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rylevine

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Everything posted by rylevine

  1. Prudence and Cathy, Well done. Congratulations! - Bob
  2. Sorry, date was dropped off from the tag. It is Wednesday, June 14th. - Bob
  3. Tentative for Nahant Bay. Check out surf, and then Egg or the Pigs - depending on conditions. If interested, PM me for details at they develop. - Bob
  4. Nahant Bay did not disappoint on Tuesday. Thanks to Samuel for participating. Trip report attached. Bob Trip report 6_6_2017 Puritan Rd to Kings and Dread Ledge.pdf
  5. Would you love to get into some dynamic water but don't have free weekends? Now's your chance! We are offering a 3 hour, after work training in dynamic water. Monday, June 12, 5:00pm - 8:00pm. The course is designed to develop skills for safe and enjoyable kayaking through rock gardens and surf zones. Topics will include, but are not limited to, reading water, situation awareness, safe zones, launching in the surf and on to / off of rocks, reading the surf zone, incident management and much more! Don't miss this chance to up your game! Location: The session will be held out of Swampscott, MA in Nahant Bay. $50.00 Link: http://www.salemkayak.com/new-products/specialty-classes
  6. A nor'easter is a terrible thing to waste. Trip report attached. Thanks to Samuel for participating. - Bob Trip report 5_14_2017 Puritan Rd to Dread Ledge.pdf
  7. Big conditions paddle on Sunday, May 14 - probably Salem Sound or Nahant - although points north are possible. May look for ledges to surf since it will be impossible to get off the beach...or possibly just very careful rock gardening. Should be interesting to observe, if nothing else. http://magicseaweed.com/Cape-Ann-Surf-Report/370/ Note the predicted dramatic mid-day wind shift as low pressure passes. Still tentative. Respond via PM if interested. Bob
  8. Hi everyone, I was just about to post my trip report when I saw Rob's. Mine from the perspective of the group I was in. Thanks to Rob for initiating the paddle! 4/15/2017: Riverhead, Marblehead to Dolliber, Marblehead. 10:00am-2:30pm. Bob L in Margarita. NSPN Easter Plunge paddle with Rob, Cathy, Joe, Bob, Beth, David, Mike, Mark, Jane, Bill, and Andy. LT 8:44am 0.3ft, HT 3:00pm, 9.2ft. Tidal range 8.9ft. Middle of neaps/springs tide cycle. Sunny, 60F air, 42F water, morning winds <10kts SW, predicted to intensify during the afternoon. NOAA small craft advisory at 2:00pm due to SW winds and gusts. During the beach briefing we discussed the forecasted synoptic chart (below). It shows that we were under a high pressure system, but with strong lows impinging from the west. I noted that this pattern could cause strong SW winds on the boundary between the systems, because the circulation of the high and low systems are cooperative (low counter-clockwise and high clockwise). The New England seaboard was exactly along the boundary of the pressure systems. I suggested that in these circumstances, unlike with fronts, the evidence for deteriorating conditions could be subtle – namely the increasing wind intensity. Jane noted that there could be developing clouds. That prediction turned out to be correct in this case. As we got off the water at 2:30pm and later into the afternoon there was a well-defined line of high wispy clouds to the west, with blue sky to the east. The effect was not as dramatic as a passing cold front, but unmistakable. In any case, we decided at the morning briefing to get off the water by mid-afternoon to avoid having to come down the Marblehead harbor against strong SW winds. We launched at around 10:00am and headed down the still-empty harbor to Dolliber Cove. It was the Easter Plunge paddle, after all, so one paddler did some early rolls (hint: skin on frame, Greenland stick, elegant forward finishing rolls…). As we arrived to Dolliber and Peachs Point, it was clear that the high pressure still dominated. There were gentle 1-2 foot swells hitting the rock faces. Our first task was to break into two groups, with each group organizing a “step out” onto the ledges. The group I was in was tasked with finding a suitable spot for the step out along the outer Peachs ledges, and then haul out and stow four kayaks. Even with the mild conditions, it took a while to analyze the few candidate ledges and decide to execute. Beth and Andy found the location and organized the haul out. The spot they chose had a ready-made underwater ledge to stand on while moving boats upward. We all knew that any swimming, intentional or otherwise, would be fully consistent with the Easter Plunge. Once on the rocks with boats above the swells, we declared victory and reversed the process back into the water. Andy did a very fine seal launch to complete the exit of the group from the rock face. All eleven of us then paddled to Brown’s Island for a quick lunch. Around noon we noticed a slight increase in the SW winds, but nothing to suggest an advisory. If we were caught out in gusts, the strategy would be to go down tight along the Marblehead coast to get lee in the coves. After lunch, the task was to find another haul out spot on the east-side ledges of Brown’s, and to use tow belts in the landing. As we rounded the south side of Brown’s Island, it was clear that the winds had picked up a little, and the swell and waves were larger and more active. Could this be due to the arrival of lower pressure? We were again in two groups of about four each (three paddlers were not participating and worked on other skills). Mark took the lead of my group and found a preferred ledge with more vertical “elevator type” wave action rather than one with sweeping horizontal water. He jumped out of his boat, clipped in and swam up onto the ledge. I may be remembering incorrectly, but Andy might have applied a stern anchor tow to Mark’s boat during this exercise. We did discuss the benefits of doing this to avoid having the swimmer’s boat pushed against the rocks (not to mention against the swimmer!). After getting his boat up on the ledge, Mark used his combined tow belt/throw bag to throw a line to Andy. Andy then entered the water, clipped in and swam ashore. They then stowed the boats higher up the ledges out of the swells. Andy also practiced throwing his tow belt/throw bag system. I believe it is the same as Mark’s. Beth then entered the water, clipped in and swam up to a slightly different ledge, easily accessible to Andy and Mark to help lift her boat up. I followed the same procedure with the Margarita onto the ledge that Beth had chosen. Andy helped lift the Margarita to the lowest rung, just out of the swells. It looked a little precarious at this spot, but I checked underneath that there were three points of contact to the rock ledge. The Margarita was going nowhere just clear of the breaking swells. The tide was coming in, so the boat would have to be moved upward if we decided to stay a long time. However, that was not the plan, and we reversed the process off the rock face. If I recall correctly, we all clipped into our boats, threw them out onto the water, and swam after them. Some of us used the opportunity for a self-rescue back into the cockpit, while there were plenty of paddlers nearby to lend assistance for T-rescues – also good practice for people. It was noted that, after the first person was back in the boat and secured, the later ledge-launchers could just throw the boat to that person, and avoid putting another line in the water. People just wanted to practice with tow ropes. Also, during this entire procedure people in both groups were trying rolls, re-enter and rolls, cowboys, and etc. Why waste a plunge? It was a good opportunity to stack up rescue exercises. After these exercises, we started down towards Riverhead, arriving back around 2:30pm. While the winds had intensified, they had not yet become prohibitive to a direct paddle back. Furthermore, the SW winds were warm and pleasant. We landed about 2:30pm, and I noticed the high cloud line mentioned above. The distance from Riverhead to Fort Seawall, and then to Peaches, is about 1.9nm. So the trip was around 4nm.
  9. Pru, Thanks. Mike was at the Easter Plunge yesterday so we now know everyone (well, at least all the NSPNers...) made it back. Looking forward to the report! - Bob
  10. Jason, definitely keep to the canoe project on your list. Cedar is a wonderful soft wood to work with - forgiving with a pleasant smell. You can really do a lot with it. Setting up the strong back and forms, prepping the strips, clamping strips, wood gluing, sanding - all good general woodworking skills for a novice like me. I worked from a kit, but others rip the strips from scratch - which is kicking it up a notch. With some help, I did end up fashioning tailored bow and stern sections of the strong back and forms. The epoxy/glass and varnish parts are less fun. I groused about chemical machinations in the basement worthy of Walter White! However, if thought through, can go quickly and efficiently. - Bob
  11. Hi Jason, I'm embarrassed to say that the starting point was in Feb, 2011! We had an NSPN Workshop on kayak construction at the Pinkham building in Lynn. Examples of cedar strip, skin on frame, and stitch and glue were discussed. Fred Randall gave a talk on skin on frame kayaks, and Mike talked about strip boats. Here is the title to the General Message Board announcement and report on the workshop, which you can search back to (I had trouble inserting the link itself). KAYAK DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP Started by rylevine, January 18, 2011 The uploaded picture from the workshop report is of the Guillemot in the early phases. What with the usual "fog of war" stuff, a five month project morphed into a five year project. Hence the embarrassment...The boat on the left is a stitch and glue. These days there may not be as much interest in kayak construction and repair. Perhaps due to the continuing improvement and diversity of boats from the manufacturers? If people have an interest, I could answer questions, and more importantly direct people to much more expert builders in the community.
  12. Maiden voyage to Misery yesterday (instead of Swampscott as originally posted). Trip report attached. Hope to see everyone on the water soon. - Bob Trip report 4_12_2017 Ocean Avenue to Misery Island.pdf
  13. Tentative for Wednesday, 4/12. Salem to Swampscott. If interested email me at rylevine at comcast dot net for details as they develop. Thanks. Bob
  14. Trip report attached. Thanks to Beth and Jane for attending. - Bob Trip report 3_30_2017 Puritan Rd Swampscott to East End Nahant.pdf
  15. Nahant Bay. We will look at the beach but the focus will be rock gardening and some navigation. I'm keen to find and assess the rotary currents around Egg. If interested, PM me for details. - Bob
  16. I would like to thank the participants of the navigation session and paddle. During the in-house session on Saturday we worked on chart orientation and the computation of ferry angles on crossings. We also did a trip plan for the Boston Harbor paddle on the following day. Special thanks to Phil Allen for helping with the session, and people who helped with the set-up and food. Attached are 1) links to the current data from the NOAA website for relevant locations surrounding Peddocks Island in Boston Harbor, and 2) the trip report for the Sunday paddle. The Sunday paddlers were Joe, Shari, Mike, Andy, and me. I would definitely like to repeat the exercise from Houghs Neck before the boat traffic hits in the summer, and work in more examples of crossing in current. Boston Harbor Navigation Session and Paddle_3_25-3_26_2017_NOAA_current_links.pdf Trip report 3_26_2017 Boston Navigation Houghs Neck Quincy to Peddocks.pdf
  17. It would be soon after the early April workshop, say the next weekend or even the next day?
  18. I thought last year's navigation workshop worked very well. This year we could have a table for vector-philes - perhaps off in a shadowy corner somewhere... More seriously, one possibility is to couple the in-house instruction closely to a subsequent on-the-water session. I've taught a nav course in Boston Harbor as a follow-up to a tabletop session a few nights earlier. There are easily accessible routes in Boston Harbor in which a dozen or so important navigation tasks can be exercised during a paddle. The level is for advanced beginners. It is a full day, but not a long distance. I'll be doing the paddle in any case as part of my prep for the 2017 season, and NSPN people are welcome. A Boston Harbor trip plan, using the data for the particular day and time, could be the topic of the in-house workshop for people interested in the paddle. Bob
  19. Hey Pru, Don't blame Kevin or me, blame Josiah Willard Gibbs - the inventor of vectors; and the smartest person Einstein didn't meet... " Of Gibbs he (Einstein) wrote:`[His] book is … a masterpiece, even though it is hard to read and the main points are found between the lines’. A year before his death, Einstein paid Gibbs the highest compliment. When asked who were the greatest men, the most powerful thinkers he had known, he replied ‘Lorentz,’ and added, ‘I never met Willard Gibbs; perhaps, had I done so, I might have placed him beside Lorentz’ " Pais, Subtle is the Lord, page 73.
  20. Barb, David, and Jeff - Congratulations! Looking forward to paddling with you. - Bob
  21. Leon, I agree with Josko on this one. Knowing your skill set, my advice would be to accompany the group to M'head. I try to keep a copy of the Ferry schedule with me, but have forgotten it at times as well. You could have directed the group to the "pinch point" in the M'head/Salem channel just south of Coney Island and minimize the possibility for trouble with boat traffic. By the way, with the usual caveats about not being there...., I think the group was foolish in not heeding your advice in the first place; and probably were not correct in challenging you later - although that could have been part of a healthy "debrief" to be useful for later paddles with them. Bob
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