When Avoiding COVID-19 Head to the Boundary Waters?

Last weekend Madison, Wisconsin was to hold the world’s largest annual paddlesport expo. Canoecopia, as it is called, was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It seemed all but certain that the show would be cancelled, but people were waiting for the decision because just days prior to the show it was reported in Madison’s The Capital Times that the show would go on. On Thursday, Wisconsin Governor Evers gave guidance that gatherings should be restricted to 250 or fewer people and by Friday at 5pm, Evers banned gatherings of over 250 people.

Between those two announcements, Canoecopia was cancelled. Had it gone on and caused infections, it might forever have been known as COVIDcopia. Thankful Darren Bush, the event organizer and owner of Rutabaga Paddlesports, made the right decision despite the financial burden of doing so (if you are looking for gear, he extended the typical Canoecopia discounts to the store’s website until April 1st).

I was set to give two presentations (one twice) at the event, but I dropped out of the show before they cancelled. My son has breathing issues when sick, and I didn’t feel like the risk was worth attending. During the lead up to the show numerous vendors dropped out as well. Those vendors included giant of the industry Confluence Outdoors, Delta Kayaks and others. In my little corner of the world, I was messaging with friends who were going to be there as employees of vendors or to give a presentation, and it seemed many were anxious to go. Just as I was dropping out I heard that WTIP’s Boundary Waters Podcast dropped out as well.

So what’s a paddler to do when the expo you look forward to all year long is cancelled?

That’s what WTIP’s Boundary Waters Podcast asked itself. They decided to head into the Boundary Waters on a camping and fishing trip. Before they went in host Joe Friedrichs invited me to drop by. So, my family and I skied in to the Boundary Waters last Saturday for a short day trip. While there, Joe recorded a short interview. You can listen to it and the latest episode of the Boundary Waters Podcast on Soundcloud or wherever you get your podcasts.

Being there felt a little surreal in the midst of everything that is happening, and with people skiing by and stopping in to say hi, it felt a little like Canoecopia. Last time I saw Jon Turk, he was talking about building Islands of Sanity so that people would have a place to land as the waters of insanity recede. It felt like a little Island of Sanity in a sea of chaos.

Images below the podcast.

Also, I’m a friend and fan of singer/songwriter Jerry Vandiver who comes out with a new paddling-inspired album each year before Canoecopia. You will love his new album called The Middle of Somewhere. You can get it here.