My Kammok Adventure Plans

Just over two years ago I decided I needed to learn how to fish. I needed to learn to fish so that I could teach my kids and so that we had an excuse to just get outside more often. I first tried fishing on my own and with the kids, but I quickly learned it wasn't going to work. I needed a little help.  

Enter Murray. My father in law.

Murray fished a lot in Ontario, where he grew up. When he moved his young family to Vancouver Island, he fished more, but since their move to Chilliwack a number of years ago, the fishing adventures stopped. Until I decided I needed to pick up a rod and reel and get out there.  

You see, my fishing adventures have also gotten bigger and better with the addition of the Kammok Roo. A lightweight, compact and incredible comfortable hammock. You literally can set this thing up anywhere. If you know me, you've either seen me in one, carrying one around OR at least heard me talking about it. When I take the kids fishing, it's the first thing they ask if I'm bringing, even before snacks.  For them it has become a slide (I'd have to show you how they did this), a shelter for drips of rain, a tool of hiding boredom (truth is they don't always like fishing!) and just something fun to swing in together.

Back to Murray. Murray has eight kids. 3 girls (one of which I've been married to for the last 12 years) and 5 boys. Each kid is filled with their own passions, dreams and goals, fishing isn't really one of them. I've been fortunate. The times I've been able to spend fishing with Murray, sitting in a boat with him for hours. Bringing his grandkids along in freezing temperatures and pouring rain, so that they can see Grandpa try and catch a fish with a smartie or some other candy. The time with Murray has been a treasure that I have been privileged to have. 

Murray has always loved boats. You have a hard time talking with Murray without him bringing up the topic of floating vessels. He has several boats, sailboats and canoes mostly. In fact, when Murray was in his teens he was building his own canoe. From scratch. Like from a tree... I don't know many teenagers that did that.

That said, Murray is almost reaching the bright young age of 60 and he has something on his bucket list that he has always wanted to do: The Bowron Lakes - a circuit of lakes and portages, in northern British Columbia, that take 6-10 days to complete. 

When Murray saw my Kammok Roo and and tested it out, in which he inevitably fell asleep in it (see below), he knew it would be a perfect sleeping tool for a trip through the Bowron Lakes. Not to mention the fact that Murray also thinks it would make for a great spinnaker (here's a link to see what it is, because I didn't know before either) on the canoe to help ease his aging back and make for a more relaxing canoe ride across BC's gorgeous wilderness.

All that said, I love the Kammok Roo. I think it's an amazing product and I'm super excited about their new tarp/shelter that they launched on Kickstarter and that I was more than happy to back. Our plans are to head out to the Bowron Lakes in the spring or early summer of 2014. We will need light weight, compactible gear and we know full well that the Kammock Roo will provide that, not to mention the new shelter as well.

I'm honored Murray asked me to join him on this dream adventure of his. Over the course of the coming months I'll be picking his brain on gear we will need to bring, food we'll need to dry and pack and anything else to keep us afloat and sailing through the Bowron Lakes as an adventure that both him and I will never forget. 

It'll be a time of paddles up, tight lines and comfy roos. 

Dream Adventures Await,
Matthew A. Hawkins

Murray and I With My First Catch Of Rainbow Trout