Rob Hazard Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 Though I very much want to go paddle some of that area, the 18th is the Blackburn Challenge which Emilie and I will attempt to complete in our tandem ; which is somewhat longer than my 14ft solo (AKA "The barge" AKA "The tugboat" AKA "The Barcalounger"). I'll be out from knee surgery the following weekend and back on the water after that. At that point kayaking the coast of Maine will be pretty much irresistible. Cheers! Ty The Blackburn Challenge! Slowly I turned, sweep stroke by sweep stroke, inch by inch... OK, then! All the hotshots who want to do a 20 mile day can go to Gloucester and knock themselves out, while the rest of us can mosey about on Casco Bay. We'll do our MITA thing on Bangs and Crow, then decide how big a side trip to take on the return according to the weather and the consensus of the group, in the true Common Adventure Model style! I'll post a more formal itinerary over the weekend. Florrie and Ed, there's your answer! C'mon along! Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Florrie and Ed, there's your answer! C'mon along! Can we have an hour or so to connect with our inner seal? Ed Lawson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
florriej Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Florrie and Ed, there's your answer! C'mon along! Rob Oh geeze, the pressure... I swear I'll do my best not to hold up the group. (I did 19 miles last summer and was fine, this year so far 11 has been my longest trip) Jeff, why don't you stay in Maine Friday and join us? I'll need someone to talk to at the end of the pack. (and think of the beer) - Florrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtmllr Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Florrie and Ed, there's your answer! C'mon along! Rob Oh geeze, the pressure... I swear I'll do my best not to hold up the group. (I did 19 miles last summer and was fine, this year so far 11 has been my longest trip) Jeff, why don't you stay in Maine Friday and join us? I'll need someone to talk to at the end of the pack. (and think of the beer) - Florrie We're heading up Monday, that's as far as we've planned. I compile info and options but don't usually do itineraries. I like to make it up as I go along, plus two other people to consider but they are easy going too - they'll just be glad to be here. We all have the summer off so anything goes Friday. Chances are we wouldn't be back down to Casco very early. We're likely to side trip to Marshall Wharf's brewpub http://www.3tides.com/ as we tried the Big Twitch IPA last time we were at GLB. I see they have an imperial IPA and a Scotch ale too. Speaking of Scotch, a flask of Oban 14 y/o needs to be on my packing list. Honor thy ancestors, yo ho ho, and all that. Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hazard Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 We're heading up Monday, that's as far as we've planned. I compile info and options but don't usually do itineraries. I like to make it up as I go along, plus two other people to consider but they are easy going too - they'll just be glad to be here. We all have the summer off so anything goes Friday. Chances are we wouldn't be back down to Casco very early. We're likely to side trip to Marshall Wharf's brewpub http://www.3tides.com/ as we tried the Big Twitch IPA last time we were at GLB. I see they have an imperial IPA and a Scotch ale too. Speaking of Scotch, a flask of Oban 14 y/o needs to be on my packing list. Honor thy ancestors, yo ho ho, and all that. Have fun. A flask of Oban, eh? Hey, can I come paddling with you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtmllr Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 A flask of Oban, eh? Hey, can I come paddling with you? You know where to find us, generally. It won't be a part of the paddling though! Evenings or rain-ins (I've got cards and a huge vestibule too.) I suppose it would be OK to keep in my PFD in case I get washed out to sea and I'm waiting for death or the Coast Guard. After all, you can't drink the salt water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 My reading of the current table says the Hi slack will be about 08:30 to 09:00 and the Low slack will be about 14:00 to 14:30, depending just where you are in the bay. Current peaks at about 1 knot in either direction, so it's worth having it favor us both ways. Cheers, Rob Question about the Cousin's launch site, which I've never used . It shows as intertidal on the chart, and "Guide to Sea Kayaking in Maine" says it's a problem in the lower half of the tide. So how is it getting back in that close to low? --David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccarlson Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 It's usable even at low tide, just not quite as pleasant. There is a spot right at the bridge where it's not too muddy at low tide. The approach from the north side at low tide requires that you stay near the channel rather than paddling straight from the tip of Cousins to the put-in. Question about the Cousin's launch site, which I've never used . It shows as intertidal on the chart, and "Guide to Sea Kayaking in Maine" says it's a problem in the lower half of the tide. So how is it getting back in that close to low? --David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 It's usable even at low tide, just not quite as pleasant. There is a spot right at the bridge where it's not too muddy at low tide. The approach from the north side at low tide requires that you stay near the channel rather than paddling straight from the tip of Cousins to the put-in. Thanks -- that's about what I would have guessed from the chart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchy Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Ideas, ideas! Wow, I'm dazzled by the brightness already and the trip is still 2 weeks away! I just stepped off both of Barry's routes and Ed's as well. The Long Island circle adds up to about 18 nm, which is a bit of a haul if we mean to do our MITA duty (AKA "the Mission") as well. Around Cliff and back, going around Chebeague, would be shorter, ~15 nm. Goslings and Whaleboat also looks like ~15 nm when we include the Mission. In stepping off the Cliff route I assumed we'd be able to cross the bar between Chebeague and Little Cheb. We'd go counterclockwise, hitting Bangs and Crow on the return. The Goslings - Whaleboat trip I assumed clockwise, also stopping for the Mission on the return. Whaleboat and Goslings would take us across Broad Sound which means open water (Yeehaw!), whereas Cliff would keep us in more sheltered water (BORING!) but might give us more help from the current (COOL!) HMMMMM... Has there been any determinations as to the final route? I will be in paddling in Biddeford, Me. Friday night and would be very interested in joining this excursion. (back to lurking) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hazard Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 Time to firm things up. How about: Meet at Sandy Point on Cousins Island, Yarmouth, at 0900. Launch by 0930. Paddle around east side of Cousins and Great Chebeague to Crow, then to Bangs, stopping to check out campsites and beaches ("the Mission"). I make that about 5 1/2 nm travel plus an hour on the islands. So we should be ready to decide where to go next by 1300. Let me toss out 3 options to think about: 1) Go around Cliff Is and return via Chandler Cove and Little Chebeague, for a total distance of ~15 nm. 2) Cross Broad sound from Stockman to Whaleboat, then head north to the Goslings, returning via French and Moshier, for a total distance of, again, roughly 15 nm. 3) Return the way we came out, for a distance of about 12 nm. I figure we can make the choice of itinerary when we're looking out from Bangs and seeing what conditions we have to deal with. I'd like to know how many plan to show up. Please email me at rhazard48 at gmail dot com and let me know if you're in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cornell Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Count me in. Don't have time to read all of this so I'm not yet sure what I'm getting myself into... Perhaps I'll go out in the next room and ask Rob for a summary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzert Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 I'd like to know how many plan to show up. Please email me at rhazard48 at gmail dot com and let me know if you're in. Hi Rob, I plan to be there. I'll let you know if for any reason I cant make it. Are there any parking issues for Cousins Island ? Looking forward to it. Barry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hazard Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 Hi Rob, I plan to be there. I'll let you know if for any reason I cant make it. Are there any parking issues for Cousins Island ? Looking forward to it. Barry. No parking issues that I know of. Fairly large lot with a porta-potti, on the left just as you get off the bridge out to the island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hazard Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 To all who are coming along: Remember "the MISSION"? I just got a request from MITA for a couple specific jobs that need doing on Bangs and Crow. On Crow the path to the cabin is overgrown with bittersweet and raspberries and needs some trimming. The bittersweet is also crawling up the cabin wall and needs to be hacked way back. On Bangs someone built a cute little stone wall which really doesn't belong there and needs to be returned to a more natural looking state. Anyone up for a bit of artful deconstruction? Anyone who has clippers, shears or work gloves, please bring them along. It sounds like an hour or so would do it. I will bring some large trash bags too. Cheers, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerry s Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Hey Rob How about a brief summary of this trip. I haven't followed the thread but scanning it is confusing and I might be able to join y'all but I have some time constraints. Love paddling this area and those that haven't won't regret it. Also the brief (non)work stop at the MITA Islands is well worth the trip. Gerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcoons Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Hey Rob How about a brief summary of this trip. I haven't followed the thread but scanning it is confusing and I might be able to join y'all but I have some time constraints. Love paddling this area and those that haven't won't regret it. Also the brief (non)work stop at the MITA Islands is well worth the trip. Gerry Same here. Would love a summary. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzert Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Same here. Would love a summary. Al I thought Rob summarized it pretty well here ... Time to firm things up. How about: Meet at Sandy Point on Cousins Island, Yarmouth, at 0900. Launch by 0930. Paddle around east side of Cousins and Great Chebeague to Crow, then to Bangs, stopping to check out campsites and beaches ("the Mission"). I make that about 5 1/2 nm travel plus an hour on the islands. So we should be ready to decide where to go next by 1300. Let me toss out 3 options to think about: 1) Go around Cliff Is and return via Chandler Cove and Little Chebeague, for a total distance of ~15 nm. 2) Cross Broad sound from Stockman to Whaleboat, then head north to the Goslings, returning via French and Moshier, for a total distance of, again, roughly 15 nm. 3) Return the way we came out, for a distance of about 12 nm. I figure we can make the choice of itinerary when we're looking out from Bangs and seeing what conditions we have to deal with. I'd like to know how many plan to show up. Please email me at rhazard48 at gmail dot com and let me know if you're in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerry s Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 I thought Rob summarized it pretty well here ... What Day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzert Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 What Day? MITA day trip - Casco Bay - July 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hazard Posted July 17, 2009 Author Share Posted July 17, 2009 OK To recap: Saturday, July 18 meet at 0900 at Sandy Point, Cousins Island, Yarmouth ME. Sandy Point launch is on your left as you reach the end of the bridge over to Cousins Island. At 0930 we will launch and head around the east end of Cousins, past Great Chebeague to Crow Island and Bangs Island for some MITA stewardship, either clearing the path on Crow or deconstructing a little stone wall on Bangs, as per a request from the MITA stewardship director. Then, presumably about 1300 (1 pm), we will decide on our return route, either straight back the way we came, or a wider loop, depending on weather conditions and the consensus of the group. Total distance will be about 12 - 15 nm. It will be an all-day affair, so bring lunch. For dress, I plan to wear a shorty wetsuit and paddling jacket. PFD's and spray skirts are mandatory. The usual spare paddles, tow lines and other safety gear are recommended, as well as suitable footwear and bug spray. Also please bring work gloves and tools for clearing bittersweet and raspberry vines. See you Saturday! Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
florriej Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Rob, thanks for all your organizational efforts on this! Florrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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