Ipswich River on Saturday

[Inverseyourself]

In the hope that kayaking is like bicycling, I have a vague (!) plan to get my BIB for the first time after a very long hiatus and since no ocean trips are posted - at least officially, wink, wink -  I plan to do something easy and protected that offers a good opportunity to practice maneuvering strokes, maybe some rolling or at least skulling. The Ipswich River in Topsfield has easy access and winds through marshlands and woods. Most likely, few to no paddlers will be on the river at this time of the year. If anyone has any interest to do this theoretical L2 paddle for about 3-4 hours, longer if conditions are inviting, shorter if conditions are harsh (:)), starting between 9 and 10 AM, please post here or PM me. The predicted temperature will be in the mid 50s and sunny. The area is generally protected from the wind. The still frigid water temperatures probably make this a higher level paddle. I therefore recommend a drysuit or at least dry top despite the seemingly benign conditions. Members of the Cotton Club need not apply and will be denied. A neoprene hood is also recommended if immersion or semi-immersion is desired or if participants expect to be as wobbly in a sea kayak as I am.

I am open, not to say extremely open, to suggestions, especially of less wimpy and more salty paddling destinations worthy of entry into my log book. If no one joins, I will stay on my couch and watch kayaking movies...again.....or just roll and re-entry on Hoods Pond.

Caveat: The Ipswich should be fully thawed and high enough to be passable, judging from the constant whirr and clonk of my sump pump (located in Topsfield). I will have to redirect any criticism about impassable sections of the Ipswich River or long portages in mosquito infested mudbeds to the local water nymphs!