Our four-day journey down the Connecticut River was coming to a close with a fairly easy paddle from Selden Neck to the mouth of the river. We packed up camp with our sights on the Connecticut River Museum in Essex and Old Saybrook as our final destination. This portion of the river, heading South, is very busy with boat traffic. Seeing that it is a holiday week and after the experiences we already encountered, it’s important to get on the…
The drift to Selden Neck, Day 3, is a much easier paddle. For one, the distance is about half of the day before (see Connecticut: Fight the Tide). Plus, timing the 11 mile distance with the tides can allow you to drift almost the entire way to Selden Neck. This is where Selden Creek, an offshoot of the Connecticut River creates a island. Selden Island has just 4 primitive campsites, so make reservations early. Campsites are only accessible from the river.…
Suddenly, we were awake on the second day of our 4-day trek down the Connecticut River. The day before we paddled from Enfield to Wethersfield. Today, we will travel the 23 miles to Hurd State Park in East Hampton. This stretch of the river is taxing in terms of stamina of the body and mind as you might have to fight the tide. The river winds through the valley past Rocky Hill, Cromwell, and Middletown to East Hampton where we…
One of my favorite things in the world is adventure. I love it in pretty much any form. Long backpacking excursions, thrill rides, and four day long paddles down a tidal river. This 4th of July weekend, Tony and I decided to canoe the entire Connecticut portion of the Connecticut River. It’s a trip we began planning in late 2016. Reserving campgrounds and planning the trip around the tides of the river were critical and required early preparations. We’ll share…
I absolutely love road trips. Growing up, we were a driving family. Trips from Connecticut to South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, and close by were all done in our family car. I think I was 20 the first time I flew in a plane. I’ve done my share of flying since, but always enjoy a good road trip. Let me tell you about the first time we took a road trip with a puppy. Canoe 52 is full of road trips.…
Close your eyes, picture it…you wake up, open the tent, dig your toes into the beach sand and catch the sun rising over the ocean, the sound of waves crashing into the shore is all you hear around you. As you set up breakfast on your camping stove, three wild horses make their way past your campsite as if this is the normal way to start your morning. That’s camping on Assateague Island in Maryland. We were so lucky to…
Our spring break adventure kicked off in Congaree National Park, just outside of Columbia, South Carolina. Imagine over 2,000 acres of forest and swamp land about a 20 minute drive from the heart of the State Capitol. It’s hard to even begin describing the incredibleness of our stay at this park. We 100% enjoyed our stay here. Congaree National Park is a magical place. Enjoying nature in front or backcountry campsites We camped out for two nights in the walk-in, tent-only…
It’s mid-April, we’ve broken free from work for a full week and the only two things on our minds are canoeing and camping. After work on Friday night we loaded up the VW and headed towards Congaree National Park, just outside Columbia, South Carolina. After an overnight drive we arrived at the park for three nights of camping and what we hoped would be some great paddling. Serious storms hit South Carolina the week before we visited so there was…
We are gearing up for a great year of Canoe 52 adventures. The cold New England weather has left us off the water for most of the season which leaves us no choice but to dream about the rivers and lakes we’d like to paddle this year. A mid-March snowstorm that drops snow measuring in the double digits is definitely motivation to plan for an escape. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but to get a sense of how our vacation planning works…
I’m a huge planner when it comes to traveling. Sure, I love being spontaneous, but I also want to make the most of every trip. We’ve got our first road trip of the year coming up in a few weeks so I’ve been on a meal planning streak lately. We’re camping for six nights and plan to cook every meal. We’re not the campers who eat dehydrated food or live on sandwiches. I want real food that is good for…
