I know what your thinking, paddle boats are for girls.  With Hobie Cat Mirage Adventure Island you can propel yourself via paddle, pedal, or sail. And it looks pretty stable too.  Technically, they’re not paddles -they’re a “Mirage Drive” which is like two fins that somehow propel you through the use of two fins hooked up to bicycle pedals.  Here’s some features from Hobie’s website:

• A boomless, roller-furling sail rig similar to the rig on the Hobie Bravo with plenty of sail area for excellent performance, completely manageable from the cockpit with the pull of a line.
• Two retractable amas that fold up against the side of the boat, again with the simple pull of a line, for easy docking, maneuverability, and transport.
• The cockpit is the stable platform of the Hobie Mirage Adventure Kayak, offering full versatility as a pedaling kayak when conditions are not convenient for sailing. All 2007 model year Adventure Kayaks, including the Fish model, will have inserts molded into the hulls so that they may be upgraded to an Adventure Island with a kit available through the Parts Department. The ama colors will be limited, and the Adventure Island will cost more when purchased via an upgrade kit rather than purchased initially as a complete boat package.
• The Hobie Mirage Drive allows the boat to be pedaled while under sail, or simply pedaled with the sail furled for versatility not found in any other sailboat.
• The Adventure Island is loaded with additional standard features such as a daggerboard; oversized “Twist and Stow” rudder; Mast and Sail Cover; and an Ama/Daggerboard Bag.

If it just had a built in cooler……..

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My favorite paddling shop,  Go With The Flow, is putting on Canoe and Kayak demo event on the Chattahoochee in Roswell this Saturday and Sunday (April 5th & 6th).  This is your chance Atlanta to try out over 100 canoes and kayaks on the water!

Here’s the skinny:

• 100+ boats to demo
• Held at the Azlea Park on the ‘Hooch in Roswell
• April 5th and 6th, 10 am to 4 pm
• $10 for adults, children under 12 are free (proceeds go to UCR)
• Discounts on boats from 10-16%

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Just in case anybody forgot…..

For info. on Georgia trout streams, seasonal, and otherwise, visit the GA DNR or check out North Georgia Trout Online.

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Put off from late October due to low water levels, The Beetle Battle Paddle is going on tomorrow, March the 29th.  It’s a benefit aimed at fighting Hemlock Woolly Adelgid - an invasive and destructive, parasitic beetle that is attacking populations of Eastern Hemlock trees throughout the forests of the eastcoast, and now, here in Georgia!

The paddle is a self guided trip down the lower section of the Chestatee River in North Georgia.  There is also refreshments (paid & complimentary) half way down.

There are shuttles available, and Appalachian Outfitters is donating 100% of canoe and kayak rentals to the cause.  So come on out, with a name like that it’s got to be a blast!

For more information, visit canoegeorgia.com or call Appalachian Outfitters at 706-864-7117

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As I mentioned before, I’m the poster child for GPS. I’ve been lost. I’ve been lost for days. Every survival book/expert out there will tell that pulling through is a majority mental toughness, though preparation and physical fitness do play key roles.

Here’s the book that delves into the how and why some people make it, and some people don’t. Beware lesser survival books, Deep Survival isn’t about all in one canteen survival kits or how to watch animals to see what plants are edible. It’s a holistic analysis of humans in survival situations, the environmental variables at play, and our own psychology.

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I’m giving away a slick Bonefish themed website for one lucky captian/guide.  As many of you know, I’ve been doing websites for years as a side job - but I’d really love to combine it with my love of fishing….

Here’s the screen shot:

 You can also see a live demo here and read a little more about why I’m giving it away, and who gets it my web desing blog.

If anybody knows a guide in the Keys or Caribbean that could use a new website, please give me a holler on the contact form above or call me at 770.377.6345.  Thanks.

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Ran across this the other day, it is too funny not to post.  Originally reported by Outside Magazine in 1995.

Grand Canyon National Park

Everglades National Park:

Denali National Park (Alaska):

Mesa Verde National Park:

Carlsbad Caverns National Park:

Yosemite National Park:

Yellowstone National Park:

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In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans PD and Sheriff Dept. deputies began confiscating firearms in an effort to curb rampant violence and get a hold on the security situation in one of America’s worst natural disasters ever. The problem with this? A little document we in the States like to call The Constitution.

Now I’m not of the mind that it’s prudent for citizens to be toting anti-tank missiles and AK-47s, but the second amendment in our bill of rights was enacted for two reasons.

1. To protect against government oppression
2. To allow citizens to provide for their security when government is neither present, nor capable of doing so.

The days after the levy collapses, I believe, highlighted the foresight of our forefathers in both these regards.

The NRA is now seeking over three hundred rightful gun owners known to have had their weapons confiscated by police with no receirpt, and no compensation. Cheers for them, a natural disaster or emergency when law enforcement agencies cannot provide for a populace’s security is abhorrent, especially when enough of the bad guys are running around armed and free to act without fear of a sufficient law enforcement presence.

Here’s a video regarding the original situation:

Also, a link with more info on the NRA’s lawsuit and search for the gun owners…

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The Problem:

The redbay tree may soon face extinction across the Southeast thanks to a rapidly advancing virulent fungus, the causative agent of laurel wilt disease. The trees are an important food source for a variety of wildlife including some popular game birds, deer and songbirds.

The wilt disease, carried by a species of ambrosia beetle that is not native to the United States, has spread rapidly throughout the coastal states since its initial observation in 2003. It was likely introduced to the U.S. in 2002 when the beetles hitched a ride on shipping pallets coming into Port Wentworth, Ga., near Savannah. The beetles are native to India, Japan and Taiwan.

Read more…

The other problem:

Hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae, was accidentally introduced to North America and is currently a great threat to eastern hemlocks. Native to Asia, the first North American reports were in British Columbia, Canada in 1922 and in Oregon in 1924. Hemlock woolly adelgid was found near Richmond, Virginia in 1951. The insect is now found from northern Georgia to southern Maine, and from northern California to southeast Alaska.

The Solutions:

Entomologists at Virginia Tech are now studying a beetle from Japan that may be a natural predator of Adelges tsugae, or hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). Scientists hope the Japanese beetle will curb the rapid spread of the HWA without damaging forest ecosystems.

Read more… 

-and-

March 29, 2008

Beetle Battle Paddle
A benefit to help save the hemlock trees

Due to current water levels, the Beetle Battle Paddle has been rescheduled from October 2007 to March 29, 2008. For more information go to www.canoegeorgia.com or call 706-864-7117.

Just for fun quote:” We cannot but pity the boy who has never fired a gun; he is no more humane, while his education has been sadly neglected. ” -Henry David Thoreau

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Thanks to the Outdoorzy Blog for the heads up.

The DSG Race

12 Hour

The main event for the weekend will be the 12 hr endurance mountain bike race. Riders will compete against each other, the clock and most importantly themselves. After a shotgun Le Mans start, riders will race the 10 mile course on a mix of flat and fast field trails, rolling double track and tight and technical single track that has a total elevation gain of +/- 1500′. Be sure to check out the course page for maps, video and photos.

 Fayetteville, TN.

More info & website.

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