddled territory, covering a lot of miles (>50), 4 nites or more camping. Annual Jewell trip=kayak camping Moosehead and beyond=expedition (inland sea safari) Edited July 23, 2013 by gyork Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Josko,I agree with Gary's definition above. I would also add that, for me, I like an expedition where you break camp each day and keep moving to new locations. For me, those trips seem to explore more territory and tend to require more planning.Warren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prudenceb Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 a trip of previously unpaddled territory, covering a lot of miles (>50), 4 nites or more camping.previously unpaddled by oneself, I assume?pru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyork Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 previously unpaddled by oneself, I assume? pruMe/Myself/I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 It's mostly semantics, but I would consider an expedition a kayak camping trip that is more extended than a "camping trip" , so that one is more than a few days from one's starting point , and without support beyond ones own resources. I wouldn't say breaking camp every day would be a requirement, but moving from place to place as a significant feature of the trip would be. I think that one could e..g. do the exact same trip as the previous year and still consider it an expedition so I wouldn't consider previously unpaddled territory a requirement to call a trip an expedition. I wouldn't assign a length of time or number of days to an expedition, but as a general guideline, maybe about a week minimum, or more than two- three days from launch spot and/or land support sounds about right to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Thinking it over in my head, I would be thinking anything in Labrador or Hudson Bay I would be using the expedition word..like a "mini expedition" for example. For camping I would be thinking in terms of campsites, for expeditions I would think sleep where you can.many times I've wanted to say.. Oh, I went on this or that wilderness trip, but eventually came to the conclusion that I haven't really done any "wilderness" trips but many "semi wilderness" trips.so as yet I would have to say I haven't been on any expeditions, but have been pushing the semi wilderness category quite a bit.This next one should be quite far & away "off the grid" and make it to wilderness....but staying this side of any wandering polar bears would be a life goal, unless I want to shorten it considerably.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick stoehrer Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 how far are you from rescue resources, evacuation? is there even anyone TO contact and how far away are they? anything REQUIRING a SAT PHONE - expedition.everything else is camping or a series of camping trips.the risk thing is on a whole different scale one to the other. better have your head in the right space too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnHuth Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 It does seem a bit like semantics in this day and age. When I was younger, I paddled for a month across part of Northern Quebec - no human contact or resupply for a month (ask me what I think of bannock). That *might* qualify as an expedition, but I'm not even sure of that one. I tend to think of expeditions as something that's done for the first time - a long hike into a remote location, and scaling an unclimbed peak would qualify as an expedition. Getting dropped off by a freighter on a remote Pacific atoll and trying to voyage using indigenous methods would qualify. But, having said that, I'm more than happy to take an extended camping trip in an agreeable area, like downeast Maine, especially if there are no other parties about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfolster Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 There are several definitions of Expedition, some of which include a journey by a group of people with a particular purpose, especially exploration, scientific research, or war. I don't think that exploration requires a caveat of wilderness yet unknown origins, but more of a "new-to-you" approach. Think of the Lewis and Clark expedition being lead by Native Americans who already new the land. Also, a more informal use of the word means a short trip with a particular purpose, such as an expedition to find the best ice cream shop in town.If we look to the root Expedite, we also find the definition "to perform quickly", as in "to do something with expedition". However, looking deeper, I found the Latin origin Expedire, which translates to "extricate" but with an interesting twist. Breaking down the Latin word, you get ex meaning "out" and ped meaning "feet", providing the most original meaning: "to free one's feet".If you ask me, best definition of a kayaking expedition is "to free one's self with the purpose of exploration". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 There are several definitions of Expedition, some of which include a journey by a group of people with a particular purpose, especially exploration, scientific research, or war. I don't think that exploration requires a caveat of wilderness yet unknown origins, but more of a "new-to-you" approach. Think of the Lewis and Clark expedition being lead by Native Americans who already new the land. Also, a more informal use of the word means a short trip with a particular purpose, such as an expedition to find the best ice cream shop in town.If we look to the root Expedite, we also find the definition "to perform quickly", as in "to do something with expedition". However, looking deeper, I found the Latin origin Expedire, which translates to "extricate" but with an interesting twist. Breaking down the Latin word, you get ex meaning "out" and ped meaning "feet", providing the most original meaning: "to free one's feet".If you ask me, best definition of a kayaking expedition is "to free one's self with the purpose of exploration".Neat -- an etymologist after my own heart!By the way, after such etymological analysis, it's sometimes useful to transform the exact root words into a somewhat more colloquial and evocative form. in this case, perhaps, it's...Expedition --> an occasion to free one's feet --> a footloose time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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