Gcosloy

Normally, I respond when I plan to join a trip and if I were feeling fit I would love to join this one. A racking cough over three days has left my torso sore so I'm not sure I could paddle without pain. Have a great and fun time and I will look forward to the next opportunity to paddle with you folks.

If you check out the current tables for the Piscataqua you can make a generalization that current continues to flow for about 1.5 hours after HT and 2 hours after LT before achieving slack water. The reasons for this are complex but can generally be explained by the Big Bay and its many river tribs northwards. They take a lot longer to fill and empty! I don't remember all the reasons for this but it has something to do with the fact that there are different types of tides at work here. Most of us are familiar with planning based upon LT and HT which is usually also coincident with slack water. The Great Bay demonstrates hydraulic tides which changes the timing considerably. As a general rule of thumb when planning a trip that involves the Piscataqua around Portsmouth or New Castle rely more on the slack water forecasts in the current tables than HT & LT forecasts. Also by becoming familiar with max current flows around certain areas in the river like Henderson Point and Salamander Point you will know where the trouble spots are if you plan wrong. Current flows in these areas can be as much as 4 knots. Conversely, the mouth of the harbor is relatively immune to strong currents because of its relatively wider width. From Fort Constitution (the CC station) down to Jaffrey Point the worst you could expect is less than 1 knot of max current. Which is why I prefer to launch at Frisbee wharf in Kittery Point and paddle down the harbor oblivious to tide forecasts and either play on the rocks in Rye or paddle north towards Brave Boat. Coming back I can have the same indifference to tides.

Some info about the area: LT is about 9AM however current tables predict that current continues to ebb for about two hours afterwards leading to slack about 11AM. Ideally you might leave Pierces at 10AM travel down the Piscataqua paddle around Jaffrey Point. After lunch or stopping for a break at Little Harbor travel up through the back harbor to Pierces on the tide change. That's how I would plan a circumnavigation for Sunday.

I have a mild latex reaction but I apply a liberal dose of talcum powder before donning my dry suit to wrists and neck and haven't had a problem.

>> I actually think it's fun

Except maybe for the bruises. But how else would serious kayakers recognize each other away from their boats except for the bruised legs.

Two seasons ago I managed to break a rib doing a T rescue. Didn't know it at the time but it took about six weeks until I no longer felt pain while paddling.

Those broad smiles says it all!

Thanks for sharing an important subject many of will face as time takes it toll on us all. I too need serious back surgery as well as hip replacement but for other reasons have decided to treat myself with swimming and stretching. There are limits however-I can't carry loaded boats or help others with same. I'm glad however that it worked for you.

I prefer Stohlquist-the gaskets are thicker-the suit sizing is better fitting and while they use their fabric, not Gore-Tex it breathes just fine. And I love the neoprene neck over latex which is not an option with Kokatat. Oh yes-on sale half the price of Kokatat. Had one for 3 years no problems yet!

Still, its much better than the 50's and 60's. Of course we had a little more than 1/2 the population then but drivers would routinely through not just butts out of their windows but uneaten food, paper wrappers, cans, bottles etc. The shoulders of major roads were littered with this stuff. And most of the population was yet to return to the glories of nature, hiking and camping so it could have been better in the wilderness if you didn't mind polluted streams and some rivers that regularly caught fire. Just saying, in the past polluters like smokers were given a pass-no more-we've made a lot of progress.

It appeared that the rescuer of the swimmer paddled backwards toward the beach while the swimmer hung on to his bow. Perhaps it made no difference but I would think there would be more power and control the other way round. All in all I thought it was a successful rescue and the decisions made, appropriate.

It’s funny how you can get used to the warm weather almost every day in southeast Florida. One day last week it didn’t get above 70 degrees all day (felt like 60 degrees in the wind). I decided to cross train instead; pedaling instead of paddling. Ya think I’m turning into a wimp?

Its all relative-the body anticipates the same temperature its been acclimated to. Any change is felt as being too warm or too cold independent of the actual thermometer. If it stays constantly in the 30's here in NE for a week or more a warmup in the 40's will be welcome. Conversely, a descent from a consistent 40F into 30F will cause many claims of feeling cold. I lived in Minnesota for a year and found the winters quite tolerable even when the mercury was below 0F at night and 10-15F during the day. The reason I believe was that the temperature rarely varied and one got used to it.

It was 30F when we met this morning. The day ended at 40F. Seas were flat, hardly any swell but some fun rock play perfect for beginners so I wasn't too disappointed. No surf at Wallis Sands but nice lunch with Cathy, Steve and Bill. Bill finished the day with his mandatory roll which I would not emulate but admire. Winter paddling reminds me of an Ingmar Bergman film; its different but as an acquired taste, ultimately enjoyable.

I'm in.

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.

Without regard to the sport or activity, one very common factor in things "going wrong" is that people who had misgivings did not speak up. The NY Times just published a fabulous article in the Magazine on the tunnel creel (Stevens Pass) avalanche that killed 3 expert skiers on Feb. 12. (I was in Seattle at the time, heading to Whistler with my sister. The road to Stevens pass was still blocked.) Several of the people in the group had misgivings about the plan but said nothing. These were some of the top extreme skiers in the world. If you have access, do check out the online, interactive version. It is very well done.

http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2012/snow-fall/#/?part=tunnel-creek

When we did trip leader training we covered this: How do you make people comfortable with speaking up, even for little things like foot pegs being uneven. That can lead to a cramp or make paddling inefficient and cause fatigue. I got in the habit of doing a bit of whining myself, to model this behavior: "Does anyone mind if we stop for a minute, I need to stretch." Often others needed a break for various reasons and were glad to have one. If someone was embarrassed about needing a tow, I would tell some of my being towed stories. Etc.

I think the best thing to do is to establish a culture of speaking up and reinforcing it. If someone has a question, thank them for asking. Praise them for sharing it with the group. Never criticize someone who wants to stop or question a plan.

On the water, when it all goes wrong things can spiral fast.

Happy New Year!

Liz

Well said Liz. Do you think there may be a correlation between not voicing concern and perceived expertise. Its the experts among us that should know better and yet anecdotes seem to indicate this?

What struck me was the contrast between the Blogger's reticence in mentioning his strong misgivings about the site choice and his admirable tenacity and perseverance during the 2 hour rescue phase. Maybe its a generational thing but there seems to be more of a nod to politeness and not ruffling feathers over demands to discuss safety. I agree with John when he wrote: " I wonder whether the group mentality and the scheduling of the event overrode the instincts that said "this isn't safe". Maybe one of the things we need to do during beach discussions of planning before trips is to encourage the outliers and dissenters to speak up.

As an aside, many of these SK rescue stories either have large groups or are led by competent instructors. Statistically, speaking do we know what is the ideal group size for safe paddling all other things being equal?

Its 34 degrees in Kittery for a high, wind 17 by 1pm and 21 gusts so it should feel more like 23 degrees. I'm happy to wait for a 35 to 40 day with low winds. Wave height is not as much an issue. Keep posting Blaine.

Went out shopping with Lo in Greenland, NH this afternoon. 28degrees, 15wind and 20+gusts. I don't think I can stay warm enough in those conditions to enjoy paddling New Year's Day. I'll watch the forecast and hope that the winds moderate but if they don't I'm no show!

Hey Blaine,

If conditions don't get any worse I'm in. HT for Jan 1 is 1:09PM which allows for a circumnavigation of Gerrish as well.

Christopher,

Having to work on New Year's Day is perhaps a bummer. On the other hand in this economy being employed is a plus. And don't even ask me about my status: unemployed and unemployable! But it does leave oodles of time to paddle! Hope to see you on the water some time.

Gene, you can borrow my heat gun and anything else I have you think would be helpful (orbital sander to do some refinishing, but that's not even necessary). I can PM you my number if you don't have it. Heat guns are cheap but if you only need it for this there's no shame in borrowing.

Jeff

Thanks for the offer Jeff. I think I'll wait until the weather is warmer before doing this. My garage is too cold to work in during the Winter.

Gene, you definitely need a heat gun

Ah, gives me chance to go to Home Depot and buy another tool, priceless!

Gene, what about running a taut mason's line down the center, a few inches off the hull, eyeball the strip under the line from one end of the boat, and (?masking) tape down the strip every 18 inches or so. Remove the tape as you work the heat gun (hair dryer) down the strip?

After reviewing the video I'd be concerned about centering the strip on my Boreal Ellesmere whose rounded hull has no pronounced keel line. Can you get by with the hair drier or do you need a real heat gun?

Odiorne on the North side of the bridge is not ideal(parking for about six)but folks can unload and then park on the road if there is not enough room for cars. The tides/current are not propitious for a Pierce launch on Jan 1. With flood tide we could paddle up the Piscataqua to Hilton Park and turn around on the slack. (Problem: with the hydrology of Great Bay however slack water does not happen at high Tide but perhaps 2 hours later.) I like Bob's idea of Odiorne either a circumnavigation or a trip down the Rye coast and we can work out the parking problem, I'm sure. Besides, based on the weather we may not get near 16 souls. Paul's suggestion of a go round Gerrish is always welcome and Kittery Wharf should be empty Jan 1 with plenty of parking. (In fact based upon the forecast Gerrish offers protection from wind/waves on half the journey of 8.5 miles.)