donperry

Tim Gutmann’s final experience last May prompted me to buy a PLB. http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/loc...510kayaker.html SAR could have had his position within a few minutes if he had one to trigger in his PFD. And the signal would have carried on long after he lost the ability to use a VHF. The latest model isn’t much larger than the M88 I have in the other pocket. Anyone would gladly cough up the $650 for a PLB if they really needed it.

Yah, you hear about it out west where most of the lakes and ponds are man-made. Temperatures near the surface can really get up there in August. People I used to sailboard with on the Pueblo Reservoir would talk about it, probably to add a nonexistent element of risk to the cheap thrill. We typically sailed the thunderheads at high speeds and a hard tumble could drive lake water into you. I never heard of anyone actually catching amoeba brain there. However, there was a real risk of ear injury or falling onto prickly pear cactus washed into the reservoir by flash flooding.

Do They? I get that the river will be at dead low on Saturday morning. Middle Road is a butt-ugly landing at low tide. It would be easier to ride the current up from Little Neck.

Leaving Burlington now, probably launch around noon

Ilses of Shoals from Rye Harbor today anyone? HT there about 3:30 I'm gettin ready now

Given the current conditions & forecast winds I think conditions are excellent for this route today.

Start with the glasses really clean so that water beads off them. Rain-x should help. When you can stop paddling rinse them with a mouthful of fresh water and rap them sharply edgewise on the deck. Most of the beads will leave the glass but you will need a more elaborate cleaning to remove sunscreen.

When are you planning to go? Are you looking for campsites or lodging? Availability of places to stay is way better after Labor Day. Peak leaves are typically just before Columbus Day. The Lily Bay State Park may still be open for camping but I've only launched there. I stayed in a private CG mid-lake at the end of Loon Lane off of Rt6. Availability there would not be good before Labor Day. There's a good breakfast, sandwich, general store next to the river a little north of there close to Northern Road. I would stay there again rather than deal with the busy south end. Regardless, the paddle around to the east side of Mount Kineo is absolutely spectacular. It would take a week of day trips to cover the whole lake.

I'm thinking about a round trip run into Katama Bay via Oak Bluffs & Edgartown from Falmouth. Favorable conditions only... Anyone interested? Don

I’m interested although I’d prefer to go CW around Castle Neck as long as there is moonshine and good visibility. Isn’t fog likely with souper high humidity and falling evening temperatures?

If you are looking for a set to portage the former gap at South Beach you can forget about finding wheels that will fit in your hatch. Weenie wheels used on most kayak carts are worthless out there. They just sink into the sand making it almost impossible to drag the boat along. I modified a Paddle Boy cart with Roleez wheels and had good results over soft sand. But there is no way they will go into a hatch opening. Similar carts are available at: http://www.wheeleez.com/ Dragging your boat over soft sand will surely grind the gel coat off the end that sets in the sand. You might try making a strap-on skid (about the size of a skateboard) that you can stow on board.

Meet after work (5:30p or so) at Back Beach, switch-a-boat then head back and launch up on the Annisquam. It should be downhill all the way back to Rockport. Reply here or email: don.perrymedtronic.com

I think your chances are better in Chatham Harbor near the south end of the new island. But currents and waves there can be fierce. There isn’t much left for them at the old Southway spot unless there's some way for them to get inside. Try calling a seal watch charter or the harbormaster in Stage Harbor.

The rising tide peaks at the entrance of an estuary at about the time shown on the tide tables. It moves quickly into the estuary and slowly as a crest through the rivers, particularly when they start meandering. High tide at the top of the river may be hours after the high tide at the entrance. If you have a late start you can catch the crest and pass it on many estuary rivers. Current flows in both directions from the crest… upstream ahead of the crest (toward the top of the river) and downstream behind the crest (toward the tidal entrance). Launching near high water from the top of the river is great if you want a good boost from the current on the way to the entrance. However you will see more mud bank as time goes on. The momentum of the outgoing flow continues past the time of low tide until it is overpowered by the incoming tide. There might be a long wait before you can ride the current back to the top. Even then you will still be looking at mud banks. It’s a better plan to launch an hour or so before high tide near the entrance for a round trip on a tidal river. There’s a boost from the flooding current and good visibility over the mud banks. When you want to turn around the outgoing current isn’t far behind. It’s about 13 miles along the river from the sand pit landing on Driftway Rd in Situate to the landing on Indian Head Rd in Hanover. If you launch from Bridge St. (in Norwell?) it’s about 9 miles along the river. Taking advantage of the current will reduce your paddling distance a lot. July is a tough time to be out on the marshes because of the greenheads. I think later in the season when the bugs aren’t such a problem is a better time for a river trip.

I’ve used the municipal parking lot next to the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, 33 Commercial St, on evenings and weekends. It is directly in front of the greasy pole. Parking there is reserved for municipal employees during the weekday work hours. Check with the city if you want to be sure.

I’m launching from Back Beach in Rockport after work tonight … about 5:30 or so. I have an extra set of padded j-racks in the car so if someone (with spare rack space) wants to shuttle we can meet along the Annisquam, leave a car there and head to Rockport. The North side of Cape Ann is the flat side tonight, high tide is around 7:15p and so far there isn’t anything scary on radar. Reply here or email: don.perrymedtronic.com

You can park & launch in Hampton Falls at the end of Depot Rd next to the abandoned railroad. Or you can park & launch about a mile south of there in Seabrook at the end of Farm Lane. There will be mid-day high tides there next weekend so you should launch well before high tide for the best view of the estuary. Low water might not be so appealing and greenheads could be a real problem.

Thanks so much to all of you for giving the time to speak out against that miserable proposal. Any idea when they will actually vote on it?

I launched from Chatham’s Cow Yard Lane afternoon on Saturday and paddled eastward with the rising tide sweeping me north toward Orleans and the new break in the barrier beach. By now it’s over three hundred yards wide and cut well below the ancient marsh layer. Boats are using it and there are unofficial channel markers around the inside bars. After walking the northern point the trip continued around the inside bar & out to the Atlantic. At the time of high tide there was still a 1 ½ knot flood into Pleasant Bay. Outside there were a few SOT kayakers surfing the bar break and seals began appearing. I continued southward to the southern end and the older harbor entrance, sometimes followed by curious slapping seals. Larger groups were hanging out in the shore break. The southern tip where we camped near the seals last fall had been reshaped and mostly washed away. Someone on an ATV patrols the island and I saw a pickup truck driving around too. Signs & strings restricting protected nesting areas are in place but coyote tracks pass right through them. There were more shells on the beaches than I recall seeing in the past. The island is about two miles long with strong current & surf on either end. On the way back the outward rip was against me but a strong southwesterly wind helped the paddling along the west side. Back at the new break the outgoing current had to be around three knots or more. Crossing without getting swept back through it was a major chore. It’s a very interesting spot. I continued northward to Marker 7 on Nauset Beach before turning southwesterly on a heading to Allen Point and the car. While packing up I heard a fly fisherman talking about the 36 pound bass he caught there that morning. So apparently the baitfish and those that eat them have made it around Monomoy. I heard the herring have gathered in the Tub without an easy exit through the Southway.

Lean forward into it & power stroke on the lee side as the each wave passes under your feet & knees. That applies a counteracting force at the same time the wind is acting on your bow and your boat is pivoting on the wave top. Change course to split the difference between your desired heading and directly into the wind. Or start with a course close to the wind and gradually fall off to a heading you can tolerate without getting exhausted. You surely made the right choice to extend the trip to a more sheltered course. Becoming exhausted can leave you unable to deal with the seas or whatever misfortune may come along.

Some printers use a wetting agent to nearly saturate the printed page. It doesn’t disturb the ink and bonds to the outer laminations. What it is, I don’t know. PINE would be the best way to learn exactly how it is done. http://www.pine.org/

Just called the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and asked. http://www.greatbay.org/ The crabs apparently come up onto the shale beaches during high tides, particularly in June. They recommended the islands between Adams Point and the Lamprey River for good viewing during either high tide. Wilcox Point was also mentioned but nothing was said about the full moon being a big deal. That would be a great time to be out there but I think they would be easier to see during the day. If you are going out at night the bioluminous plankton & comb jellies are starting to light up the waters with each paddle stroke.

I’m trying the ‘Buddy’ model Danuu cover for the first time today. It’s a good fit for the P&H Quest and goes right over the J-racks when I get to work. But I haven’t tried driving with it on yet. I got this one a couple of weeks ago at KTP. This is probably what you want for the price but you might not be happy with one that is too long for your boat. http://www.danuu.com/html/HomeFrameset.htm

I mean way back up in the estuary to the NNW of Rye Harbor. It's a salt marsh leading up to the woods. You could only do it at high tide. Paddle under 1a and take an immediate left toward the north end of the park. Leave your boat in a mosquito control ditch if you have to. There probably isn't much vegetation yet. Check out the map and satellite views on Google Maps. When are you planning to go?

You can paddle under the bridge and into the Rye Harbor State Park. The north end of the park looks fairly secluded on Google Maps. It would be easy to drive there & check it out. If you can’t walk there easily, no one else can…