One of the post in todays Solo/Group poll started by db posed an interesting question.

 It was mentioned about fishing in front of a occupied campsite or trolling by, interrupting others solitude or shore fishing.

  I doubt any one here would deliberately anchor off of an occupied site ( at least not that they would admit too)

But, I've inadvertently rounded a corner and right into a occupied campsite. This mostly has occurred when the weather is bad, and I'm riding the shoreline. I try to be a quite as possible on the water or in the canoe.

IF I hear noise up ahead, I'll try and move out from shore if possible, but if not, I cough or wave and let them know I'm coming by. I cough to give any Au naturel paddlers a chance to cover up or break it up

Depending on the looks I get, I'll either nod and keep paddling, or stop and chat for a few minutes.  Most of the time being a solo paddler I've found others, especially in groups wanting to ask questions as they "think" I must know what they hell I'm doing

I've only had one group give me the EVIL eye, most are very friendly, asking about fishing/where from/where you going/how long you in for?
Some have even invited me for dinner/coffee

 So what do you guys think?  Avoid others at ALL costs? Apologize profusely BEFORE you can gauge their mood? Or play it by ear, and respond accordingly?



 

I like big days so I usually paddle late. I also like to see stuff so I'm usually slippin around the shore real quiet like unless I have an agenda. 1/2 the time they don't even notice when I go by. Once in a while one person in the group spots me and invariably they seem surprised. I just nod and ease on down the road.

I wouldn't purposely fish in front of somebody's campsite though. For their benefit as well as my own.

Generally, I try to give anglers a wide berth. That said, in high winds I hug the shore and I wouldn't compromise the safety of my party for someone's possible walleye.

And, I also try to respect someone's privacy. If folks in a campsite wave, I wave back. If they ask how's the fishing, I try to answer. A few years ago I did ask campers as I passed how guys, one with a University of Michigan sweatshirt and one with an Ohio State sweatshirt, ended up at the same campsite.

Tim

I did fish in front of a campsite this past year.  It was located adjacent to the outflow from a waterfall and had a portage on the other side.

I would just continue my normal route.  I am not keen about fishing in front of someone's else's campsite because I figured it has already been fished.  If I am at my campsite, it doesn't bother me at all to have someone paddle by me.  If they are  close enough and want to talk, that is fine with me.  Besides I go in late May, enter from the north of Quetico and there simply aren't that many people that I have contact with.

Westwood

In my default position I'm not the gregarious sort. I need to change my entire mindset before I go out and be sociable in everyday life so for vacation driving 12 hours and paying $15.00 a night compared to per trip to minimize accidental human interaction is worth it to me. If it makes sense I'll wait to portage until a group has finished or literally jog while returning for the next load if I hear one coming.

My first solo campsites were not campsites unless they were only one on the lake. That's not practical over all so these day I try to pick my poison. My most memorable encounters with people were:

-Two years of 15+ people trips. I'm still amazed we were able to spread out like we did.

-Waiting in line to get to a portage and getting passed by a group of scouts who it turns out were the other half of the group that caused the line to form to begin with.

-Deliberately paddling past a campsite to show it to a kid who's mother always talked about it.

-The woman who wanted to chat for 15 minutes as they fished. The fishing part was fine. I just didn't feel like yelling to have a conversation at the time. Next morning they were out there again and this time she was singing.

-The couple on a corner I needed to take. I was 50~100 yards out when I realized (heard) it was devotion time. I was committed by that time so I just pretended not to notice them and kept as much distance as reasonable.

-The guy who paddled his wife between me and the shore I was drifting into repeatedly while casting a jig. There was absolutely no reason for them to do that. I still take that one personally.

That's 30 year's worth so it's not a big deal. If you choose certain sites or paddle shorelines on occasion it happens but I doubt you could get me to stop and chat unless we planned to meet there or someone expressed a NEED for specific help.

Don't get me wrong, I've had some pleasurable portage encounters over the years too but I've had just as satisfying encounters in the checkout line at the store. Boredom and frustration brings out the best in people sometimes. I'm just so rarely bored up there.

Not too long ago I stopped to take a pic and decided to have lunch at a campsite. I didn't get out ... raining. As I rounded the point the occupants and I scared the crap out of each other. That was smile and wave worthy in my book. I've also camped near a portage and had people land and unload at MY site. When questioned, the portage turned out to be a couple hundred yards away. It seemed obvious to me but they were just kids having too much fun to notice much else.

If I see a guitar go by all bets are off.

db wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2010 at 7:13am:


I guess my group better not pass db.  Although we frequently bring a guitar, it comes out of it's case very little.  I think it's a big hassle, but the guy who carries it really loves to sit on a rock and play before it gets dark at least once or twice a trip.  No playing after dark or in the morning, and no loud jamming.  If we're in an area with lots of campsites, he'll judge how loud the other groups are before playing.  Overall, pretty darn considerate, but I hear you db.

Seems like a lot of folks on this site want and expect absolute solitude/silence.  Wally's suggestion to go further north rings true.  I guess that since my expectation is that we're not going to get that due to other groups within earshot, I'm ok with some noise.

Depends on how attractive a fishing spot it is.   
Never toss your lure in another angler's pool.

Once I paddled up to a couple swimming, nowhere near a site.  They were pleasant and enjoyed chatting.  Suddenly I realised they were skinny dipping & wanting to get out of the water. 

Anchor off a campsite?  Depends on how close and the topography.  If someone is camped on a barren rock in the middle of the lake, hard to not be in view of their site.  One certainly does not linger & gawk at an occupied site, not without chit-chat.  Smile, nod, keep moving.


Folks who get indignant at paddlers passing by shouldn't set up camp on main street.  That's the usual dirty-look situation I've seen.  People who think they're entitled to behave as though they're the only ones on the lake.  If you want solitude, go find the biggest unmaintained portage without any back-doors.  Anywhere within 1 day of travel from the car isn't solitude, it's nature, it's nice, it's not solitude.

I have some tolerance for social group activities like singing.  It's the loud, drunken mob that I can't tolerate.  Fortunately, when and where we go canoeing we don't usually see many people.

starwatcher

Along these lines I have a question what people would think about this:

If you were camped in the BWCA and on a lake that has a tendency to get filled, would you be offended if a group paddling by stopped and asked if you were leaving that day?  And if you were, could they leave a pack there while you pack up?  I know someone who this happened to and was wondering what I would think.  And as long as they did not stay around and pester me to leave and I was leaving anyway, I would not mind their pack there.  Quetico this is not a problem, but in the BW side where you need to stay at designated sites I could see the issue if it were a more popular loop or area.

db wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2010 at 7:13am:


db,

Hmmm... so, pray tell, what are your feelings re: bagpipes???

Jimbo   

Ancient_Angler wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2010 at 10:49pm:



Ah, but there is no substitute for the pipes when you are in bear territory (and they're pretty good repelling skeeters, too)!  Your cone of sonic protection from such critters is small price to pay at twice the weight!  

The pipes are even better re: repelling people!  Talk about solitude?!   Play the pipes a couple evenings in a row & there won't be anybody around for two, maybe three lakes... guaranteed!

And, if you can't purchase pipes, just stop by your local hog farm on your way up north & snatch up a porker.  Pig strangling has about the same effect out in the wild.  Just try it sometime.  It's a surefire remedy to ensure peace & solitude at your next campsite.

Jimbo  

P.S.  This has been a joint message from the National Council of Pork Producers & McFarland's Kith & Kin Kilt Korner (market leaders in sonic pest control).

So, Jimbo...I assume you play the pig the same way the bagpipes are played. Tuck it under your arm and squeeze. I can imagine some secondary effects to the squeal.

Tim

Magic...

Our man Jimbo has some serious explaining to do. And I'm getting ready to finalize my check list for this spring. If I'm going to coach my rookie companion, I need details! I'm willing to learn, but I've never done this.

Tim

Ancient_Angler wrote on Apr 24^th, 2010 at 4:27pm:


Kiss a frog and you get a prince.

Strangle a pig and you get solitude, a pest-free environment, & breakfast.

Take your pick.

Jimbo   

AH     NO

Anybody that so wishes may fish in front of our campsite without suffering harassment or ridicule.

Of course, you'll likely have to travel a few hundred miles further north than you were planning to and THEN you will have to find us.  By the way, only 1-2 guys have been through the section where we're headed in the past 75-100 years but maybe you'll get lucky.  Chances are there will be a pink flag or flamingo marker of some sort out front... that should help distinguish us from all those other campers in this remote area of WCP.  

Should you manage ALL of that, feel free to paddle right up to the front of our campsite!  Fish all you want!  We'll even bring out a sample of whatever we're drinking.

*************************************
Solitude ranks high among the factors that influence where my paddling party trips.  I, for one, find myself tripping more & more off the beaten path each year.  Even those years when we take a fairly large contingent with us (5+ paddlers) we will split up on separate permits to minimize congestion & disturbing wildlife-spotting opportunities.  Last year I think we saw two other small canoeing parties in two weeks.

I understand the irritation that comes with paddlers right on top of you when you camp in the more-travelled parks.  I have definitely felt that.  I guess I came to the conclusion that my expectation in a well-travelled park was simply too high.  Rather, I decided to paddle where rules of etiquette aren't really necessary, mainly due to the fact there ain't anybody else around.

Such indulgence seems harder & harder to accommodate these days but it is still do-able.  When my sons reach my age, I'm not so sure....

Jimbo