Downeast Symposium

[Rob Hazard]

I'm just about recovered from 4 days of hard paddling.

You gotta come up there next year! It's an unbelievable place to paddle. The scenery, well, it's Mount Desert in September. What could be better?

I took 2 days of 4* training with Mel Rice and John Carmody. Both days began with foggy mornings, which we used for Nav practice. The first day we toured the cliffs along the south side of the Porcupines, which hold a few crevices and sea caves big enough to explore when it's mild, as well as some nice rock gardens. The second day we drove to Manset and paddled out around Great Cranberry for surfing and rescue practice in open sea conditions.

OK, I'm now ready to admit that for the open water rescue stuff, I'd be happier in a good drysuit! Next year for sure!

My third day was spent working on Forward Stroke with Danny Mongno ("Danny Impex" to some of you) on Great Long Pond. An intensely focused day, and a nice break from cold seawater. I think I'm beginning to get a handle on paddling straight ahead on flat water!

I saved Rock Gardening for the last day, so I'd be less worried about trashing my boat and wrecking the trip. The sea state had picked up some, so we revisited the Porcupines and those caves and rock gardens. Again John Carmody and Mel Rice led the group, aided by Jean Totz from Sweetwater. After nosing into the caves we came to a great feature with boulders and a sloping ledge that the seas washed over from 2 directions at once. We went round and round on that one!

On the return trip John obliged us with a Tsunami Rangers impersonation in a great overhanging alcove with a ledge along one side that would dry out a couple feet between seas. He landed with a crunch twice before getting afloat and coming back out. "Don't try this at home!" Well, I sure was impressed!

So what did I learn? I'm getting a feel for timing wave action in a rock garden. I'm willing to try things with the support of good coaches that I wouldn't dare on my own. I'm less intimidated by rough water rescues than I was.

Also: I need to sort out my paddling kit. I need a good drysuit. I need to simplify my tow belt. I need to fasten my foam seat down securely. I need a better place to stow my paddle float.

And: I need to practice towing, cowboy reentry, reentry and roll, rescues of all sorts, swimming with the boat, and I need to be less tentative about going in to rescue someone.

Plus: When you're in a group piloting in fog and something strikes you as odd, don't keep it to yourself. Communicate! If your course calculation comes out different than the group leader's, speak up and hash it out. Anyone can slip up in simple arithmetic, or miss an obvious clue to your position.

Anyway, it was a splendid 4 days and I'm eager to go back next year and do it again. So what if the water isn't as warm as Tybee Island? The scenery is positively breathtaking, the conditions vary from mild to wild, and the teaching staff are as fine as you could wish. Oh, did I mention the all-you-can-possibly-eat lobster dinner?

Rob

Explorer - whitish, with lots more scratches!