25 Canoeing marriages (Read 28307 times)
Spartan2
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 1605
Location: Horton, Michigan
Joined: Feb 1st, 2005
Canoeing marriages
Nov 2nd, 2005 at 11:25am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
After reading Quiet Journey for many months, it occurs to me that I read about canoeing solo, canoeing with friends, canoeing solo with friends, and sometimes even a post about getting together with strangers to canoe together!  (Well, maybe not strangers--web friends?)  But I don't see many posts about canoeing with spouses.

Are there other canoeing couples out there?  Spartan 1 and I have been married for almost 38 years and have been canoeing partners for all of that time.  We took our first wilderness trip in 1971 (Crane Lake, Namakan River) and have 24 trips in the books now, 21 in BW/Q.  Our usual trip is 8-12 days, although one time we did a 22-day trip, which will always be remembered as the best one!

When I say "in the books", I am not just using a phrase.  I make up a journal with photos from each trip, so that on those cold winter days in Michigan we can relive our time in the wilderness by reading the narrative and enjoying the pictures.  It is a great contribution to our sanity, although I suppose some people would raise eyebrows when I mention "sanity" in the same sentence with the word "our"!

Seriously, though, I believe canoeing together has strengthened our bond as a couple.  I would be interested in hearing about this from others who regularly go canoe tripping with a spouse.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
arkansasman
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 590
Location: Russellville, AR
Joined: May 19th, 2004
Re: Canoeing marriages
Reply #1 - Nov 2nd, 2005 at 3:23pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
Spartan2,
I admire your post and your marriage... congratulations on having found that perfect spouse that you can do the things both of you do together.  That is a special bond...  I re-married last December, and now I have found a spouse such as you have... she has been with me twice so far, even once before we were married.  But, we share every activity we can do together...  Hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing, everything outdoors... and yes I even go shopping with her too.  We are best friends and look forward to years of doing those things together.

Bruce
  
Back to top
YIM YIM  
IP Logged
 
Beavers
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 389
Location: Nebraska
Joined: Sep 1st, 2004
Re: Canoeing marriages
Reply #2 - Nov 2nd, 2005 at 5:06pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
Two of my three trips to the BW have been with my wife.  The first one before we were married and then last May for our honeymoon.  Grin 
I hope we will still be going on trips together in 38 years.  Shocked
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
old_rookie
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 221
Location: West Salem, WI
Joined: Oct 8th, 2002
Re: Canoeing marriages
Reply #3 - Nov 2nd, 2005 at 5:29pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
I did one trip with my wife. She had been car camping all of her life. She said the trip was "okay", but she has not been bugging me to go on another.

I applaud couples that trip together. I wish my wife was more interested in it. But that's the way it goes. I wouldn't trade my wife (of 24 years) for anyone. She has found a hobby that she is passionate about (quilting) and I have mine.
  
Back to top
IP Logged
 
monjon
Senior Member
Offline



Posts: 342
Joined: Jan 29th, 2004
Re: Canoeing marriages
Reply #4 - Nov 2nd, 2005 at 5:43pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
My wife and I have made about a fifth of my trips as a team.  Generally when "mon" of monjon comes along we paddle in no more than 5-6 hours and we base camp for 2-3 days exploring and fishing.  One of our favorite trips was to Cirrus where at one time we both a northern on our line at the same time.  She was with me this last May in 50 degree weather.  We always have a good time.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Kleiser
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 129
Location: Live in Austin, MN
Joined: May 9th, 2003
Re: Canoeing marriages
Reply #5 - Nov 2nd, 2005 at 6:32pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
I try and do at least one of my trips each year with my wife.  She loves it there too.  It is a different trip with her than it is with my brother or buddies, but it is probably my favorite trip of the summer.  Sitting out a bad storm in the tent with a spouse can be much more fun than with a member of the same sex!  We have had about 10 trips together now to the BW/Q and hope to surpass the 38 year mark of the Spartans some day.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
BWyoungster
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 186
Location: Brooklyn Park/ Laramie, WY
Joined: Feb 23rd, 2004
Re: Canoeing marriages
Reply #6 - Nov 2nd, 2005 at 10:56pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
All of my canoe trips in the BW have been with my girlfriend(some day wife).  I think it's great that she goes along with me and she impresses me every day we're out there.  I push myself on our trips and she's right there with me.  I have heard people say, "If you can spend a week in the woods with someone, you can spend you're whole life with them" and I believe that has some merit.  This summer I'll be taking my dad on his first BW trip.  I'm excited to show him the place I love but the trip won't be the same without her.  We're still young but I hope to be tripping together for many years to come!
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
velobruce
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 40
Location: Minnesota
Joined: Aug 22nd, 2005
Re: Canoeing marriages
Reply #7 - Nov 3rd, 2005 at 1:33am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
I count myself among the lucky ones... my wife is the one that motivated me to get into canoe camping in the bdub after many years of being too busy with other things. I had done some canoe camping in Quebec as a teenager with my Boy Scout troop, and had spent several summers in northern Minnesota doing field geology (including one summer during which I lived in a tent at a campground for 11 weeks) before we were married, but had not been in the bdub before beyond a day trip or two.

She suggested that we take a trip for our 15th anniversary in 2004. We took a short "proof of concept" trip just after ice out in 2004 for our very first trip together. It was awesome. Saw only one other person on a solo trip the entire time. Our friends who had been to the bdub thought we were nuts for taking that trip which covered 8 lakes and 9 portages in 2 and a half days literally right after ice out as our first effort. We had a blast. We then took a slightly longer trip over our anniversary in September that year.

This year, she took a trip with some of her female friends in mid May. I was thrilled that she wanted to go up there with her friends, but definitely had to fight pangs of jealousy and envy. We took a family trip with our two daughters in August, and the two of us took a short trip in October.

Suffice to say the bug has bitten both of us hard and we are now addicted. While I hope to do a solo trip down the road, I really enjoy our trips together and would be hard pressed to opt for a solo trip if she wants to come along. I expect our future trips will get longer and more adventuresome (into the Q instead of just the bdub?) now that we know we do well together in the wilderness. I couldn't feel luckier...    Grin
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Beavers
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 389
Location: Nebraska
Joined: Sep 1st, 2004
Re: Canoeing marriages
Reply #8 - Nov 3rd, 2005 at 3:07am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
Quote:
Sitting out a bad storm in the tent with a spouse can be much more fun than with a member of the same sex!


Yes it is.... Lips Sealed Lips Sealed Lips Sealed Grin
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Kingfisher
Voyageur
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 1814
Joined: Mar 8th, 2004
Re: Canoeing marriages
Reply #9 - Nov 3rd, 2005 at 5:50am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
My wife and I have been married for 28 years and have been paddling together for over 30 years. She introduced me to canoe camping. Each of us has other hobbies that we are passionate about (fishing for me, horseback riding for her) but we always make time for canoeing together. In fact, canoeing is the only hobby we participate in together with any regularity.
  
Back to top
IP Logged
 

 
  « The Put-In ‹ Board  ^Top