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Apr 17^th, 2026 at 10:52am (UTC)

QuietJourney Forums › Boundary Waters / Quetico Discussion Forums › General Boundary Waters / Quetico Discussion › Post Reply ( Re: canoeing with young children )

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Topic Summary - Displaying 10 post(s). Click here to show all

Posted by: partschaser09
Posted on: May 19^th, 2010 at 5:13pm

Quote

We are planning a June 2010 trip, looking for smallmouth and some walleyes. We fished Rawn and Art in 2004, and had no major trouble getting across Pickerel despite some windy conditions. We didn't do great on smallmouth and want to find a better trip. Now, with two of us 60+ and two young bucks, we are wondering if the Pickerel crossing is something we should try again. We'd like to go Bisk, Bud, Fern, but want to be sure and get back to Stanton on time. Any suggestions?

Posted by: Kleiser
Posted on: May 18^th, 2010 at 6:10pm

I would echo starwatcher about time of year. We were up in July one time. My wife and my first trip after our oldest was born. We felt we needed alone mom and dad time without an infant and did a 4 day trip while the baby was at Grandma's. Unfortunately, being July the weather was over 90 degrees every day and one day we were on a lake with an infant in one group. In 90+ heat the shade is not very cool. The baby cried a lot of the day and I don't think the parents' skills would have helped at all.

I have taken my children from a young age (my wife made me wait until they could pee in the woods on their own). They started at 5 & 6 y/o for their first trip and have gone every summer since. The biggest thing with travelling with young ones and I would say the same for infants as well, is that when they are ready to be out of the canoe you have chosen the lake you are going to camp on. No sense pushing them if they are not going to enjoy it. The whole point of taking kids young is to let them experience a place we enjoy, learn some life lessons and have fun. If it becomes work they will not enjoy it.

One other thing I have done with my kids when they were young is stay to small lakes where wind is not as big of an issue. We had at least one day of storms the first 3 years my kids went up with my wife and me. We can all plan the perfect trip and prepare our group as much as possible, but it is the unexpected things that are the challenges.

Posted by: deanevenson - Ex Member Posted on: May 18^th, 2010 at 12:49am	Quote
We did French to Art last year with Stanton Bay out. I would not take kids much younger than 11...big lake. It turned on us middle of the way through it.

Posted by: starwatcher Posted on: Apr 24^th, 2010 at 3:22am	Quote
One comment is "safety first" Particularly keep in mind the time of year and water temperatures in case you ever dumped your canoe. starwatcher

Posted by: Seymour Posted on: Apr 19^th, 2010 at 12:52am	Quote
All is well guys! I'm starting to figure things out. Peace, Seymour

Posted by: mastertangler Posted on: Apr 17^th, 2010 at 3:29am	Quote
Superior summation Sir ST.

Posted by: solotripper
Posted on: Apr 15^th, 2010 at 3:23pm

db wrote on Apr 15^th, 2010 at 6:29am:

Seymour wrote on Apr 14^th, 2010 at 2:48am:

... comments around NOT bringing infants, etc into Q should be seriously dealt with (?) and/or does this site actually condone these types of commentary?

Yes it does. This isn't the chamber of commerce. A wide range of advice (and opinions) is condoned, welcomed and explicitly encouraged. We were suckered with a subject entitled "canoeing with young children" and asked for route advice. Take what fits and leave what offends you for someone else to ponder. They might see it differently.

We all need to keep in mind that Google will be bringing parents of all backgrounds to this thread long after we've all forgotten it. I wonder if they will also notice threads where other people ask about taking their dog mention that they practice with them on local lakes. More unnecessary, value added, food for thought.

I for one am glad that the QJ commentary's are NOT run thru a PC filter, at least the one's that fit in a site that is open to all age groups.

Anyone who has been here awhile knows that whether asking for advice or giving "expert" opinion, your going to get opinions that may or may not be what you want too hear Huh

OS has it right, the vast majority of responses will be with good intentions, although many will not be sugar coated.

Were all adults here, remember to "criticize" the idea, not the person.
Certain subjects seem to bring out the most emotion. I know from our PFD debate, that when it comes to personal choices, most people want it to be theirs, not the authorities or other paddlers.

Kids and peoples dogs are at the top of the emotion list. Everyone who has kids or paddles with dogs thinks ( right or wrong) that THEIR kid/pet can do little or no wrong, and that they are the one's who should decide what constitutes acceptable behavior. But you need to consider others who may or may not see things the same way.

I wouldn't change that for anything! I'd rather suffer thru a episode of bad behavior by an occasional adult/kid/dog, than see the bonds that develop between parents/kids and pets be lost to future generations.

Part of getting "opinions" is the chance to hear the "other" side. Being a solo paddler and childless, MY idea of what may or may not be good behavior probably might be different than some parents.

It's ALL about being considerate of others. Simple idea , that unfortunately in our it's ALL about ME society is becoming a dying concept IMHO

Posted by: marlin55388 Posted on: Apr 15^th, 2010 at 6:43am	Quote
Valid points to heed, audience.

Posted by: db
Posted on: Apr 15^th, 2010 at 6:29am

Quote

Seymour wrote on Apr 14^th, 2010 at 2:48am:

... comments around NOT bringing infants, etc into Q should be seriously dealt with (?) and/or does this site actually condone these types of commentary?

Posted by: Old Salt
Posted on: Apr 15^th, 2010 at 1:41am

Seymour wrote on Apr 14^th, 2010 at 2:48am:

Okay, I'm fairly new around here - this site. I enjoy paddling is a canoe. I do not need to get into my background in the outdoors. I do not need to list my degrees, certifications, instructing and teaching experience, blah, blah..There is no need to prove this, etc and now I am a newer parent and will be enjoying paddling in a canoe with my son this spring and summer.

I look to this site b/c its really valuable (enough to donate? yeah, maybe someday for this cheap guy) and numerous folks here have provided insight and experience into Q to help my trip planning and again the list can go on.

Some folks here, no need to waste time, seem to waste others time and bring nothing of importance or relevant to this forum. I could now go into how my son will be banging his head against the gunwale and seat to get back to his 'wonderful' crib and how I will paddle in the full blown sun for hours on end as if there is no one that might be affected by the sun's rays. Which is why I purchased a space suit, equipped with its own bowel movement catcher - come on! I am now waste your time too!?

I do appreciate all parents and paddlers that gave me feedback with my trip planning thus far.
As mentioned, safety, yes very important, proper planning can help mitigate. But not going at all b/c of a infant?!? We could go into the risks in car camping with infants to waste more time..But comments around NOT bringing infants, etc into Q should be seriously dealt with (?) and/or does this site actually condone these types of commentary?

I started this and got great info and its interesting to see the extreme or wide open opinions folks have out there. I guess I asked for it? There's facts and opinions and there's being other comments all together..
Any how,
Seymour

Seymour,

I have no doubt that with your vast months of child-rearing experience, that you know all you need to know. One of the things you will find at QJ is that when you seek advice, you will get it, perhaps even advice/opinions you didn't ask for. I have no doubt that all of us here have good intentions. I think it is safe to say that many of us have expressed concern for the well-being of your infant son. That doesn't mean we think you are not a good parent, but we know that often times things don't work out as well as we dream they will. Since you feel no need to disclose much about yourself, an obvious assumption is that readers will make a wide range of assumptions about you. Nothing inherently good or bad about that, its just how most are wired. So, I hope things work out as well as you hope...and that you will cut us a little slack, and I hope we will cut you a little slack as well. It's your call... Cool

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