T-Rescue Tune Up

On By Brian DayIn Skills3 Comments
Figure 1. Initial contact with the swamped kayak. Note the paddle clamped under the front edge of the PFD, the torso rotation and the committed lean toward the capsized kayak.

The T-rescue is one of the fastest and most effective methods for helping a paddler recover after a capsize. By focusing on a few specific points, a T-rescue can be executed safely and easily, even on heavily loaded boats.

Continue reading “T-Rescue Tune Up” →

Hiatus

On By Brian DayIn Life1 Comment

I’ve had a great run of weekly posts for the past few months. It’s time to take a break. Cristi and I are settling into new jobs and new places. Pedro is enjoying his retirement in the country. I’ll try to pick things up again once we’re situated.

See you in a few weeks.

Brian

Saving Buffalo Reef

On By Brian DayIn Life, OutdoorsLeave a comment

Please take 10 minutes out of your day and watch this excellent short film produced and directed by my friend Finn Ryan.

The film highlights how mine tailings from historic copper mines in the UP are spreading in Lake Superior and threatening to destroy one of the Lake’s most productive lake trout breeding habitats.

It’s easy to blame overfishing for falling fish stocks, but more often than not the issue is habitat destruction. If we want to have healthy fisheries for commercial and recreational harvest we must address the root causes of fisheries degradation whether they be dams, industrial pollution, urban runoff or climate change.

In this case, work is underway to mitigate and ultimately remove the stamp sands that are the source of the problem. It’s headed in the right direction. Let’s make sure it keeps going that way.

The Death and Life of the Great Lakes

On By Brian DayIn Life, OutdoorsLeave a comment

I first heard of Dan Egan’s book, The Death and Life of the Great Lakes during an interview on WORT radio here in Madison. I caught the final few minutes of the discussion and made a mental note to check out the book sometime soon. It took me a few more months than intended to get a copy in my hand, but it was well worth the wait. The book is outstanding. Not only is it one of the most comprehensive summaries of the ecology and history of the Great Lakes I’ve ever read, it’s also a real page-turner.

Continue reading “The Death and Life of the Great Lakes” →

Please Shut Down This Crude Oil Pipeline Under the Great Lakes

On By Brian DayIn Life, Outdoors1 Comment

Before the Spill from Adam Wells on Vimeo.

Did you know there is a crude oil pipeline under Lake Michigan? Yep, it runs under the Straits of Mackinaw and cuts from the UP to lower Michigan.  The line is old, broken down and poses a big risk to the Great Lakes. Running crude oil under the world’s biggest freshwater system doesn’t pass the common sense test.

We drink this water.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to Kitchi-Gami.com by using one of the links in the menu on the right side of the screen. On your mobile device you’ll find the links if you scroll to the bottom of the page. Thanks!

A Simple Clothing System: UPDATE and Podcast Dump

On By Brian DayIn Skills, ToolsLeave a comment

DSCN0925
BWCA 2018. Microburst. This storm generated 60 mph straight line winds. I’m glad we weren’t on the water when it came through.

I’ve been digging into podcasts over the past several months and further exploring the origins of the clothing system that I am outlining in this series of posts. One of the things that I’ve discovered is that there are a few people out there who have very deep knowledge on clothing systems design and performance. Many of these folks are connected with the modern backcountry hunting community. Quite a few have ties to the military and some were influential in developing the systems that started as the Protective Combat Uniform and morphed into the current version of the US Army’s Extended Cold Weather Clothing System.  Continue reading “A Simple Clothing System: UPDATE and Podcast Dump” →

Rock Island Rendezvous

On By Brian DayIn Life, Outdoors2 Comments

rock_island_wisconsin
Thordarson’s boathouse and ferry pier, Rock Island State Park, WI. By David Langhorst [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons
It’s 11:15 PM on a Friday night when we pull up to the ferry landing at Northport in Door County.  Mark and I begin to unload sea kayaks and gear for a weekend tour from my Honda Civic.  The weather is cool–what you would expect from the first weekend of October–and the wind is moving the tips of trees above our heads.  Continue reading “Rock Island Rendezvous” →