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Bangs Island Cleanup June 4th


Rob Hazard

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MITA is holding their spring cleanup of Casco Bay islands on June 4th. I would like to join in by paddling out to Bangs Island, which we had to skip last fall due to short daylight. Anyone interested in coming along?

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MITA is holding their spring cleanup of Casco Bay islands on June 4th. I would like to join in by paddling out to Bangs Island, which we had to skip last fall due to short daylight. Anyone interested in coming along?

Rob, I'm interested in joining you.

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The route will be the usual 'round Great Chebeague circuit launching from Cousins Island. The tidal currents are contrary, though:

Casco Bay, Hussey Sound, west of Eagle Island June 4th

Low Slack 0833

Max Flood 1049 +1.0

High Slack 1406

Max Ebb 1705 -1.4

This means we'll be paddling harder and longer than usual, and we won't have the usual soft & sloppy seaweed landing zone. But, we'll have oodles of daylight to burn if we launch by 1000.

The length of the circuit is about 12 nm.

This is a CAM trip, and I'd estimate it at the high end of Level 3. Due to water temp, drysuits are a must. If weather forecast bumps it to Level 4, I'll postpone the trip.

Since the purpose of the trip is island cleanup, please come prepared not only to paddle, but to pick up trash, trim trails, etc.

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This means we'll be paddling harder and longer than usual, and we won't have the usual soft & sloppy seaweed landing zone. But, we'll have oodles of daylight to burn if we launch by 1000.

What about staying over Sat. night and riding the flood home Sunday?

Or paddling out Friday afternoon/night and ride the tide both ways?

Ed Lawson

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MITA is holding their spring cleanup of Casco Bay islands on June 4th. I would like to join in by paddling out to Bangs Island, which we had to skip last fall due to short daylight. Anyone interested in coming along?

FWIW Rob, we are planning to give Crow I. the once-over on our way to Jewell next weekend.

gary

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FWIW Rob, we are planning to give Crow I. the once-over on our way to Jewell next weekend.

gary

FWIW- MITA requests Crow not be visited until late June due to nesting Eiders.

Also, I've heard the Browntail Moths are a big problem this year.

Ed Lawson

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FWIW- MITA requests Crow not be visited until late June due to nesting Eiders.

Also, I've heard the Browntail Moths are a big problem this year.

Ed Lawson

Thanks for the heads up Ed-I had forgotten. In the past the Jewell group has stopped at Bangs, but we'll leave that to the planned June 4 party,

unless we hear you need a scouting report or clean-up help from our trip this weekend.

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I should be looking good for June 4th, esp for an overnight, but flexible as a day trip also.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have just emailed Brian M at MITA to let him know of our plans for an overnight on Bangs. Overnight would allow us a leisurely paddle each way, plus lots of time to scour the island to pristine perfection. I got my old backpacking tent out and set it up just to make sure it's all still there.

I count a possible party of 5 so far.

Let's look at times and tides again.

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It's a bit of a long haul for me this early in the season, but I'd be interested in future cleanups. I think I'll opt for the CAM workshop on Sunday instead. Have fun and thanks for giving kayakers a good name by giving back!

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The tidal current prediction for June 5th (Sunday) on Hussey sound, west of Eagle Island are as follows:

Low Slack 0557

Max Flood 0815 +1.0

High Slack 1148

Max Ebb 1459 -1.4

Low Slack 1843

I listed the times for the 4th in an earlier post. The distance each way is ~6 miles, all in pretty protected water. If we were to launch from Cousins Island Saturday around noon, we'd get to Bangs around 2pm and have the rest of the afternoon to do our civic duty, MITA-wise. The guide book says there is room for a total of 20 persons among the 3 campsites. Brian said he saw no problem with our staying over the night of the 4th-5th. So on Sunday we could get up and even do more cleanup if we so desired before heading out late morning for a leisurely paddle back to Cousins.

So who is still up for the daring and arduous adventure?

Cheers,

Rob

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I'm good to go. I have some extra hand tools (this time in better working order)

I see Sat low tide at 7:30 am...I don't mind if we launch before noon but noon is ok with me also. The tide will be somewhat against us but not to bad.

(My numbers for tidal current differ from yours so I'll double check them)

Sunday low tide about 8:20 am, So plenty of water for the afternoon with high tide maxing out around 2:30.

Haven't checked the projected weather yet,

but

I am hoping for sunny skies, no bugs... angels singing....

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Spider, thanks for the heads-up. I just rechecked the tidal current numbers. Seems that either they have changed or I goofed (impossible!).

NOAA Tides and Currents for Casco Bay, Broad Sound west of Eagle Island, June 4, 2011:

Slack Water 0833

Max Flood 1049 +1.0

Slack Water 1406

Max Ebb 1705 -1.4

June 5:

Slack Water 0917

Max Flood 1135 +1.0

Slack Water 1449

Max Ebb 1754 -1.4

Now I have to figure out where I got those other current times from! I tend to think more about current times than High and Low tide, since they have more effect on paddling speed. We should be able to cross inside Little Chebeague without portaging, thus saving more energy for cleanup!

I chose the Eagle Island prediction because it's close to our destination, but I don't know exactly how the currents affect our course which wraps the contours of Great Chebeague.

It still looks like a noonish launch from Cousins would get us out to Bangs with plenty of daylight for cleanup. And a morning launch from Bangs will let us ride the tide back.

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Brian Marcaurelle informs me that we should be fine for the night of the 4th. The campsite at the north end of the island should hold us all fine. Capacity of 8. He says the central campsite is frequently wet this time of year.

So who all is coming along?

Rob

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I am still ON although there is a chance I will have to bail out and stay home. I am also planning on launchimg earlier than noontime, in which case we would meet at the campsite.

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My wife Marilyn will also be joining so we will be taking the tandem for it's 1st camping of the season.

Looking forward to it !

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great. I will launch early in the morning and welcome your party {3} at the campsite.

Sp we're a party of 4 so far. Brambor, Spider and Marilyn, and me.

Anyone else" Ed? Sal?

I have a local friend there who plans to paddle out to meet us on Sunday.

See you tomorrow at Cousins Island. Meet by 11:30?

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Yes, 11:30 sounds good to us ..we hope to be on the early side.

We also got a fire permit #

See you then.

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