scamlin

Hey Mary! Glad to hear a sign of life from you. Your pics are fantastic, but pale in comparison to your stories and travels. Hope to see you eventually, but don't hurry back: sounds like you're having to many adventures to cut it short. Best, Scott

I was in the MITA office yesterday and asked for an update on boat types to refresh my failing memory. The official figures based on a 2009 online survey of over 600 members (which may have some selection bias) are as follows: Type of boat for visiting islands: Kayaks 64% Sailboats 15% Powerboats 15% Other 6% So about 30% of MITA members visit in large boats. Doug Welch wanted me to emphasize that a large number of MITA members report owning multiple boats (surprise) so large sailboaters might actually land in a kayak or a kayaker may also cruise in a large power boat. I guess most just want to be on the water. In the office I saw the new 2010 Guide and it illustrates the point: the covers feature Owl's Head Light and a sailboat towing a dingy. By the way, the first batch of member packets with the new Guide went out last week, with more on the way this week. Because they are bulk mailed, it usually takes two to three weeks to arrive. There are six new sites on the Trail this year, including a couple of new camping islands in Casco Bay. One is within sight of the two islands NSPN adopted last year. Scott

Great discussion about the Maine Island Trail. The NSPN message board is a great place to ask questions and discuss MITA as there are many long-term members within the NSPN community. A few thoughts: The Maine Island Trail really was conceived as a Trail: it was meant to make it possible paddle the Maine coast, stopping and camping on islands. Over the 21 years since the Trail was launched, we've largely filled in the coast to make that possible: as Jason says, it's entirely feasible to paddle and camp the entire way. The official Trail today stretches from Kittery to Machias. There are two stretches where gaps make for some long days: southern Maine (Kittery to Casco Bay) and the Bold Coast (Machias to Eastport). Members of this club have done both stretches unsupported, but they are a challenge. The good news is that MITA is actively working on filling in the gaps, particularly downeast and in southern Maine. We have an active community-based initiative in Cobscook Bay (around Quoddy Head from the Bold Coast), so we hope the Trail will soon stretch from NH border to Canada. Over the past three years, we've added 15 islands south of Portland. This year, we are talking to people along the southern coast about the potential for further island and mainland sites. Every year the Trail adds sites: in the new 2010 Guidebook, there are something like 185 places to stop. While the core of the Trail is wild islands, over the years we have included some mainland sites (including a few drive-in campgrounds) to fill gaps and as a convenience to paddlers. The purpose of the Trail is to provide access: it's up to users to travel the coast in the manner their skills and interests dictate. Because it's the ocean and not land, its up to each boater to rely on their own seamanship to determine their route, so the location of the Trail is as varied as the people who boat the coast. Most of MITA's members do day trips or short camping trips, much like the vast majority of hikers do the AT. But every year, some do the through paddle and many others do long stretches. The Trail is designed exactly for that purpose. To answer the direction question, most paddlers travel west to east because the prevailing winds in the summer season are southwesterlies, which is more or less the orientation of the Maine coast. MITA is not in the business of attracting boaters to Maine. Rather we aspire to reach out to those who already boat along the coast to join with MITA in supporting access and stewardship. We do not favor through paddlers over short trippers, nor do we certify people who complete the Trail. Occasionally, through paddlers are highlighted in the MITA newsletter or online, but stewardship volunteers and member experiences are much more likely to be featured. As for the potential safety risks, MITA does provide boating safety information in the Guide and online, with particular callouts for danger areas along the coast. However, as with NSPN's CAM model, MITA makes it clear that each boater is the captain of their own boat--so it behooves people to know what they are doing before venturing out. Also, while the majority of MITA members are kayakers, about a third travel in other boats. Something like 25% of members are big boaters: sailboats, power cruisers and a few converted lobster boats. The rest are a creative assortment of dories, row-sail boats, canoes and other small watercraft. The big boaters are some of our most loyal supporters in terms of time, effort and funding. The philosophy is to welcome all boaters as long as they understand and follow Leave No Trace ethics. If there is interest in learning more about the Trail or where and how to paddle, we'd be glad to do a MITA workshop this spring as we did last year. Scott Camlin MITA Trustee

Suz: I think Boston Sea Kayak Club also used to join us on these paddles. We should give them a shout when the time comes to see if they are interested. Scott

In my experience, you can make an educated guess, but you can't tell for certain until you get local information. Why? Because the direction, timing and speed of currents depend not only on the shape of the channel at your site--in your case around the island--but also the waters before (downstream) and after (upstream so to speak). In addition the shape and depth of the bottom of the channel and basins before and after the island also influence currents. These affect not only how much water goes in and out, how far and how fast, but also when. You also have to take into account the possibility of a resonance effect, where the "wave" of tide water interacts with the size and shape of tidal basin, sort of like a wave sloshing back and forth in a bathtub. To make it even more interesting, the currents depend also on changes in tide height during the month and over the course of the year, as well as air pressure and any on-shore or off-shore winds. Basically, it can get pretty complicated...but mostly it's not. Your educated guess depends on a few rules of thumb, most based on estimates of how much water is moving where, which you can make based in a close inspection of your chart: How big is the channel? How wide and how deep is it? This will give you an idea of how much water is likely to move through it. If there are significant differences in volume between either side of the island, more water is likely to move through the larger volume channel, other things being equal. What is the shape of the channel? Of the bottom? Water in a wide channel that comes to a narrow section will speed up (the Venturi effect), but the constriction can also back up the flow. Shallow shoals or sand bars in an otherwise deep channel can have the same effect (as well as interesting bumps in the surface). For some channels, the slope of the bottom is a factor as the water runs downhill much like a river. The Western Rivers section of the Maine Coast between Popham Beach and Pemmaquid Point has many examples of these effects. What's beyond the channel in question? Big or small? Long and narrow or wide and short? How deep? The bigger and deeper the basin above (upstream) of the channel, the faster the current in that direction, the later it starts, and the longer it will continue. Why? Because there is more water going into and out of the basin. For example, the current in Plum Island Sound changes direction about an hour after high tide because the Parker River basin is still filling up long after the water height starts to go down. Same on the ebb except in reverse. In some locations, the current direction can change three or four hours AFTER the tide changes. (If you're talking outside the Gulf of Maine, it can get really interesting with dirunal or semi-diurnal tides.) What other channels or inlets are nearby? Moving water in channels or inlets nearby can either suck water out of your channel or push water volumes into it, through differences in tide heights (water runs down hill) or pressure (much like a point in a current pulls water out of an eddy). How can you know for sure? 1. Through predictions based on historical readings at established current stations (available on NOAA website or mapping software). Unfortunately, current stations are relatively few in number and may not be available for your island or even your stretch of the coast. If there is station near your paddling target, you're in luck. 2. Other boating publications. For instance, the old Eldridge tide book has wonderful charts showing current direction (and speeds) for Boston Harbor, Vinyard Sound, etc. Other piloting books such as those for big boats may have such charts as well as textual descriptions. NOAA publishes a Coastal Pilot that has similar information; you can download it for free from the NOAA website. These kinds of publications go beyond what you can learn from the current stations. 3. Local knowledge from other paddlers, boaters, fishermen, marinas, etc. Many are happy to help, but you may not get precise enough information. There is a good chance someone in the club has paddled where you want to go, so you can always post on the message board. 4. Paddle it yourself. Plan your trip to leave a margin for times, speeds and direction of the current to differ from your educated guess. And a backup plan if the margins are not enough. Once you find out what happened, you are then a source of local knowledge, especially if you record not only the currents (direction, speeds and times) but also what the tide heights were that day. Have fun. Scott

Rene: The post workshop paddle is actually the paddle part of the workshop. It's what we do outside after the discussions and demonstrations inside. We first wade into the water at Lane's Cove, dunking, floating and submerging to test protective clothing and get a feel for the water. Then get into boats and try capsizing, wet exits, rolling, rescues, etc. We work together so you have a spotter when you try the various drills in case you get surprised by the cold (details on what can surprise you at the workshop). The workshop is designed to be experiential: try it so you know how it feels and how it works. It's all voluntary: you choose which exercise you participate in. The entire paddle portion of the workshop takes place in Lane's Cove, mostly in waist deep water. In past years, after the formal part of the workshop, some people have poked their noses out of the cove to see the sights. We don't do any drills outside the cove. Hope this helps. Scott

Ed: The Avocet in question was done in by a zipper formed by a straight swell wrapping around either side of a sand bar off of Plum Island. So it was refraction, not reflection, but the principle of waves meeting and generating vertical lift were present. Not sure whether that meets the technical definition of clapotis. In any case, there are definitely no cliffs in the neighborhood. Actually, it was not the lift per se but different peaks violently lifting of both ends of the boat while leaving the middle unsupported that seemed to break the boat in the cockpit area. Just speculation, but the dynamic force of rapid vertical lift against the inertia of the paddler was a factor in creating the extreme stress. A glass Avocet suspended from the ends can easily support the static weight of a paddler. As for the paddler, he was not tossed, but stayed in the saddle as the boat bucked and cracked, then rode the broken beast to the beach with aplomb--and compassion. Give that cowboy a hand. Scott Scott

Already got a reply from my rep: he says he has not heard about it in the House, but will keep an eye on it--and wants to get filled in if the bill does come up. By the way, David, I noticed that the House number differs from mine: I thought I found the most recent one for the House on the General Court website. Assume yours is more recent; the one I cited was from January and I assumed they introduce it once per session. I took a look a the CRCK posting on the legislation. Even if they are no longer fighting it, one argument leaped out at me: PFD Use Rates by Boat Type According to the annual observational study published by the U.S. Coast Guard, in 2004 kayakers had a higher wear rate (87%) than any other type of watercraft (including canoes, 27%) except personal watercraft (jet skis, 95%). The overall PFD wear rate for the general adult boating population was lower than 25%, . Powerboaters who, according to the Coast Guard, account for 75% of boating fatalities, have adult PFD wear rates under 5%. Again, that's five percent! These data indicate that this bill discriminates against a class of boaters who are already wearing PFDs at significantly higher rates than the average. Fatalities by Boat Type According to U.S. Coast Guard statistics, 75 people have died in boating-related accidents in Massachusetts coastal waters since 1998. Half of those (37) were in powerboats. Canoes accounted for 18 deaths, and kayaks significantly fewer (8). Seems the General Court should be legislating for safety in ALL types of boats. And, hey, let's give our fellow boaters on jet skis credit for wearing PFDs. Just shows how a norm can get established in any recreational group. Scott

In writing my state rep, checked the current bill numbers: Senate No. 974 of 2009 House No. 2281 of 2009 See below for text: http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/186/st00/st00974.htm http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/186/ht02/ht02281.htm Note the bills differ in scope, remedies and definitions. I updated the NSPN statement so I could forward it to my rep. I've appended it below in case anyone wants to do the same. North Shore Paddlers Network Statement on Proposed Legislation SEE SENATE NO. S974 OF 2009 SEE HOUSE NO. H2281 of 2009 Preface NSPN (North Shore Paddlers Network) is a large, active sea kayaking club with over 200 dues-paying members, and over 400 members participating in its online community. NSPN is the largest sea kayaking membership organization in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and members paddle most often in Massachusetts, but also New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island and other venues. NSPN is extremely kayaking safety conscious. Like all paddling clubs we know of, NSPN requires active, continuous use of PFDs on all official club activities on the water, even during practice sessions in lakes and swimming pools. We strongly encourage a wide range of other safety training and measures. We offer our own training and sponsor professional instructors from all over the world to offer training. In all those classes, not only do we use safe practices on the water, we also teach a wide range of safety practices and techniques as part of the curriculum itself. It is no exaggeration to say that upwards of 25% or more of all time spent in NSPN courses is concerned with safe kayaking practices. Apart from actual courses, even most recreational paddling trips sponsored by NSPN also include some safety training for participants. Finally, NSPN publishes and distributes a brochure on kayaking safety, a copy of which is attached. NSPN Position on Proposed Law Despite NSPN’s very active interest in kayaking safety, we oppose the proposed Massachusetts kayak safety law. (Note that the current Senate and House bills differ in scope, remedies and definitions.) The discussion below refers to the Senate version as it is more comprehensive. PFD Provision • The PFD provision applies only to kayaks, despite common sense and overwhelming evidence that PFDs save lives equally in all paddlesports. To single out kayaking, therefore, sends a dangerously incorrect message to the canoeing community, a message in direct opposition to the ACA (American Canoe Association) who, like essentially all paddlesports organizations worldwide, recommends wearing PFDs in all paddlesports at all times on the water. This will bring the law into disrepute among paddlers and may actually decrease compliance. It is also a major step backwards from the existing PFD law, which treats canoes and kayaks the same. • The PFD provision overrides the judgment of the Coast Guard regarding the types of PFDs that are acceptable and is incorrect about the details, so that a significant part of the kayaking community will see that it makes no sense. For example, type V PFDs are worn by the majority of whitewater kayakers, guides, and rescue personnel. NASBLA (the National Association of State Boating Administrators), which set standards for and approves boating courses for Massachusetts and all states, has a model PFD act which states “Personal flotation device" means a device that is approved by the United States Coast Guard under 46 CFR Part 160). In particular, the Coast Guard approves Type V PFDs for all boaters, yet the proposed Massachusetts law disallows them. • The definition of “kayak’ in the proposed amendment to section 13B and referenced in the PFD provision does not make sense from a safety standpoint. That section defines a kayak as being covered except for a single or double opening in the center and propelled by a double bladed paddle. This definition fails to address sit-on-top kayaks which lack the covering but are like ‘covered’ kayaks in many other respects. On the other side, some canoes have decks or coverings with a central opening, and differ from kayaks primarily in being paddled with a single blade. The point here is that there is a broad range of human-powered water craft, and legislation singling out a single sub-type, the covered kayak, on the basis of features irrelevant to safety makes little sense Compass Provision • The compass provision makes no sense at all for kayakers on rivers and small ponds and lakes, where determining directions and finding the way to a destination is not a problem, even with low visibility. Flat water and white water kayaking on creeks and rivers are two of the most popular forms of kayaking, so the proposed law would impose on a large fraction of the kayaking community a useless and illogical provision. • For a compass to enhance safety even on the ocean, the paddler needs training in how to use it. Yet the law provides for no such training. In fact, in the hands of an untrained novice, a compass could even prove dangerous in fog or darkness, giving a feeling of security while actually leading the paddler astray. For example, as most instructors who teach compass navigation can attest, a common mistake made by beginners with a compass is to head in exactly the opposite direction from where they wish to go! Safety Equipment in General • In general, which safety equipment, beyond the PFD, is most important and effective varies considerably with the type of boat, paddling venue, environmental conditions and other factors. Any conscientious attempt to account for this variation and legislate safety equipment at the detailed level proposed by this law would be hopelessly complex and unenforceable. Wet Exit Training Provision • The wet exit training provision, like other parts of the proposed law, contains a number of serious problems which, if passed, would subject the law to derision in the kayaking community. For example, the assumption that wet exit training is needed only in water five feet or deeper is simply incorrect; a capsized kayaker can be completely submerged in as little as two feet of water, and have difficulty in even less. For another, the real safety issue with escaping from a kayak is releasing the sprayskirt, not exiting from the cockpit. Requiring such training for kayaks without sprayskirts subjects students to an unnecessary capsize and significantly changes the nature of the experience for no good reason. • The wet exit provision makes no distinction between novice and experienced kayakers, so that wet exit training would be required even for intermediate and advanced classes. This would either inhibit the offering of such courses in Massachusetts, or be widely disregarded, thus decreasing respect for the entire law. Intermediate and advanced kayak training in Massachusetts is presently an active and vibrant industry which attracts well-known coaches from all over the world. It also has an impeccable safety record, and indeed trains the future leaders and instructors who will teach safety to novices. It is not clear that there is a practical way, short of full-scale regulation of all kayaking instruction, for a law to require wet exit training for beginners and not for experienced paddlers. Such full-scale regulation would, of course, be absolutely unprecedented, infeasible and counterproductive in a number of ways. • It is illogical to require safety content for courses without requiring the courses themselves. Anyone wishing to avoid safety training will simply not take a course. If the goal is simply to improve safety in commercial classes, then it must be noted that wet exit is already taught in all beginning courses where spray skirts are used. • On the question of requiring safety instruction in paddling, as it is for youths operating motorized craft, we do not believe it is desirable or even feasible, given the enormous range of paddlers and paddling situations from backyard ponds up. In fact, as far as we know no other state or government entity requires or even regulates safety instruction in any non-motorized sporting activities, much less boating. • Professional instruction presently reaches only a small fraction of Massachusetts paddlers, and the vast majority of paddling deaths involve paddlers who have not received such instruction or who are ignoring what they may have learned in commercial courses. Directly regulating commercial paddling instruction therefore addresses the wrong issue for improving safety. Far better would be to encourage and promote professional instruction which already does a superb job of teaching safety. • Detailed regulation of safety course content, be it specific topics as proposed by the legislature, single courses or entire curricula, is rarely if ever done by direct legislative specification, but is given to the executive branch and to outside bodies of experts. For example, for motorized boating safety, all states belong to NASBLA (National Association of State Boating Law Administrators) and look to that organization to set content of and certify required safety courses. Legislatures do not themselves set course content for good reason. They have neither the expertise nor the technical resources to do such a job properly and to address ever-changing technology and best practices. The proposed wet exit provision fundamentally breaks this universal paradigm, and the result is an improperly drafted and technically illogical law which may do more harm than good for the cause of boating safety. NASBLA, by the way, looks to the ACA (American Canoe Association) for safety issues regarding kayaks and canoes. • How do we address the problem that conscientious instruction in safety practices presently reaches only a tiny fraction of kayakers? This is not an easy question, but one thing is clear: illogical and unnecessary regulation will not do it and may well have the opposite effect. If the proposed law passes and is actually enforced, the kayak training industry in Massachusetts is likely to shrink, and even fewer kayakers will be able to take comprehensive courses where they learn, among many other safety practices, the importance of wearing a PFD at all times on the water. Therefore, the ultimate result of a badly drafted law or of any attempt to regulate instruction at the level proposed may well be worse than no law at all. Instructor Training Provision • The provision for first aid and safety training of instructors again omits canoeing. Like the PFD provision, it thereby sends a dangerous message, that canoeing is somehow less dangerous than kayaking, and less attention to safety is required by canoeists and canoeing instructors. Also, all professional paddlesports instructors in Massachusetts that NSPN is aware of already have the specified training, so there seems to be little need for such regulation and the state bureaucracy it would entail. Regulation of Training in General • Should there be any direct regulation at all of professional kayaking instruction in Massachusetts at all? NSPN believes not. In our experience, the current state of professional kayaking instruction in Massachusetts is actually very safety-conscious. A single death in a class, however tragic, does not change that fact. More salient by far are the many deaths by paddlers who have received no safety training and/or are ignoring fundamental safety principles such as wearing PFDs and using boats designed for safety in their paddling venue. This includes the two young women who tragically died off the South Cape in 2002. Conclusion NSPN ardently shares the Legislature’s concern for boating safety and saving the lives of boaters in human-powered craft. We believe, however, that the proposed law is a very poor way to accomplish this goal. Almost all its provisions are improperly drafted, illogical or downright incorrect, and many actually send dangerous messages to large segments of the boating public. Overall, the proposed law is as likely to reduce compliance with good safety practices and therefore actually cost lives rather than save them. Additionally, the problems with the proposed law highlight the inherent difficulty in legislating safety practices in this complex and rapidly changing area. To do so conscientiously and effectively would require inordinate, ongoing research and an extensive bureaucracy to draft, monitor and enforce regulations and constantly update them. In fact, the ACA, as America’s primary organization for recreational paddling, has an extensive, ongoing program of courses and safety practices and other safety promotion activities, far beyond what any state legislature can muster. The ACA strongly recommends that states address paddling safety not by regulation, but by educational efforts. Fortunately, also, the existing Massachusetts community of professional paddlesports instructors and organized clubs are already highly skilled at and extremely conscious of safety issues, and expend an immense amount of energy on teaching and inculcating good safety practices. This has already saved untold lives! Rather than regulatory legislation, therefore, it would be far more effective for Massachusetts to work with and support the paddling community to improve and expand existing educational programs. The fact of the matter is that these programs today reach only a tiny fraction of the paddling public. If they could be nurtured and supported – rather than burdened and possibly diminished with inherently flawed attempts at detailed legislative regulation – many more lives would be saved.

Phil: There were actually two instances of kayaker deaths in MA; the situations were different, so the bill attempts to address both sets of causes. (from memory, some details may be off): The earlier one on the Cape involved two college women, both novices, who paddled some friends' rec boats off a beach in Hyannis, without sprayskits, whistles, compasses or protective clothing. They may have had PFDs on (can't remember). Problem was that it was October or November, foggy, with a distinct chop and a stiff offshore wind. They disappeared into the fog and the boats were found a day or two later off Pollack Rip; one body was recovered. This tragedy led to the focus on PFDs, compasses and whistles. The paddlers were unprepared for the conditions, and even if they had been able to stay upright, presumably were disoriented and had no way to signal for help. No instructors were involved as it was a private trip. The proposed legislation does not address the real underlying issue: skills and judgment. The second one was a 50-year old novice who was on an outfitter instructional trip (in May I believe). After lunch, he was practicing low braces off the beach as others launched, capsized, flailed, and aspirated water. The instructor was already on the water, did a hand-of-god rescue within 15-20 seconds (he was gasping when he came up), and got him to the shore where an RN administered rescue breathing; he was soon transported to the hospital where he died from respiratory failure. There was no wet exit practice: instructor had not done practice wet exits before the trip because, if I remember, a concern that the cold water would create a risk of hypothermia at the beginning of the day. This tragedy led to the focus on wet exits as well as the call for first aid certifications for instructors. In this case, the instructor was qualified, the session well run, the rescue prompt and effective, and the first aid competent. However, post-accident analysis pointed to the small, albeit real risk of first time capsizes resulting in panic and aspiration (a very small amount of water if aspirated can fatally compromise the lungs): hence the proposed requirement to require a supervised wet exit practice before any trip. This was and is not an established practice by outfitters and instructors (or NSPN for that matter), especially in cold New England waters, but arguably is should be. That's the history. As Liz said, the dynamic is legislators responding to grieving family members and to local law enforcement officials who have also lobbied for the requirements. Whether they are well-informed or whether the proposed legislation is well-drafted, or whether any legislation is appropriate, they are not on a witch hunt and are not likely to have diabolical intent to single out sea kayakers, impose draconian rules, charge huge fees or implement a nanny state. It's just a legislative, political process. The events are real and tragic, the shortcomings of paddlers are significant and widespread, and the public perception is that many kayakers are uninformed, unaware and unsafe on the water. We highlight examples of this regularly on this message board. So we should not be surprised it gets the reaction it does from public officials and politicians. If we don't like it we need to be prepared to enter into the political process (kudos to Liz, David and the NSPN board in the past). We also need to recognize that the public safety issue is legitimate and be prepared to do something about it if we don't like legislation. Just saying no is not enough. Personally, I think the remedies proposed in the 2007 testimony are a good start in the right direction. Ditto NSPN's past efforts to educate our members and set norms for trips. We've also done some eduction of the public (kudos to Heidi's new brochures and the board's support). Essentially, it is education, not legislation, but that takes work and commitment. Scott

Insulating the cockpit makes sense as the cold does transmit through the hull. One thing I wonder, though, is how secure the foam pad is. There is the possibility of entrapment (e.g. hooking your feet on the edge of the pad) in a wet exit as well as the pad blocking a fast re-entry in conditions. Seems like is should just lay there, but if you get trashed in surf or chop, a foam pad might not stay put given its flotation and the wave action in an empty cockpit. Think how sponges, pumps and other stuff seem to float away when you exit. Remember, this time of year your margins to sort things out are significantly smaller as the water gets colder and the conditions rougher. Dunno what might keep it secure: duct tape? Velcro? Tucked under the seat and a foam bulkhead in front of the footpegs? Gotta be some simple way to do it. Scott

Have had good luck with the 14' Impex Mystic/Sea Breeze which has similar lines to a Romany and is a perfect size for your son. The Mystic has two bulkheads with a skeg; the Sea Breeze has only a rear bulkhead and no skeg. Only made in glass. Not many around used, but they appear from time to time. I've put everything from 50 lb. 10 year old girls to their 120 lb. mothers into these boats with good success. Scott

The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (the organization) has an informative trip planner on their website. http://northernforestcanoetrail.org/PlanaTrip-18 Under the "Plan a Trip" tab, go to the Map Tool, pick your section of the Trail (e.g. Section 11) and under the Control Panel drop down menu, select Shuttles. There are 6 shuttles identified on that section of the Trail. Or try the Services Along the Trail link under Plan a Trip, and get similar infomation in a list format. Very well-implemented and easy to use. While you're at it, consider joining the NFCT. They are hard-working folks who produce high-quality maps, negotiate access and camping spots and organize the Trail stewardship work. They deserve your membership dollars. Scott

I don't have short legs, but the issue you raise can occur for any paddler. It's a matter of fit, which is why people on this message board always say you need to paddle a boat before buying it. The fit in the cockpit is the most important characteristic of the boat. It sounds like the distance between your back band and your knee and foot support is too long for you. Normally, you need three points of solid contact for both boat control: back of butt, knees/thighs and feet. Solid contact with the footrests is also important for paddling efficiency: the drive you mention requires solid contact with the boat, usually with the feet as you push the boat past the planted paddle blade. To get good contact, you can move the foot pegs back towards you to get solid foot contact, but in most kayaks, you can't move the thigh braces back (some models adjustable thigh braces). So your option is to move the entire seat/back band forward (which involves a new seat) or rig some thigh braces that you can contact further aft. Whether you sit forward or back is not relevant to boat control as long as you have the three points of contact. However, it is relevant to boat trim (balance of the boat fore and aft in the water). The location of the seat--and thus your center of gravity--is carefully designed along with the rest of the boat by the manufacturer. Moving the seat forward, even an inch or two, will affect trim, which in turn affects things like turning and weathercocking. The changes won't be dramatic, so don't get too concerned about them. Putting a couple of water bottles in the rear hatch would compensate. Lack of good contact with the boat has much more influence on your paddling. Hopes this helps. Scott

My personal packing list for expedition travel. This is comprehensive: I probably don't take all of this on every trip. More likely to take more, the more remote the area. Consider this a list of things to consider, then decide what you really need. I agree with your friend's advice: travel light, keep it simple. Kayak/Camping Packing List PFD 1. Flares (3) 2. Running Light 3. Strobe Light 4. VHF Radio 5. Noseclips 6. Sunglasses 7. Headlamp 8. Emergency Food 9. Hand Compass 10. Lendal paddle key 11. Emergency Kit a. Batteries b. Money c. Energy Bar d. Matches e. Mini-light f. Compass Kayak Clothes 1. Sunhat 2. Gloves 3. Pile cap 4. Paddle jacket 5. Wetsuit 6. Paddle shoes Spare Clothing 1. Pile top 2. Pile bottoms 3. Rain jacket 4. Rain pants 5. Rain hat 6. Neoprene hat 7. Wool Sox 8. Pile Gloves 9. Neoprene gloves Kayak Kit 1. Spray skirt 2. Spare paddles 3. Tow belt 4. Charts 5. Hand compass 6. Nav-Aid 7. GPS 8. Writing pad and pen 9. Grease pencil 10. Spare watch 11. Flares 12. Throw bag 13. Hand Pump 14. Paddle Float 15. Extra tows 16. Extra rope 17. First Aid Kit 18. Spare radio 19. Emergency hatch covers 20. Float bags 21. Spare spray skirt 22. Sponge 23. Headlamp 24. Batteries 25. Cell phone 26. Sunblock 27. Poop kit 28. Thermarest seats 29. Lendal paddle key 30. Water bottles (2) Repair Kit 1. Duct Tape 2. Glass fabric and resin 3. Epoxy kit 4. Resin Spreader 5. Latex Gloves 6. Plumbers tape 7. Awl and thread 8. Zipper kit 9. Glasses kit 10. Caulk 11. Snaps 12. Aqua Seal 13. Tools a. Philips screwdriver b. Regular screwdriver c. Crescent wrench d. Pliers e. Wire snips f. Knife 14. Bolts, washers and nuts 15. Screws 16. Soft Wire 17. Electricians tape Survival Kit 1. Flashlight 2. Batteries 3. Spare bulbs 4. Strobe light 5. Compass 6. First Aid 7. Money Camping Gear 1. Solo tent OR small two-person tent OR bivy sack 2. Thermarest pad 3. Small tarp (8’x10’) 4. Sleeping bag 5. Plastic shovel 6. Extra parachute cord Land Clothing 1. Wool sox 2. Spare underwear 3. Nylon pant 4. Fleece pants 5. Fleece sweater 6. Capiline shirts (long and short) 7. Pile Hat 8. Insulated jacket 9. Rain jacket 10. Rain pants 11. Spare hat 12. Flip flops/Crocs Kitchen 1. Stove (Jetboil or mini-propane) 2. Jetboil extra pot, 2 liter Jetboil pot 3. Cook kit (1.5 liter pot, 2 liter pot, lid, 1 liter kettle 4. 10†fry pan 5. Spatula 6. 2½ gal. water containers (2) 7. Lexan bowls (2) 8. Lexan utensils (forks, spoons) 9. Insulated mug (1) 10. Lexan cups (2) 11. Dr. Bronners soap, scrubber, sponge 12. Matches 13. Spare zip lock bags Food 1. Oils, spices, condiments, salt, pepper 2. Onions, ginger, garlic 3. Couscous, whole wheat bulgur, buckwheat (kasha) 4. Pasta 5. French lentils, adzuki beans 6. Tofu/seitan 7. Vegetables (broccoli, peppers, carrots, beans, etc.) 8. Fruit (apples, plums, etc.) 9. Pita bread 10. Whole wheat bread 11. Hummus 12. Olives 13. Lemons 14. Oatmeal 15. Trail mix 16. Peanut butter 17. Flour and yeast 18. Tea

The Cape Porpoise area dries out at low tide--really dries out. For example, locals walk out to Vaughn Island on the lower half of the tide to party. Redlin, Trott, Cape and Goat Islands are all on one big mudflat at low tide. Ditto Vaughn, Bass and Green Islands. The channel is clear to the town warf on Bickford Island at all tides, but there is no parking for boaters at all, so you'll have to park elsewhere and walk. There is a small launch at the mainland end of the causeway to Bickford Island (north side), but only room to park one or two vehicles at best and, like the other areas, it is almost a half mile to the nearest water at low tide. Below half tide, your options start to get very limited. A mid-day high tide makes it easier for a shorter day paddle, while an early morning/late afternoon high is better for camping or all day trips since you can get to your island campsite or takeout later in the afternoon. So pay close attention to your charts: NOAA Chart 13286 covers the coast from Portsmouth to Cape Elizabeth with inset charts for Kennebunkport Harbor and Cape Porpoise, the latter of which shows the mudflats in 1:10,000 detail. Best bet for an early morning high tide is to launch early and stay out all day, returning to your takeout later in the afternoon. This would let you wander up the coast to Biddeford Pool and make a day of it. Otherwise plan on slogging through very deep mud mid-day. You could launch elsewhere so you have a low tide takeout, but options are limited. For example, the channel into Kennebunkport Harbor remains clear but you still need to find a place to launch and park in Kennebunkport (somewhat more options than Cape Porpoise but still limited). Parking in summer is always difficult, so do your homework. In Cape Porpoise, you could unload vehicles and then park on a side street in town, about a 10 minute walk from the Bickford Island causeway. We parked on the side of Langsford Rd. in June last year without hassle, but I'm not sure it is tolerated in mid-summer. If you are launching very early, you may get a spot in Kennebunkport Harbor near the river. There is a public parking lot behind Dock Square on the north bank of the Kennebunk River upstream from the Rt. 9 bridge; it looks like you could launch from the back of the lot but you'd have to scout it. There may also be time limits in the lot. Otherwise a wonderful area to paddle: a variety of very protected and outside ocean routes, a real Maine coast feel less than an hour from the Massachusetts border. The Cape Porpoise Islands are owned by the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust and their website has maps of the three camping islands. http://kporttrust.org/maps-of-the-island/ But they won't help you navigate around the area. All of the Cape Porpoise islands are on the Maine Island Trail, so if you're a member, the MITA Guidebook has more detailed information on each island.

Kayaking--and all boating--is completely safe. It's only a problem if you eat the shellfish. Scott

Those of us who like to dine on mussels while camping on the islands of Maine should make a habit of checking warnings and closures on this site. The Maine DMR today posted red tide closures for most of the coast of maine, affecting harvest of mussels, oysters and clams. Pretty much from the NH border to Canada. http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/public_health/...pspclosures.htm Or see the Hotline page, which has the text of the phone hotline information. If not at your computer or PDA, you can call the numbers below for updates. http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/public_health/...fishhotline.htm 1-800-232-4733 or 207-633-9571 Note these pages include not only red tide closures but also bacteria closures--usually the result of sewage overflows due to heavy rain or enclosed drainages that are closed seasonally. It's not a pretty picture. Scott

Here's the official source: http://store.kayakcentre.com/browse.cfm/4,243.html Note claim for metric cable vs. alternatives. I suspect that's why Brian suggests the smaller size to avoid sticking. Scott

Christopher: I usually admire your epistles for their grace and judgment--not to mention singular views--but I'm afraid this time you've steered off course. Absolutes always run the risk of an inconvenient counterfactual. Consider: "There is no way one can navigate in fog properly (without GPS), ...." I suppose it all depends on how you define proper, but I think a basic definition would be to know where you are well enough to avoid hazards and arrive where you intend safely. If this definition suits you, then certainly there have been centuries of mariners who have done just that--without GPS--and many kayakers who do as well. Dead reckoning is a well-validated, robust method for navigation in fog and darkness. John's research and courses amply demonstrate many alternatives that meet this test--all without GPS. Properly? "Proper" is such a freighted word, laden with judgment, wielding exclusion and oozing high authority. If you said "precisely," you might have a point, and it would nicely dovetail with your reference to "rough" results. I would argue, though, that excessive precision is not only unnecessary but may distract (for example, from paying attention to environmental clues and boat traffic). Perhaps "precise" what you meant after all, but I'd hate to think you, of all people, hoist on your own petard of mere word choice. Your steadfast admirer, Scott

Hamilton Marie has these for under $100. http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/4,34086.html When we were on Skye a couple of years ago, the BCU instructor derided commando style knives worn outside the PFD. However, he carried a folding rescue knife similar in his PDF pocket on a tether. Another alternative for those torn between a knife and scissors: one of each. Seriously. scissors/rescue hook on the shoulder Jed-dah style and a folding rescue knife in the PFD pocket on a tether. Belt and suspenders approach: always have a backup on the water as well as a choice of tools. Me? I put my trusty untethered blunt-tip Gerber River knife on the PFD shoulder in 2000 when I got the PFD and it's still there. It has unjammed countless skegs, tightened RDFs, spread its share of peanut butter and even cut a couple of lines in non-emergency situations. I've used it as a screwdriver far more than as a knife. See http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=2763 If I ever get around to replacing it, the H1 Spyderco Suz linked to is the one I'd get. In general, I find that rescue knives I've tried (my own and those off others' vests) have surprising difficulty cutting through a typical 1/4" or 3/8" tow rope. I mean, it's a lot of sawing, not the imagined slice through butter. Just had the experience last weekend on Bangs Is.: a borrowed knife could not make a dent on abandoned twisted nylon 1/2" rope using the straight side of the blade. The serrated side worked after hacking and sawing back and forth about 10-15 times. Conclusions: most knives are dull or become so, rope is far tougher than you'd think, and serrated blades are better rescue devices. So--as with much of kayaking gear--try before you buy. If you think you've got the answer, use it under realistic conditions and see how it works. Scott

Here's another surf forecasting site, slick interface, very well done. http://www.swellinfo.com/surf-forecast/glo...sachusetts.html Scott

David: Thanks for the input and the link. Not sure if your SW swell scenario was an example or an analysis of last Saturday. If I read the forecasts correctly, the predictions were for swells from the SE. Looking at the chart, Broad Sound--which opens to the ocean--lies along this axis. So eyeballing it, I expected some swells would travel up past Eagle and Cliff islands to reach up into the Chebeague area. I'd seen some serious swells come through Whitehead Passage (between Peaks and Cushing) and through Hussy Sound (north of Peaks), so it seemed to make sense. In rechecking the chart, Eagle Is. pretty much blocks the mouth of the sound: at best, there is a quarter mile shot up the sound for an intrepid swell which would have to travel 3.5 NM to reach an area off the northern tip of Chebeague. Apparently too much to expect. Also, the sound is almost due north magnetic or about 340 degrees true. So Broad Sound is closer to a NNW-SSE orientation. Guess that's why the northern points on Cliff Is. were taking the hits, not us. As for the current, the NOAA station for Broad Sound is off Eagle Is. At that location, it was predicted for a peak of 1.3 KTS on the ebb. Not a raging torrent, but with a headwind, it adds up to a slog like the one Peter describes. Scott

This past winter I sent an old Kokatat GoreTex suit to Kokatat to reconditioned (gaskets and booties). I also asked for a water test and am glad they did: they found about 15 small holes all over the suit, most from abrasion. Their fix looked pretty simple: a small square of GoreTex tape (the kind all GoreTex garmets use for seam sealing) was applied on the INSIDE of the leak. I'm not sure how this tape is applied, but I believe it involves heat (sort of like an iron). My point is that very small leaks can be fixed from the inside if the material outside is basically sound. Avoids the problem with the patch being lifted up through more abrasion, and looks better too. Not sure if this helps, but an option. Scott

Due to the NWS forecasts of high swells from the SE, we cancelled the Level 2 camping trip to the Maine Island Trail sites at Cape Porpoise (Kennebunkport, ME). It seemed a shame to pass up a summer weekend, especially since the forecasts promised a break from the relentless rain—on Friday Portland got 3.25 inches. So we switched to a day trip to Crow and Bangs Islands in Casco Bay both owned by the State of Maine but managed by the Maine Island Trail Association (www.mita.org) and supported by membership dues. The club became Island Adoptors of these two islands when it arranged its affiliation with the Maine Island Trail. Island Adopters agree to provide stewardship for one or more islands to support MITA's volunteer model. The plan is for club members to visit these islands once or twice a month to pick up trash and keep an eye on things. Saturday dawned sunny, promising to be a pleasant day. It clouded over on the way up to Portland but it was warm, almost muggy when we arrived. We put in on Cousins Island at Sandy Point at the end of the bridge from Yarmouth. It's a great place to launch trips: easy overnight parking, a sandy all tide beach with easy access to most of Casco Bay. It even has a Porta Potty! Only slight drawback is a 100 yd. carry down a path to the beach. The main dilemma was whether to wear drysuits or short sleeved tops over a wetsuit. Three chose drysuits and reported sauna conditions within. Two went bare-armed and had a cooler time of it, but may have paid in other ways (see below). We were fortunate to be joined by Eliza Ginn, MITA’s Marketing and Membership Manager who had cancelled her own weekend of paddling due to conditions. After the Friday low blew out to sea, the seas were calm and almost windless, sort of like paddling across Walden Pond in August. We skirted the north shores of Cousins and Chebeague Islands, expecting meet some swell when we rounded the north point of the latter. The NWS had predicted 4-5 foot swells every 7 seconds from the SE—enough for small craft warnings Saturday morning. We paid attention since Chebeague is at the head of Broad Sound which runs NW-SE. But not a ripple: we didn't see swells all day. At least the ebb gave us a little boost as we eased down the shore to Crow Is., which is just off Chebeague Island's east side. Crow is listed as a heavily-used island. The north cove has two nice beaches with a large campsite above the north beach in the grass under the trees. The prospect to the north from the elevated campsite is classic Maine coast, rocky shoals in the foreground with islands dotting the horizon. Several paths through the brush lead to an old cabin mid-island that has a fine view to the south from the porch. The cabin is pretty run down: glass is gone from the windows and they are covered by wooden shutters. Inside was old and dark, but clean and dry as the roof is kept in decent repair. Brush has grown up to the walls of the cabin though there is a patch of sweet fern next to the house. We walked the rocks and beach around the perimeter of the island with trash bags. Crow was quite clean and we only collected a couple half bags worth. MITA studies indicate that some 90% of trash on Maine islands (at least the ones on the Trail) are from debris washed up on shore--not from visitors. We did discover dozens of browntail moth caterpillars munching on the bushes near the beaches. MITA report these moths can cause a rash or respiratory problems in some people. I guess I'm a guinnea pig: by Sunday, I had poison ivy like rashes on my ankles and forearms, both of which were exposed while wandering around the island. Also, a bit of a sore throat but who knows. We noticed the big oak trees above the beach and campsite were entirely bare. Some trees leaf out rather late in Casco Bay since it doesn't really warm up until later in June, but we did wonder if the caterpillars were stripping them like gypsy moths. We paddled the short distance over to Bangs and the western shore just south of the narrow waist at mid-island. The pool at the waist was rapidly emptying and promised to be dry by the time we'd want to depart, so we landed on a steeper, beach just to the south. We found a MITA campsite at the bottom of an enormous field of sweet fern which blanketed the slope above--a lovely expanse of light green with sumac poking up here and there. With the rains the day before, however, the campsites were a under 6" of water in places: the entire hillside was draining and the berm at the top of the beach was damming the flow. After lunch, we walked the shore to the south a ways until the bluff stopped our progress. We then retraced our steps and crossed over to the east side and patrolled north and south. Again, very little trash: just occasional pieces of old rope and other debris. At low tide, the eastern shore uncovers a lot of rocks under seaweed; the exposed rock above the high tide line is not only easy walking but a fascinating lesson in Casco Bay geology. The characteristic NW-SE fins of upturned sedimentary rock are laced with seams of quarts and other intrusions, creating endless variations. One of our party swore some of the rocks looked like old weathered logs. We found a pocket beach and some flat rocks for a siesta in the sun and a series of "top this" stories, most variations on the Darwin Award. Back on the west shore, it turned into a lazy afternoon, a second lunch and more stories. A lone seal hauled out on some ledges exposed at low tide and lazed along with us. So much for a circumnavigation of Bangs or indeed nearby Whaleboat Island. On the trip back, we did notice some breaking surf in the distance on the north end of Cliff Is. and Eagle Is. So perhaps the swells did appear: they just didn't find their way into inner Casco Bay. The trip home involved more leisurely paddling aided by the building flood tide. To the south, we noticed a bank of sea fog roll in and obliterate downtown Portland. And another bank covered the islands to the north. We, on the other hand, paddled in between under that soft light that sifts onto happy paddlers as the sky is hazing over. This blessed canopy lasted almost to the takeout. As we finished hauling the boats up to the parking lot and changed out of our wet gear, the fog finally started to close in around Sandy Point and the bridge back to the mainland.