jonathan

The lake is Tully Lake ( http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/tul/tulhome.htm ). It is managed by the Army Corps of Engineers and I believe that the camp ground is run by the Trustees of Reservation. I camped there with friends about 7 years ago and the sites were spread out. There is a bath house with toilets and showers. It is not car camping as the sites are walk in or boat in but the car and bath house are close enough to make it easy to get those extras that were left in the car. Jonathan

The Sil-Nylon I used in my tarp was from http://thru-hiker.com/materials/coated.php it was the 2nd the only colors right now is black and royal blue it changes offten. My tarp is "smoke" Jonathan

For those that were at the workshop saturday and anyone interested. check out the REI outlet today (monday) the deal of the day is a cookset. I have no connection to REI but I do hate to pay full price for anything! Jonathan

THE Pooh Powder, no amazing, as it is listed on the manufacturers web site does make the waste more environmentaly safe for disposal. It will gel the liquids and deoderize along with enzimes that start the decomposition process. The chemical make up is simmilar to what is in disposable diapers. I purchased a container a few years ago and have only used a small amount, I guess I am not as full of it as some people say. The tube I use, I call it a "shytubee" is in different leangths a short weekender to the longer weeklong model they are made fron the lighter PVC found at home centers the pipe is for drainage out side and not indoor plumping. Because I use The Pooh Powder is contain my waste in plastic bags, they are thin trash bags appropriatly called can liners, I can stuff 5 or 6 of these into the cardboard tube of the TP (I am always saveing partly used rolls of TP so that I do not have to take a full roll). I have found that the "can liner" method is the easiest to use. I will roll the edges of the bag up (it is easier to grip) grab hold of the two sides hold and squat. ( if anyone needs more detailed instruction TOO BAD) In goes all the TP and a premeasured packet of The Pooh Powder. this is NOT tied but placed in the shytubee which is on the outside aft of my kayak (yes it does catch the wind a little). I have both screw caps and the rubber quick cap. I prefer the rubber cap. If there is and sand or dried salt on the threads of the screw cap a wrench will be needed to remove it, besides the rubber can expand with the gas build up. If only there was a way to use it as a light in the evening, small hole sparking device, who knows. Newspapers are not all alike the MITA web site has good info on which ones are better for waste than others (it has nothing to do with content, but the ink that is used). Use the wrong one and the black ring in the bowl may be difficult to remove. The web site for The Pooh Powder is www.thepett.com

What is “Leave No Trace”? One thing it is not is a list of rules and regulations. It is a set of principles to follow when in the outdoors, whether it is in a wilderness setting or in your local park or backyard. The Leave No Trace program was developed because of the increase in numbers of people visiting National Forests and National Parks. The old ways of camping were becoming destructive, not because the techniques were wrong or bad but because the number of people practicing them had increased so much that nature could no longer recover. I know there are former Boy Scouts out there that were taught to use a hatchet to build shelters and to trench around the tent. I was one; I even have my fathers 1940’s Official Boy Scout hatchet, which sees very little use now. The research that has been done to back up the Leave No Trace program shows that it is not the one individual picking the wild flower or collecting the rock as a souvenir but the cumulative effect of every individual. I used to collect a small rock from each of the islands that I visited (I no longer do), during a Leave No Trace workshop I asked if any one did the same thing, 15 out of the 20 participants answered yes. Think about it if three quarters of the people took a little piece of every island each time they visited what would be left. I returned most of the rocks I had on later trips, but I still have a couple sitting on my desk as a reminder of what I have done. I work for one of the national land management agencies, the National Park Service, and have a perspective of both sides of many of the issues. I now know why there are rules and regulations that have to be enforced. It is not because of the public intentionally or knowingly damaging the wild areas but through a lack of knowledge of what the consequences of there actions are. I spent a weekend just recently training some of the island steward from the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust who oversees the Cape Porpoise islands. They are a very dedicated group that want to preserve the islands for all to enjoy in there natural state. There biggest problem is that some of there islands are accessible at low tide by foot. They have implemented a permit system to try and control the numbers of overnight campers and to try and prevent campsites from growing and expanding. They did the best they could to make it as easy as they could for people to obtain but still keep visitation at a level that will allow the island environment to remain healthy. In the early days of the Leave No Trace program there were 6 principles with traveling and camping on durable surfaces as two separate principles, they later combined the two and added the last two. The principles are: 1 Plan Ahead and Prepare 2 Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces 3 Dispose of Waste Properly 4 Leave What You Find 5 Minimize Campfire Impacts 6 Respect Wildlife 7 Be Considerate of Other Visitors The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics website is www.lnt.org. Maine Island Trail Association also has good Leave No Trace information www.mita.org. If the club is interested in learning more about this I would be happy to do a workshop some Saturday. Jonathan

There are some Islands in Cape Porpoise that are part of the Maine Island Trail with a few that allow camping. They do require a permit that can be obtained from the police, they are private, owned by the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust. They do have stewards that keep an eye on the islands. I did a Leave No Trace class on the islands a few weeks ago. The campsites are in good shape even though they get heavy use. jonathan

The Concord, Sudbury and Assabet River is a great place for a quiet paddle. The river winds through the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, and is very rich in wildlife. The current is very slow so paddling upstream first and then returning with the current to the put in is easy. There is a good book on the river system if you paddle there it is titled "The Concord Sudbury and assabet Rivers" it is a paddle guide with historical and wildlife information. Jonathan

Rick I would love to join in but I am only able to on Saturdays, any one is ok. Jonathan

Paul I have the some of the same issues with mummy bags. I am a restless sleeper and move around a lot, I have discovered the Big Agnes bags, and they are semi rectangular. They are a “system” bag as they need a pad for it to work because there is no insulation on the bottom. I use their Insulated Air Core pad packed it is the same size as a therma-rest ultralite but when inflated it is 2 ½ “ thick. I have two Big Agnes bags one is the Crystal a 30 degree bag that is made from down and Primaloft Sport, it is light and packs as small as any down bag at this rating. I also have a Storm King it is a 0 degree down bag. The two can be combined to create a -30 degree bag. I camp all year and the 0 degree bag has been more than adequate for most of the time. I am 6 and find both to be very roomy (I have the long and there is enough room in the foot for boot liners and a few extras). I can move in the bag and in the winter there is even enough room to easily change while still in the bag, a real plus on a 10 degree morning. I found that this system has been the best of all. If you use a hammock, I use the Hennessy in the summer, it is great because the pad stays with the bag and does not shoot out from under you in the middle of the night. I also have a collection of other bags (6total) both down and primaloft, I like the primaloft for the coast of Maine because it compresses as well as down and if the bag gets wet it still insulates. (We can discuss down vs synthetic later). Jonathan

Joy us and see how I cook some great meals in a short time. Plus see my secret luxury items that that I put into my hatches. The one thing I have not yet been able to do is make ice. If anybody has figured this out please join us and share the secret. Jonathan

Ed Thanks for the info, I will be working with both the KCT and MITA on the class I am teaching. I was hopeing to get an unofficial feel for the area. I have read all the published accounts, now I need personal impressions of the area. In the next few weeks I will probably paddle the area, I will post a show and go. Jonathan

I am looking for “local knowledge” for paddling in the Cape Porpoise area. Has anyone paddled and or camped in this area. I will be camping with a group in May on one of the islands and was hoping for some good “insights” on the local conditions. Thanks Jonathan

I have a collection like Mike, all sizes from 1 liter all the way to the 6 liter heavy duty bag. Last year I did not use the large bags just the platypus 1 and 2 liter. I can carry as much as 6 gallons of water inside my hatch and behind the seat. With the small bags I can trim the boat by selectivly packing. Another advantage of the small bottles is that if one leaks and you lose your fresh water it is only a small amount, same if any of them become contaminated. When they are empty I slide them under my seat in that 3/4 inch space. I also carry a stailess steel vacuum flask, I always keep it full of hot water, I can make a cup of tea first thing in the morning before I have to set up the stove. I also carry a nalgene bottle. Always keep the hard bottles full, they take up the same amount of space empty or full. Jonathan

Kayak Camping in the Stonington Maine area, Tuesday Aug 15th to Saturday Aug 19th. I will be island hopping around the area no set itinerary yet (waiting for a weather forecast). If interested email me for more info. jrphotog1@netzero.com Jonathan