Sue H.
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Posts posted by Sue H.
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WLP 9/6/23 Launching from West Beach in Beverly.
The weather forecast; high temperature over the water projected to be 74 degrees, whereas the land temp expected to be over 90. Light winds 5-10, beginning north and becoming southeast. The sea state was forecast as 2-3 feet, primary swell at 9-10 seconds and secondary swell at 0 seconds. This forecast held largely true throughout the day with the swell height diminishing in the afternoon. The variable wind was so minimal it was hardly noticed when it swung from north to south.
We were 7 travelers, Doug Stetson, Mike Habich, Fred Goodman, Bill Voss, Shari Gallant, Bob Levine and Sue Hriciga, launching a few minutes after 10 am and returned later at approximately 3:30 pm, for a total of 9 nautical miles.
Launching from West Beach we crossed to the western shore of Great Misery and took a collective look at the gap between Great and Little Misery. Since it was approaching low tide and with the long period swells, the ebbing water was significantly jacked up in the passage. After assessing this sea state, three paddlers choose to turn away and paddled around the south edge of Little Misery and four choose to run the gap. We all met up on the eastern side of the islands. With our pod of seven reunited, we made the crossing to Eagle Island and onto the northern shore of Children’s Island where we took a short onshore break. We proceeded to the south shore of Children’s and landed on a pocket beach after abandoning a more dumping spot along the way.
Lunch and conversation was enjoyed under the warm sun above and on top of warm, marble sized stones with smooth polished surfaces.
After lunch we traveled around the outside of Commorant Rock and made another crossing to North Gooseberry and made another crossing to the outside of Bakers Island, traveling up the eastern shore. We passed the large bell near Powers Rock and continued to the eastern end of the gap between the Misery Islands. With deeper water on the flood, this gap was looking friendlier than earlier in the day, all 7 paddlers cleared the passage and traveled down the western shore of Great Misery, returning to West Beach. Note to self, remember to provide space and timing when traveling through a location where one might get surfed !
This band of brothers and sisters shared decision making along the way, enjoyed a convivial lunch and travelled parallel paths on our journey, some playing in the rocks and others enjoying the rolling long period swells and soaking in all the environment had to offer.
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This weeks WLP will launch from West Beach in Beverly Farms (121 West St, Beverly, MA). Please arrive no later than 9:30 am for a 10 am launch. Sea kayaks with bulk heads and deck lines , a PFD, sunscreen, hydration and food, hat, and helmet if planning to get near rocks.
The present forecast is variable winds, likely south then becoming easterly at 5-10 kts. Mostly sunny with swells around 3 feet and diminishing to 2 feet in the afternoon, all around 9 seconds. LT 11:09 am, HT 5:17 pm.Register for this WLP at the link below. -
All of this sounds good, lots of exciting possibilities!
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Hi Jane, Salem, MA. Sue
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Hi Folks,
Save this date for a Fall Club Paddle and Post Paddle Party ! We will launch from Winter Island Park (50 Island Road, Salem, MA 01970), accommodating all paddler levels. There will be no parking fee at the time of this event. Paddling pods will be organized by paddling experience and interests. Arrival time set for 10:30 am, with a launch by 11:00 am. If the weather is too inclement for one's taste, or if you don't have a cold weather/cold water kit (for example a dry suit), please come by for the party portion of the event! It's always fun to talk about paddling, share stories about our adventures and generate ideas for future trips, both local and afar ! The Board of Directors have rented the Function Hall for the after-paddle party, which will likely start around 4-4:30 and end by 7:30 pm.
Food provided by the club as follows: lasagna, eggplant parmesan (these 2 main dishes are meatless to include the sauce), salad, artisan rolls, tea and sparkling water. Participants are requested to bring one of the following: a bag of chips, 6 ounce container of either blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, a small batch of grapes (all fruits pre-washed at home) or cookies and the like, (no cakes please). Participants are allowed to bring adult beverages of choice into the Function Hall.
Remember to have your settings indicate you are "following" this event in order to get automatic updates directly to your email.
You must register by Thursday evening 10/12/23, as I need to place the food order the following morning.
Registration link here: https://forms.gle/e7Fx2GYbT1ssRSKh7
I hope to see you there!
Cheers, Sue
Traffic considerations provided by Ricardo Caivano, Salem resident:
Downtown Salem can be difficult in October, in particular during the last two weeks. We get a lot of visitors. An email from the Salem Police says in part: " Visitors to Salem in October should not plan to drive into downtown Salem, especially on weekends...there is a high likelihood that some closures will be made on Saturday October 28 and/or Sunday October 29...For real-time traffic and road closure notices, visit www.twitter.com/SalemMAPolice (@SalemMAPolice on Twitter), and www.twitter.com/CityofSalemMA (@CityofSalemMA on Twitter)."
Well, that was the warning. The good news is that you don't need to drive through downtown Salem to get to Winter Island Park.An easy way to get to Winter Island from all points north is via Beverly, taking the beautiful Beverly-Salem Bridge, continuing on Bridge Street, left on Web St., continuing on Fort Ave, left on Winter Island Road and on to the park.
If coming from the south, perhaps it is better to avoid taking Route 114E (or the prior Lowell Street exit). Instead follow I-95 N and MA-128 N to MA-62 E/Elliott St in Danvers. Take exit 43 from MA-128 N, head towards Salem via the Beverly-Salem bridge and follow the directions above to Winter Island.
If coming from Marblehead, Swampscott, Lynn, etc. you could just paddle over ?, but if you insist on driving, take 114W, Lafayette Street, turn right on Leavitt St, left on Congress St, right on Derby St. and continue to Winter Island via Fort Ave. The corner of Congress and Derby will be busy."On October 21, the Devil’s Chase road race starts at 8 a.m. at the Salem Willows soccer field on Fort Avenue. No road closures are planned, however, expect traffic impacts until 10:30 a.m. along the route."
Attached is an2022+Devils+Chase+Athlete+Guide.pdf additional wrinkle just learned about, add this info to your approach plan for our Winter Island Event.
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9/23/23 Skills Session 9:15 am - 4:00 pm
We will launch from West Beach in Beverly Farms at 121 West St., Beverly, MA. There is free public parking at this site during the off season, otherwise restricted to locals during the summer months. Please arrive at 9:15 am.
During the beach briefing we will hear from you regarding your paddling experience and interests, followed by a discussion of the specific plans for the day. Our general intention is to provide an instructive journey to the islands off West Beach. During this approximate 9-10 nautical mile trip there will be opportunities to practice on-the-go navigation, hone strokes and obtain related feedback if you choose. We will practice landing and launching, assisted rescues and provide support to expand your paddling understanding and experience.
What You Need to Bring: A kayak with bulk heads, a spray skirt, PFD, paddles, hat or helmet (if want to get near rocks), tow belt (if you have one, not required), a hand held compass, appropriate dress for immersion, sunscreen, lunch, snacks, water and a chart of the area if you have one.
Arrive: 9:15 am, Beach Briefing at 9:45 am (personal gear on, boat unloaded and packed with kit for the day) and followed by a launch at 10:30 am.
Return: by 4:00 pm
We use ACA insurance for skills sessions. You need to either be an ACA member (join here for $40/year) or pay a $10 event fee here. The annual membership is a better deal, as it covers all our skills sessions and pool sessions for a year.
You also need to sign the ACA waiver at our special NSPN link here, once a year if you're an ACA member, or for each session if you're paying the event fee.
Registration: To register for this event please clink this link https://forms.gle/M6auuhEUruTmGUwYA and follow the instructions.
Edited by Sue H.
update -
Regrettably, I have to withdraw form this WLP.
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I'll be there !
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Hello Club Members,
We still have a few slots for paddlers who are looking for a modest introduction to moving water and a few slots for those looking to sharpen their skills in fast moving water. So if you have time in your schedule and want to broaden your paddling horizons, register ! Don't be shy, your facilitators are here to help you! We are David, Prudence, Michael, Don and me. We hope to see you there!
Sue
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There is space for one more person, please PM (personal message) me if you are interested. Thanks, Sue
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This trip is now full.
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David M, Prudence B and I are planning to paddle around some of the Casco Bay islands off Portland Maine. We will be launching from East End Beach, arriving at 8:45 am and launching by 9:30 am and off the water by 3:30. This trip is anticipated to be 12-14 nautical miles. A sea kayak with bulk heads, spray skirt, pfd, other kit as appropriate, hat or helmet, water, food and sunscreen needed. This trip will be limited to 3 additional participants. Come join us!
To sign up, click on this link https://forms.gle/2fdn1LKGzJYTVB1v5 and follow the instructions
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Hello Fellow Paddlers!
We have been having fun and learning a few things during our first 3 Skills Sessions, especially last weekend while spending the afternoon in various rescue scenarios...learning accomplished along with a good deal of laughter.
I encourage you to sign up for this Moving Water Skills Session as it will be just as informative and fun! I hope to see you there !
Your Prez, Sue
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Oh! Hope to see you soon.
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It’s on the calendar. Arriving at 10:00 Odiorne Boat Ramp. If you plan to attend go to the post, read particulars & register ! Likely off water around 3, no later than 4.
Hope to see you there!
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Skills Practice Session #4 will take place Saturday 8/5/23 on inner waters of the Piscataqua River. We will launch from the (West Bound) Cedar Point Parking Area (https://goo.gl/maps/yNj3YYBwNqPjsqqz5) and for some reason the site indicates it is permanently closed, but this is incorrect (in-person verification conducted). Please arrive at 10:00 am (or sooner if you need more time to be ready), with a launch by 10:30 am. We will be off the water by 4:00.
This session will focus on skills for paddling in tidal current, in a location which is perfect for a gentle introduction to this topic and can serve up challenges if desired! There will be a range of conditions available at different times and in varying locations on the upper reaches of the Piscataqua. We will also land on Goat Island, a small public island that is a great place to take a break and have lunch.
The flood current will slowly build over the course of the afternoon. Some of the things we may practice include:
- understanding currents, eddies and eddy lines
- reading the water surface to recognize what is happening
- entering and leaving bodies of water that are moving relative to each other (crossing eddy lines)
- maintaining a ferry angle when crossing current
- maintaining position and/or doing rescues in current
- advanced: playing in faster current under the SR 16 bridge
Parking: There are twin parking lots in this location, directly across from each other on US Route 4. We will be launching from the lot accessed from the westbound side of the highway (i.e. on your right if you are coming from I-95 and SR 16). If this lot starts to fill up we will ask you to drop your boat & gear in this lot and park across the street on the eastbound side. There is no fee for parking in either lot.
What You Need to Bring: Kayak with bulk heads and a spray skirt, PFD, paddles, helmet (if you don't have one pls PM me), dress for immersion, sunscreen, lunch, snacks, and water.
Arrive: 10:00 am, Beach Briefing at 10:20 am (personal gear on, boat unloaded and packed with kit for the day) and launch at 10:30 am.
Return: by 4:00 pm
We use ACA insurance for skills sessions. You need to either be an ACA member (join here for $40/year) or pay a $10 event fee here. The annual membership is a better deal, as it covers all our skills sessions and pool sessions for a year.
You also need to sign the ACA waiver at our special NSPN link here, once a year if you're an ACA member, or for each session if you're paying the event fee.
Registration: To register for this event please clink this link and follow the instructions. https://forms.gle/QdzQ81ZSzNax6Usa6
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Hi Folks,
We have a handful of sign-ups for tomorrow and have room for you too! The focus of Skills Session # 3 was posted as more boat handling skills needed for the dynamic sea environment, but the reality is the facilitators are happy to hear from you regarding your interests and will tailor part or all of the session to meet those needs. All of the sessions going forward will have a topic or focus, but all of the venues and facilitators are able to accommodate individual needs and skill levels. So come join us tomorrow or in the future!
I am eager to hear from you! You may express your interests here, or PM (private message) me with your interests.
See you on-the-water soon! Your Prez, Sue
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Joe has raised many good points regarding trip planning and the difficulty in providing a simplified answer to your question. In addition to the direct link Joe has provided, you can also go to the NSPN's Message Board, find the Paddling with NSPN heading and in the pull down menu you will find the course mentioned above, a section titled Weather, Tides and Navigation, as well as a link to Floating Trails giving online access to charts and other tools for small boats. Additionally, Gary York, an NSPN member, has himself listed there as a resource to help in trip planning.
To add to what Joe mentioned, you would want a localized nautical chart, either as a purchased hard copy or a printed chart from an online resource, knowledge of the tides on the day of the trip, make decisions regarding the course of travel and the related magnetic headings along that journey and specific detail regarding the sea state, ie wave height, period between sells, wind direction and speed, likelihood of rain, thunder/lightening, fog and more, ie total trip distance, paddle breaks and lunch spots... and other things I may have forgot! So some of these things can be determined as general preparation, and some are critically pertinent to the day of travel.
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Just got back from away, so now I'm a definite!
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Very interested and almost guaranteed going !
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Skills Session #3 (Saturday 7/22/23) will continue to bring awareness to the characteristics of the ocean environment, body position and edging, while adding turning strokes to your tool kit. After some attention to these skills, we will go for a moderate paddle and apply the skills underway. Upon returning to the launch, will will pause for rescue practice if appropriate. All skill levels welcome, experienced paddlers will have the opportunity for refinement and those with emerging skills will find support and guidance in your pursuit of sea kayaking.
Location: Odiorne State Park Boat Ramp, NH-1A, Rye, NH 03870
What You Need to Bring: Kayak with bulk heads and a spray skirt, PFD, paddles, hat or helmet, dress for immersion, sunscreen, lunch, snacks, and water.
Arrive: 10:00 am, Beach Briefing at 10:20 am (personal gear on, boat unloaded and packed with kit for the day) and launch at 10:30 am. LT at Jaffery Point, Newcastle is 8:54 am and HT at 3:12 pm.
Return: 3:00-4:00 pm
We use ACA insurance for skills sessions. You need to either be an ACA member (join here for $40/year) or pay a $10 event fee here. The annual membership is a better deal, as it covers all our skills sessions and pool sessions for a year.
You also need to sign the ACA waiver at our special NSPN link here, once a year if you're an ACA member, or for each session if you're paying the event fee.
Registration: Register by signing up at https://forms.gle/dEZdvjZ3DBocvow59. You'll need your ACA member number.
Please remember to make your parking reservation at the link below.
https://www.nhstateparks.org/fees-reservations/make-an-online-reservation
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Skills Session #2 will focus on overall body position in your kayak We will achieve this through getting comfortable with the body mechanics of posture, cooperation between upper and lower body to form a C for edging and keeping loose whilst underway. We will also look at the components of a forward stroke to maximum efficiency and power. After some attention to these skills, we will go for a moderate paddle and apply the skills underway. Upon returning to the launch, will will pause for introductory assisted rescue practice. All skill levels welcome.
Location: Odiorne State Park Boat Ramp, NH-1A, Rye, NH 03870
What You Need to Bring: Kayak with bulk heads and a spray skirt, PFD, paddles, hat or helmet, dress for immersion, sunscreen, lunch, snacks, and water.
Arrive: 9:00 am, Beach Briefing at 9:30 am (personal gear on, boat unloaded and packed with kit for the day) and launch no later than 9:45 am. Low tide at Jaffrey Point is 10:49 am, so punctuality is key to launching on time or before to avoid slogging through muck.
Return: 3:00-4:00 pm
Registration:
We use ACA insurance for skills sessions. You need to either be an ACA member (join here for $40/year) or pay a $10 event fee here. The annual membership is a better deal, as it covers all our skills sessions and pool sessions for a year.
You also need to sign the ACA waiver at our special NSPN link here, once a year if you're an ACA member, or for each session if you're paying the event fee.
Register by signing up here. You'll need your ACA member number.
Please remember to make your parking reservation at the link below.
https://www.nhstateparks.org/fees-reservations/make-an-online-reservation
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Hi Cynthia,
Many club members have sea kayaks with no rudders, as that is their preferred set up. Whatever spray skirt you buy, be sure it will fit the boat you intend to purchase. The spray skirt manufactures will list the kayaks a particular skirt will fit. I am not sure what you mean about the back band, some seats have a back band, but that is unrelated to a spray skirt. On the bottom, you would need neoprene pants of 2-3 mm (as recommended under NRS clothing guidelines) and the same for a neoprene top. Or on top a rash guard shirt with a semi dry or dry jacket. A dry suit is nice to have, but expensive, and not necessary for this event, unless the temperature significantly drops and the wind chill favors a dry suit. Are you able to borrow any equipment from friends? I can bring an extra chart and compass that you can borrow for the day.
Your interest and enthusiasm is refreshing. Welcome to the club!
Sue
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Hey Cynthia, If you have your kayak this week, it's likely you can come to this event. What type of kayak are you planning to buy ? What length and will it have bulk heads ?
Best< sue
Skills Session Saturday, 9/23/23
in Past Trips
Posted
Hi Tom,
Yes, will be posting tomorrow. We will launch from West Beach in Beverly Farms area. I don't see us getting so many respondents that I will have to limit the sign-ups. The plan is a journey to the islands with customized learning along the way. Watch for the post.
Cheers, Sue