There was some interest regarding the Adirondack canoe trip I took last week. So, I pieced together some video and posted it on YouTube.  You can watch the embedded version below or view it here at the source. It is mostly scenery and some wildlife, but I did include a brief bushcraft component as well. Enjoy!

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I did a canoe trip last week in the Adirondack Mountain region of Upstate New York. Although the nature of my trip was mostly exploratory, I did manage to practice a little bushcraft while out in the field. I was primarily interested in seeing if I could access the West Canada Lakes Wilderness Area through the Cedar River starting at a man-made impoundment referred to as the Cedar River Flow. Although I didn’t manage to make it to my intended destination due to shallow water and numerous rocks, I did end up camping on the Cedar River to enjoy a few peaceful days of  R & R (with the exception of a pontoon-equipted helicopter that landed very close to my campsite – I wish I knew what that was all about).

Anyway, while exploring the near-by woods, I found some birch bark at the base of an old paper birch tree that was suitable for fashioning some makeshift baskets. I made two baskets like the one pictured here but I accidently stepped on one of them, crushing it beyond repair. I don’t know what name is used to describe this style of basket, but I know it is a common basket-type often seen in the numerous crafts and outdoor-related books available today. I know it is illustrated in Mors Kochanski’s book Bushcraft, along with several others styles. They’re very easy to make and work great for whatever you may need to hold. If made without splitting the bark, this style of container will even hold liquids (even if you accidently do split the bark, you can still seal up the breach with pine pitch or some other resinous material to keep it from leaking). Mine were crudely fastened together with split sticks but they can also be made more aesthetically pleasing to the eye by using root lashing and a wooden rim around the opening. Either way, they are fun to make and it is a handy skill to have.

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I finally managed to get the canoe out this weekend. It is always nice to get on the water. The weather wasn’t as spring-like as earlier in the week but acceptable. The trip, which usually takes well over three hours during normal summer conditions, took only about two and a half due to the increased flow rate from the recent rain and snow melt.

One of the highlights of the float was a great-horned owl I encountered. I would have paddled right past it if not for a group of raucous crows (or murder of crows, if you prefer) that were scolding it. The owl didn’t like the fact that it had been noticed so it became nervous and left the nest (which can be seen to the left of the owl in the photo) to perch on an adjacent branch. That caused the crows to get even more excited than they were before as they subsequently increased the intensity of their vocalizing. I wanted to stay longer to get a better picture but I felt bad about disturbing the owl and keeping it from tending to the nest, so I left after taking just a few more photos. I couldn’t tell if the owl was still incubating eggs or possibly brooding young so it will be fun to return in a month to see how the downy little owlets develop. I’ll have to be sure to bring my binoculars next time.

Aside from what wildlife one would normally expect to see on a trip like this (e.x.; geese, ducks, etc.) I also caught a glimpse of a red fox as it scurried away from the river’s edge after seeing my boat approach. Unfortunately, the fox was long gone before I could even get my camera turned on.

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We’ve had several days of warm weather here in western New York and the snow is melting and the water ways are beginning to open up. Between that and all the buzz about Canoecopia happening this weekend, the urge to get the canoe out of winter hibernation and ready for action has been overwhelming. In anticipation of this coming paddling season, I went about making a canoe pole. I have never made a dedicated canoe pole before, as I’ve always just cut a sapling or conveniently found something suitable along the shore that had been previously cut and prepared by beavers. It can sometimes be difficult to find a decent pole and this is usually the case when you really need one.  I opted to make a simple pole instead of purchasing a manufactured system mainly because I’m a cheapskate. I found some plans online that you can read here and went to work. Basically, this is a store bought 1 1/4” wooden closet rod that is used for coat hangers and the like. I found a nice, straight piece with near parallel grain, purchased the rest of the hardware, then went home and put it all together. I haven’t tested it out yet, but if the weather continues to cooperate, I’m hoping to get on the water this weekend.

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I also forgot to mention that I enjoy paddling – a lot. I took the canoe out today and paddled the Oak Orchard River through a portion of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in Genesee and Orleans Counties, NY. With the exception of all the downed trees that I had to portage over or around, it was an enjoyable, flat water paddle.

Adding to the pleasure of the trip was the abundance of wildlife I was lucky enough to see. Right on the onset, I saw a redtail hawk (you might be able to make him out perched in the snag in the middle of the photo above), a heron, a woodchuck, some deer, and then I saw these guys: there were three of them in a maple tree that was covered in wild grape vines. The young raccoons were gorging themselves on the grapes. I watched them for about 20 minutes then continued on my way. Because this section of the Oak Orchard passes through a large swamp, the river is all flat water. So, I paddled in as far as I could until I had to turn around so I could get back to my truck before dark. The funny thing was that on my return, the raccoons were still in the same tree enjoying their grapes.

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