Good friends, good conversation, good paddling -- Conomo Pt., Essex, MA, 2 June 2007

[Deb Millar]

“It was a bright and sunny day….”

…as opposed to being totally hazy, hot and humid when we left Clammers’ Beach at Conomo Pt in Essex for the first Official NSPN L2 Trip of the season. As our fellow paddlers loaded their boats with their gear, applied lots of sunscreen, and got into the spirit of paddling, we assistant leaders, under the able direction of Walter Mears, made sure all was well as we got on the water.

No wind and a gentle, incoming tide made for a pleasant trip out. As Bob and I kept watch in the lead, Lisa M and Jason made sure safety and fun accompanied those paddling towards the rear. Walter pulled all his stories out of his large bag of local knowledge and it was an informative and lively journey out to Long/Choate (aka Hog) Island.

We landed on Long Island for lunch. The Trustees of Reservations crew was out and about, and we contributed to their trash pickup with various bits of potentially dangerous flotsam and jetsum that some of us had found floating while we paddled. After cooling our feet in the warm water – Walter said that in the previous week the water in the Essex Basin had hit 69 degrees, which is unusual for these parts as most times it barely manages 65 after three 90 degree days in August – and taking on some necessary calories from miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter cups provided by Alen, we launched and paddled into the northwest channel parallel to the Island. The air was somewhat cooler on this side and Walter made us all aware of changes in temperature and pressure, which might be precursors of a bit of a thunderstorm.

Safety – not just for the group but for individual paddlers who kayak – was emphasized by us all. This area is Walter’s home territory and besides knowing the history, he also is very knowledgable and understanding of the ways of those who share the water with us. We always crossed channels as a group, looking both ways. We listened for the heavy drone of approaching power boats, who, depending on where they are and how compliant with speed zones, can’t always see a kayaker nor definitely stop if necessary. Walter made us aware of the tides and how temperature could affect future weather. He also emphasized having respect for others space, most of all the clammers who launch and land between tides at Conomo Pt. They make their living not only from the clams they dig, but also on how fast they can get them to market – good reasons to always be aware of where you launch and land lest you clutter up a boat ramp with your boats, your gear and your fellow paddlers.

After coming through the Narrows between Conomo Pt and Cross Island and sticking as always as close to the rocky shoreline to avoid both the current and boat traffic, we came back to where we started from. Since there had been noticeable shifts in temperature and the sky had, at times, looked a tad too hazy with building clouds, we decided not to paddle through Snake Creek. Walter explained why he felt it best to end the trip before the 2 PM deadline and everyone was in agreement with him. As people unloaded their boats, got out of damp wetsuits and paddling gear, and got their kayaks on their cars, some of us practiced our rolls and sculls in the cool waters off the beach.

Our paddle Saturday was a wonderful example of fun, safety and learning. We paddled as a group and not with an agenda. All involved – Joan H, Liz N, Alen Y, Gene (GreatMeadows), Heidi, Dan F, Phil and Laurie, Doug H, and Frank R – contributed something to this enjoyable paddle. We’re hoping that our photographers Doug and Dan will share some of their snaps of the trip with the club membership as I’m sure they got some great shots of us on various beaches and in our various boats.

Thanks to all for joining us on a hot but beautiful June day in one of the prettiest areas of Massachusetts. It was a great paddle and I know we leaders enjoyed it as much as we hope everyone else did.

Deb M, Bob C, Walter Mears, Jason K, and Lisa M.

While we got off the water well before anything nasty developed, Bob and I came back from a party in Millis (where the weather was lovely) to a soaking wet driveway and a quarter-inch of water on the window sills. It seems that the hinted thunderstorms turned into a hard rain, hard hail reality, with power outages in Essex, tornado warnings in Newburyport and general windy, wet and wild chaos all around our area.

[dan_f]

Thanks to all of the trip organizers! This was a great start to another year's paddling. I posted some pictures at http://danielfabricant.com/ at the bottom of the main page.

Dan

[hopefloats]

Great pics Dan! Thanks!

Does anybody have the route we went on a map graphic?

[Phil Allen]

Dan-

Any chance I could get full res versions of approaching Hog Island #1 and #2, thats Lorrie and I

Phil

wish I was there

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deep blue over white

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