Old Town Next Canoe: The First Adventure
A New Adventure
Today was the official maiden voyage of our Old Town Next Canoe. I decided on the Next model a few weeks ago and finally came across a used one. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I have to say it was an amazing experience. Seeing a lake or river from the shoreline is always a beautiful view, but actually being apart of it is a whole different world.
The Starting Point
We started out from non-glamorous homemade launching point along the Huron River. You can park your car about 20 yards away so it’s a pretty easy, over the shoulder, carry for any semi-light weight vessel. Personally I wouldn’t want to carry a canoe over really long distances without some type of wheels to make it a little more enjoyable. That being said, after some more trial and error, I expect carrying will get a lot easier.
In the Water
After staging the Old Town Next Canoe onshore, we finally launched into the river. This is where the real fun begins as the true exploration started. Immediately you get that sense of excitement and a bit of fear as you realize you’re officially on the water. The paddles slowly dip down into a semi-clear semi-murky waters dotted with bright green lily pads. It’s not long before you look over the side of the boat to see so many types of aquatic plants and green algae the likes of which could be worthy of an alien planet.
Shortly after that though the water deepens, the shoreline looks pretty distant, and some open water begins. At this point the Old Town Next Canoe feels a lot more critical than it did 10 minutes ago. Even those this isn’t braving uncharted territory, there is still that somewhat unknown feeling of not knowing what to expect next.
Packing Up the Old Town Next Canoe
As with anything in life, all good things must come to an end. After an awesome test run on the river, a few hours later, it was time to pack her up. So far the roof rack setup was treating us pretty good and made for an easy transfer back home. I have to say it was a little bitter sweet, but tomorrow another day. For now I give the Old Town Next Canoe two thumbs up.
