Men’s Journal Offers Tips for Your First Paddling Expedition

Planning and organizing any expedition can be a real challenge. The amount of work that goes into getting ready for such an undertaking can be completely overwhelming at times. So much so, that many would-be adventurers never get the chance to undertake their big dreams simply because they don’t know where to get started when it comes planning the logistics. If this sounds familiar, then Men’s Journal is here to help, offering some great advice and wisdom for how to get your first paddling expedition off the ground.

The MJ article examines two major journeys—each with a different style and approach—that have taken place in the Canadian wilderness recently. One of those expeditions is an ongoing attempt to complete Canada’s Great Trail, which includes several significant paddling sections. The other involves a group of friends—decidedly not professional adventurers—who embarked upon a five-week long trip across Labrador by canoe. Both of those expeditions make the perfect example of how the average person can plan and execute the paddling trip of their dreams.

The article begins the process by encouraging readers to find their inspiration. This is the phase of planning where you come up with some big idea that you want to pursue. From there, you move not o the “make it happen” phase, which is often where people get hung up. Finding free time and some spare cash to launch a big adventure can be daunting, particularly when there are other demands on your time and income. After that, it comes down to dealing with the pre-expedition challenges, no matter what form those might appear.  When it comes time to “gear up,” it’s all about choosing the right equipment, which is another crucial step. Once underway however, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor and savor the freedom that comes with the wilderness. Finally, after the expedition is complete, take some time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished and learned along the way. Then, apply those lessons to future endeavors too.

While it should be noted that this article does indeed focus on padding expeditions in particular, there is still a lot of good information that can be applied to other types of adventures too. Much of the advice is paddling-focused of course, but it doesn’t take a lot of processing power to see how much of the wisdom imparted here could be extrapolated to other pursuits as well. In other words, even if your dream trip doesn’t include paddling at all, you might learn a thing or two.

Check out the full story here.

Kraig Becker