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If you do any amount of wilderness paddling, it's not a matter
of if this will happen to you ... it's a matter of when.
Nearly all of us have had the experience of looking around and
feeling that sinking feeling that what we're seeing around the
lake doesn't match what we're expecting or what we're looking at
on the map. Mind you, I put 'getting lost' into two
distinct categories. There are the times that we're
really, really lost, and then there are the times that we can
say "We're not lost, we just don't really know where we
are."
There is a difference. As an example, I can recall
paddling the Spanish River in Northeastern Ontario. the
river is long and winding, and for long sections has no real
landmarks that would identify the exact location. That was
one time that I wasn't lost (I know we were on the river, and
had a rough idea of where we were) but I didn't know exactly
where we were on the river. Touch wood, I've never had the
experience of being completely, absolutely lost.
The most important thing to do when you realize you're not sure
where you are is to stop immediately. We all have the
tendency to want to poke around a little bit more and check out
those other few bays or side channels before we admit that we're
lost. The further you go, the less idea you'll have of
exactly where you are, and how to backtrack.
Although it sounds very clichéd, it's important to stay calm.
People that panic often make poor judgment calls and get
themselves into more trouble than they were in originally.
Remind yourself that people in most of Canada's canoe country
don't generally get lost so badly that they starve to death
waiting for help. In general, getting lost is more of an
inconvenience (and embarrassment) than a dangerous situation.
When the realization hits, pull over to the shoreline, have a
snack, get out the maps and do some thinking. Often, ten
minutes of map study, observation and discussion with the rest
of the group will save a couple of hours of misdirected
paddling.
If there are recognizable landmarks in the distance (manmade
features, high topographical features, etc) you can determine
your position by taking compass bearings and triangulating.
You did take the time to practice your compass work before the
trip, didn't you?
All triangulation involves is taking a bearing on a recognizable
feature, then using that bearing on the map to locate where
you'd have to be to in order to get that bearing. Sounds a
bit complicated, but it's quite simple, and every wilderness
traveller should know how to do it.
Remember that topographic maps are not always accurate.
Topo maps are developed from aerial photographs, and if the
photo was taken when water levels were higher (or lower) than
current conditions, the representation they convey may not be
totally accurate. That island you just paddled around may
appear on the map as a point. The point of land beside
that you just dead-ended in might have been an island at one
time. There are also many, may topo maps that show rapids
and falls where there are none, or don't show the same when they
are there. Remember that these topo maps were made by a
government agency, not by God.
The process of getting "un-lost" generally involves
backtracking until a recognizable feature is found. Once
that point is reached, it's a matter of being a little more
careful in navigating the course the second time.
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As
you're paddling, take a look back over your shoulder every so
often to see what your route looks like paddling in the opposite
direction. That way, if you have to backtrack, the
area you have to paddle through will be familiar.
Get yourself a GPS unit. You can purchase an inexpensive
model for just over $100, and it can be a real timesaver if you
lose track of where you are. You should also take the time
to read the book that comes with it, and learn to use it.
The time that you're lost is not the time to be wading through
the fine print of a GPS instruction manual.
Get yourself a good quality compass with declination adjustment
and learn to use it. Unlike GPS units, compasses don't
have batteries to die or electronics to fail
Bring an extra copy of the maps for your trip and make sure
they're stored separately from your original set.
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