I'm calling this Friday trip a "season starter" since many of us including myself have barely gotten on the water yet, if at all. The goal of this trip is simply to get out on saltwater and enjoy some Cape Ann sights for a few hours ;-) Not much distance or time is going to be involved, and wind/sea state are forecast to be mild.
In some other key respects the season has NOT really started — the water is still in the mid 40s! So one thing that does have to be taken seriously is dressing for immersion in 45º F water.
The forecast for Friday is currently partly sunny, mid 40s. A calm period is predicted for the beginning of the trip, followed by a sea breeze developing in the afternoon. So my current thinking is to paddle out of West Beach and head east towards Manchester beaches while it's calm, then get blown back if easterly winds pick up as expected. I'm thinking only 1-2 hours in each direction depending on how everyone's feeling.
Please join the trip at the following link if you want to go AND 1) you've got a sea kayak with bulkheads, static deck lines, toggles and a spray skirt, AND 2) are dressed to swim in water in the 40s, AND 3) are dressed to be outside in cold, windy conditions. Note that the forecast could change. There's been a lot of that going around lately.
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