Paddling – On the Horizon Line

What to Do When Family Adventures Don’t Go as Planned

This excerpt is from a post published by OARS, a rafting & adventure travel company. Check ’em out!

Photo above courtesy of OARS.com

By Brianna Randall

Ever been peed on by your toddler while running a Class IV rapid? Or perhaps you’ve had to clean your son’s vomit off the gear just before the start of a long-awaited family vacation to a national park, and then woke up to everyone puking near the tent later that night. Or maybe you once drove four hours to meet family friends for a three-day paddling trip then realized that you forgot everyone’s sleeping bags … and the kids’ PFDs.

I, unfortunately, get to check “yes” to all of the above. My husband and I explore outside with our young children almost every weekend, but our family adventures don’t go as planned 99% of the time.

Sometimes that means we endure inconvenient or uncomfortable situations (par for the course most days as a parent, whether you’re adventuring outside or not). But other times meeting our kids’ needs means that we stumble upon a spectacular hot spring when we have to switch rafting itineraries, or that we get to swim with dolphins because we stopped kayaking (again) for snacks to avoid a meltdown.

Getting into nature with young children can be challenging, to say the least. Many parents may feel overwhelmed by the logistics or perceived risks of venturing outside with their children.

But the benefits are worth the hassle. Research shows that being in nature relieves stress, increases creativity, and encourages kindness and generosity.

Whether rafting, walking, birdwatching or camping, outdoor adventures support emotional and physical well-being for the whole family. Exploring outside draws kids away from screens, and helps them connect with people and the world around them. Plus, working as a team during family outings helps kids problem-solve and learn new skills.

Convinced of the pros for braving outdoor activities with your family? Read these tips on how to tackle challenges during family adventures with kids!

Paddling, Water

How To Canoe With Kids

As we pushed off the shore for our first family canoe trip of the summer, I held my breath. Our one-year-old daughter had protested loudly when I strapped on her life jacket, making me think we might be in for a miserable afternoon. While our son, Talon, had dozens of canoe trips under his size 4T belt, Lyra hadn’t yet been afloat as a busy toddler.

Luckily, Lyra’s screams turned into delighted coos as our boat skimmed across the green water. She bounced between my legs, pointing at the birds and trees. From his perch in the center, Talon picked up his small paddle, proud to help propel us across the lake.

My husband and I are water people. We’ve sailed across the Pacific Ocean, snorkeled around the Caribbean, paddled through the Everglades, and rafted down plenty of wild rivers. Once we had kids, we began integrating them into our adventures from the get-go.

Canoes have been the perfect way for us to introduce our children to the water.

Two years ago we bought a used 15-foot Coleman to explore lakes and rivers near our home in Montana. We’ve since added a small outboard motor and a sail, too. Sometimes we go out for an hour, and sometimes we pile in the camping gear and head out for a week.

Here’s why we recommend canoes for your family, too:

Affordable. This sport is low-risk and low-investment to try out: you can buy a good used canoe for ~$300, or rent one for ~$50/day to try it out first.

Versatile. Canoes come in a wide range of sizes and styles, ranging from sleek wooden boats to wide plastic boats and even inflatable versions. (Hint: these are the cheapest options and easiest to transport, but they don’t last as hard-shell canoes and require more time to inflate/deflate.) Some are designed specifically for speed or to handle whitewater, but all canoes will work on any calm water bodies you want to float.

Simple. It doesn’t take long to learn how to paddle a canoe, even for young kids. You can watch videos online to see the basic steering strokes, or play around in a small pond to figure it out on your own. Plus, these boats can be stored outside, and are maintenance-free!

Easy transport. Most canoe’s weigh 50-80 pounds, which is totally manageable for two adults. They can be placed upside-down on top of your car, no trailer needed. (Hint: foam pool noodles work well to protect your vehicle’s paint if you don’t have a roof rack.)

Sturdy. Aluminum and plastic boats are particularly good for kids, as their tough, washable, and more stable—look for boats with flatter bottoms, which feel less “tippy”. As you might expect, it’s possible to tip over in a canoe, especially with squirmy kids around. Test the stability near the shore, wiggling hips and moving around in the boat to see how much side-to-side leeway you have before it feels uncomfortably. (Hint: We bought these stabilizer pontoon floats for our canoe, which make it super safe and allow us to walk around the boat or stand up to cast for fish.)

Ready to try it out this summer? Here are some tips:

It gets easier. Any new activity is tough at first until everyone learns the ropes. This is doubly true if your kids are young. Remember that even if canoeing isn’t quite as fun as you’d hoped the first couple of times out, you’re building skills that will last you and your kids a lifetime—and give you wonderful bonding opportunities for years to come.
Get excited! Your happiness (or crankiness) is contagious. If you’re thrilled to be on the water, your kids will be, too. Let them help plan the trip and help pack the canoe so the whole family is invested in the outing.
Offer clear rules and rewards. Before you launch, set a few clear safety rules: don’t stand up without asking, no leaning or jumping over the side, keep life jackets on, no whining (ha!). Try offering a reward at the end of the day if they follow the rules, such as a sweet treat or a movie.
Designate a special spot for everyone. Decide which adult will be in the stern (back seat) steering—they have less leeway to help manage the kids. The adult in the bow (front seat) can help paddle forward when needed, but can also take breaks easily. If you have a toddler, stand them between the adult’s legs in the bow where they can see and move around a little. Babies can be worn in a soft carrier. Older kids can sit on the center crossbars or a middle seat (if the canoe has one) to help paddle, or hunker down to play in the bottom of the boat.
Take your time. Like most outings with children in tow, the trip will probably take longer than you think. While you and your partner might want to race across the lake, the kids will enjoy it more if you take plenty of breaks. In fact, much of the joy in canoeing is playing on shore! Stop often at interesting spots to swim, have lunch, and explore islands or beaches you couldn’t get to without a boat. And don’t expect (or force!) the kids to add much horsepower—paddling is simply a fun diversion for them.

Recommended Packing List:

Any of the items below should be placed in a waterproof bag since the bottom of the boat gets wet from everyone’s shoes and dripping paddles. If you don’t have a dry bag, wrap your backpack or tote in a sturdy trash bag. Buckets also make for great storage in a canoe.

Life jackets: Everyone needs to wear a life jacket. Even if the grown-ups are stellar swimmers, you’re the role models for your kids. Have kids practice wearing theirs before you get in the boat, so they get used to them. (Hint: If you can’t find a comfortable jacket for your kiddo, try U.S. Coast Guard approved water wings that are less bulky.)

Clothing:

Sandals with straps or waterproof rain boots.
Sun hats and sun-protective clothing.
Rain gear, which can double as windbreakers.
Extra outfit for little kids who will likely get wet and muddy playing.

Food and Drinks: Like all outings with kiddos, make sure you pack lots of easy-to-grab snacks to keep them occupied, fueled, and happy. We like to bring “special” drinks for the kids to make sure they stay hydrated in the sun: lemonade powder in their water bottles is a favorite

Gear:

Toilet paper if you’re not near public restrooms.
Umbrella or pop-up tent for shade in the boat or on shore—perfect for passing rainstorms, too!
Seat pads or stadium-style folding seats.
Rope to attach to the bow to help pull the boat on shore.
Maps of the area you’re paddling.
Tarp or blanket for picnics or for “beds” for kids in the bottom of canoe.
Extra paddle(s) for the kids: emergency paddles that are adjustable and light-weight work well.

Fun Stuff:

Binoculars (monoculars work best for you young kids—we love ours!)
Field guides
Fishing rod
Frisbee
Bubbles
Chalk (to draw on rocks or the inside of the boat—it washes right off!)
Bucket (have the kids fill it with rocks/sticks/leaves on shore, then throw them overboard one at a time while you paddle)

Hiking, Paddling, Parenting

To Become The Best Adventure Parent…Get A Babysitter!

Although I love being an Adventure Mom, sometimes I mourn the loss of Adventure Me—the woman who could walk out the door and head straight into the mountains without juggling snacks, diapers, extra layers, and distracted children.

When one of the kids starts whining on the trail, I’ll reminisce about how I used to move through nature in silence, at my own pace. Or how I would hike with my girlfriends while having uninterrupted conversations. Or how I’d paddle down rapids next to my husband, both of us laughing in glee.

And that’s when I call in a babysitter.

When we were pregnant with our second child, Rob asked if we could find a sitter who could come one evening each week. I readily agreed…and then procrastinated. I hesitated to spend money on a sitter if I wasn’t working or didn’t have set plans in advance, since it felt like an extravagant use of money.

Rob gently prodded again when Lyra was 3 months old. And six months old. And when I complained about not having enough time to go play alone.

Finally, a few months ago we found a woman who comes over from 5-8pm every Wednesday. I wish I’d done it four years ago.

Like many parents, time alone has become the most scarce resource—a resource I’m now very happy to purchase for $15 per hour.

During our “free evening,” Rob and I sometimes adventure together. We’ve gone for hikes, worked on our sailboat, and pack-rafted down the nearby creek. But more often than not, we split up and pursue separate hobbies: I careen down a mountain on my bike while Rob flies off a different mountain with his paraglider. Sometimes I just sit quietly next to the creek and stare at the cottonwoods.

These free evenings rekindle Adventure Me. They infuse me with a fresh supply of excitement, spaciousness, and peace, which I can then give back to my kids. Our family adventures together post-babysitter are inevitably more fun, simply because I feel more fun after my solo adventures. Plus, when I get fired up after a stellar bike ride or paddling run, it makes me want to take my kids out, too, so they can experience how awesome it is.

There you have it: my best advice to parents who want to be more patient and passionate while exploring with kiddos? Get a babysitter. 😉

Camping, Hiking, Paddling, Water

When Your Toddler Meets a Crocodile

On a paddling trip with kids through Everglades National Park, the rewards are worth the risks

This story appeared here in National Parks Magazine.

Two strokes into our seven-day paddling trip through Everglades National Park in Florida, a huge snaggle-toothed crocodile slid into the black water 10 feet away from us.

“I think maybe I’m scared,” murmured Talon, our 3-year-old son. Next to our family’s canoe, his 5-year-old friend, Willow, nodded in agreement from the front of her dad’s kayak.

I knew I was scared — and not just of crocodiles. As my husband, Rob, steered us through a maze of mangroves, I kept an eye out for pythons, spiders and potential storms. My body buzzed with adrenaline.

We emerged from the narrow canal into Whitewater Bay, the park’s largest inland body of water. The afternoon wind picked up, and the aptly named bay filled with choppy waves that rocked our canoe. It would have been worse without our outriggers; we had attached the small plastic stabilizers, figuring they would keep a squirmy toddler from tipping the boat. Pulling the brim of my hat low against the sun and stiff breeze, I dug my paddle deeper in the murky water and cursed myself for agreeing with Rob’s suggestion that it would be “fun” to spend a week in the remote backwaters of the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S.

In my nervousness, I barked constant commands to our son, who was perched on the cooler behind me: “Sit on your bottom!” “Hands inside the boat!” “Don’t you dare take off that life jacket!” Talon, who already had dozens of family boating expeditions under his belt, yawned in response, lulled by the warm sun.

Rob and I were intrepid travelers before we had Talon, and we decided to integrate him into our adventures from the get-go. He’d already been backpacking, sailing, rafting and skiing in several states and a handful of countries. When my friends ask if it’s hard traveling with a tiny tot, I tell them that, for me, it’s easier than staying home and sacrificing the lifestyle I love. Though it’s certainly more complicated to bring our son along on outdoor escapades, Talon always learns and thrives during our trips. Once we’re out in the wilderness, it feels as if it’s totally worth the effort.

Even though I was a seasoned adventure mom, the Everglades were foreign territory to me. In our home state of Montana, nothing with giant teeth lives in the water. I’d struggled mightily over whether it was wise to bring a toddler into the swamps, wavering on whether the potential risks would be worth the possible rewards.

Before we launched, the kids had played with squirt guns on the dock as the adults jigsawed gear into the boats. Fresh water took up most of the space and was the limiting factor for how long we could stay out in the brackish Everglades. We had to carry one gallon per person per day — a hefty 160 pounds of water in our canoe. It was hot, so before we launched I asked the children to squirt me, too. It seemed we’d lucked out with the weather — the forecast promised sunny skies and highs in the 80s all week. Then we buckled our life jackets, wedged ourselves into the two small crafts and pushed off the dock.

Talon grabbed his small orange paddle, banging my head in his eagerness to propel the boat. I distracted him from “helping” by starting a game of “I Spy.” Because Talon preferred sitting closer to me and Rob was steering and navigating, it was my job to keep Talon both safe and entertained.

Read the whole story + tips for a trip to the Everglades >

Camping, Paddling, Water

‘Scanoodling’ Is Our New Favorite Water Activity

What is scanoodling?

It’s a word we made up that means dinking around in our motorized sailing canoe. Sometimes we paddle. Sometimes we sail. Sometimes we rev up the 3-horsepower motor.

The name comes from the type of canoe we bought this summer, a 16.5-foot Coleman Scanoe. It’s a flat-bottomed, aluminum-framed boat with a square back that’s durable and roomy — a cross between a skiff and a canoe.

Why we chose a scanoodle

Since we returned from our big trip across the sea, Rob and I have struggled to figure out the best boat to fit our lifestyle in Montana. As water-lovers, boats are vital for increasing our happiness factor.

We have two Alpaca Rafts, super-lightweight inflatable kayaks, which have served us well for short day trips or solo missions on rivers and wilderness lakes. But they’re too small for our family to undertake multi-day trips, and hell to paddle into the wind.

I used to share a 26-foot sailboat on Flathead Lake, but gave up that share when we set sail for the South Pacific. Since then, I’ve rented sailboats from friends for a few days at a time. But we missed the freedom of going sailing whenever I wanted. Plus, a traditional sailboat makes it tough to visit new places, since you’re either locked into one marina with dock fees or you need a big truck to tow a 5,000 to 10,000-pound yacht.

We looked high and low for good options, including small trimarans that our sedan could tow. Nothing seemed quite right.

Until we came across SailboatsToGo.com. This little company makes nifty sailing packages that attach to most kayaks or canoes. The whole kit weighs under 50 pounds, and can be checked as luggage on airplanes. We were sold, especially since we’re planning to sail through Florida’s Everglades National Park this winter.

We bought the sailing kit before we bought our own boat, and tested it out on friends’ canoes. Then we found the Scanoe, complete with a little outboard motor, for just $800. Packing up after work one Friday, we drove to Sandpoint, bought the Scanoe, and sailed to a remote beachside campsite on Lake Pend Oreille at sunset, the water like glass under our bow.

It was a match made in heaven.

Why we love scanoodling

You can sail UP rivers, not just float down, which is uber-awesome.
When there’s good wind, you can fill your sail instead of ruin your arms.
And when the wind’s in your face and you can’t sail or paddle, the 3 hp outboard pushes the boat along at a good clip: ~8 mph without gear, ~5 mph fully loaded. One gallon of gas keeps us going over an hour.
With the pontoons and leeboards (courtesy of SailboatsToGo) and the beamy, flat-bottomed canoe design, the boat is super safe. We can walk around inside or stand up to fish, and not worry that Talon might topple overboard.
It’s a craft that can ply nearly any waterway in Montana. While I wouldn’t take it through Class III+ rapids or into the open ocean, the Scanoe does stay stable even when it takes on water.
At 80 pounds, Rob and I can easily lift the Scanoodle on top of our car with the sail rolled up under the crossbars. The pontoons, leeboards and steering oar fit handily in the trunk. (Note: We’re planning to buy a small trailer to make transport even easier.)
We can pack enough gear in the boat to stay out for a week and the three of us still fit comfortably.
You never have to worry about running aground, since it’s made to be beached.
Maintenance hours are negligible and dock fees are nonexistent.

Where we scanoodled this summer

Missouri River – 50 miles over 5 days
Lake Pend Oreille – 3 night camping trip
Lake Upsata – a day of snorkeling and spearfishing
Frenchtown Pond – where Talon caught his first fish
Clark Fork River – afternoon floats near Missoula
Cliff Lake – 2 night camping and fishing trip
Flathead Lake – hour-long joy rides from Big Arm campground with friends and family
Red Rock National Wildlife Refuge – across Upper Red Rock Lake and 2 miles up the Red Rock River
Blanchard Lake & Clearwater River – after-work jaunts to spearfish and snorkel

Paddling, Water

Rafting Down The River (Just Like Huck Finn)

Rocks and riffles entertain our baby during a week on the John Day River in Oregon

When my dad was 17, he floated 60 miles of the Colorado River on a ping-pong table. Along with two friends, he set off like Huck Finn into the wilderness to see what might happen. Luckily, they tested their “raft” in the neighbors pool before setting off. The suburban backyard didn’t have the desert winds or rapids that quickly poo-pooed their primitive rudder system, but the contraption did indeed float. Somehow.

Steve Randall, John Castle, Bob Randall, and Brian Pike showing off their "raft" before launching on the Colorado River. — Steve Randall, John Castle, Bob Randall, and Brian Pike showing off their “raft” before launching on the Colorado River.

Fast-forward 45 years to a smaller river in Oregon, where Rob and I loaded his grandson onto a real raft for a 5-day, 70-mile float. Even though I’ve been on dozens of river trips, rafting with a 9-month-old felt a lot like getting on a rickety ping-pong table strapped to some inner tubes: precarious.

I wasn’t scared of the Class III/IV rapid we’d cross on the John Day River. I wasn’t scared of wildlife or weather events. I wasn’t even scared that Talon might fall in the river. I was terrified, however, that Mr. Wiggly-Crawly-Has-To-Stand-And-Move would scream bloody murder about being trapped in a small space.

Margi gets some time with little man while we rig the raft.

Talon, like his grandfather, is an adventurer at heart. But, unlike his grandfather, he required a LOT more gear to get down his first river. My dad and his friends took a couple of lawn chairs to sit in, sleeping bags to huddle in, and a wooden chest bolted to the middle of the “raft” to hold food (and quite possibly beer). Our party of roughly the same size filled a 14-foot boat to the gills.

To be fair, Talon’s gear accounted for one medium-sized dry bag. Kipp, Rob and I, however, like having tables and guitars and comfy tents and binoculars and all sorts of other fun toys. Plus, we brought along a 110-pound wolf/shepherd, too, which really impacted the Jenga-like raft packing system.

Just chillin' in the Alpaca packraft. — Just chillin’ in the Alpaca packraft.

Once we figured out how to rig the boat to contain the giant dog, tiny baby, three adults, and oddly-shaped gear, we were off. Sort of. Turns out that he John Day is awfully slow. Low flows and up-canyon winds combined to push us backward instead of forward.

Uncle Kipper saved the day by rowing non-stop … for five days. Meanwhile, Rob and I took turns corralling Talon in the bow, scouring the red riverside cliffs for new birds, and generally enjoying the pace of life on water. (Thanks, Kipp.)

Talon’s highlights from his first river trip include:

watching a pair of peregrine falcons
playing with zippers in the tent
banging on a bucket
staring at riffles
eating rocks

His parents’ highlights from the John Day include:

mom sleeping in a separate tent to enjoy uninterrupted sleep
dad teaching Talon to give high-fives
not riding on a ping-pong table
good conversations
whiskey

Talon made sure that Kipp is rowing straight. — Talon made sure that Kipp rowed straight.

The rafting trip was such a success that we decided to try our luck at a second week. We traded in the raft for the car and headed to the Oregon coast for an impromptu extended vacation — and my worst fear was realized. The car seat always causes Talon to scream bloody murder. Fortunately, he forgot the torture of the road as soon as we arrived at new shores, full of new rocks to taste and new waves worthy of his gaze.