Canoe-O

Canoe Orienteering near Akron, Ohio


Organized by the North East Ohio Orienteering Club, this annual even involves finding controls (flags) in a lake using non-motorized watercraft, such as kayak, rowboat, or canoe. There were 24 controls in the lake, and participants had two hours maximum to find as many as possible. Anyone returning after two hours would be penalized and points subtracted. Each control had points assigned to it, from 5 to 50, depending on distance and difficulty.

The event took place at Mogadore Reservoir, about 15 miles east of Akron, Ohio. For those without their personal watercraft, canoes were available for rent for $10.

Participants were given a waterproof map, and shown a master map from whom the control locations could be read and copied using a red ink pen. Participants were also given a clue sheet describing each of the 24 controls. No separate control card was given because the control card boxes to punch holes on was part of the waterproof map.

In the parking lot there were about thirty vehicles, and probably there were about fifty people. At 12:30 PM, there was a mass start.

Paddling with Mark Malagodi, our overall strategy was to go pretty much counter-clockwise. Following the faster paddlers in front of us, we quickly paddled to the northern side of an island to find 22. We then proceeded to 19, located on the southern coastal cove of a bigger island. Once there, I got off the canoe and crossed the isthmus to punch hole from control 18, located on the northern coast of the island, then returned on foot to the canoe on the southern side, and proceeded on canoe towards control 1. [Note: going to 19 first and then to 18 on foot was a mistake. It would have been faster to instead canoe to 18 and go to 18 on foot. That way would have had the canoe positioned ready to proceed to control 1 without futher delay]. Still piggy-backing behind other faster paddlers, we followed them into 1, and then into 2. At 2, gave the map to Mark so that he could get his opportunity to punch-hole the control card box on the map. Since at start time the verbal instructions had the very clear "you punch hole the map", that is exactly what Mark did, but not on the control box on the bottom, but on the map spot where control 2 is located (can you see the five little holes that make a "T" shape?).



Then, still catching up with the faster kayakers and two canoers, we entered the marshy cane and grass island, and found a 50-point control in it (control 16). And once out on open water again, we could see a kayaker handling the other 50-pointer, a submerged control tied to a tree limb. We quickly paddled to it before we lost its visual. From there, we proceeded to control 3, which I erroneously punched holed box 7, and then corrected and punched holed box 3 (probably would have been disqualified in a rigorously-official orienteering event), and then proceeded to 4, 5, 6. At this point, we had only one hour left, and while Mark had alot of confidence in finding more controls on the northern end of the reservoir, I had some doubts, partly because I am not an experienced paddler, and was debating whether we should abbandon the North side, and get to the other 50-point control on the South side. Mark convinces me to stick around, and we grab control 7 (since box 7 was already punch carded, I punched the holes just below it, along the rim of the map), but then decide not to continue to 8, and start the return back, grabbing 10 and 21 on the way back (we skipped 20 because it was only a 5-pointer, and we could not find 11, also a 5-pointer). With just 30 minutes left, we quickly paddle to 12, then, back on open water, we see a couple of sea gulls resting on something on the water, and sure enough, it is a submerged tree and the 50-pointer control 24. Now, with 20 minutes left, we could have dashed to control 13, but fatigue and concerns, and opt for the safer control 23 on the island, located on the highest point of the island. With five minutes to spare, as we paddled back to the start/end point, we could see other canoers and kayakers converging from all directions. It was a fun scene.

The itinerary we followed was about nine km long.

On shore, we chatted with other participants, while points were being computed. We explained how for control 2 we punched the control location on the map, taking verbatim the instructions, and they seemed agreeable to that.

I was wearing a Rachel Carson Trail shirt, and one couple took notice of it, saying it is close to where they live. At which point we mutually discover that we are all from pittsburgh, and WPOC (Western Pennsylvania Orienteering Club) members as well, and, small world, even participated in a rogaine near Cumberland, Maryland, to which I participated in early June.

Two hours later, we got back to Pittsburgh, and with time for me to see the second half of the final of Copa America, a soccer match between Argentina and Brazil. Brazil won 3-0. Saw it at a scottish pub on the South Side, the only place in Pittsburgh that always shows international soccer games.

Btw, had with me a disposable camera, and took pictures on the controls and of the canoers and kayakers. Return here at around 7-30-2007 to see them.