Wintertime eddies: A paddling miscellany
By Mike Svob 2002 Boating Deaths in Wisconsin After two dismal years for canoe, kayak and raft related deaths in Wisconsin (seven in 2000, and five in  2001), the death toll fell to two in 2002. For all of 2002, there were 19 boating fatalities in the state: 12 involving motorized open boats, two Jet Skis, one pontoon boat, one sailboat, one inner tube and two canoes. Most of the deaths were on lakes, and (as usual) most of the victims weren't wearing PFDs. Alcohol was a factor in several deaths. Neither of the canoeing fatalities in 2002 was on moving water. One occurred on the bay of Green Bay in April when a 19 year old fell overboard and drowned, and the other happened when a 13 year old capsized in July on Pickerel Lake in Portage County. Neither was wearing a PFD. The third drowning involving a "non motorized vessel" occurred in August on the Apple River in St. Croix County when an 18
year old fell from an inner tube, got his foot caught in rocks, and was forced underwater by the current. (This is the second year in a row for a tuber death on the Apple; in 2001, an 11 month old fell from its father's arms and drowned.) In 2001, a rafter drowned on the Peshtigo due to foot entrapment in a rapid, two kayakers died on Lake Michigan (one from drowning,
another from hypothermia), one kayaker was caught in the hydraulic of a lowhead dam on the Baraboo River, and a canoeist drowned on Nugget Lake in Pierce County, plus the above noted child who died on the Apple in a tubing mishap a bad year indeed. Over the last few years, boating deaths in Wisconsin have looked like this: (The number in parentheses represents the canoe/kayak/raft deaths for that year.)
25 (4)
21 (7)
18 (5)
19 (2)
Fortunately, the totals have declined since 2000. Hopefully, the trend will continue. To put things in further perspective, boating deaths in Wisconsin peaked at 43 in 1983.
For detailed statistics, visit the Wisconsin DNR Web site at www.dnr.state.wi.us; click on "Search," then enter "boating fatalities."
Master Plan for the Bois Brule River
The Bois Brule River in northwest Wisconsin is one of paddlesport's crowning jewels. For me, the Brule and the Wolf are the very best that the state has to offer paddlers. Fortunately (in my opinion), the future of the Brule is in good hands, having been the subject of an exhaustive five year master planning process by the DNR and a host of other agencies, interest groups and individuals. Published in August 2002, the 220 page
"Brule River State Forest Master Plan and Environmental Impact Statement" presented many well documented recommendations concerning additional land acquisition, fishery management, timber harvest, preservation of water quality, resolution of conflict between river users, etc. The plan is filled with good information (historical, ecological, economic, etc.) and believe it or not makes good reading.
For paddlers, of course, the most compelling part has to do with the
plan's recreational recommendations. During the three month public comment period (Aug. 6 Nov. 4, 2002), considerable input was received, resulting in some modification of the original recommendations. What has ultimately shaken out are the following plans that will specifically affect paddlers:
Drinking water wells and toilets will be provided at several popular canoe landings, partly to alleviate complaints from private landowners
about trespassing by paddlers and partly to reduce environmental contamination.
River use will not be restricted (as had been urged by some who felt that the river is too crowded, and who are concerned about conflict between paddlers and property owners and between paddlers and fishermen).
An effort will be made to educate users about improved river etiquette. In particular, the DNR will work with Brule River Canoe Rental to familiarize renters with appropriate river behaviors.
Law enforcement addressing illegal activities along the river will be increased.
The August Plan recommended a new canoe landing at County FF to "spread out the paddler use in the river, allow a shorter paddling trip, and provide for a safer experience for less skilled paddlers." As a result of the public comment period, this new landing has been dropped "because of the public perception that it would increase public use." (Personally, I
don't think that this deletion is significant. Whitewater paddlers are interested in doing both the Lenroot and May Ledges which lie just upstream and downstream from FF so the eight mile run from Pine Tree Landing to County Trunk 13 is the preferred stretch anyway. "Less skilled paddlers" taking out at FF would still have to deal with the Lenroot Ledges.)
The DNR plans to develop a strategy for monitoring recreational river
use (the number of users by time and location along the river, the size and nature of groups, etc.). Such data will be used as a basis for management decisions, educational efforts, and possible changes in the Master Plan. An Answer to the Shuttle Problem  From Silent Sports reader Phil Lorenc of Waukegan, Ill., comes a novel solution for the age old shuttle dilemma. Phil writes that he got tired of paddling down a favorite stretch of the Fox River in Wisconsin, then having to paddle back upstream to his car. Being a devotee of both paddling and bicycling, he thought it would be "wonderful if you could do both and cut out the upstream paddling."
This objective led him to a Cabela's catalog, where he found a foldable "canoe carrier" with 16 inch wheels, designed for portages and for transporting canoes from vehicles to the water and back. When the Cabela trailer device arrived, he next fashioned an 18 foot hitch out of wood and attached it to his rear bike rack. When the hitch was in turn fastened to the stern of his kayak, he found that the boat "followed the
bike like it was part of it and caused no problems to me while biking from point to point." The proof of the pudding came when Phil headed north to the Fox with his newly designed rig. Dropping off his bike and trailer at the take out near Highway 50, he drove farther north to the Bushnell Park put in just south of Burlington. Paddling eight river miles down to Highway 50, he
then attached the kayak to his bike and returned within 30 minutes to his car, "just amazed how easy it was."
River Protection Grants
It's not a lot of money ($300,000 total), but everything helps. A couple of months ago, the Wisconsin DNR awarded River Protection grants to 18 Wisconsin municipalities and nonprofit organizations. The grants, which range up to $50,000, can be used to plan projects for river
ecosystem protection or to purchase land or easements for river protection. Among the rivers that will be targeted by the grants are the Bad, Sugar, Pine, Popple, Little Platte, Little Wolf and Milwaukee Rivers. For more information, visit the Wisconsin DNR Web site at www.dnr.state.wi.us.
Tips About the Chippewa
One of the side benefits of writing this column is the feedback from readers. In November, for instance, I got a wonderful letter from Peter
Nordgren of Lake Nebagamon, Wis., responding to my article on the Chippewa River. Noting that I had expressed a desire to explore the East Fork in 2003, he described a trip that he took last year with his wife, son and a friend. Base camped at Stock Bridge Farm Campground, they canoed from the landing where the East Fork enters the Chequamegon National Forest all the way to Radisson, canoe camping on public land two nights along the route.
He points out that, "The most significant rapids are between Highway G and Sturgeon Bay on Blaisdell Lake. This section is almost continuous Class I II rapids, with lots of rock dodging required." Other rapids are found downstream from Blaisdell Lake and the Snaptail Rapids Dam, together with Goose Eye Rapids downstream from Barker Lake at Highway B.
Summing up, Peter observes that, "The river has more cabins along the
shoreline than you might expect, even within the National Forest, but the scenery is nice overall and the river offers a lot of variety." Thanks, Peter, I can't wait.
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