Outdoor Heritage
What the Water Taught Us to Remember
A 2010 Charleston kayak festival photograph opens a story of Greenland qajaq traditions, mentorship and the outdoor skills we pass along.
The Breton Cap: From Portsmouth’s Sailors to John Lennon’s Abbey Road
A traditional mariner’s cap bought at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, a Scouting pin from Gilwell Park, and an unexpected encounter at Abbey Road reveal how the objects we carry preserve maritime traditions and…
Suwannee River: What Comes Home With Us
A winter paddle with Sean Fitzgibbon becomes a reflection on friendship, solitude, shared work, and returning to a river without expecting the same journey.
Mille Bornes at Camp: A Road Race Between Paddlers
Sean introduced a road racing card game on a kayak campout. Looking back, the pleasure was in the company and the hours that did not need to take us anywhere.
Camp Lights: Leaving Room for the Night
Familiar lanterns, evening hospitality, and the value of enough light for the work and company, with some darkness left beyond the campsite.
👨👩👦Perspective of an Outdoor Dad
The Crossroads Between Adventure and Family Originally published May 11, 2013. Revisited as a reflection on parenthood and the outdoors. There are moments when the pull of the next expedition competes with…
A Stove for Every Generation: The Gift My Son Chose
An old camp stove, a birthday gift, and the difference between passing on equipment and making room for a child’s own adventures.
🛶Trade in your Hiking boots for a kayak
I grew up in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains, where muddy hiking boots, a well packed rucksack, and a winding forest trail were my introduction to wilderness adventure. When I moved to Florida, I…
