Over the years I have had no shortage of thud and cuss events.  Luckily, most have only damaged my pride, while giving my friends a good laugh at the same time.

Part of my problem was that I had come to believe my L.L. Bean rubber boots had magical properties.   Until one day I was cautioning some newer members of the crew about walking on slippery, algae covered logs.  As I stepped out on one myself, it submerged a few inches under my weight and immediately put my magic boots over my head and my ribcage over the log.

As soon as I convinced my buddies I was OK, they moved on to the laughing stage, while I moved on to getting some much needed air into my lungs.

Not being able to take a deep breath was bad enough, but the occasional sneeze in the cramped truck on the way home was memorable.

Regards,

MossBack

Yep, I've usually been lucky enough to shuck the canoe when I feel the fall starting... and there have been plenty of those.  Have bunged up shins and wrist, but overall been pretty lucky.

One thing that sets "seasoned" paddlers apart from first/last timers is when we crash and burn WE get back up.

I learned to "turtle" with a pack in my backpacking days. I've learned to dump that canoe quickly as well.

A sharp upward punch with the arm opposite the way you want the canoe to go and then protect your body the best way you can.

My trip is in two weeks...I'm afraid to post here for fear I'll set a new personal worst!

I've oft wondered if anyone who never canoe tripped would even believe some of this stuff??   

These are great stories!  Anybody that actually goes out there has a bunch of them.  Hopefully I'll be able to collect more of them.   Wiped out three times in Quetico earlier this year but only one was even worthy of honorable mention.  Broke through some sticks on a bog walk and Newton's law of gravity rapidly took over.  I find it interesting as to how far a canoe can actually fly before crashing.  Took me a while to find it OR it might have taken me a while to get out of the muck, I forget which.

In a past life, I used to have to fill out accident reports along with a corrective action.  I would tell my boss that I couldn't fix clumsy or stupid.  Glad I don't have to do them for myself now

mpeebles wrote on Jul 14^th, 2019 at 1:01pm:




In 2000 I took my Dad to the BW for his first ever canoe camping experience.  I was the experienced know it all so was advising him how to operate in the wilderness. 

On the first day of traveling in I had the canoe overhead and was standing on a flat rock near the landing (to keep my feet dry) and flipped off the boat, and like you Mike, I lost my balance and jumped in the canoe to avoid the water.  This maneuver sent the boat sailing out into the lake with me inside and no paddle.  So, my only recourse was to hang off the front and doggie paddle the boat to shore. 

My Dad did snicker a bit and I'm sure I toned down my know it all stance after that.   

mpeebles wrote on Jul 14^th, 2019 at 1:01pm:


I've learned the hard way that those welcoming logs are often moss-covered and when wet they are like stepping on a greased log. IF possible with my footwear choice I like to be on solid footing even if it's underwater. 

  A nurse that canoes! That could come in handy. 

Forgot to add....the kids later described it as a double back flip, triple sow cow with a quad flail.  They scored it as a 9.2 with a deduction for a large splash.  Would have been a 10 had I entered the water cleanly.   .  On the bright side, the canoe did land in an upright position.  Apparently the canoe is smarter than I am.

My "personal best" was in the BWCA on my first trip.  There were six of us, three young uns' and three mature types.  I was carrying a Spirit II and coming to the end of the portage.  I noticed a log laying out into the water.  The three young uns' were just dropping their loads and waiting for me so they could start loading. I thought I'd just walk out on the log and "flip" the canoe into the water.  I made it out onto the log OK but when I went to "flip" the boat my foot slipped and we went in together, boat on top.  After I crawled out and did an inventory of hurts (arm, leg, head, hand, etc)  I happen to notice the three young uns' laughing their butts off!  I should have charged them for the entertainment!   

My scariest one was not portaging but loading my Roylex onto my car top.  My wife and I had just completed a multi day trip down the Nabakagon and St. Croix Rivers.  We were at a very nice boat launch complete with concrete ramp.  How good does that get?  Anyway, as I was going around the vehicle to get into position to put the beast on top the car I moved sideways for clearance.  My foot hit a rock and I tipped over away from the car.  The boat went flying but as I fell my head hit a large rock on the way down.  Day turned to night briefly as the stars came out and danced around for a few seconds.  My wife, the nurse, kept asking me if I was OK.  I said "of course".  She later told me that one eye was pointed one way and the other another way!  If that rock had been pointed rather than round I probably wouldn't be typing this.