Lbeale

Hello Everyone,

June 6th, Wednesday, will be the first Walden Session of the season. Arrive between 5:00 - 5:30 and park at the boat launch. If the boat launch is full - unload your boat at the launch and park at main parking lot. People will assist you with improving your skills (wet exist, rescue, sculling, rolling, standing in your cockpit, juggling, etc). If you don't want assistance, then just hang out with us. Cost is the entrance fee to the Pond (5 bucks a day/35 bucks a season).

Post here if you have any questions or send me a PM.

See you at the Pond.

Les

Thank you Prudence for your detailed report - the gifted story teller that you are --

To all of my merry mates for an action packed, belly laughs, full weekend - remembering the seals with poles on their heads just bobbing in the water ?

Special recognition to Gary for organizing this trip -

Muchos gracias,

Les

We will start the Walden Pond practice and stupid kayak tricks sessions probably after M day weekend. The sessions are on Wednesday night starting around 5 or whenever you can get there and stay until we get called off the water. The cost is 5 bucks for a night of parking or you can get a season pass for $35. The money helps support Walden Pond not NSPN.

Les

Like Jason - I have work commitments for both those dates. Is this opportunity going to be offered at any other time this summer?

Les

Hi Phil & Lorrie,

I am definitely interested. Tend to go out Friday evenings on the Charles during the summer on my surf ski but an early morning paddle is just as fine. Teach Tuesday and Thursday but that ends by the second week in May. Would love to join you that second week in my surf ski.

Les

Thank you Rick for writing this honest, reflective and informative report. Your report brings to mind three noteworthy books on this subject: Waves (a book about, among other topics, 100 foot rogue waves), Essentials of Sea Survival and, Solcum's Sailing Along around the World. Basically, what I gleamed from this report is," Be careful for what you ask for."

Les

I doubt you truly offended anyone, but we do try to keep the board family friendly, polite, and sometimes even grammatically correct. Good thing most times.

Welcome.

Phil

Hi Ken,

I found the message you posted, quite insulting. I am not referring to the one about the name of a boat but the other one that was removed by Jason. It was not in the spirit of the men and women who I paddle with in this Club. The men in this Club who I paddle with are respectful to women and that is why Doug responded in kind and Jason (in his infinite wisdom) removed the message. Maybe the paddlers who you paddle with are more "relaxed" when they refer to a woman's body; but in the future, if you could refrain from sexual explicit comments about women in your posts, it would be appreciated by me.

Thanks all eight of you - Peter, Doug, David, John, Bill, Christopher, Prudence and Bob - for showing up to paddle with me on Sunday. Rock play along the coast until we hit Rockport Harbor. Glorious temps and warm sun along with fine company. This was one of those " paddling days to remember" with the wind at our backs to the put-in and, it is still winter.

Les

See you then Bill !!!

Great, Christopher - It is to be a glorious day to paddle - sun, warm air temps and sw winds - Les

Level 3 paddle - drysuit required. If playing in rocks - helmet required.

Place: Lanes Cove

Time: Sunday, 11:00 am launch

Destination: Rockport harba' or Thatchers or wherever the group wants to go.

Co-sponsored with NSK.

Please RSVP here. If you have any questions, send me a message.

Les

Thank you - for this link and articles most informative. Amazing how these radios have developed over the years.

Les

Thanks everyone for your suggestions - most helpful.

Hi Rick,

Willing to help on a couple of trips as well. Doesn't matter to me -- assist or post independently.

Hey,

I am in the process of planning a 3-4 day camping trip to the Great Wass this August (2nd or 3rd week). Peter and I paddled through those parts a couple of years ago and have been itching to paddle that area again.

Has anyone camped at the Jonesport Campground? Has anyone camped on Little Water? What are some other camping options for that area?

If you have been camping in that area, can you give me some pointers or some advice.

Thanks in advance,

Les

Does anyone have experience with this accessory to help loading kayaks. I'm getting a new Subaru Imprezza hatchback and the only crossbars that can be fitted either Subaru or Thule screw into fixed positions on the roof which seems like a fairly narrow spread. rollerloader.com looks like it might work. They now have a 7" wheel version as well as a 10"wheel version. If anybody has any more advice regarding coping with a narrow spread on the crossbars I'd be appreciative.

Hi Gene,

I used the rollerloader for years with my VW Golf. They work okay but you need to get the boat on the wheels exactly or they don't work well and are not much help. You also need to make sure that the rollerblader is lined up with your saddles.

When I got my Saab, the clip was too thick to hook inside the hatch -- that is why I don't use it anymore. Maybe you could get different hooks to fit your car but I am not sure.

Even though the company states on its website that the rollerloader fits all cars - alas, it is not true. If you want to borrow my rollerblader to see if it works on your car - let me know.

Les

I am in -- Les

Hey Leong,

Missed you and your wife at the Christmas Party but happy trails in Florida. As a dudette who has practiced the cowgirl in various conditions over many years, I always try to have my center of gravity as low as possible. What I learned over the years of doing the cowgirl: the lower my center of gravity the less tippy is my boat. Only at the last minute, right before I get my butt into the cockpit, do I raise my center of gravity - and even then as little as possible. As soon as the boat starts being tippy - lower my center.

I found this is true for my Tahe (ocean cockpit) re-entry as well.

I found this technique is also true when I re-enter my surfski -- keep it low.

Hope this information is helpful to you.

Les

Thanks to the Board for the Christmas party. It was fun to see everyone including Sir Christopher who stole my prize. Ernie out did himself this year with the prizes - Thanks Ernie for all your hard work. Truly beautiful children at this party and all were a delight. The food and company were spectacular - life is good.

If the weather goddess is kind on January 1 (New Year's Day) there will be a paddle. I will post time and place closer to the date.

Les

aka Swearing Ferret

Thank you Rick for posting this story and to all who have commented on this post. It has been informative to read the thread. A part that has been missing in this discussion however is the role of weight of a paddler. I have been fortunate because whenever I have had instruction from coaches/instructors/NSPN leaders in cold water conditions, he or she has made special consideration for my weight given risk for hypothermia. One of the students the author was concerned for was the woman who was small in stature and light weight. Smart thinkin'.

While reading the story I could not help putting myself in her situation. I know that no matter how warmly I dress, someone my weight (5'2, roughly 105 lbs) generally gets colder, faster than the rest of the paddlers in the group. The author/coach looked out for the "light weight" and knew that it would not be easy to get her back in the boat if she was hypothermic. He proved to be correct. I am impressed with the ability and the skill level it took to get her back in the boat - not easy.

I never experienced hypothermia until this summer while on a camping trip. It rained hard while paddling that day and when I got back to the camp site, I and all my belongings were soaked and I had no dry clothing (long story). As the night progressed and hard rains poured, I experienced hypothermia. Once hypothermia kicked in, it was virtually impossible to stop shaking until I got warm which seemed like hours. I also was exhausted from the experience - it felt like I ran a marathon. Not a pretty sight and a lesson learned about making sure that your tent flaps are fully closed during a hot summer day. Having had this experience, I now know that it would be difficult at best, if not impossible, for me to get back in a boat while hypothermic without assistance from a competent instructor/paddler/coach.

Les

I am so jealous that I did not do this trip. I woke up to rain pounding on my roof so I called Doug to cancel. He told me there was little or no rain where he was so I got my boat on the car and off I drove to Squam. Unfortunately, Somerville was having the Honk Festival with a road race that blocked my neighborhood's streets. I drove down my street only to be blocked for half an hour which would delay my arrival at Squam until 11- I was trapped like a rat.

Next time......

Les

I am in - Les

Friday looks like a good day for Walden. Given that they bark at us to get out of the parking lot by 6:30, some of us have talked about getting to the Pond before 5 if possible. I hope to get to the Pond around 4-4:30.

If you are planning on attending, please post here.

Thanks,

Les

I am in--

Les

Hi Everyone,

Can people let me know who will be attending Walden tonite? So far we have only three people including myself. Maybe we should wait until next week when more people can make it.

Les