Linda

But be mindful of the new waves and currents from the break in North Beach. http://capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art.../NEWS/707280344

Welcome to the world, Lyra! And many hugs and congrats to Bethany and Glenn!

See the latest aerial views of Monomoy http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/abridge6.htm

If you can't find a Legend he can use my Rumour.

Nice pics, Brian. It was a glorious day! I find the GPS track interesting, superimposed on the satellite photo. Isn't the track at the end of South Beach from you walking around the point? What appears to be over water is now on a sand dune! [

Keith and John, We have all been waiting for your detailed report and it is superb. You really helped me to understand what it was like out there and how the power of the ocean can overwhelm us no matter how prepared we think we are. Thank you for the detail and thoughtful consideration of all the events of that day. We all have a lot to learn from your experience. I am so grateful that you both are here to share the experience with us. Linda

I plan to be there

I'd be interested in helping out with the Cape Cod portion.

Try Google Maps or Google Earth.

Hi Mark, Pease count me in! Thanks, Linda

Suz, I would love to see Nigel in my Rumour if he can't get the Legend from CRCK. I hope to be able to do one of the classes, and will use the Rumour if he doesn't. I have enough other choices of boats to paddle, however,and would be happy to see him make it dance! Linda

Nine of us met at Harding Beach, including four folks from RICKA. This was a leisurely informal paddle out the Southway to the tip of South Beach. Several pods of gray seals followed along beside us and sometimes would pop up behind one group of paddlers to check them out as they went by, only to be surprised by the delighted paddlers behind them. There was a large herd of seals hauled out on the inside of South Beach and an even larger (200+?) group hauled out on a sand flat on the outside beach. The sands of Monomoy continue to shift, making the gap between South Beach and South Monomoy nearly impassable at low tide. We saw several groups of seals kicking up "rooster tails" as they made their way through the shallow waters. We had a lovely lunch and beach rest while we waited for the tide to come back up so we could pass between North and South Monomoy. Some of us were happy to wait at the end of a channel for the water to slowly fill in over the sandbar, while others tried various techniques to get themselves over before the water came up. There was a lot of rocking, "kayak walking", knuckle-paddling, and finally assisted shoving to get us all on our way. The return on the west side of North Monomoy required a long paddle to the west to clear the bars and then a fun down-wind run with 2-3 foot waves from the freshening southerly winds. The day was capped off by the traditional PPPO with lots of brainstorming of ideas to change the world...if only someone had taken notes. Thanks to all!

Wow! Ryan has come a long way from that first assisted rescue on the Cape a couple of years ago. Good job, Dad and Dee!

I find that it is indeed much easier to flip the boat upright and slide it up over my cockpit and flip it again to drain the water. It takes much less muscle strength as you are working with the shape of the hull of the boat that you are emptying, rather than lifting the bow from under water. Best thing to do is to practice both methods in varying conditions to see what works best for you.

It was a great day. Nigel's clear instruction, gentle guidance and focused awarenes of each student made this a very valuable learning day. And many thanks to Rick Crangle for assisting and guiding us in to his favorite rock-play places where we could practice our skills we had just learned on flat water. It felt like a safe environment in which to push ourselves just to the edge of our comfort level. A totally fun day!

Hi Liz, I downloaded a simple freeware program from Trimble Outdoors. It was a promotional through the geocaching site, but I think it is available for a modest fee to anyone. It won't upload a "track", but you can put in waypoints on the track in your GPS and save it as a route, and then upload that to your PC and the Trimble program. It's definitely not as sexy as the MapTech program, but it's free! http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/trimbleoutdoors.aspx Linda

I just got a Skwoosh pad. I think it has some kind of memory foam/gel in it. It is quite light weight and works quite well. http://www.tekpad.com/ Linda

The unfortunate death of a kayak student four years ago is causing the victim's family to ask for legislation that would rquire instructors to teach and have students practice a wet exit before doing any other on-the-water training. What do you think? This is an article from the Cape Cod Times today: "Dramatic testimony marks kayak safety hearing" By DAVID KIBBE TIMES BOSTON BUREAU BOSTON - Diane Beauvais sees kayakers from the backyard of her Mattapoisett home almost every summer weekend. It's hard for her to watch. On May 26, 2001, her husband, Robert Beauvais, 51, died after his kayak overturned off West Island during a beginners' class. The instructors of the four-student class had reviewed how to bail out of an overturned kayak in a lesson on dry land. However, because the water was cold, they decided the students should not practice exiting an overturned kayak in the water until the end of the day. The family later settled out of court with the Buzzards Bay Kayak School. Yesterday, Beauvais and her daughter, Maggie, 18, came to the Statehouse to call for a new law that would require kayak schools to teach and practice ''wet exits'' before new students head to open water. ''My husband was not being reckless,'' Beauvais told the Legislature's Public Safety Committee. ''He was being very safe. He was thinking he was in good hands, that they would teach him what to do, and it didn't work out, because I believe that there was some major negligence that happened here.'' The legislation, filed by Rep. William Straus, D-Mattapoisett, at the request of the family, would also require kayak instructors to be certified in basic first aid and CPR, and to be certified by the American Canoe Association or an equivalent organization. ''Right now, there really is no requirement, other than someone saying 'I'd like to teach kayaking,' '' Straus said. ''That is far too great a risk.'' Straus said too many schools are tempted to delay wet exit training until the end of a full day on the water. The committee's co-chairman, Sen. Jarrett Barrios, D-Cambridge, said he recently took a two-day course with wet exits at the very end. ''For understandable reasons, they tell people, look, you don't want to start out the course by getting wet, you won't enjoy it,'' Straus said. ''So there's this movement to just say wait to the end to get done the most important safety thing the whole course is about.'' Committee members sounded receptive to the proposal. They will vote on the bill later this session. The panel is also considering a proposal by Rep. Shirley Gomes, R-Harwich, to require all kayakers wear life jackets and carry a compass and whistle. Gomes filed her bill after the deaths of two young women who were lost off Cape Cod in a heavy fog in 2003. Kevin Horner, a manager at Charles River Canoe and Kayak, which conducts sea paddling trips all along the Massachusetts coastline, including Buzzards Bay, said most kayak schools would support the concept of the new law, though they might have questions about the details. His company does wet exit training before new students head to open water, and it requires instructors to know first aid and CPR. ''Most companies, if they are safety conscious, are doing this anyway,'' Horner said in an interview yesterday. However, Horner said the law should be written with the consultation of paddlers and the industry, and it should offer flexibility where it makes sense. For instance, someone might not be certified by a national organization, but could have paddled and taught for 20 years. Straus said he had not been notified of any industry opposition. David Kibbe can be reached at dkottaway@aol.com. (Published: July 1, 2005)

I would be interested in working on linking strokes, turns, maneuvers, Greenland rolls to create a kayak water ballet!

I want to echo what Dee and Liz have said about these classes. I have taken classes with Karen and Bob each time they have come to NSPN the past three years. Karen and Bob are superb, patient, observant teachers. I found a wonderful shift in my awareness of myself, my boat, and my paddle while learning to refine and execute basic strokes, braces, and turns. My confidence and ability and enjoyment of paddling were greatly enhanced by working with them. Highly Reccommended!! Linda

We paddled in Buzzards Bay yesterday and today and the water must have been close to 70 in the water close to shore along the Falmouth coast. Buoy temps are mid- to high-50's. Stunningly gorgeous weather! Hooray for June: warm weather, warm water, and not too many power boats or traffic.

Thanks Dee! And i thought I was good at multiple guess... Linda

You had me worried there for a few paragraphs, Rick! I took a couple of rides down to Town Neck here in Sandwich and could barely stand up in the wind: a steady 35-40 with plenty of gusts over 50. Ten foot waves crashing onto the beach and dunes in normally placid Cape Cod Bay. The barrier beach is quickly becoming a mere sandspit with the powerful waves breaking through into the marsh. Several tons of sand were dredged from the canal last year and deposited on the neck: gone. A few more good storms and it will be an island. Love being on the ocean...totally in awe of her power. It was a good day to get those inside chores done this weekend! Linda

WOW! She's beautiful, Mark. I'd love to see her/you in action on the waves. Give us a full report when you get her in the water. Great job! Linda

There are a lot of trips being planned for this spring and summer, and we really would like to get them on the Trip Calendar. Soooo... if any trip leaders are planning tips... Pleeeeeeeease send me your posting info in the following format ASAP...Today...Tonight...Tomorrow??? Please send them on to me: linda dawt shelburne at verizon dawt net. POSTING TEMPLATE FOR www.nspn.org WEBSITE CALENDAR: TITLE OF TRIP INCLUDE ONLY IF YOU WANT THIS POSTED INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION FIELD, ALL ARE MANDATORY EXCEPT PUT IN LOCATION: -Skill Level for Trip -Put-in location, town, State, Marine Chart # -Distance in NM -Duration -Group size -Leader and Assistant Leaders -RSVP yes or no, if yes give name and email address -Description of the trip, with any special requirements such as lights for night paddling, appropriate dress, instructions for car pooling or parking, etc. Thanks, Linda