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Field notes — I write these in first person, from how I actually pack. Photos go in when I have them.

Photo slot — Soft cooler and dry bags in a canoe, not a kitchen island. I will drop a picture in when I have one that is not a stock shot.

I assume the boat flips

Dry bags. Closed-toe water shoes. Lunch that still works wet: tortillas, peanut butter, salami, fruit that can take a bruise. I do not take a carton of eggs and hope.

Drinks in a soft cooler. Food for an overnight in a hard cooler if I have the boat space. Double-bag trash. The river is not a sink.

Night one on a sandbar

Jetboil for coffee and a bag dinner. I do not bring a two-burner unless the group is big and the boats are already heavy. Water: more than I think. River sun lies.

I keep the first-aid kit and a whistle in a dry bag I can grab. Fancy cookware stays home.

What I actually link when I mention gear

CleverMade Pacifica Collapsible Cooler

View on Amazon

Jetboil Flash Cooking System

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UBFEN Quick-Dry Water Shoes

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Quick answers

Is this a complete packing list?

No. This is what I actually do for this situation. Use a full checklist for the boring essentials, then add or subtract from this note.