Rob Hazard

Time to firm things up. How about: Meet at Sandy Point on Cousins Island, Yarmouth, at 0900. Launch by 0930. Paddle around east side of Cousins and Great Chebeague to Crow, then to Bangs, stopping to check out campsites and beaches ("the Mission"). I make that about 5 1/2 nm travel plus an hour on the islands. So we should be ready to decide where to go next by 1300. Let me toss out 3 options to think about: 1) Go around Cliff Is and return via Chandler Cove and Little Chebeague, for a total distance of ~15 nm. 2) Cross Broad sound from Stockman to Whaleboat, then head north to the Goslings, returning via French and Moshier, for a total distance of, again, roughly 15 nm. 3) Return the way we came out, for a distance of about 12 nm. I figure we can make the choice of itinerary when we're looking out from Bangs and seeing what conditions we have to deal with. I'd like to know how many plan to show up. Please email me at rhazard48 at gmail dot com and let me know if you're in.

Definitely right on the second, Dr P. The first is not the Spirit, though. I don't know who she is, but her lines are more along those of a Baltimore Clipper or a pilot schooner, like the schooner-yacht America. Spirit of Mass is built on the model of a Gloucester fishing schooner, much deeper in the hold with a spoon bow, a stronger sheerline, and less rake to the masts.

A flask of Oban, eh? Hey, can I come paddling with you?

The Blackburn Challenge! Slowly I turned, sweep stroke by sweep stroke, inch by inch... OK, then! All the hotshots who want to do a 20 mile day can go to Gloucester and knock themselves out, while the rest of us can mosey about on Casco Bay. We'll do our MITA thing on Bangs and Crow, then decide how big a side trip to take on the return according to the weather and the consensus of the group, in the true Common Adventure Model style! I'll post a more formal itinerary over the weekend. Florrie and Ed, there's your answer! C'mon along! Rob

Florrie, Your question is a good one. Under the "Events & Planning" heading at the top of the page is the list of Trip Levels and what they mean in terms of strength and skills. Some of those skills are best learned on short outings in conditions rather than in the middle of a trip. Have you done any 15 mile days yet? Have you done some Level 2 trips with the club? You are looking at that balance between stretching your skills and holding up a group. We have all been in that position, and most of us still wrestle with it from time to time. If we get into a stretch of rough water, then bracing skills will be critical. I don't envision this trip to be a surf and rock garden adventure, rather an exploration of new territory, as well as a fulfillment of our commitment to MITA as adopters of 2 islands. Having said that, we might find ourselves needing to cross a lumpy patch that we didn't foresee. So keep honing your skills and keep reading this thread and make the decision when the time comes.

Byrd? Did Richard Byrd live out there too? The bay must have been crawling with intrepid Admirals! Seriously, I have the chart in front of me and your suggestion of Stave, Broken Cove and over to Eagle looks quite feasible, and should be one of the options we consider as we stand on Bangs looking out over the watery expanse. It will depend not only on the weather but on who shows up to paddle. It will be a CAM trip, specified as a Level 3, and we will make decisions as we see fit, right? So long as we check out B & C, and so long as we find that brew pub afterwards!

Hmmm... Dried out chicken... or... go paddling... This is a tough one... Those shapeless black things at the back of the grill are usually still edible...

Ed, I stepped it off again. Having to round Little Cheb instead of crossing the bar would add about 3/4 nm, or 15 minutes of paddling. No biggie. If we were to opt for your choice of Goslings and Whaleboat, how comfortable would you be with crossing Broad Sound? I realize it depends on the sea state, but you have made that crossing before, no? Whaleboat to Stockman looks like, again 3/4 nm, a quick crossing in good conditions, but if it's bumpy and we're on the far side of the sound from the cars... We have 2 weeks to decide, and we can, perhaps should, plan out 2 or more possible routes so we can choose once we know the conditions we have to deal with. OK, here's a thought: since the MITA B & C visit is a given, and the trip there is over generally sheltered water, we could tentatively plan to head there first, go ashore, then decide where to go from there. Worst case: we get to the launch and the weather is truly foul, so we have to kill a few hours before $3 Dewey's opens for business. Agreed?

Good point, Ed! Do you know at what stage of the tide that bar uncovers? What sea state are you comfortable with? I have been blithely assuming everyone is comfy with NSPN Level 3 conditions, but for this trip maybe we should stick to flatter water and a shorter route rather than go the full-bore "Stout-hearted Men" route. As long as we go somewhere beyond Bangs. AND as long as we don't omit a stewardship visit to B & C. R

Yer goin' ta have trouble drinkin' wit' dat dislocated shoulder of yerz!

Ideas, ideas! Wow, I'm dazzled by the brightness already and the trip is still 2 weeks away! I just stepped off both of Barry's routes and Ed's as well. The Long Island circle adds up to about 18 nm, which is a bit of a haul if we mean to do our MITA duty (AKA "the Mission") as well. Around Cliff and back, going around Chebeague, would be shorter, ~15 nm. Goslings and Whaleboat also looks like ~15 nm when we include the Mission. In stepping off the Cliff route I assumed we'd be able to cross the bar between Chebeague and Little Cheb. We'd go counterclockwise, hitting Bangs and Crow on the return. The Goslings - Whaleboat trip I assumed clockwise, also stopping for the Mission on the return. Whaleboat and Goslings would take us across Broad Sound which means open water (Yeehaw!), whereas Cliff would keep us in more sheltered water (BORING!) but might give us more help from the current (COOL!) HMMMMM...

This trip is a work in progress, but it will be a day trip, launching probably from Cousins Island, Level 3 for distance anyway, including stops at Bang's and Crow islands for beach patrol and basking in the fog and skeeters. We will be off the water in time for dinner at some brew pub in Portland. My reading of the current table says the Hi slack will be about 08:30 to 09:00 and the Low slack will be about 14:00 to 14:30, depending just where you are in the bay. Current peaks at about 1 knot in either direction, so it's worth having it favor us both ways. I am posting early to gather bright ideas from others and to give stragglers a chance to join MITA so they can tag along! Cheers, Rob

Oh, no, you guys! You don't get off THAT easy! The only apology I'll accept is when Christopher strong-arms you into taking up a collection and buying me a brand new Pintail! Yellow hull, orange deck, red sheerstripe and coaming, please, with keyhole cockpit, 33" bulkhead, no footbraces, and dress it up with dark blue decklines. Oh, and I could use a new helmet, too, without those ventilation holes that leave sunburn spots on my bald spot.

I notice that Christopher has not been back yet. OK. Kevin was on the right track, but he singled out the wrong arm. Photo #45 caught me in a singularly ungainly moment. (thanks a HEAP, Doug!) My pose shows a superficial similarity to a well known illustration of a man doing a bad overhead high brace into the face of a large ocean wave, with a caption telling that he is about to get his shoulder dislocated. In the photo, my left arm is above, but well out in front of, my head. But given that the boat is aggressively edged away from the upper hand and given that the water is flat, the possibility of that shoulder being injured is remote. The other arm, however, rotated out to the side, is in some peril should my edged boat and I capsize on top of it, given that the water is only about 18" deep. THAT is what Kevin should have remarked on. That is the arm which is truly "outside the Box". Further, close inspection will show that the boat is moving briskly backwards, since I am sculling backwards off the beach, something I just enjoy doing. The problem is that I seem to be looking ahead, that is, NOT looking where I am going! I had been looking behind, over my shoulder, an instant before Doug snapped the shot, but that's photography for you! However, what I believe Christopher is really trying to do with his question is tell me that he has noticed in shot #45 that, in spite of his trying for 2 seasons to convince me that the Valley Pintail is so superior a rock garden boat that "There is NO comparison", I have gone out and bought, (GASP!) a Romany. I wish you'd been along with us, Christopher, It was a glorious day, but you probably had to work, and you probably would have gone on the Level3 trip anyway. Cheers, Rob

I missed it too. I got there way late after a doctor's appointment, looked out into the fog and gathering gloom, and hopped back in my car. Ah, well! Maybe in 2 weeks. Rob

Professor Pintail, I looked at photo #45 again and realized that NO ONE has answered your question correctly so far. Perhaps it's time for you to speak up. The Paddler in the Photo

That's Nigel MacNigel, sculling backwards off the beach. What's wrong is that his PFD doesn't match his sprayskirt, a serious fashion no-no. We have no room for such slime in the world of Sea Kayaking. As punishment he should be forced to eat 3 Triscuits topped with Velveeta and wash them down with a can of Bud Light. WARM Bud Light! Rob

Thanks for posting the pix, Doug! In addition to Liz and Galen, I'd like to thank Jon and Sean for their help, and extend a big congratulation to Ann, Florrie, and a couple others who gamely ventured back out with us on the return leg of the trip, through conditions that had clearly developed into Level 3. I'm glad that we watched and waited until the conditions abated somewhat before making the decision whether to re-launch. It was well thought out and it made for a great paddle. Altogether, an excellent day on the water! Cheers, Rob

Hello, Jeff, I second Jon's welcome! If you watch this Trips section, you'll soon find that we do a lot of day trips in the Seacoast area, from Odiorne Point, Pierce's Island in downtown Portsmouth, and Kittery, Maine. There are also lake sessions in Kingston and in Amesbury which are good places to get to know some of the local paddlers. The Kingston session meets in Hampton harbor on alternate weeks for surf practice when the tide serves. Watch the calendar. Cheers, Rob

A personal observation: While it's great to come to lake sessions, it's not enough to sit in your boat watching while someone demonstrates rescues. Talk is cheap. You gotta DO IT YOURSELF! Participate! Get out of the boat! Rob

Harbor Street, off 127 just west of downtown. See you there.

Could someone refresh my memory on directions to the Tuck's Point launch? I know it's on the west side of Manchester harbor, but I forget the street to take. This is the place where we have to park off in the corner to avoid getting ticketed by the Manchester police, right? Rob

Welcome, Ann! Glad to have you come along. A note to everyone: I assume we've all read the guidelines concerning trip Levels. This trip should actually fall into Level 2, with less than 10 miles to travel, less than 10 knots of wind, less than 1 ft seas, no surf, no current. If wind or waves exceed Level 2 we will cancel the trip and do something else. Paddling skills called for: forward, reverse and sweep strokes, and having practiced the dreaded Wet Exit and T - Rescue. If you need a refresher on the wet exit and T - rescue, please come to Chebacco Lake tomorrow (Thursday) evening and we'll go over it ad nauseum! Of course we are all required to have PFD and sprayskirt. See you all on the beach at 10:45! Rob

I just spoke with Brian Wells, who is heading up the Level 2 group. They will have their beach briefing as soon as we have launched. So, we should meet for our beach briefing punctually at 10:45, suited up, with boats lined up on the beach ready to go. See you there! Rob