"INSIDE One Woman's Journey Through the Inside Passage"

The memoir by Susan Marie Conrad is an excellent read. Let me get that out of the way right off. Published in 2016, it documents in a very personal way her 2010 trip from Anacortes, Washington to Juneau, Alaska in a sea kayak. While the imagery conveyed was stunning through her words, the personal journey she traversed was where it became real. Good read.

It begs the question for me is why this journey for me? What drove me to so quickly say, "yeah" when asked if I wanted to accompany Peter on this trip? I hope to find out.

The Planning Spreadsheet

Lists have been around since men had more than three things to think about. After three, our poor little minds are overwhelmed and overloaded. Some special cases can handle less. It's decent club. We meet on Tuesdays at noon at the park. Join us!

This spreadsheet workbook is a collection of lists that will be massaged until the electrons fall off from being so worn. It will never be finished,  but there will be a time when a version is used to pack the boats.

Inside Passage Planning Workbook

Things are going to have to change

I'm awake at 3am to go pee for the third time since collapsing at 9pm the previous nite. It wasn't just the urge to pee that woke me up, but the realization that Peter and I would be embarking on our voyage in about six months. A half a year to prepare for a 4-6 week trip seems like plenty of time, doesn't it? Yet, I try to start filling in the holes with what needs to be done and the time slots become scarce.

Besides the paddles to create from blanks of western red cedar,  the Tesla to prep, the gear to purchase and learn to use, the biggest time such lurking in my mind is the necessity to get my body prepared. 

I still am able to work hard for a guy that is woefully out of shape, yet this picture taken today with my mom is a clear indicator my river DeNile is running strong. I could list the reasons, sure. A quick calculation,  though,  tells me I don't have enough time. 

I don't do well with prescriptive regimens generally. They tend to fall apart on day two. Still, things have got to change.

Let the Planning Begin

An old box of charts and photographs printed on copy paper was dropped on the counter of our community clubhouse as my back was turned to the sink getting water for a cup of coffee. While I was negotiating with the Krueg machine to brew me a cup of coffee, Peter was emptying the box layer by layer. Kind of like finding an old box in the attic and discovering the secrets it held. As each layer emerged, a story, a comment, excitement, regrets. Then he found the charts.

Laying them out on the tables that had been arranged end-to-end for the up-coming board of directors meeting, a mish-mash of laminated 8 1/2 x 11" copies of someone who had made the voyage before Peter and his twin boys had attempted their journey, a  found marine atlas of the area, and some good old-fashioned marine charts covered two tables. 

A voyage adventure is never just about covering miles across the surface of the globe. We talked,  planned, swapped stories, asked hard questions, and set expectations. We agreed that either of us could bail on the trip at any time, a strong overlying imperative is that we are able to at least be cordial to each other as neighbors when we're done, and the slowest, weakest, or member wanting to take pictures sets the pace. 

Strong, important first step of the journey.

"Yeah," I think that would be a cool trip

I'd heard through Pam that my new neighbor Peter was looking for someone to go with him on a 400-mile kayaking trip through parts of the Inside Passage. She told Denise that Peter should ask Jay, because Jay is crazy enough to go, or something to that effect. The next day at a garage sale, Peter and I ran into each other. He started in immediately telling me about his planned trip. I listened patiently and interested. After taking a breath, he asked, "You want to go?" "Yeah." "Yeah?" "Yeah." 

The adventure begins.