By David Rosen

Photo by Tamsin Venn

We lost a giant the day after Christmas. The only saving grace about his passing was that he wasn’t taken by the Covid virus. Like his knees, his heart wore out. He was on a hike with his kids and grandkids on a mountain in the Adirondacks… and then he was gone. Peter Hornbeck was very important to the development of our company (Adirondack Guideboat). Aside from being a source of inspiration and humor… tons of humor…. we also put him on our board of directors. No, this wasn’t an honorific position, on several occasions we needed a wise voice and Pete’s was it.
He had been a school teacher for 20 years, then began building boats in his garage. That was 50 years ago. His wife, Ann, was also a schoolteacher. She finally got tired of the smell of resin in the house, and gave Pete her summer check and told him to build a building out back. Last time we were there, he’d built four or five out-buildings in which he and his crew built and stored boats. They’d hang the boats from hooks, like cow carcasses hanging from the ceiling. All winter long they’d build an inventory and then as the warm weather arrived, that inventory would shrink and shrink.

I’ve never taken a survey, but I bet if you did that you would find that Pete was, and is, the most beloved person in the Adirondacks. His distinctive small yellow boats could be seen on top of every fifth car during the summer (or so it seemed. But his personality glowed even brighter.

Every year I bet Pete gave away $20,000 worth of boats for fund-raising events. Due to the ridiculously light weight of his boats (some as low as 12lbs, less than a 12 pack of beer), they were very popular with women. And oldsters. Pete was also a painter, usually of his boats in wilderness settings. I think he gave them all away, likely to non-profits needing money.

One of Pete’s boats sits in the Adirondack Museum. It is his version of Rushton’s Sairy Gamp (named after a Dickens character who was known to “take no water.”) The original is so tiny and beautiful, Rushton said to George Washington Sears, the diminutive writer for Field and Stream, for whom it was made, “If I made it any smaller I’d have to deliver it to you in a soup spoon.”

Farewell, Pete, your kind only comes along once.

David Rosen is the former co-owner of Adirondack Guideboat.

Earth Day

By Jane Yolen

I am the Earth
And the Earth is me.
Each blade of grass,
Each honey tree,
Each bit of mud,
And stick and stone
Is blood and muscle,
Skin and bone.

And just as I
Need every bit
Of me to make
My body fit,
So Earth needs
Grass and stone and tree
And things that grow here
Naturally.

That’s why we
Celebrate this day.
That’s why across
The world we say:
As long as life,
As dear, as free,
I am the Earth
And the Earth is me.

Paddle Florida, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation organized to support canoeing and kayaking in Florida. As part of its mission it offers supported, multi-day paddling/camping adventures throughout Florida to showcase the state’s natural beauty and rich cultural heritage while promoting water conservation, wildlife preservation, springs restoration, and waterways protection. Paddle Florida also seeks to promote Florida as an international destination for nature-based tourism.

Next adventure is the Wild, Wonderful Withlacoochee Feb. 11-16, which begins at Lake Panasoffkee in Sumter County. Paddlers will thread their way through hardwood swamps and tannic streams on a 60-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico traveling through Citrus, Marion and Levy counties. The adventure includes a side trip to the colorful Rainbow River and its world class first-magnitude spring. Register here by February 1st.

Here are other trips through next spring.

Choctawhatchee Challenge
March 13-19, 2020
Get away from it all into the heart of the Panhandle as we paddle 86 miles of the mighty Choctawhatchee. This is a journey into Wild Florida where wildlife far outnumber humans, and paddlers can stumble upon spectacular springs.
Register by: February 28

Suwannee River Paddling Festival
April 3-5, 2020
With camping atop the bluff overlooking two beautiful rivers, our season-capping festival takes place at Suwannee River State Park near Live Oak. The weekend will offer supported 8-12 mile paddling options on both the Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers, a concert featuring Paddle Florida’s favorite musicians, and educational presentations from regional waterway experts.
Register by: March 20

Earth Day Celebration: Flori-Bama Expedition on the Perdido River
April 11-16, 2020
Paddling the Florida/Alabama border, enjoy beach camping along a cozy meandering river to the more open waters of Perdido Bay as we explore the most diverse set of ecosystems of the season.
Register by: March 28

Earth Day Celebration: Springtime on the Ochlockonee
April 18-22, 2020
From wild Tupelo honey to fresh Gulf oysters, experience the Panhandle’s Ochlockonee River which winds through state and national forest lands on 76 miles of Florida’s most remote wilderness river trail.
Register by: April 2

For more information, http://www.paddleflorida.org/

(CHARLESTON) – The East Coast’s premier paddling event is back in March at James Island County Park. Known as the East Coast Paddlesports Symposium, this three-day event welcomes paddling enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels from around the world. Registration is now open.

Held March 27 through 29 this year, the symposium is a three-day immersion in the history, technique, hands-on experience and fun of kayaking and other paddling-related topics. World-renowned instructors and coaches will offer presentations, on-water classes and other programs teaching everything from the basics to expert skills for paddling enthusiasts.

The 30th annual symposium modified its format last year to offer a more diverse and student-centered experience. After being matched with a small group of paddlers with similar skills and interests, participants will be assigned to a group leader and local instructor and work with a different seasoned coach each day. Groups will meet in the morning, then spend the day learning and traversing some of the area’s best waterways. This year’s coaches’ lineup will feature a variety of experts in the image005.jpgpaddling world.

Daily or full weekend registration is available. For further details on the East Coast Paddlesports Symposium or to register, visit CharlestonCountyParks.com.

In April, James Island County Park will offer the Charleston Outdoor Fest, which showcases and offers chances to try out a variety of outdoor recreational activities including canoeing, kayaking, stand up paddleboarding (SUP), mountain biking, slack lining, archery, climbing and disc golf. The Charleston Outdoor Fest is very beginner and family-friendly and will be held April 18-19.

For more information on these events and much more, visit CharlestonCountyParks.com or call 843-795-4386. This event is made possible by Coca-Cola and Charleston County Parks. Sponsorship opportunities are available for these events and more. For more information, visit CharlestonCountyParks.com.