I just read Jimbo BWJ story about taking a young man (Chuck) on a wilderness trip.  I was reading it for not only the enjoyment of the adventure but as an education for a trip I have considered.  I have a relative who loves to fish.  He is younger than Chuck and much smaller in stature.  If the opportunity affords its self I would ask him to go on a local day of fishing to see how we could handle a canoe.  I have thought about the two of us in my Magic.  My Magic has a sliding seat and with the seat all the way back he could be just in front of the thwart and I think we would be trimmed about correct.   
I imagine Chuck is thrilled with the trip and now with the story in BWJ he has a keep sake.  Good job hooking that one Jim.

Hey, Magic!

The magazine hasn't shown up here in The Twin Cities, yet, so thanks for informing me that Stu actually ran the story in THIS issue!  I never really know before I see the story in print in a given issue.  I hope the magazine shows up in the mailbox today as my goal was to present Charlie (I mean "Chuck") with it at tonight's cul-de-sac Christmas Eve get-together.  Maybe there's still hope!

First, however, I should point out that I got great tips (as usual) for traveling with youth from QJer's.   This time it was QJ's own dynamic brotherly duo of Snow_Dog & Old_Salt who pointed me in the right direction. 

Snow_Dog especially reminded of stuff I learned when taking my own two young sons into the park years ago but was about to ignore during my trip planning (ie. "paddle less, fish more").  Old_Salt is the one who, years ago, SHOWED me the precise spot where Charlie caught his lunker lake trout [OS - I'm NOT telling if you're not!!].  Presumably, Stu printed THAT pic, right?  Generally speaking, he maintains that I suck at photography (and I do) but how could he NOT run the pic of a kid who's smiling like that?  I'm betting that pic made it!

Magic, you're absolutely right about doing a trial run or two before hauling a youngster into the wilderness for the first time.  I simply got lucky with Charlie.  We didn't run into adverse paddling conditions until later in the week... and, by then, we'd had plenty of practice paddling together.

Also, be sure to assign your young person some camp chores... like setting up his own tent, gathering kindling/firewood, cleaning dishes, picking up around camp, etc..  When a kid gets some flesh in the game he really begins to "share" the experience, thereby earning the pride he will take in his accomplishments and a great deal of self-confidence by the end of the trip.  Charlie had never even camped before.  He responded well.

Taking Charlie into the wilderness was one of the more satisfying things I've done in a long, long time.  I heartily endorse your plan, Magic, and encourage other QJ'ers to think about doing the same.  There's LOTS of help on this website to get you started... all you have to do is ask!

Thanks for the good news.

Jimbo   8-)

Jimbo wrote on Dec 24^th, 2012 at 2:32pm:

Old_Salt is the one who, years ago, SHOWED me the precise spot where Charlie caught his lunker lake trout [OS - I'm NOT telling if you're not!!].  Presumably, Stu printed THAT pic, right?  Generally speaking, he maintains that I suck at photography (and I do) but how could he NOT run the pic of a kid who's smiling like that?  I'm betting that pic made it!

Oh, yeah!  FULL PAGE pic.

dd

Congrats on the story Jimbo, the picture is outstanding!

Ah, yes.. the BWJ has arrived just in time to make a kid's Christmas!

I am also pleased that Stu - in his caption to the big fish pic - attributed Charlie's lunker to the WRONG lake.    Old Salt's secret fishing hole shall remain a mystery!

Merry Christmas, guys!

Jimbo   8-)

BTW:  Glad to hear that you got some use out of the Frisbee.

dd

DentonDoc wrote on Dec 25^th, 2012 at 3:29am:

BTW:  Glad to hear that you got some use out of the Frisbee. dd

Yeah, thanks for fishing that thing up!   It came in handy!  It's now the official camp frisbee.

Also, thanks for the heads-up re: that marauding turtle!  One night's dinner (and a good stringer) might have swam away if I had not been on the alert!

Jimbo   8-)

A great article, indeed, Jimbo  :thumbup

And regardless of Stu's opinions on your photography, you're an excellent writer!

Hope you and everyone else here on the QJ is having a wonderful holiday season.

ML

I haven't taken young folks canoeing in many years.  I should. 

It's the old "Put up or shut up" thing.  You see, I've bitched about why adults (like scouting and church group leaders!!) don't teach kids wilderness canoeing ethics: like being QUIET, like respecting other's solitude, like keeping a clean camp and even cleaning up the crap others leave behind. 

Well, Jimbo's story, while talking about fish, got me thinking I should look for opportunities to teach a kid or two what I was taught way back in the day.

prouboy 

I'll have to track down that article!  I've been blessed to be able to take a couple of my nephews on trips (one sister said, "just bring him back alive, OK?").  No smiles like young smiles (in this pic, part of the fun was Gabe had to duck into the water to grab the pike).

---

Kingfisher wrote on Dec 24^th, 2012 at 9:03pm:

Congrats on the story Jimbo, the picture is outstanding!

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile!

Jimbo   8-)

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Now THAT's a FISH!!!  A fish like that is a lifechanger for a kid.
Prouboy, as one of those that sometimes rides herd on a group of up to 18 young people, I will say I can feel your pain on the noise etc.  I love solitude & often camp alone for that reason, but when you have 18 energetic young people out there ther will be more noise than I am comfortable with sometimes .  That's just the way it's goint to be.  Kids having fun will often be kids making noise.  We DO make sure their is a stack of firewood to last a couple of days when we leave, pick up all our trash & any other we can find, & with their permission we often help others with their gear on portages.  We always give smaller groups the right of way at any portage.
We have no electronics to create noise.  Just haven't figured out how to have a quiet game of capture the flag yet... :-[

I had the joy of taking my 10 year old daughter into Sylvania Wilderness last August...partly as the result of some encouragment by Prouboy.  Wow...it sure was a life changer for her dad. 

I wasn't sure what to expect taking my little princess into the wilderness.  She hasn't stoped talking about it and she is expecting to go again this summer.

It seems like we can always find ways to talk ourselves out of that initial trip...they are too young...not enough experience in the canoe...not a good enough swimmer...what if it storms like crazy...

Just wish I would have stepped out on faith a little sooner.   

Paddle Guy,
I wouldn't be concerned that you could have taken your daughter sooner.  Maybe if she had gone a year or two earlier, she would not have been ready and it would have been an unpleasant experience for her.  Just be glad that you lucked out and took her at a time went she was ready for it.  Also, going to a place like Sylvania which is small and closer to home was probably a good choice.

My compliments also to the story Jimbo.  It was the highlight of the BWJ for me.

-YB

Yellowbird wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2013 at 6:28pm:

My compliments also to the story Jimbo.  It was the highlight of the BWJ for me. -YB

Thanks, YB!  We're hoping to see your smiling face back in the Q or at Copia sometime before we're all too far over-the-hill (well, I suppose we could STILL go to Copia, then!).

Writing that story was a lot of fun.  My experience w/"Charlie" encourages me that even today's cyber-wired youth will embrace the wilderness if simply given exposure to it.  He gives me faith in future generations.  Speaking of which, my younger son (now 23) - the one who had little patience for fishing & hasn't been to the Q in many years - is absolutely demanding
that I take him along this year!  That's the best news I've had in a long while....

Jimbo   8-)