alcoons Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 This confirms this trip is on. Of course, weather and conditions may force last minute decisions. Please check here Saturday AM before you leave. Additions, minor changes, and typos are in red. Someone else led this last year and it was one of my favorite trips. River, creek in marsh, Essex Bay, Cranes Beach (open ocean) and spend one hour on Cranes at the The Annual THE CRANE BEACH SAND BLAST. See: http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/5973_sandblast_2007.cfm ----------------------------- When: Saturday, August 25. Where: Pavilion Beach (Ipswich), Fox Creek, Essex Bay, Crane Beach. See: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1252338 Timing: Launch at 10 AM. HighTide is at 9:30 AM. This gives us enough water in Fox Creek. Put-in: Pavilion Beach (Ipswich)- http://www.nspn.org/put_ins.htm Level: Level 3 (3+ possible). Max distance 11 miles. Crane Beach is open ocean and can have current. You should feel comfortable with the distance, have an ocean kayak, and basic wet-exit and self-rescue skills. The other stuff: Bring lunch, plenty of water, sunscreen, etc. This is a private trip so show-and-go rules apply. Al Al Coons Cetus - Red/White Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chetpk Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 If the weather holds on the reasonable side I plan on being there. Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincent Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 I plan on being there. Sounds like a great paddle. Vin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 This confirms this trip is on. Of course, weather and conditions may force last minute decisions. Please check here Saturday AM before you leave. Since we will be leaving at 7:30AM to make launch time, I doubt we will see any last minute messages. So what is the best guess about how the current forecast of 2-4' seas translates to the likely, actual sea state on the outside of Crane's. I'm a timid woodland creature. True four foot swells onto a shallow area is something to think about. Ed Lawson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 I'll be there -- sounds like fun. To venture a guess at Ed's question (I'm no expert on conditions in this area) -- swell is predicted to be from SSW, which means a lot of it will be shadowed by the capes and/or not hitting the mouth head-on. On the other side, the tide will be on the low side as we return through the mouth. Another factor -- the later we return, the less will be the ebb current, (peak around 1:00 PM of 1-1.5 kts, slack around 4:00) that works against incoming swell to generate chop and break. So my guess -- just a guess -- is that we'll have some chop and break coming back in the mouth at the end of the day, but not huge, and maybe not much at all. Does anybody know if you can sneak back in through the deeper water near the Castle Neck shore and avoid the chop and breaking stuff, if it's there? Anyway, it might be fun. So I am considering a very short look at the sand sculpture, instead heading for the mouth early enough to catch more of the ebb and surf, if there be any. --David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lbeale Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 This confirms this trip is on. Of course, weather and conditions may force last minute decisions. Please check here Saturday AM before you leave. Additions, minor changes, and typos are in red. Someone else led this last year and it was one of my favorite trips. River, creek in marsh, Essex Bay, Cranes Beach (open ocean) and spend one hour on Cranes at the The Annual THE CRANE BEACH SAND BLAST. See: http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/5973_sandblast_2007.cfm ----------------------------- When: Saturday, August 25. Where: Pavilion Beach (Ipswich), Fox Creek, Essex Bay, Crane Beach. See: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1252338 Timing: Launch at 10 AM. HighTide is at 9:30 AM. This gives us enough water in Fox Creek. Put-in: Pavilion Beach (Ipswich)- http://www.nspn.org/put_ins.htm Level: Level 3 (3+ possible). Max distance 11 miles. Crane Beach is open ocean and can have current. You should feel comfortable with the distance, have an ocean kayak, and basic wet-exit and self-rescue skills. The other stuff: Bring lunch, plenty of water, sunscreen, etc. This is a private trip so show-and-go rules apply. Al Al Coons Cetus - Red/White I did this trip last year with Kate, Al and others and will do it again--and it was fun--some of the sand sculptures have a political bite with references to the big dig while others are more aesthetic in appeal. Les aka swearing ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Turgeon Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Sounds like fun, and I am not going to Maine this weekend, so I expect to be there. Roger Turgeon Night Heron, cedar strip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monika391 Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Hi Al (message also for Kevin or Brian if they happen to see this!) I love the area where the trip is taking place. I'm a member of NSPN. However, I have a Perception Acadia 12.5 kayak, with a pretty heavy paddle. I've been on a few NSPN trips, and have about 15-20 kayak paddles under my belt, with wet exit skills, and basic rescue skills (learned recently through an AMC kayak clinic). Kevin may remember me...so he may be able to answer the question below as well... My question: is this trip out of my league? I definitely don't want to hold the group up, and I don't want to be exhausted by the end. If you wouldn't mind calling me at 617-721-1357, I'd appreciate it. Thanks! Monika Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcoons Posted August 25, 2007 Author Share Posted August 25, 2007 Friday Night 11:30 PM: Predicted conditions are getting more dicy. 3+/4- perhaps for wind and waves. There is also a heat advisory (heat index over 100 degrees) and very bad air..not sure how that will translate along the coast. I will post again by 7 AM Saturday morning. I hope others will chim in when they get up. I am thinking perhaps those that are still interested meet at the put-in as expected and we can decide to moderate the trip if necessary. More by 7 AM Saturday. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 Saturday morning 5 AM NOAA forecast for today... Marine-- SW winds 5 to 10 kt...becoming S 10 to 15 kt late this morning and afternoon. Gusts up to 20 kt late. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Land -- Partly sunny early this morning...then becoming mostly sunny. Patchy fog early. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms late. Some thunderstorms may be severe with frequent lightning...small hail and damaging winds. Hot. Humid with highs in the lower 90s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph... increasing to around 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph late. Chance of rain 20 percent. Heat index values up to 105. I'm going to show up at the put-in as scheduled and see what gives. I don't think we will see that much swell anywhere on the route, in the shadow of Cape Ann (swell is from SSW). As for t-storms, they're "late" and we'll be near landing spots the whole way after exiting Fox Creek. Disclaimer -- just my personal opinion; make your own decision. --David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyork Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 I'm going to show up at the put-in as scheduled and see what gives. --David. I'll be there to beat the heat and to see the sculptures. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 I m a big believer in standing on the beach and seeing what there is as opposed to assuming the marine forecast is correct about what there will be where I am paddling. So even though it is a two hour drive, I and Gail will be there and ready to launch. I expect we will be able to do the trip as planned. So if you want to give it a go, you will have company. Ed Lawson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcoons Posted August 25, 2007 Author Share Posted August 25, 2007 I'm going to show up at the put-in as scheduled and see what gives. --David. Gary While I have canceled this as a level-3 trip, I'll show and see what it feels like. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 An alternative -- launch from Conomo Point and go around to Cranes from there. I do not know the mouth of the Essex, and I'd guess there's a current there too, on the same schedule as the Ipswich but maybe less. It's even more protected from S swell and definitely has a deep channel. One disadvantage is that route returns us against the wind. I'll bring driving maps from Pavilion to Conomo, just in case. --David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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