Has anyone done a trip with someone that was visually impaired? 
I've been walking through this and main causes for concern that I can think of are landings and portages. Any thoughts or suggestions?

When you say vision impaired, do you mean poor vision or no vision?

I’ve done trips with poor vision paddlers. One had to be led by hand.

Old Salt asks a good question.  We need more details on what vision impaired means.  Would his vision affect his ability to fish for example?

zski wrote on Dec 13^th, 2018 at 3:57am:

Has anyone done a trip with someone that was visually impaired?  I've been walking through this and main causes for concern that I can think of are landings and portages. Any thoughts or suggestions?

  When I used to paddle with a tandem partner the guy I went with literally had glasses as thick as coke bottles. I don't know how that compares to your potential bow paddler?

  I was the stronger paddler and had better skills, so he was the bow paddler by default.

Our problem wasn't landings or portages, it was maneuvering in a rocky area or when a big rock was just below the surface and I couldn't see it from the stern.

  By the time he could make out the rock, we were either on it or bouncing off it.
   
   

You're right, should have been more specific. My understanding is no vision. He's a friend of a friend and loves the outdoors and is very self sufficient to the point that his occupation is teaching others with no vision how to get along. My friend was telling me that he lives on some wooded acreage, does amazing stuff on his own, runs a wood splitter, cleans the gutters etc.

I do know of totally blind folks who have successfully deer hunted.  Obviously, a sighted person is along to guide the hunter and help target the weapon on the animal.  That being said I would think it more of a communication issue than anything.  I'm thinking that the visually impaired person would be very good at teaching us how to communicate effectively with him or her on what needs to be done wether that be hunting or paddling a canoe.
In the past I've hosted a wheelchair bound youth deer hunting on our property.  I built an enclosed, accessible shelter for this purpose. Her rifle was mounted on the wheelchair and she had to move the chair via toggle sticks to sight on the animal.  She then would depress two devices, one on each arm of the chair, to fire her
weapon. She did and continues to do this very well.  I wish I had one tenth the determination that she has.
For me personally it was more a matter of myself getting past some barriers in my thinking than of the challenged person getting past their physical barriers.

Hope this helps.......mike

I would also think that a lot of patience and a great sense of humor (on both parties part) would be a prerequisite for a trip like that   :)

mpeebles wrote on Dec 13^th, 2018 at 12:53pm:

I would also think that a lot of patience and a great sense of humor (on both parties part) would be a prerequisite for a trip like that   :)

No doubt about that.  Going in with the right set of expectations for a challenge like that is everything.

Sometimes you get surprised, however.

I did a trip with my brother about 14 years back.  We invited a friend along whom we hadn't seen in 20+ years.  We didn't know he had grown to be over 400 pounds.  He was my brother's bow paddler.  It took the two of us, standing hip-deep in the lake, to lower him into his seat in my brother's tandem.  Portaging was also a real challenge.  Even the real easy portages seemed the "Bataan Death March" to my brother's friend (his phrase, not ours).  The key was just as mpeebles says, "a great sense of humor" on everyone's part!

Similarly, one year I got saddled with a "blind date", so to speak, in the bow of my canoe.  My buddy from NJ asked a couple of his friends along... and HE cherry-picked which guy was going to be seated in the bow of his tandem.  I got the fellow who couldn't stay awake and whose paddle seldom touched the water.  I got so used to chauffeuring "old Bob" around Russell Lake while trolling that I didn't notice he had fallen asleep (again) and dropped his paddle about 1/2 mile back (where Chatterton Falls spills in).  So he snorts himself awake and finds his arms still going but he's holding nothing in his hands.  It was worse a few days later when I made the judgment error of attempting to paddle up a Grade One rapid where the B-Chain empties into Oliphaunt.  Bad move.  Had Bob even dipped his blade into the water once on his side of the canoe, we'd have made it up those rapids!  Oh, well.  So we flipped a fully-laden canoe... first time for me in over 30 years.  Even I learn, eventually, however.  At the very end of that trip we were confronted with BIG rollers on Pickerel Lake.  Let's just say I wizened-up and chose the better part of valor that time.

I truly applaud the efforts of folks who are fighting their way through personal challenges to keep their passion for canoeing going.  However, the entire party needs to have a sober & frank discussion of any party members' serious limitations well in advance (if they are aware of any).  Without group commitment, it can truly jeopardize safety and overall morale on a given trip.

Later,

Jimbo   8-) 

Jimbo, that's funny stuff! 

On a more serious note I wholeheartedly agree with your last paragraph.

z.....back to your point about landings and portages.  I agree with you that these may present the greatest challenge.  Some of these can be down right treacherous especially if slippery.  After all it's not like walking down a sidewalk or climbing a few flights of stairs.  I've taken enough falls and dunks myself.  I would also think that it would take "considerably" more time for almost anything to happen.  Per Jimbo, I'd be having the conversation. Perhaps a trial run?

Quote:

Per Jimbo, I'd be having the conversation. Perhaps a trial run?

   IF you plan right, you could take a very nice trip with very few portages, none of them challenging even if you had to walk the vision impaired person over them.

As an example, go in at BH, up to that very short portage into Quetico lk. Miles of water there. You could go up to Cirrus via that short flat sidewalk portage N of Eden island in that no-name bay.

IF they do well then you could expand your range as long as EVERYONE involved as Jimbo said was on-board with carrying some of the load IF need be?

IF this guy is running his own log splitter and cleaning gutters, he's already abler than many people I know.  ;) ;D ;D

Some good thoughts here. At first I was taken back when i learned he was blind but after thinking things through I settled down and now the idea is exciting. A lot of thoughts I've had have been echoed here. Clear communication, proper expectations and at least one dry run. Reviewing destinations, there were a number of ideas but lately have settled in on the 'bay' on the south branch of quetico where the lake reaches toward lakin and the unnamed lakes (around #530).
I enjoyed reading about the wheelchair accessible deer hunting. You're right about attitude - i'd take a good attitude over ability any day.   Limitations don't have to stop us and  full disclosure is probably a great idea for every trip, particularly as we get on in years.. I'm thinking of a story my brother told. one of the people in the group brought someone new. No one was aware the guy was prone to panic attacks until the wind kicked up and they were in the middle of a large body of water. a little foreknowledge would go a long way.

Another option is to just paddle around Beaverhouse, occasionally getting out of the canoe and leading him through the woods back to the canoe and saying it's another lake.....

If the gentleman in question has been without sight for some time, you might be surprised at how mobile he can be.

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Some of the copia crowd might remember this person speaking at the show, 2016 I believe.  He is from a small town about 30 minutes from me.  An incredible person.  Completely without sight from a hunting accident and still does roofing when he is not speaking or off on an adventure.

MossBack

MossBack wrote on Dec 14^th, 2018 at 4:15am:

If the gentleman in question has been without sight for some time, you might be surprised at how mobile he can be.   (You need to Login or Register Some of the copia crowd might remember this person speaking at the show, 2016 I believe.  He is from a small town about 30 minutes from me.  An incredible person.  Completely without sight from a hunting accident and still does roofing when he is not speaking or off on an adventure. MossBack

Wow, that guy is an inspiration to us all.

Lonnie Bedwell - wow