Gcosloy

Taking into consideration the condition of the swimmer (cold or poorly dressed) there may be merit in getting him back into the boat as quickly as possible. Flip the upside down craft come along side and stabilize while instructing the swimmer to enter via the heel hook method. Continue stabilizing his boat while he pumps out the cockpit water and adjusts his sprayskirt. This may also be more efficient and safer in very rough water and have him restore the spray skirt before pumping out via a small opening in the skirt.

Sorry Pru for the tsuris. What would concern me now is the chilling effect this may have on any of us returning in the future to this put-in. The lobster man (boy) just sounded like a Mainiac A--hole. It might have been instructive to have regaled him with stories of the training and rescue practice that many of us all do. Oh well!

Some of you intrepid kayakers may have paddled out to Boone Island from York Harbor Maine on occasion. This is the story of a shipwreck on the rocks over 300 years ago. The story of survival, battling hypothermia and starvation may be a cautionary tale for all mariners. http://www.amazon.com/Boon-Island-Mutiny-Shipwreck-Cannibalism/dp/0762777524/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380317765&sr=1-1&keywords=Boone+Island

Baker's is private and the residents are less than hospitable. Children's which runs a summer camp has several beach areas to land and now after season should not be a problem. Eagle is all rock but the small island to the W of Eagle, Coney has a landing beach. Tinker's is all private. Not Islands but there are many landing spots on the mainland including Lynch park, West beach, Singing beach, Greaves beach, White and Black beach and Magnolia beach. Finally Kettle Island off Magnolia harbor is another option. Keep an eye out for nesting birds-if you get too close they can be unwelcoming in a surprising way. Almost forgot the Gooseberries N and S. Rocky landing but doable.

Welcome Dave to NSPN, I recommend sticking to rivers and lakes until you can join an NSPN trip with other experienced paddlers. Skill building with members can be participated in at Walden pond and Chebbaco Lake sessions. Check the calender for dates and events.

Warren- Thank you for your wonderful lessons learned in kayaking and in life.

Hilarious! But he really needs to work on his forward stroke.

Mary, I remember paddling Chatham with you and the seals many years ago. You may not remember me but I do remember you and the RV. I wish you the best days of paddling calmer fair. It was Gertrude Stein another adventurer who claimed that "We're always the same age inside." Getting on myself I feel that and wish that for you too.

"The map is not the territory" L. Wittgenstein GPS is not even a map. Oh yes, the GPS has a map but unless you review it beforehand you're only vouchsafed turn by turn directions one at a time. This is why it's so easy to get lost if the GPS map is wrong. "Where are we going?" Trust me, just turn left, then right at the next light! It's as if we're taken hostage by the GPS who sits next to us ordering turns and we have lost the map of where we're going. First we lost touch with the territory-our surroundings, then we lose our view of a map, finally we are lost ourselves. The sad part is not when GPS fails us but the 90% of the time it succeeds in getting us from point A to B. What is lost is any experience or knowledge of anything we pass through from A to B.

If memory serves I believe "Dead Horse Beach" is the beach near the tennis courts on Winter Island.

Eric-while I wasn't on this trip two things need to be said about your experience: One, kayaking is a wet sport! Two, if you don't get wet, you're not learning! Ask Bob L., he's always getting wet!

This is tomorrow August 2nd. I'm not sure I'll be going but just a reminder for those in the area.

This is terrific, but its probably apocryphal. If Shakespeare didn't use it in Henry V its got to be doubted. Can you imagine his St Crispin's Day Speech including this: "We lucky few say to the French 'pluck yew'"!

Anecdotal: Three of us were at Pierce Island today and paddled S down the Piscataqua. It was well before high tide and current tables predicted maximum current close to the time we were there. For a while the eddies were a big help until we got to the end of Pierce where the flood was converging from the river and Lil Harbor. +3k was recorded. This was directly across from Henderson Point which seems to be the choke point in the river. It must have taken 15 to 20 minutes to paddle the last 200 feet. One of us yelled out-"Look at the shore." Mistakenly I looked over at Henderson Point. When I did look at the shore on my right i realized I was going nowhere fast. At this point discretion pointed to a return via Lil Harbor and we abandoned the river. Aside from pure paddling energy, riding the rips and boils that seem to be part of this river requires good edging and strokes to keep you straight. I recommend it as a tune up every once in a while.

You're in my area now-It's only fair that I try and join you.

Still read the paper version of the NewYork Times which has a wonderful illustration for John's article. I have to say John-congratulations-publication of an opinion piece in the Times is no mean feat-well done. The article has prompted my curiosity to now read your book.

Way to go Sid-outstanding for your first Blackburn. (Had you paddled your Force 4 you would have come in 7th in the FSK category.) Not too shabby Lisa either-maybe you scared the competition away! Leon-Woody Allen says that 85% of success is showing up!

Seems like a good problem to have-I wish I had this problem. My problem is that independent of whatever paddle I employ I don't get above 3-3.5k average speed. While none that i paddle with have a problem with that, there is a phenomenon that has occurred which may deserve some discussion. Occasionally we're all out for a mellow paddle and the wind and sea state changes: big rollers, some breaking, occur. My stronger companions may feel more comfortable increasing their stroke and energy, while I am still at my limit. I've never found that increasing speed has been necessary to cope in that situation or even represented a safety issue-slow and easy does it and it works for me. However if you are faster and employ some of the techniques to stay together, particularly, stopping or reversing direction, you may feel more at risk. Psychologically, the faster paddler may feel more secure digging in and paddling at 4k than he does at 2.5 or 3k, but is he physically safer? Anyone care to comment?

Shari, You dog you! Signed up for two camping trips with the NTSKC, I envy you.

My bad wrong Crow! Still don't get it. Plenty of campsites, two people hogging the whole Island.

Pru, Just a thought-isn't Crow one of the MITA Islands that NSPN has adopted to the tune of $500. per annum? Not to mention the stewardship that NSPN members provide during the year? Wow-I'm glad I wasn't with you cause serenity is not my bag! I don't know where Ed gets his manners and morals for camping on MITA but I find it a bit much for my taste.

NSPN rock is a great place to practice your skills, draws and bracing. what makes it interesting is that there are rollers and breakers coming from two directions. The obvious one through the rocks and another close to 90 degrees to the first coming from the south. Just when you catch a roller propelling you through the rocks you may be hit from the side and if you miss the brace its swimming time.

So there is a case to be made for ferrying! This all seems like a marvelous example for a CAM trip focusing on coping with current, eddies and at last resort ferries. I think its Salamander and Henderson Point where the river narrows about Seavey Island that the current can be strongest, perhaps 4k at max.

No, Bob that was not the context-I'm quite familiar with employing a ferry angle to cross a river with current. Remember being a kid with a one speed bike and how hard it was going up hills but if you zigged and zagged you could do it. Increasing the distance and minimizing the force doesn't change how much work is done but it seems to take less energy. I do take your point about eddies and will try and take advantage of them.