Bill Gwynn

My brother and I set out from Pavillion Beach, Ipswich at 11am to catch the incoming tide and some fun out by the day marker. The weather was good and we were happy to see some decent 3 foot stuff coming in. As always in that area, you never know where the waves will be next, so you just kind of hold position and hope for a good one. We had several good rides as we worked our way to Plum Island, then paddled back out to do it again. As High tide approached (1:45) it started to die down some, so we took a lunch break back at Pavillion. After a nice break, we headed back out. There was still some action by the day marker, but we could see it looked better out at the point off Cranes Beach. As we approached the area where the edge of the channel meets the shallows all we could see was alot of tall white peaks and I knew we were in for some interesting action. We spent the next hour and a half just having a ball in very confused 6 foot haystacks coming from all directions. One second you would be sitting catching your breath, then the next you would be rocketing down the face of these buggers. I think we surfed every way possible, fowards, backwards, sideways and upside down. Best day of the season...so far!!! Pictures by Bill http://www.kayakpics.com/gallery/051005 Pictures by Brad http://www.kayakpics.com/gallery/album58

Geee Wiz, that would be great if we could manage to be in the same area. It would be nice to be able to support the demo event as well as conduct trip leader training.

So sorry, but I cannot attend due to a previous committment with trip leader training that day.

Great Link...Thanks Alan.

I have always followed the trimming path. I put a 2 liter soda bottle in the gasket and carefully trim with a new razor blade. However, my last gasket replacement was done at a local dive shop, and the woman there trimmed the gasket for me prior to installing it, and she just hacked at it with a pair of old scissors. I was kind of shocked, but it has held up just fine.

Hmmmm, I have tested the links on both a Mac with Safari Browser, and Windows with Internet Explorer Browser and Firefox Browser, and they are working fine. Which Browsers are you guys using? I would like to do some futher testing and fix this problem.

Hi Bob, I have sent you an email with the form attached. Can you tell me where you were trying to get the form from (which page and link). We did have a problem one day last week, but we thought the problem was resolved. Has anyone else had a problem?

Wow...sounds like fun! I haven't really considered trying WW, it's hard enough to find the time for Sea and Surf Kayaking. I bet that the skills learned in WW will directly translate to better skills on the Ocean when in conditions/tidal rips etc. Good for you for taking the plunge into the "Liquid Ice" and WW Kayaking.

Hi Jim, Those that have already signed up and paid prior to the rate increase are all set. The new rate applies to persons signing up from this point foward.

Actually we did towing in calmer water the day before. But, on this day we did towing in the main current, and also towing while landing in the surf.

We had some very serious thunder and lightning that prevented us from getting to the triangle at the right tide. Our 4* was conducted on a beach surf break, and also in a newly formed 4 knot tidal race. The large amount of water and sand that moves with the tide in the area causes major changes in the underwater landscape, so this tidal race that we played in was not there until this year. It proved to be a very good spot for 4*, not only did we test our boat handling skills, but also did rescues and towing in the thick of it. Of course the "victims" did not make it easy on us, they would wet exit and then let go of their boats, then we would have to rescue them and their boat and hook up a tow to prevent them from washing out to sea. As soon as one rescue was complete another would go over. They kept us busy. Of course this was not all we did during the 3 days there, but for me, this was the meat and potatos of the training. These types of scenarios are the reason I wanted to take the 4* training and assessment. Dale, the owner of SKG is passionate about kayaking and it shows. We covered so much material in the 3 days there. The training never stopped, even while having lunch we were asked questions and given information on navigation, weather, wind, waves, hypothermia, boat design, knots and the list goes on. Why BCU? I know that some don't see the need to pay just to get a BCU patch. For me it was all about the training, improving my skills and having a certified instructor to watch and help me to do things right. Passing the assessment was a bonus. As we all know this sport is inherently dangerous. Getting training of this type not only makes me a better, safer paddler, but also a better participant when paddling with my mates. You can't put a value on the safety of you and your mates. I plan on continuing with my BCU training. MIKCo this summer, and maybe up to Body Boat & Blade in Washington, and definetly back to Georgia to catch the triangle. What a great excuse to travel to different places, go kayaking, and continue my education. I did manage to take just a couple of pics in the tidal race between rescues. http://www.kayakpics.com/gallery/tybee

WoooHooo Sing, Apparently you've got that "Stoke" going. Congrats.

Ya, and it's pronounced Wiiiiillllllllllbbbuuuuuuuurrrrrrr.

I checked out the web link that David provided, there was one paragraph that caught my attention. "If caught out on the water, your best bet may be to wet exit and hide under the cockpit of the upturned kayak before the winds arrive _if_ there is not a lot of fetch to build up large waves. This will help prevent you from getting knocked over and losing your kayak when you wet exit in the storm as well as protect your head from hail. You may want to think about using the painter as a tether." This is an interesting approach that I had never thought of, and I can see the merits in this approach. Assuming that there may also be lightning associated with this weather, would one be safer in the water under the boat, or trying to stay upright in the boat?

Wow...Movie, pool session, and pie at the Agawam after, how could anyone resist! I'll be there! Is it ok to bring a friend? I know a guy that is an avid rower and would probably be interested.

Did ya try CRCK, I believe they carry Astral PFD's

Good trip report...thanks for sharing.

If they made the mold for the ocean cockpit, so basically they all start as ocean cockit boats, and then just simply cut the hole bigger for the keyhole cockpit. Does this make sense, or is there more to it than that?

Hi Brian, You would think that Valley would offer a choice in cockpits seeing as this particular kayak is aimed at the greenland crew. Is it really that difficult for them to make it either way as they do with the pintail?

Just read on another message board that the new Valley Quarajaq is in stock at the Kayak Centre in Wickford RI. My understanding is that it's a longer, faster version of the Anas.

I took this marine warning from www.wunderground.com. Not a good day for kayaking! ... A very dangerous storm will impact the southeastern New England coastal waters tonight and Sunday... A powerful winter storm will develop off the mid Atlantic coast and rapidly intensify southeast of Nantucket during Sunday morning. Wind and seas will increase rapidly this evening. Along the outer coastal waters from Cape Ann to Nantucket... hurricane force gusts of 70 knots... and seas building to near 30 feet... appear likely late tonight and Sunday morning. In addition... heavy snow will reduce visibilities to well below a half mile... and freezing spray is likely. The combination of wind... snow... a fully risen sea and freezing spray will make for extremely difficult navigation in the coastal waters. Coastal flooding is also expected during the Sunday morning high tide along east and northeast facing shorelines. Any craft... especially small craft... that may not be equipped to ride out hurricane force winds and at least 30 foot seas... should seek safe Harbor by this evening. Conditions will gradually improve late Sunday night and Monday. This continues to have all the markings for a very dangerous storm for mariners. Please stay tuned to later forecasts regarding this storm.

Count me in for at least two of them, possibly all three.

Four of us met at Tuck Point boat ramp in Beverly for a 10am launch. We had a bit af a late start, Walter had a heck of a time getting his new system for warm feet together, but we forgave him for his tardiness because he brought lunch. Two other cold weather kayakers put-in while we getting ready (no one we knew) one of them in a surf-ski, the other in a skinny Necky racing boat, they both had wing paddles. We did tell them about NSPN of course. Our original plan was to head South towards Marblehead, but the weather report forecasted stronger winds than expected from the NE as the day progressed, so we decided to head towards Manchester so we would have the wind at our backs for the return trip. This proved to be a good plan, the return trip was fast with a 18K increasing to 22K tail wind. We had our usual stop at Misery for lunch. The day was uneventful and fun. Pictures and GPS track by Brad can be seen at [http://www.kayakpics.com/gallery/album41]

Well, not in the same year, I just got the Aquanaut last week. My Avocet has been in for repairs after my crash into the rocks. So I moved my plans for a new boat in the spring up a little bit. A quick call to Tom at MIKCo and boom bang..new boat. I have only paddled it once so far, last Sunday. My initial impression is that it's very similar to my Avocet (as I expected). It's definetly faster and stronger tracking. Maybe a little less primary stability, but more secondary stability. I think it's going to be a great compliment to my expanding fleet. I will try to keep the Aquanaut away from the rocks, and paddle the Avocet on days when rock play and surfing are in the plans.