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Boats & Boating. Another Form Of Bug Out Transport.

Keith

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Rarely do I see any posts on using a boat to get out of the city. We have a creek just down the mountain from us that we could use if needs be, & in England there are rivers everywhere. Not a good place to be spotted in daylight, but if you travelled at night it would be a good quiet way to travel & carry your equipment with you. I prefer paddling to rowing, rowing is noisy, but paddling a canoe or a boat like mine that is designed for paddling you can go anywhere. I have been in places with this boat that was very shallow.
What are your thoughts? Would you consider using a boat or canoe where you are?
Keith.
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The late Arthur W. Baker, close friend & grandson of the inventor of the Baker Tent. This image was taken at the Great Lakes where we used to trek every winter in this boat.

Below is the paddle that Arthur made for me.
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With the speed of our rivers and the rocks canoeing or kayaking are not a viable form of transport for anyone who isn't an expert. Further downstream though canoeing is a thriving industry even if a lot of it is day trippers only moving down river before getting picked up at some pre arranged landmark.
 
rivers near me are small affairs not really suitable for boating, biggest body of water is a reservoir around here.
if we had stayed in Glastonbury there is always the Somerset Levels, you'd need a boat there to just pick up the wild fowl you had shot, either that or a good water spaniel.
Keith that boat of yours looks very similar to the punts that were used in the old days on the Somerset Levels, I think the only ones left now are in museums.
 
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With the speed of our rivers and the rocks canoeing or kayaking are not a viable form of transport for anyone who isn't an expert. Further downstream though canoeing is a thriving industry even if a lot of it is day trippers only moving down river before getting picked up at some pre arranged landmark.
I read the story of a chap who followed the Thames to its source in a boat similar to mine. He had no problems what so ever. I recall the river Arun in West Sussex, & two other rivers I have been on but can't remember their names. I remember pubs built on the banks of rivers, & then there are the canals. Some people at least must have access to these waterways. Good fishing along the way too.
Keith.
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http://fishingnet.com/angling/fish/coarse/river-arun-cemex/;
 
If you look at the upper Wye, Towy, Irfon and Dee you will see what I mean Keith. They're used for competative slalom canoe but I couldn't recommend them as navigable. Many places you'd be sticking to the rock on the bottom or being turned over and churned about in a cataract. The Wye is only navigable between Hay on Wye and Its estuary (I've done that bit) the others are similar, only partially navigable. The Severn it tricky in a small boat but navigable if you're carefull around the changing tide.

You must remember that the land that the Thames flows through is mainly quite level, it's also not a completely natural watercourse. In Wales the land only levels out as your getting near the coast
 
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