Chicago to New York - Page 2

Stoo · 03 March 2007, 03:11

So the easy ones first....

As PT points out, the bears are not a huge problem... hang your food, no dirty dishes around... absolutely no food in you tent. I don't recommend a shotgun. Instead, slap a wad of peanut butter on the other guy's ass and run like hell....

Black flies in August won't be a problem... at least not close to the water. We do get stable flies (look like house flies, but bite like deer flies) They can swarm your boat. Mind you, we typically have a wet smelly dog or 3 in the boat which really attracts them. So bath now and again!

Birnie, you are right to be concerned about fuel if you are going the north shore. I will see what I can find out, but my recollection is that heading east from Killarney, the next fuel stop will by Britt, ON in Byng Inlet. My GUESS is that that is about 70 miles... and there is just beautiful country in between. South from there you will have Point au Baril, and then Parry sound... probably 50-60 miles in between... I can't comment on your "mileage" since I don't know much about your boat. I burn about 1.5 litres per mile... 590 with a 150 2 stroke at "fast cruise"...

I am going to send you a PM with an email address for a friend of mine who operates a live-aboard dive/tour operation inTobermory. He has a 74' tug and cruises that area frequently. He is working on a tug in the Seaway this winter I believe, so he might not answer you right away, but he'll know lots about the area.

The one concern I have with your plan is that this water is very exposed and it's BIG water. Early August will be least windy typically, increasing after mid month. 4-6' waves are very usual, which will slow you down considerably, and help is a long way off. 8-10 is not uncommon, but unlikely in early-mid August.

prairie tuber · 03 March 2007, 06:24

Something I've use during the past year or so to deal with bugs is a 'thermacell'. Mind you last summer was af fairly dry one here so the bugs weren't that bad anyway, but the device seems to work pretty much as claimed.

BBirnie · 04 March 2007, 02:37

Thanks for the reply and pm Stoo. We will contact your friend. Im in the process of looking at some charts and guides of the northern channel and the Georgian bay. Im thinking a range of about 150 miles should be adequate. Last summer we took our hurricane to Lake Superior and ran into some 8-10 foot waves around the Apostle Islands. We learned a lot about big open water there.

Prairie Tuber, I just took a look at “thermacell”. Looks good. Thanks for the info.

Stoo · 04 March 2007, 03:41

Bryan,

The North Channel will be a piece of cake... It's one of the primo cruising areas in the Lakes. It's sheltered with lots of areas for fuel. It's east of Killarney where things get a little sketchy! You'll have paddles though, right?

prairie tuber · 07 March 2007, 15:20

Bryan, With regard to Bears, having a can of pepper spray is a reasonable and inespensive precaution. I've never had to use it, but i bring a can with me when in bear country, since it is inexpensive, handy and effective. You might want to check ahead of time to make sure there are no issues about bringing it back and forth across the border.

Something else that is relatively new are small electric fences. This has become more popular in grizzly country out west, but probably is overkill in black bear country. Here are some links about these fences;

http://www.nols.edu/resources/resear...fence_xl.shtml

http://www.waterstrider.com/bear-rep...tric-fence.htm

http://www.udap.com/

http://www.electrobearguard.com/?gcl...FR8JYAodYG2Exw

BBirnie · 08 March 2007, 15:51

Prarie tuber, that video is pretty convincing, Im thinking about gettin one to protect my beer from my roomates. I think since we will only be in black bear country I will get some pepper spray and keep food far from the tent. I was reading that black bears have been known to swim as much as five miles to get to favorite islands. Impressive

prairie tuber · 08 March 2007, 16:18

Yup - significant differences between black bears and grizzly bears. This press release from the National Parks Canada office in Jasper best sums it up:

The Jasper office of National Parks Canada has issued a warning to campers about high levels of bear activity this spring. They advise hikers and campers to wear little bells and carry pepper spray for defense. They also inform one of how to determine the different kinds of bear scat. Black bear scat has many seeds and smells of blackberries. Grizzly bear scat has small bells and smells of pepper.

There was also that incident in Alaska a couple of years back about the 2 hikers (one was from Romania, the other from Czech Republic) that were killed by a pair of mating grizzlies. Wildlife officers ended up shooting both of the bears and found the remains of the Romanian inside the female bear. Guess where the Czech was?

jyasaki · 08 March 2007, 16:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBirnie

Prarie tuber, that video is pretty convincing, Im thinking about gettin one to protect my beer from my roomates.

Roommates are like squirrels. An electric fence won't stop them. The only sure way to keep rommates from your beer is to be more pro-active, and drink it now, before they can get to it.

jky

Stoo · 08 March 2007, 18:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by prairie tuber

Grizzly bear scat has small bells and smells of pepper.

The ones you really need to worry about have scat that smells like gunpowder and has bits of running shoe it it!

pathalla · 08 March 2007, 23:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBirnie

Prarie tuber, that video is pretty convincing, Im thinking about gettin one to protect my beer from my roomates. I think since we will only be in black bear country I will get some pepper spray and keep food far from the tent. I was reading that black bears have been known to swim as much as five miles to get to favorite islands. Impressive

Just remember, these are "Canadian bears" which means they have probably become acclimated to BEER!!! Stoo or Tuber will tell you what you need to do....

prairie tuber · 09 March 2007, 03:40

They do indeed like beer - very much. I did an overnight canoe trip with a friend and his kids a few years back. On the way back, as were getting ready to launch after a portage, a big 450 lb blackie sped the process up for us considerably. He showed up on the portage trail we were just on about 30 yards form us and refused to moved when we yelled at him & made noise.

In the haste to get the kids & gear (or was it gear & kids

) into the canoe I forgot my (low ball*) beer can on the shore rock. As soon we pushed off, he ran to the shore and helped himself to my beer.

Bryan, Something else I just thought of that will help keep you safe in bear country is a good quality set of broken in running shoes. Not that you're going to outrun the bear or anything - you don't have to - you just have to outrun your brother.

Then again, if he's wearing that green thong, I'm sure the bear will leave him well enough alone.

Stoo · 09 March 2007, 11:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by prairie tuber

Then again, if he's wearing that green thong, I'm sure the bear will leave him well enough alone.

Or use that thong for dental floss!

BBirnie · 29 June 2007, 14:54

Well, unfortunately I have to postpone our trip until summer 2008. We have had problems with dates since our main sponsor would only have their boat available for use in mid September. Rogan has got school starting late august and I am financing my girlfriend through med school starting august. I hate this responsibility stuff

. Maybe we will just have to take a short trip to go and drool over war machine and have a drink at Kellys.

pathalla · 30 June 2007, 01:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBirnie

Well, unfortunately I have to postpone our trip until summer 2008. We have had problems with dates since our main sponsor would only have their boat available for use in mid September. Rogan has got school starting late august and I am financing my girlfriend through med school starting august. I hate this responsibility stuff

. Maybe we will just have to take a short trip to go and drool over war machine and have a drink at Kellys.

Well, if you get as far as Lake Erie you'll probably be drooling all over it just as they do when we take it out, only problem is they aren't drooling over it because they like it... they are drunk!

dverstege · 17 October 2007, 13:39

keep me in mind for the 08 trip. I should be able to pull it off in my little 12 foot Metzler rib.

BBirnie · 18 October 2007, 21:44

Sounds good dverstege, Guess we would meet you after crossing the Georgian Bay. I will pm you with dates and our proposed route when we finish planning over this winter. We should leave Chicago in late July / early August.

dverstege · 19 October 2007, 00:42

Do you think I'll get there in my Metzler?

BBirnie · 20 October 2007, 14:20

Sure you could, the only thing that might be tough is the bench seat on your Metzler. If we hit rough water when crossing Lake Ontario, looks to be about 50miles, you might get tossed around pretty good. I would consider the possibility of converting to a jockey seat. Having the option to stand when going over 5-6 ft waves can make a huge difference on the old back. You will also want a range of about 100-150 miles, for us that means adding a large gas tank up front (12 gallons) and a few jerry cans in the back.

Stokes · 21 October 2007, 17:12

Bryan,

Hows the Oct. boating season? Wind should be picking up nicely, with increasingly large waves breaking around the southern tip of the point. Lake Ontario, hmmm, hope she is not as much of a B*$ch as Superior in that small craft advisory, ahhh memories.

Dverstege, I am sure you can make it, just need to grow a set and try and keep up with the urban boaters from Chicago. Speaking of Chi, I'll be back Nov. 7-11: it has been a few years since I've been out dodging rather large chunks of ice, perhaps I can talk you into a quick ride on the Hurricane.

Bright and sunny here in New Mexico, in the 70s, with no large body of water within hundreds of miles. I guess everything is a trade off.

Stay safe, ill be back in the city shortly...

dverstege · 21 October 2007, 23:04

I’m looking for a used jockey seat for the trip and am looking at buying a friends newer 30hp/Yam for the trip.
About the trip Lake Simcoe can be harder to power through than Lake Ontario depending on the wind. This 25year old Metzeler is still strong but has a harder time with chop than waves. I have been in 20 foot swells in a small dory off Newfoundland and felt more comfortable than in 2 ½’ to 3 ½’ chop on the fresh water lakes. Never know I might even have something bigger then. Just have to sell my B350 Brig and Metz first.