Kayaking the Musquodoboit

Grant Lamontagne · **on:** August 26, 2012, 12:32:28 PM

Some of you may remember that we did this run last year which was pretty grueling and painful. I had a huge welt on my back from rubbing against the seat, I was sunburned and I had more bug bites in more places than I knew were possible. Well, it's time to do it again!

It's just around 0730hrs in the morning and I'm just about to head out to load three boats on my car- Mine, Frank's and my wife's cousin's boat. Then it's off to the end point to drop off Frank's car, then off to the start point to begin our paddle. It's foggy out right now, and looks like it may start raining at any minute which seems like a problem, but then, I've been through the ringer with a few problems in my real life this week and I really need to get the heck out, so I'll go even if the others wuss out!

I'll be taking the new boat this year rather than my big fiberglass one. While it doesn't paddle as efficiently as my fiberglass one, it does have less draft and so I won't have to worry as much if the water level is down a bit plus the seat is a lot more comfortable in the new boat.

Anyways, I am off to start loading the car- we are MUCH better prepared this year than we were last year. Last year we didn't expect it to be as much of a marathon as it was, but we know better this year and I have a couple of Mountain House meals if the bugs will let us stop, and granola bars if they don't. I have a dozen or so bottles of assorted Gatorade and some bottles of water too.

Pictures when I get back!

Def

Gareth · **Reply #1 on:** August 27, 2012, 01:41:34 AM

looking forward to the pics boss.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #2 on:** August 27, 2012, 03:08:42 AM

Brutal run... I am battered, bruised, burned and bloody at the moment.... 29.1kms in 30C weather is not for the faint of heart. Frank is in much better shape than I am and he started to suffer badly from heat stroke and my wife's cousin had a rough go too- she was falling asleep in the car on the way home. Here's the map:

I'll get some pics up tomorrow- I'm going to watch Family Guy and pass out...

Def

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #3 on:** August 27, 2012, 03:22:55 AM

... but you made it through

I look forward to the highlights of the trip

JAfromMn · **Reply #4 on:** August 27, 2012, 05:50:36 AM

I'm looking forward to your Pic's Grant.

I got to buy a Kayak this summer

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #5 on:** August 27, 2012, 12:55:19 PM

Quote from: 50ft-trad on August 27, 2012, 03:22:55 AM

... but you made it through

I look forward to the highlights of the trip

Actually I did a lot better this year than last year. I made it last year all the way to the end (no choice really- there are no rescue spots or early bail out points) but only barely. If I could have given up I would have. This year not only did I finish without a problem but I also paddled Frank's kayak the last few kilometers (with him in it and towing my boat) since he was trying to decide whether he wanted to throw up, pass out or both.

That's no shot at Frank- this is a hell of a run and if you aren't absolutely 100% going into it you probably won't make it.

Quote from: JAfromMn on August 27, 2012, 05:50:36 AM

I'm looking forward to your Pic's Grant.

I got to buy a Kayak this summer

I'm off to work now so the pics will have to wait a bit longer I'm afraid!

Def

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #6 on:** August 27, 2012, 01:34:34 PM

Got a few minutes waiting for things to start here so here are a couple of pics. I didn't take many on the trip but here's all three kayaks on the top of my car and us stopping for lunch.

Def

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Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #7 on:** August 27, 2012, 01:38:03 PM

Here we are during a rest stop at some point in the afternoon, and a shot off the front of my boat.

Def

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Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #8 on:** August 27, 2012, 01:39:34 PM

And lastly here's the numbers off my GPS which differ slightly from the numbers on Google's tracking software above, but I don't think significantly.

Def

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Waterlander · **Reply #9 on:** August 27, 2012, 06:33:12 PM

Well done def, proud of you!

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #10 on:** August 27, 2012, 07:10:20 PM

Damn that looks like a great trip

Gareth · **Reply #11 on:** August 27, 2012, 07:26:53 PM

Glad you made it back in one piece mate.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #12 on:** August 27, 2012, 07:48:37 PM

Thanks guys. It's not uncommon to insist after twenty kilometers or so that this was a bad idea. Up to that point you are thinking it's no big deal and you could do this all day..... then you hit the wall. Your seat gets uncomfortable, you start to feel the sun searing your flesh, the lunch you ate an hour earlier threatens to come back on you, the beads of sweat sting your eyes and you get a massive headache because you can't rehydrate or replace the electrolytes in your blood fast enough and you start to get dizzy. I'm no marathon runner but I'm not in that bad shape and its a real push for me. I'd think it would be a rough go for an Olympic kayaker.

Frank did a time lapse video of the trip- I'll post the link if he puts it on YouTube.

Def

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Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #13 on:** August 28, 2012, 09:47:38 PM

A few more pics from the trip...

This one is at the start point- there's about a three foot muddy drop to the water behind us. By the time we all got into the water Frank had slipped in the mud once and I had slipped twice. Christine probably would have slipped too, but one of the times I fell was because I was helping her get into the water safely...

Inspirational pose.... with a muddy bottom...

Warming the stove to get the fuel moving.

Making lunch for everyone.

Def