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Cathy, You might consider reviewing the data off the current station located west of Moore Harbor. There are six current stations in the Stonington waters, but that one may be your best bet. You can obtain the direction of flow on both the ebb and flood, but keep in mind the islands have a way of bending the current, in some cases, in unexpected ways. Pull in data on the phases of the moon to aid your research. Also, understand your chart datum and look for depths which might deliver some nice textured water. I have seen some nice tidal rips in certain locations if you time it right. Nothing too dramatic, but it is always good to know in advance what you might encounter. As Ed mentioned earlier, Nate is the local expert and probably knows those waters like the back of his hand. A great smart phone app to help you pull it all together is called "Marine Weather" by AccWeather. Enjoy your trip planning! Warren

Jonathan, Great trip report. I really like to read about other paddlers who get out on the water in the off season. Seems to me the wildlife is more interesting to watch and of course fewer boats to dodge. I hope you will consider paddling off the coast of Maine and visit MITA islands. Better yet, consider kayak camping! All of which are a passion of mine. I hope our paths will cross. Warren

Pru, Excellent trip report and wonderful pictures! We do know how to enjoy a winter in Maine! Wait until they see how we enjoy spring! Now on to planning another great adventure....... Warren

Barry, Yes, Marshall Island is a great place to visit. I paddled those waters for a 4 day / 3 night trip. If is helpful, just PM me and I can give you more info about places we can not talk about on this thread. Warren

Jason, It is good you are crafting a plan. It is also good you can find a boat that fits you well. On the topic of flights to Anchorage (if that is your destination), there is a good flight from Boston to Anchorage with one stop in Seattle. The best part is the same plane flys all the way through with only a 45 minute stop in Seattle. No change of planes! Clearly, there are options to consider for getting your gear to Alaska. Select an option that works for you. You might be surprised how much gear you can take with you on a plane for little money. Take it from one who has been there done that. Warren

Dan, It is true a dry suit can be a large investment if you buy one that is brand new. But all the other items you purchase in order to be safe and comfortable out on the ocean are expensive as well. A good dry suit with warm layers under will help you to potentially paddle 12 months per year. Also consider other areas beyond New England. In July and August, some of the water north of New England, the Pacific Northwest and Alaska would require dry suits. I understand those waters are not yet on your list, but you might be surprised how soon they beckon you. Warren

Jason, Sounds good! I know how important it is to paddle a kayak that you like. You might consider contacting Levi Hogan at the e-mail address below, Levi Hogan [turnagainkayak@yahoo.com] Levi rents NDK Explorer and Cetus boats. I suspect he could get you an Explorer HV if that is your preference. I believe he could get it to you in Homer, Seward, Whittier or any other launch site. Warren

Jason, You are correct, we will benefit from very long days of sunlight. The draft trip plan is simply serving as a guide to go from Point A to Point B on any given day. It was designed to be very flexible for both weather and interests/skills of the team. I suspect there will be a great deal of time allotted to exploration both on the water and on land. As a case in point, one of our team mates, Beth, is gathering information from a local NOLS guide regarding the areas to safely view bears feeding on salmon in the salmon streams. (I know how facinated the NSPN community is concerning Alaskan bears and I wanted to be certain I was able to bring back some photos of them feeding on salmon versus on paddlers!) Another case in point is Glacier Island. The draft plan brings us along the northern coast which could contain a great deal of ice if we have days of north wind off the Columbia Glacier. We may choose to take a southern route and view the sea lion colony on Bull Head. Lots of options and outstanding areas to paddle! Hope this helps. So Jason, are you heading to Alaska in 2014? Warren

Katherine, I have not yet met the fifth and final member of the team. Beth, As you can imagine, the trip planning phase has been a great joy for me. This will be my first expedition and I am attempting to develop a methodology in trip planning which will be transferrable to any future expeditions. Attached below are just a few of the draft documents the team has been working on which will guide us in organizing our efforts. I suspect no two paddlers use the same methods, but I sense there are a core group of documents which we all need. Perhaps members of NSPN who have more knowledge than me in kayak expedition planning will identify methods that have worked for them and our team can benefit from their wisdom. Warren Equipment for 2014 Alaska Trip.doc Alaska Itinerary.doc Alaska State Marine Parks.doc Alaska Trip Planning Reference Sites.docx Alaska Trip Rev2.pdf

NSPN Community, Yesterday the fifth and final team member signed on. We now have the complete team and preparations are full steam ahead. Give some thought to 2015, since it is never too early to plan a great adventure! Warren

NSPN Community, For those of us who are members of the Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT), you may have noticed in a recent mailing an acquisation of a 44 acre conservation easement in the middle section of Casco Bay. This easement will provide for day-use access to a planned trail system. The easement gift has also helped MCHT secure a purchase option on neighboring islands which happen to be popular with the NSPN community. You might consider joining MCHT to stay current with their plans and to help a very worthy organization which, in some cases, is helping the NSPN community to gain access to islands off the coast of Maine. Warren

Wow! Our community of paddlers is really facinated with bears! Who would have guessed! Hey Rick, thank you for the heads-up to nix the phrase "bearsy - wearsy around our furry friends. I crossed it off my list. I still have "Hey Yogi, where is your buddy Boo Boo?" That seems nice enough! On a lighter note, I did enjoy reading the two articles (see previous posting on this thread) written by Tom Pogson and published in Ocean Paddler magazine. The concept of "bear conservation" is well covered and very informative for any paddler you plans to camp in bear territory in and around Prince William Sound. Warren

Hi Cathy, Yes, please sign me up for the plunge. As the group forms we might want to determine if there is interest in having a "Post Plunge Pig Out" after we dry off. Warren

All good info! Since I am drawn to paddle in wilderness areas, it just makes sense to understand both the land and water based risks and have a plan. One plan might be to find a way to lower the risks. With that approach in mind, I am leaning toward camping on islands in PWS. John, did you camp on many of the islands in PWS when you were there? I know black bears can swim, but the salmon will be running in July and I hope they would prefer to eat salmon in streams along the mainland over sunning themselves on an island beach. Of the proposed 12 nights of the trip, chances are only 4 will be tenting on the mainland. Those nights will be in several Alaska State Marine Parks, such as Shoup Bay and Sawmill Bay. By the way, take a look at those locations via Google Earth. Amazing! And they have bear boxes for your food! I suspect our team will find a way to enjoy Prince William Sound while practicing safe behaviors in bear territory. I would like to think we can all coexist peacefully. But if not, anyone need a bear skin cap? Warren

Gene, Good comments! Thank you! If you seek additional information regarding bear safety in Alaska, you might read the following two articles. Pogson, T. 2009. Bear Conservation and Safety: a primer for sea paddlers adventuring in Alaska. Ocean Paddler Magazine 14:40-43 T. Pogson & D. Lampman. 2012. To hang or not to hang – a guide to bear conservation and safety when paddling in the north. Additional Digital Content Ocean Paddler Magazine 31: 62-67. Warren

Rick, Yes, Ryan will be a valuable resource both in the planning and execution. And I hear he runs really slow when chased by a bear. Warren

Rick, All good counsel. Thank you. David and I have on our list of issue to discuss with Ryan the topic of bears and our safety. Rob did remind me that I do not need to be able to out run a bear, I just need to out run Beth and David. And yes, Ryan will be paddling with us. In a way, I am tending toward camping on islands in PWS since I understand the brown bears do not like to swim. I guess they sink! I will add that I sense Alaska will beckon me to return year after year and I will need to always feel I have a process that works for me to remain safe in skeeter and bear territory. Warren

I want to take an opportunity to highlight this trip and stress how one opening remains for a paddler to join the team. The trip is a definite go since we have four members, but could add in one more. We have Beth, a critical care physician practicing in Alaska, David Mercer and I as well as Ryan who has extensive local knowledge and will be providing a watchful eye over our trip planning and execution. What makes this trip special for me is the ability to plan all aspects from scratch. Ryan has giving Beth, David and I free rein to coordinate our effort and design a trip which will balance our desire for safety, comfort and fun. Our efforts are beginning now, so you should not delay if your goal is to join in on the planning phase. During my trip in the San Juan Islands last year, Matt Nelson reminded me of an important observation he has made. He has found that paddlers derive maximum benefit from a trip when they invest maximum effort to prepare. Our preparations are beginning now. Don’t delay. Warren

Pru, you are correct that Mother Nature served up a superb set of variables for our review. What is even more interesting is how she teams up with Father Winter at this time of year to increase the number of key metrics for our analysis. Now, I admire the skill and dedication of those among us who aspire to achieve leadership roles within our community of sea kayaking. That is a goal that I do not aspire to for myself. However, we paddle within a CAM model and that model requires that each of us be able to step forward to make good decisions which focus on group safety at any time while out on a trip. Interestingly, a paddle at this time of year dramatically increases your opportunity to analyze risks and make good decisions. It can be a superb learning environment. Pru, you and Rob have seen that Mother Nature will frequently toss me a curve ball. I understand it is related to paddling in the off seasons as well as working with a predetermined trip date. Early in my paddling career I learned the effect of those fixed variables while training with John Carmody. At the time we were crossing the Sheepscot River and a fast moving thunder and lightning storm was descending upon us from Augusta, Maine. Although our training date was fixed and Mother Nature had other ideas in mind, it forced John to make constant observations and adjust the plan to achieve group safety. We all arrived back to the launch site safely that day and it served as an important learning opportunity. However, it was not until I had a conversation with Suz that a path forward would develop. Suz encouraged me to learn by doing, take my observations into the real world and test them out in a safe and responsible manner. I will admit, paddling yesterday with David and Jeff makes life easy, since they are both great paddlers who value group safety. We did have fun seeking out the condition of each other as we paddled along. Yesterday David reminded me of what we should all aspire to as sea kayakers. You see the loved ones we all leave behind when we go out to play in boats, see us all in a more objective manner. Those loved ones measure our abilities by looking for proof in how we demonstrate a focus on group safety and the ability to make good decisions. Perhaps achieving a positive image in the eyes of the loved ones will be our greatest measure of success. Now on to planning the next great (and safe) adventure! Warren

Today, David Mercer, Jeff Charette and I enjoyed a day paddle on Casco Bay. The weather was good, the company was great and the location was outstanding. I felt Mother Nature noticed our efforts and felt sorry for the three New Hampshire boys, so she gave us a window of opportunity to play in boats. The trip involved launching from Winslow Park and Campgrounds in Freeport, Maine and paddling approximately 8 miles around the islands in the mid section of the bay. We stopped at one of the islands and had a most enjoyable lunch. A couple weeks ago I laid out a plan to help David Mercer and I prepare for our paddling trip to Alaska this coming July. Key components of the plan were a number of February and March day trips. We needed experience paddling in ice floes and cold water as we plan to encounter those conditions in Columbia Bay and the waters around Glacier Island in Prince William Sound. The February 15 paddle was designed to achieve that goal. In addition to paddling in winter conditions, I planned to test out on David two soups and one breakfast drink developed for the Alaska trip. He seemed to like the food, so they are going in the kit to Alaska. Several times during the paddle I would pause and just listen to the sounds of water birds. There was no one else on the Bay. We enjoyed how Mother Nature smiled down on us and let us enjoy a very special place. Now some might say we were nuts to go kayaking in February, but we felt safe and comfortable and a feeling of being in the right place at the right time swept over me. We liked being in our boats. At one point during the paddle, I fondly remembered a wise counsel I received from Suz Hutchinson. She encouraged me to paddle during the off season and get good use from my Kokatat dry suit! She also shared her philosophy for when she would not paddle. It was her “20,20,20” rule. She would not paddle when the air temp was less than 20 degrees, the wind speed greater than 20 mph or after drinking 20 beers. Suz, we adhered to your standard today and had a great time! Warren P.S. Photos to follow tomorrow.

Cathy, You might consider looking at any historical weather patterns for the areas you plan to paddle and then craft your trip plan to take advantage of any wind. Better yet, if multiple cars make the drive out, position one at the take out. It is so nice when you can have the wind to your back and a smile on your face! Warren

Leon, On the SpeedStroke I use, there is not way to reconnect the bungee cords to a different location on the bar. You can adjust the hand placement. I find the greatest feature of the Ergometer is the ability to focus your attention on many critical actions, which together may give you what you seek. Also, being able to video tape the progress is key and more difficult with a moving boat. Plus, it is hard to know what the paddler is doing with their legs and pelvic bones when sitting in a boat. Warren

Ed, you are correct, no one should focus their exercise program on only one machine. But the Ergometer is very addictive for me. I close my eyes and think I am out on the ocean when reality is the outside temp is 0 degrees. Then I open my eyes, and realize I need to get to work! Leon, you are correct about the paddle length and hand placement on the paddle shaft. Both make a hugh difference for me. It might be useful to know the Ergometer does facilitate proper hand placement, but the bar (it's version of a paddle shaft) is a fixed length. No ability to modify the length, but since there are no paddle blades, does not seem to present a problem. I have noted one issue which was identified in the web article you mentioned earlier in this thread. Since the seat is fixed, you need to readjust your mind when you get in your boat. The hope is a future enhancement will allow for the switching out of the stock seat for a seat that moves more freely. Warren

Leon, I can understand why many paddlers use the SpeedStroke Ergometer to assist them in improving their speed. You are correct in that all the normal distractions, such as waves, wind, etc. are removed. When you combine your efforts with video recordings (front, rear, side) you can perform amazing analysis. Without a doubt, it is the most amazing piece of exercise equipment I have ever used. For me, it is worth every penny. Leon, my use of the Ergometer is perhaps different from what you seek. I need it to improve my forward stroke so I can log miles during a 13 day Alaska expedition and feel no significant discomfort or fatigue. I also use it to build strength and endurance as well as experience the joy of paddling when weather and time just does not permit me to get outside. I am now into my third month using the Ergometer. I have teamed up with John Carmody to improve my forward stroke. Every four weeks I prepare a set of three videos taken from the three angles noted above. Together we analyze my technique and John recommends very specific actions to improve. The Ergometer permits me to have a laser focus on the areas needing work and we both feel I am making significant improvement. Approximately one week ago I went for a paddle on Casco Bay. I was interested in determining how it would feel to transition to a real world of paddle and boat. Surprisingly, the transition felt good. Actually very good! Living here in New England and having a long cold winter season, I am honestly surprised more paddlers do not own a KayakPro SpeedStroke Gym Ergometer. Warren

Rob, Not to worry, I have an extra yoga mat for you! As we talk about preparations we all take to prepare for problems while paddling on the ocean during the winter months, I need to add my favorite. I like to launch from Winslow Park and Campgrounds in Freeport, Maine because of the help provided by the Park Manager, Neil Lyman. Neil seems to truly understand the risks an ocean kayaker can encounter and always offers to me his services to provide a rescue. He has a motor boat in the ready to motor out to one of the islands and pick up us. So having Neil's cell phone number in my phone is my favorite solution. Warren