Rob Kesselring

As we drifted down the Cannon River, a Cooper’s Hawk glided over our canoe toward a stump in the middle of a boggy backwater stretch of the river. We paddled the canoe into the quiet water in time to observe a pair of Eastern Kingbirds lift off and start attacking the hawk. The hawk landed on the stump and worked its way to a branch where there was a nest. Continue reading →

It’s the smell more than anything, whether you are varnishing paddle blades in preparation for the upcoming canoe season, or spring cleaning and deliberating on whether to put an old Duluth Pack in the garage sale pile, or maybe you just unrolled a set of Fisher maps for a quick reminisce. When you catch a scent, whatever that scent is, it launches you into a daydream of adventure. Continue reading →

Returned to Colorado from Canoecopia 2022 in Madison, WI. For the three days I never breathed outside air, but if I have to be in a building, I cannot imagine a better place than being surrounded by like-minded paddling enthusiasts. Continue reading →

Wait! Whenever I see an article on navigation, I skip it. Boring, confusing, read it all al-ready. This article is different. This is an article by a Boundary Waters paddler that doesn’t know an azimuth from an orangutan and has no interest in learning or relearning all the terms and procedures usually covered under the heading of navigation. So how am I qualified to teach you about navigation in the Boundary Waters? Continue reading →