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Wed. Lunch Paddle #5: 6/24/2020 @ Rockport Granite Pier


Joseph Berkovitz

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This week's Wednesday Lunch Paddle is on June 24, 2020 out of Granite Pier, Rockport MA:

 https://goo.gl/maps/c5DTCwDPDotnnfW78

Registration: To attend, please register using this form which will also add your information to the float plan:

https://forms.gle/cy7h4ngDw1LNyifb8

You must be a paid-up NSPN member to join this trip. Your signup information will only be shared with other members on the trip.

Parking and Fees: There will be a launch fee assessed by the Town of Rockport for the use of Granite Pier. Prices are as follows. Please bring exact change.
Non-Resident park and kayak launch $12
Rockport Resident kayak launch $6 (no parking fee)

We will be launching from the main boat ramp, NOT the "kayak launch area" which is closed. Drop off boats/gear next to (not on) the ramp and park on the upper level of the pier.

Predictions:  This trip looks more likely to encounter conditions than other recent WLPs, so we will be taking care in planning and responding to the environment as it evolves. The current forecasts suggest we will see wind from the South in the 10-12 kt range in the morning, possibly reaching 15+ kt by mid-afternoon. The wind will have been blowing since Tuesday so once we are outside of Sandy Bay we may see 3' waves, some combination of chop and swell. At the launch location and inside Sandy Bay the chop will be smaller as we will have Rockport providing some lee to our south, but some swell may be present at the put-in.

Besides the wind and waves, we'll have fog clearing to partial sun, air temps in mid 60s F. Water temp forecast as 60-62 F (see data here).

Date Day of the Week Time (LST/LDT) Predicted (ft) High/Low
2020/06/24 Wed 01:39 AM 9.91 H
2020/06/24 Wed 08:09 AM -0.37 L
2020/06/24 Wed 2:20 PM 8.55 H
2020/06/24 Wed 8:16 PM 0.86 L

Possible Plan: We can paddle along Rockport shore to Gap Head just W of Straitsmouth Island, assess conditions in more open water, some combination of landing/lunch/circumnav on Straitsmouth or Thacher Islands depending on the interests and comfort of the group (we would likely have a tailwind on return, but also a following sea). A fallback plan would be lunch in protected Rockport Harbor.

Covid-19 paddling: on this trip we will strictly observe social distancing and MA state recreational boating guidelines for the pandemic. Please research and respect all regulations that apply at the time of the paddle. There is a strict limit of 10 paddlers on the trip. You must register using the form link below to be sure that you're actually on the paddle.

We will stay at least 6 feet apart, minimize sharing docks and ramps with others, and wear face masks while off the water in public use areas. We also employ an online waiver to avoid passing around a physical piece of paper.

When/what: We will meet at 10 and launch at 10.30 sharp. We'll have a beach briefing in some safe manner, make a plan together based on what people feel like doing.

This trip doesn't have a specific level: we'll determine the route based on who shows up, what people want to do, and what the environment wants to do. All properly equipped members are welcome: please bring boats with rigged deck lines, bulkheads, spray skirts, and dress for immersion.

NOTE: The Wednesday Lunch Paddles are cooperative adventures, not guided trips. Each participant is responsible for her/his own safety.Don’t assume the trip initiators are smarter, stronger, better at rough water, more attractive, or more skilled paddlers than you are. For more information, see this description of our trip philosophy from the NSPN web site. 

We encourage paddlers to make their own independent decision about their comfort level with conditions at the time of the paddle. Please PM me if you have questions or if you haven’t paddled with me or Bob before.

Hope to see you there!

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