db wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2010 at 7:37am:

I had the same question Marlin did. A candle lantern is great for taking the chill out of a tent but as far as a non-tent situation goes, I'd look for a small LED light (button batteries perhaps) that fit in the kit. Light on demand would actually be a good addition I think. A candle for a fire sure but not for light. Wet birch bark lights with some time over a hot flame but there's always pitch and that doesn't get wet. Plus, you can always find dry tinder under something. I often think about what I'd do in the different circumstances I encounter as I paddle along. When I think of an emergency situation, I think of dumping and having to abandon it all and swim upwind. Fire is never high on my imagined priority list as I hit shore. (I always just hope I'll not be presented w/ a cliff. :)) If there was a good place to start a fire safely, out of the wind ... I'd consider it. Getting wood would warm me up at least but after that, I'd be stuck tending the fire instead of watching for possible help and where my canoe/gear might be washing up or baring that, looking for stuff to make shelter....

In any case, I've got the light issue covered.  An LED bulb with 1" leads is now in my ditch kit along with a button battery wrapped in tape.  Put the leads on each side of the battery and re-attach the tape and viola!

Based on a youtube video I've seen, birch bark will ignite with fire steel even when wet.  The video host took the edge of his knife and scraped the bark to create a small bundle of tender, then it was ignited by the fire steel.  (I suppose the scraping accomplished 2 things ... helped to dry the birch and to reach that portion of the bark that was still dry.  Unfortunately, I don't have any birch near by to test this out.

I do remember a backpacking trip I took with my daughter to the Rockies one time.  On our last night out, it must have rained about 5 inches (I left one pot right side up over night).  We happened to be camped next to a huge cedar tree.  The next morning, to make a fire, I walked over to the tree and scooped up handfuls of completely dry tinder for the fire.

Since it not uncommon for me to be in canoe country early/late season, I've always been somewhat concerned about hypothermia, so I think fire is VERY important.  In that respect, I'm confirming to myself the most important thing you have have on you in a ditching is a good knife.  Yesterday, I pulled together enough natural items to make a working bow-drill friction fire tool.  The spindle was of a small section from a Sycamore limb, the spindle knob-a small block of oak, the fire board of a 1/4 " slab of cedar, the bow string of twine (same twine used for candle wicks in earlier test) and bow from a curved branch from a yard shrub (Photinia).  (I figure the twine could be replaced by any number of items ... boot lace, strip of cloth from my shirt, vine, I've even seen hickory bark twisted into a bow string.) After all parts were prep'ed for the job, I had a pencil eraser head sized ember going in under 10 minutes.  (I repeated the process to confirm that it wasn't a fluke.)  I figure I can blow that ember into a fire with a dry tinder bundle "bird nest."  (I'll see what I can gather from the woods today to form a viable "birds nest."

Slowly, but surely, I'm getting a few of my wood-craft skills back!

dd