Paddling the Vaal River - South Africa

Codger_64 said:
I note that you leave your paddles laying loose in the canoe when you get out, and I didn't see a spare. I've lost paddles that way when I or a paddling partner got in and rocked the canoe. Not a big deal, but I learned a trick with my Coleman. There is a gap between the bow/stern manboards and the hull that is perfect for jamming a paddle blade to secure it. I don't have those in my Old Town but I installed kayaker's paddle parks, bungee cords with hooks, under the inside gunnels front and rear. It is a great place to keep a spare paddle and keeps me from losing one when entering or exiting. They also work for "parking" fishing rods out of the way.

Once again, thanks for sharing your trip with us. My children are both grown now but the time we spent together in a canoe was well spent.
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I will follow your advice sir :D

We did have a spare paddle. The two left in the canoe were tethered so little chance they go AWOL and spare was also tethered but on the side.

Just bought two x Stealth paddles .......... will have more spares now :D
 
Buffalohump said:
Nice one Aubrey, next time come to KZN we have more water in our rivers. :D
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I may just take you up on that .....logistics does become a bother though ...... drop off and pick up's become tedious without support :(
 
Another need ...... water proof first aid kit.

Took the Maxpediution pouch along with all packed into zip locks but tedious and bulky.
 
That sounded like a Great Trip(sorry about the lost bag of gear)

Glad the Siegle was brought along and is serving you well

Aways look forward to your trip photos too

:)

Thanks for posting Bro

Dr.Bill
 
Aubrey said:
Another need ...... water proof first aid kit.

Took the Maxpediution pouch along with all packed into zip locks but tedious and bulky.
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I keep my first aid kit (zippered factory pouch) in the drybox so it is both handy and waterproofed. It works there well enough as long as I don't go crazy and try to make it a pharmacy/surgical kit. I did upgrade the factory kit with a few additions that I've come to prefer like a suture kit and some basic meds.

Yeah, I noticed the paddle tethers in the last shots after I posted that, but let it stand per my personal aversion to tethers. Some people spiral wrap a nylon bungee around a thwart and use those to temporarily secure paddles and other gear like a rain jacket or hat. They work as well.

It was 18 degrees f. here last night. I was a lot warmer looking at your pictures!
 
WILLIAM.M said:
That sounded like a Great Trip(sorry about the lost bag of gear)

Glad the Siegle was brought along and is serving you well

Aways look forward to your trip photos too

:)

Thanks for posting Bro

Dr.Bill
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Hi Dr Bill

Thank you for the kind words. The bag is nothing ....memories are forever :D

Just went over the Siegle to touch up the edge. Hair popping duties restored 100%. I bought a Spec Ops Survival sheath for it and added a fire steel and a diamond hone via a kydex back plate. Attached to the fire steel was a Goingear capsule filled with PCB's Inside the pouch was a Streamlight AAA LED light and a Leatherman CX.

Being wet and wadding for over 8 hours a day ....lotsa sand in the sheath so blade has got character now with all the scratches. Not a spot of rust care of Tuff Cloth so in conclusion ...... if I never buy another blade, I would be covered for all enventualities with this Siegle :D

Have a great day!

Aubrey
 
Aubrey, it is good to see you doing such things with your boys and that your dad was included also. Great looking Land Rover.

The pics are special to me - I have spent many a good times on the Vaal River and Vaal Dam. Thanks for the memories of my childhood.

Some of my favorite memories is when we use to go caravan (= RV to the Americans) camping at the Vaal River / Vaal Dam (Loskopdam etc.) and at the time we could park the caravans right next to the water. My father and uncles were keen fishermen during the day and on the boat but come nighttime they were more comfortable in their lounge chairs having a drink and chatting. So they used those T shaped fishing rod stands with the audible alarms that warned them when the fish were biting.

Us kids use to tie a piece of fishing line to the ground on the other side of the T stand and run it over the alarm. Then we would sit there and tug lightly on the line to make the alarm beep. My dad and uncles would run up to the rod and hover over it waiting to strike. But of course then the "fish" would no longer nibble. As soon as they got back to their chairs the fish would take strong and the alarm would scream, but somehow stop when the fishermen got back to the rod. They would often reel in to check the bait and could not understand how the fish had taken but the bait was still on the hook, and no fish.

We were very shrewd not to overdo it and give the game away. We had hours of fun over many years with that game. Especially when we finally told them about it. :D
 
That looks like a great time. At a hunting cabin that I share with other people, I think they have that similar canoe, in the back behind the bard. I love those flat sterns. I want to mount a mud buddy to one some day.
 
Great trip report Aubrey; well done!:thumbup: Those are memories your kids will have for the rest of your life. We just got into kayaking last year (I grew up with canoes); dry bags and lashing down your gear are the first things I was told. We haven't done any rough rivers mostly just lakes, but my son is quite adept at falling out of his kayak:D

I like the gear review and lessons learned. Surprised to hear about the Surefire and Fenix...not what I would have expected!

Sorry to hear about the gear loss, but it's easier to replace than other losses!

Cheers, ROCK6
 
I know I'm late getting to this one, but awesome photos. Looks like a great way to spend time with the kids!
 
Aubrey said:
Hi Mistwalker

We sure had a great time ....next one is being planned :D

All lost gear has been replaced .......... followed Codger_64's advise and have more than enough dry bags now :D Thanx Codger.

Found this great paddling video .... http://www.nfb.ca/playlists/canada-day/viewing/finding_farley/ and http://www.nfb.ca/playlists/bill-mason-beyond-wild-beyond-paddle/viewing/song_of_the_paddle/#panel2

Have a great day!

Aubrey
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Glad you got everything replaced, looking forward to pics from the next trip!




Aubrey said:
Another need ...... water proof first aid kit.

Took the Maxpediution pouch along with all packed into zip locks but tedious and bulky.
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That's one reason I love my life cap. I take it in various configurations of contents. It's been dunked over and over in all temps of water and no leaks. Sometimes it is almost entirely first aid kit. Plenty of ways to carry or attach it. It wasn't packed full in these photos

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Hi Mistwalker

Been looking at those Exotac capsules ...... expensive ....around USD 160 by the time landed in SA :-( Problem wasn't so much getting it wet as having it float away. The sleeping bags and things that should have stayed dry ....drybag solution :D

Have a great day!

Aubrey
 
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Damn, I know they're not cheap, but it sucks though that they have to be that high to get that far.

I like mine because I got tired of choosing between keeping dry and having it easy to get to, and now have both.
 
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