2013 Kayaking Goals

[JohnHuth]

Camp out on a remote island off the coast of Maine, look at the stars while enjoying some single malt scotch.

I guess if there's an "I really want to do" trip, it's Woods Hole to Cuttyhunk and return by timing the tides. Gotta work up to that one.

[Lbeale]

[nancysan]

Do that NYC paddle around the Statue of Liberty.

[Gcosloy]

Paddle more with friends. Continue rock gardening in moderate conditions. Do more off-shore surfing in moderate conditions. Consider taking the camping plunge: need to get some gear, learn more about cooking.

[chetpk]

"6. Let Scott do all the cooking"

Leslie, only if you help me score a TV show called "The Kayak Kook"

[kate]

Camp out on a remote island off the coast of Maine, look at the stars while enjoying some single malt scotch.

I guess if there's an "I really want to do" trip, it's Woods Hole to Cuttyhunk and return by timing the tides. Gotta work up to that one.

I've done the Cuttyhunk trip so I'm sure you'd be equal to it, John. That said, I can't recommend it. Most boring scenery ever - the Elizabeths look exactly the same for mile after mile. Wow, that was a long day.

kate

[kate]

Do that NYC paddle around the Statue of Liberty.

Definitely do this one. I did it with a group of 50 (!) paddlers from all over the East Coast. Quite an experience - the ferries are the biggest danger, or maybe the pollution of the East River. It's a loooonnngg day, but how cool is it to see NYC from this unusual vantage point? I hope you get a chance to do this.

kate

[jason]

It

http://www.kates.org/pictures/Jason/Kayak/MISC/20080511-Manhattan_Circumnavigation/

Definitely do this one. I did it with a group of 50 (!) paddlers from all over the East Coast. Quite an experience - the ferries are the biggest danger, or maybe the pollution of the East River. It's a loooonnngg day, but how cool is it to see NYC from this unusual vantage point? I hope you get a chance to do this.

kate

I have enjoyed the paddling that i have done in NYC. The boat house that my friends have boats at is stil closed from the storm.

http://www.kates.org/pictures/Jason/Kayak/MISC/20080511-Manhattan_Circumnavigation/

[JohnHuth]

. Most boring scenery ever - the Elizabeths look exactly the same for mile after mile. Wow, that was a long day.

Good point, my short forays near the Elizabeths definitely are in that vein.

OK, well, here's my whacka-doodle "dream" trip - Surgeon General's Warning...it involved poach camping, definite no-no, and of course I don't break the law, ever.

I've had this dream of doing a circumnavigation of Nantucket Sound. Question is whether to do the inside or outside version of it.

For the inside version of it - go down the length of Monomoy and ...ahem... camp on the tip (few birds there, however), wait for favorable time on the tide and then make the jump to Great Point Nantucket. Then follow the Nantucket north coast. In the crossing to Martha's Vineyard, from what I can tell, there's actually a fairly substantial tidal channel just off the small islands east of Nantucket, but then you also run into the Muskeget Channel closer to Martha's, which can be quite hairy, so again, time it with the tides properly. Work to the inside of Martha's Vineyard and then cross over to Wood's Hole, again exercising some care over the MIddle Ground, then schlep along the coast back to the starting point.

I'm not quite so enthusiastic about the outside circuit, as it obviously is more exposed. In particular, I'm not sure what it's like going to the outside of Great Point on Nantucket, it looks like there's a very long sandbar that sticks out, which could be problematic.

I know folks have done all three have the crossings, the only bit I don't know a lot about is the long bar off of Great Point, and whether this gets hairy.

[jason]

Good point, my short forays near the Elizabeths definitely are in that vein.

OK, well, here's my whacka-doodle "dream" trip - Surgeon General's Warning...it involved poach camping, definite no-no, and of course I don't break the law, ever.

I've had this dream of doing a circumnavigation of Nantucket Sound. Question is whether to do the inside or outside version of it.

For the inside version of it - go down the length of Monomoy and ...ahem... camp on the tip (few birds there, however), wait for favorable time on the tide and then make the jump to Great Point Nantucket. Then follow the Nantucket north coast. In the crossing to Martha's Vineyard, from what I can tell, there's actually a fairly substantial tidal channel just off the small islands east of Nantucket, but then you also run into the Muskeget Channel closer to Martha's, which can be quite hairy, so again, time it with the tides properly. Work to the inside of Martha's Vineyard and then cross over to Wood's Hole, again exercising some care over the MIddle Ground, then schlep along the coast back to the starting point.

I'm not quite so enthusiastic about the outside circuit, as it obviously is more exposed. In particular, I'm not sure what it's like going to the outside of Great Point on Nantucket, it looks like there's a very long sandbar that sticks out, which could be problematic.

I know folks have done all three have the crossings, the only bit I don't know a lot about is the long bar off of Great Point, and whether this gets hairy.

You should talk with Rick C he has done the Natucket & MV Circumnavigation already and know's many of the issues you might run into.

[brambor]

I have lost the service of my 'kayak truck' and my new car Hyundai Elantra 2 door coupe is proving to be a challeng in installing suitable system. Therefore my primary goals start with:

1. Get a kayak rack onto my hyundai Done! Sitting at RackAttack right now :-)

2. Repeat Isle Au Haut with Doug Mogill and the gang

3. Do the jewell trip

4. Do Great Wass

5. Paddle same amount of time but camp more.

That is enough.

:-)

[GingerT]

From North Carolina, similar goals, different coast.

"Go simple, go solo, go now," said my hero, Audrey Sutherland. My goal is to stop fooling around and get on with the things I SAY I want to accomplish, because life is short: circumnavigate Durants Island (in the Albemarle Sound), make a solo paddling/camping trip around the Cedar Island marshes, paddle solo to a barrier island.

The big goal is to stop being distracted by other paddlers and be who I am -- pretty slow but capable. And just go.

I have loved reading this thread. Thanks!

Ginger

[kgibson]

2013-in no particular order

1) roll on both sides, have a decent roll on one side but haven't tried the other yet; it won't be pretty.

2) camping-looking forward to doing more of this and learning how to pack more efficiently without sinking the boat

3) getting more structured training-BCU 2? Recommendations welcome

4) playing more in moving water-maybe trying a small tide race at some point, is there such thing as a mini tide race?

5) practice, improve skill level, become more comfortable and confident in conditions

6) improve navigation skills

7) paddle as much as, if not more than, 2012 (it was a good year)

8) participate in a mita island cleanup

Better get started!

[spider]

Several goals this year:

Paddle from the mouth of Riviere Saguenay up to Chicoutimi (perhaps paddle some of Lac Saint Jean while in the neighborhood)

also improve my whale identification skills (I have tendency to refer to everything as a Minke).

Paddle Reserve Faunique Verendrye further north this time.

One big goal this year... increase the amount of time I can paddle before I need to get out and stretch my legs. Right now 2 hrs is about my absolute max, often much less. So yoga or some kind of stretching routine.

Happy paddling

[spider]

oops one thing I forgot:

I want to use the kayak for a fund raiser this year....

[JohnHuth]

Paddle Reserve Faunique Verendrye further north this time.

I wonder if the area NE of Lac Temiscamie is still relatively untouched.

[eneumeier]

I did the Blackburn twice, years ago. I want to do it once more and, conditions willing, break 4 hours. My work schedule will finally allow me to be there: July 20! Liz

[spider]

I wonder if the area NE of Lac Temiscamie is still relatively untouched.

I would guess yes, so far.

Looking at the maps and James Bay ( a lifetime goal) seems so tantalizing close once your up around there, but I know it would still be many miles. Huge hydro project planned for the area. It is the land of twice forgotten people. We forget the territory of the people who 1st lived there... then we forget that they even existed at all. There is currently a hunger strike going on but I drift off subject to much.(my apologies)

Another way to say my goals for the year would be... one salt water trip and one fresh water trip (camping trips of course) expand my knowledge of floral & fauna for each.

[JohnHuth]

Looking at the maps and James Bay ( a lifetime goal) seems so tantalizing close once your up around there, but I know it would still be many miles. Huge hydro project planned for the area.

A loong time ago, I went up the Temiscamie River up to a series of portages to a lake called Lac Eau Froix (Coldwater Lake) and then down the Mistassini. Didn't see a single other human being the entire time - the only sign was of a wrecked canoe, and a bunch of camps the Cree used in the winter for their trap-lines. I'd heard that the Mistassini suffered from a lot of logging, but it does drain out into Lac St. Jean.

I have contemplated the Lac Temiscamie to James Bay before the hydro project ruins everything. That's already happened in Labrador, where the Stillwater Resevoir has obliterated large chunks of legendary spots

[spider]

I could be mighty tempted to do any paddling in that region, in case you ever what to contact me about the possibility.

.. portaging I often think of canoes... I think one mile is about the furthest I've portaged with a kayak, (about a 10 mile portage day after all the trips back and forth and helping friends etc).

I can think of one excellent kayaker here on the boards who might be lured to the "dark side" of paddling a canoe if the trip deemed it.

For a kayak skills goal, I suppose I might feel a bit obliged to say I might relearn how to roll again...maybe..:-)

[JohnHuth]

I can think of one excellent kayaker here on the boards who might be lured to the "dark side" of paddling a canoe if the trip deemed it.

I guess I started on the dark side. For me, the big advantages of canoes on extended trips is the gear carrying capacity. We managed to carry a month's worth of food on one trip. They aren't suited to the ocean, but can do well even on decent sized fresh water lakes. There's a whole different skill set - like polling up rapids to be mastered. This longer trip involved doing the traditional bannock etc.

I *have* taken fresh water trips on a rec. kayak for a duration of a week, including a 1 1/2 mile portage.

Different environments, different craft.

There are a few bucket-list trips in northern Quebec I've had up my sleeve. Let me reinvestigate with my informants about some of the routes. Lac Temiscamie to the Bay is one of them.

(error in the previous e-mail - the reservoir in Labrador is called the "Smallwood" reservoir)

[Rob Hazard]

Goal #1: Spend more time paddling on real live salt water with all you jokers than I spend on Chebacco Lake doing Stupid Kayak Tricks.

#2: Hone a few skills that have languished, like balance-brace my Romany, smooth out my offside rolls, or flip and empty a boat as gracefully as Scot Camlin.

#3: Sit next to L. Beale when she uncorks the Scotch. (Bunnahabhain, Springbank, and Highland Park, in no particular order, Les...)

#4: Have a second helping of Goal #1!

[Dave M.]

Accomplished one goal so far this year. Learned to roll on my opposite side. Not by any means comfortable yet, but did complete 3 -4 rolls two weeks ago. And I have the bruises to prove it.

[cfolster]

Accomplished one goal so far this year. Learned to roll on my opposite side. Not by any means comfortable yet, but did complete 3 -4 rolls two weeks ago. And I have the bruises to prove it.

Congratulations Dave! Keep up the practice and if there are other's around ask them to watch you for tips on smoothing it out - might help with the bruising.

[josko]

BCU 4* sea