Being on the Water, Saturday, November 24, 2018

[prudenceb]

Being on the Water

Lanes Cove to Rockport, Saturday, November 24, 2018

 

It's been a long time since I've written a trip report without photographs, and part of me says, Hey, don't bother with it - people want pictures,  not words!  But I am going to bother, albeit briefly, because I was repeatedly struck in our eight person paddle from Lanes Cove to Rockport and back this Saturday how fortunate ALL of us in this club are to a) have the club, b) have the active and adventurous members that we do and c) have such easy access to wonderful places to kayak - all year round!  I mean, on Saturday November 24, there were THREE posted trips on the club website, and two other members set out for what they thought would be a just the two of them trip but which ended up melding into the one I'd posted.  An embarrassment of riches that I hope more people who are adequately prepared for winter paddling will take advantage of as 2018 gives way to 2019.

Not wanting to drive far, I posted for the old standby Lanes Cove paddle, and soon had David Mercer, Joe Berkovitz, Jeff Charette, Janet Lorang and Alex Debski signed up for what would be a 10:30 launch - late for me, but, hey, it's getting cold out and later is often kinder in the temperature department.  And we all know how cold the days were preceding this weekend.  Record low temps with howling winds creating wind chill numbers none of us were psychologically prepared for while it was still November, and, technically, autumn.  But the promised post-Thanksgiving moderating did occur, and on Saturday morning it was above freezing when I headed out to drive up to Cape Ann.  As I turned off of Route 128 onto Cape Ann, I saw an unfamiliar car with an unfamiliar boat on it trailing me.  When I got to the put in, Jeff was already there and the unfamiliar car/boat pulled into the lot next to us and Jeff and I said to each other, "That looks like John Monroe," which didn't make sense since  "John is living up in Belfast now, right?".  But it was indeed John, who was planning to meet John Haile for a launch at exactly the same time as our group.  So the group and pair became one pod.  (John M currently has one foot in MA and another in ME while he waits for his lovely home to sell.)

We launched on the button at 10:30.  There was an honest wind blowing from the SW and choppy short period waves as we turned right out of the cove.  We were immediately greeted by a site that I'd not seen there before.  The large granite blocks that form the harbor were completely coated  by a frosting of ice.  The whole structure looked as though it were made of giant sugar cubes.  Because the tide was high, the ice went right down to the waterline.  It was not the only time that day that I ended up quietly cursing my decision not to bring my camera having reasoned, how many times have I posted versions of the same pictures from this very familiar route?

We hugged the coastline, propelled forward by the following seas.  We turned into Folly Cove, where we were protected from the wind and where the water was calm.  The low cliffs on the south side were adorned with layers of very thick icicles that covered the cliffs from top to waterline.  I would have spent time there taking pictures - and indeed borrowed Jeff's camera to take a few shots - but, alas, no camera of my own.  There were others there that were probably thanking whatever thought process had led me to leave my camera at home.  I wouldn't be slowing down the group taking stupid pictures as I usually do!

Onward to Halibut Point.  The tide was so high, and the water around the point so flat, that it would have been easy to land on what are usually big rocks high out of the water.  Well, easy but for slipping given the icy conditions.  And then the long way continuing along the coastline of Rockport Harbor until we made the turn past the breakwater (the top of which was not far from the water's edge) and on to our usual beach stopping place under Bearskin neck.  Same thing there - the tide so high that there was no beach, and we had to pull our boats onto the rocks when we stopped.  Janet and I were sensible enough to go up the stone steps, cross the street, and find a nice bench to sit on in the sun and out of the wind for our lunch.  The boys all stayed below, claiming that it was warm - but we knew better.  They all were anxious to get back into their boats for warmth.  We had invited them to join us atop, but none would.  

And so we were off again, cutting across the harbor this time, back along Halibut Point where the lowering sun turned the landscape in front of us into silhouettes of rocks and people.  (There had been almost no one at Halibut Point earlier; now there were groups of families and friends, and I'm pretty convinced they were all envious of our little flotilla of brightly colored boats dancing lightly on the water below them.)  A little boy and his father waved wildly, and some of us waved back.

Late starts in winter mean shorter days of high sun.  By the time we returned after three, the sun had that cold mid winter late afternoon look.  Fairly bright but yielding no warmth.  Twilight rapidly approaching.  We were all a bit chilled (feet and hands) as we landed.  David maybe more so because he decided he had to roll for the second time before he landed.  He did allow that the water was rather brisk.

And so our day ended.  It is magical, albeit cold, being out on the water at this time of year.  It always takes a bit of extra effort to convince oneself that it will be worth it face the cold and wet rather than snuggle up at home - or SHOP! - at this time of year.  Thank you to David, Alex, Jeff, Janet, Joe and our late additions John and John for making it the very right decision to go for a paddle on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  I hope that our Odiorne and Nubble Christmas Light crews had as a good a time.  And perhaps took some pictures to document that they did!

Prudence

 

[JohnMonroe]

I copied your report, Pru, and emailed it to John. Here are the few photos I took. 

 

 

[JanetL]

Great day. Thanks for organizing, Prudence!

[Jeff Charette]

Prudence, thanks for organizing. It was a fantastic day. 

[John]

Thanks so much for this elegant write-up, Pru--and for welcoming the latecomers. It was a wonderful day.

John