From Rapids to Rattles: Our New Era of Adventure

When most people picture backcountry camping, they think: minimalist packing, epic hikes, serene solitude.

Now picture it at 7 months pregnant, with five babies under two, a canoe stuffed to the gunnels, and a crew of friends determined to prove parenthood hasn’t killed our sense of adventure.

It wasn’t exactly serene, but it was the exact kind of chaos I love.

The Paddle In

There are two ways to reach Point Campground: a 4.2 km hike or a 3 km paddle. Toddlers come with an absurd amount of gear, so we ditched minimalism for maximum comfort and loaded up the canoe. Our 17’ Clipper Prospector carried all the gear, the snacks, and one very busy 20-month-old without issue.

The paddle in was smooth and calm. The paddle out? A different story. The wind howled (thankfully at our backs), the water chopped, and Lane insisted on riding in my lap turning me into a snack-providing barnacle while Dave muscled us through the whitecaps. 

Lesson learned: paddle-in trips are magical and can be convenient, but weather rules the day. Next time, we’ll have a plan B in case we need to pivot.

The Campsite: Beautiful and… Booby-Trapped

Point Campground is huge, spread out, and stunning. Pre-kid us would have considered it a dream spot. Post-kid us quickly realized that the 300m trek between our tent and the main hangout area meant plenty of bonus cardio, on top of the 3 trillion steps we’d already logged chasing Lane all day. This became especially challenging after Lane’s bedtime to do checks on her (another lesson learned: see the newest gear hack below).

Then there were the boulders. Big, jagged, toddler-injuring boulders lining the trails, turning “let’s explore” into “hover like a helicopter.” We rotated between Lane patrol and camp chores, forever balancing her safety with the desire to drink a coffee while it was still hot.

More Kids, More Chaos, More Fun

Our friend group has spent years tackling remote rivers in canoes, backcountry hut ski trips and multi-day hikes. This time, our adventure came with extra life jackets and a lot more snacks and a lot less drugs. Alongside Lane, we had a 2-month old, a 3-month-old, a 10-month-old, and a 16-month-old. Two couples without kids came along as bonus hands (and morale boosters), and friends with a 3- and 5-year-old canoed in for the day. 

It was a big, happy, slightly wild village. We swapped kid duty, lent gear, shared food, and kept the weekend rolling even when naps flopped or moods dipped.

Days Filled with Everything and Nothing

We paddled in on Friday, stayed two nights, and filled the days with short hikes, beach hangs, fishing, swimming, and slightly overachieving camp meals. Nap attempts happened in hiking carriers, the OREA Adventure Crib, or on laps - sometimes successful, sometimes not. Lane didn’t nap much (cue mild overtiredness) but thrived at night. The Adventure Crib, her Morrison Outdoors sleeping bag, white noise machine, and soother made bedtime easy, familiar, and comfortable. She slept great, minus one upset wake-up, and I was reminded yet again that a consistent sleep setup is one of our parenting MVPs.

Gear MVPs

The Adventure Crib, as always, was indispensable. Safe, cozy, and familiar for Lane in an unfamiliar space.

New on the must-have list: the Motorola PIP12 audio travel monitor. Friends brought one and it worked without power, service, or proximity, letting them hang out while keeping an ear on sleeping kids. Game changer.

Also, packing in real pillows in the canoe? Worth every inch of space at 7 months pregnant.

Final Thoughts

Was this a relaxing weekend? Not even close.

Was it a success? To me, absolutely.

We came home tired but happy, with new memories, sharper instincts for what works (and what doesn’t), and proof our adventures don’t have to stop, just evolve. The best part? A crew of friends just as committed to making it work, and knowing these incredible places aren’t just ours anymore, they’re part of our kids’ stories now too.