Jump to content

Easter Plunge Saturday 3/31/18

rfolster

By rfolster
in Past Trips

 Share

Recommended Posts

rfolster

rfolster

Posted
Posted

To continue this annual tradition now in it's 6th year, this will be a combination discussion/paddle/cold water practice event tailored to the wants and needs of the group. You’ll have the opportunity to review tips and techniques for dealing with cold weather and water, test out your gear while we do some cold water rescues, or just have a paddle! LOTS of hypo kits and chocolate will be on hand and careful attention will be paid to all paddlers’ condition and well-being. Come join us for this CAM (Chocolate Adventure Model) event.

You must bring the following:
- Food and a hot beverage
- Drysuit with proper footwear and appropriate under layers (if you don't have a drysuit, inquire about borrowing or renting)
- Neoprene cap or hood
- Neoprene gloves or poggies
- Wool or fleece hat
- Wool or fleece gloves or mittens
- Down or synthetic jacket that fits over your PFD
If you have the following, you should also bring them:
- Storm cag
- Warm outer pant layer (worn at launch to unload and pack boat)
- Spare under-layers (in case your primary set gets wet)
- Padding to sit on (camp chair, carpet square, piece of foam, etc)
- Hypo kit (various items to help deal with hypothermia for yourself and/or others)
- Group shelter

We recommend that everyone put together some form of hypothermia kit – see this post if you want more information on what to include: http://www.nspn.org/forum/topic/9825-hypo-kit/. Don’t feel overwhelmed by all the gear. The start of a good hypo kit is a thermos of hot tea/chocolate/soup/water and a warm jacket/blanket/tarp. Do you have any hand or feet warmers from skiing? An old yoga mat is a great ground pad. A tent fly would work as a wind shelter. Don’t worry about packability if it’s just a day paddle – you have plenty of room in your boat. Put together what you can and we will compare different ideas.

If you would like to attend but don’t have a particular piece of kit, just let us know. We should have plenty of extra stuff on hand to care for everyone. So bring your bunny ears (really!) and join us for some cold water fun! We will even have extra ears on hand for those who don't have them. Location and details to be determined and will be very weather-dependent, but will most likely be in MA north of Boston.  Post interest here or send me a Private Message.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rfolster

rfolster

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Janet, you are welcome to join us, and we should have plenty of extra hoods on hand.  We will start looking at the weather about one week before the trip and discuss our options on this posting, so please check back around that time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
rfolster

rfolster

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The response this year has been incredible, with a potential of 18 kayaks on the water (so far)!!  Weather looks like there could be a fair breeze out of the West with some North/South variation.  It is still early to rely upon, but looks like it might be dry, partly sunny, and somewhat comfortable (high temps in the mid 40's).

We have many options that could be considered, so looking for input and feedback.  Historically, we have launched from Riverhead Beach in Marblehead, although did West Beach in Beverly one year.  Marblehead & Salem have a lot of N-S shoreline to get protection against a West wind, but the return to Riverhead will be a drag (but doable).  The Beverly coastline is complete exposed, but a short distance paddle up wind would set up a quick down-wind run to Misery Island with a short cross wind trip back.  A one-way trip from Riverhead to West Beach could be done with a half-hour shuttle setup.

One other thing to consider is that, with the number of people interested, we could go as one group of do multiple groups at different locations.  A more ambitious group might want to fight the wind in the morning to have a down-wind run after lunch while another group seeks out all the shelter they can find.  The two groups could meet at Salem Willows for lunch and swap stories of the morning.  Does anyone know if anything is open at the Willows this time of year?

Please feel free to post suggestions and thoughts.  I will try to make sense of the ensuing chaos and have a plan in place by Wednesday night or Thursday morning.  Due to the size of the group and amount of coordination, I must have final commitments and float plan info by Friday @ 5pm.  All participants must be listed on float plan to participate on the trip.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
David M

David M

Posted
Posted

Had a meeting cancel, so had some time to kill.

NOTE: Robert, I'm not absolutely sure on this, but I think the shuttle from River Head to West Beach would be more like 45 minutes especially on a Saturday afternoon.

West Beach had been "floated" at one point.  And while it's still early out, and things can change, I suggest leaving it near the top of the list based on the following: ample parking for a group this large therefore no shuttling,  tide cycle timing for launch and return, opportunity for multiple trips (Baker/Misery, Manchester Coast east with options  for lunch break in both places) reasonableness of swell and conditions based on the point forecast and Cape Ann surf report and finally if the point holds up, the inshore winds are very reasonable.

Saturday, March 31,2018

SUNRISE/SUNSET

6:23AM/7:05PM

WATER TEMPS - 40 degrees

TIDES

31 Sat  
11:59
10.2
     
5:39
-0.8
6:04
-0.8
  6:24 7:09 moon-500.gif

FORECAST

Synopsis: ANZ200-280600- 116 PM EDT Tue Mar 27 2018 .Synopsis for Massachusetts and Rhode Island coastal waters... An offshore storm spins S of Nova Scotia as high pressure builds in from the W. Persistent N/NE winds and subsequent swell, high wave activity continues through midweek. Waves of low pressure and frontal boundaries through the week into the weekend, looking at an active weather pattern with potential marine impacts given accompanying heightened wind and wave action with any areas of low pressure. For information on possible hazardous weather beyond the 24-36 hour forecast period, please visit www.weather.gov/boston and follow the Current Hazards link above the map on the left. 
 

ZONE    W winds 10 to 15 kt with gusts up to 20 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft.

POINT     NW wind around 8 kt becoming SW in the afternoon. Partly sunny. Seas around 1 ft.

 
NEARBY SURF REPORTS- Cape Ann
                      SURF     PRIMARY SWELL     WIND           WEATHER 

           9am    1ft             0.8ft  8s                 17/23 mph      Sunny 41°f 

          Noon   1ft              0.8ft  8s                 15/16 mph      Sunny 45°f

           3pm    1ft             1.9ft   4s                 23/33 mph     Clear 46°f

 
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ellen Gluckman

Ellen Gluckman

Posted
Posted

I'm a definite.  Have cousin in wenham, ma which allows me to come down from VT Friday. I'd prefer to b able to park and not shuttle, an option David indicated exists.  Looking forward to meeting all of you, and learning.

Ellen 

802 595 5272

Link to comment
Share on other sites
prudenceb

prudenceb

Posted
Posted

I'm voting we try to stay together-ish for the paddle.  Clearly 18 people won't be one tight pod, but we could elect that those who might go faster to go a bit faster - and maybe stop and play while others catch up.  We could have podlets whose members would make a commitment to look after each other, particularly if we have folks who are less familar or comfortable with the area.  But I'd hope that we would still flow together throughout the day as a group.  Maybe this is an unrealistic plan, but hope springs eternal...

I agree with David about West Beach.  And shuttles are never any fun, but they're REALLY NOT FUN when it's chilly/cold, which it will likely be on Saturday.

Prudence

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...