kate

My recollection is that Deer Point was a short but jumpity section of rebounding waves. The Long-to-Diamond crossing was long and very windy (snotty?!) but not confused. It was the final Little-Diamond-to-Bug-Light segment that was churned up by boat traffic, wind, and current/tide. Or maybe it was just because it was at the end of 3 days of activity and I hadn't had lunch (and no ramen awaiting me). We had a different route than Peter's group - perhaps they had some wind-shadow from the mainland as they got closer? It reminded me of how it gets around Hull gut in the summer when there are ferries, fishing boats, sailboats, and all manner of other craft squeezing through from Outer to Inner Harbor, and the water is every which way.

I hope #5 didn't sound ungrateful toward Kyle - I'm certain he pointed us in the best possible direction, given the conditions, including a welcome stop at Little Chebeague. I would have chosen more or less the same route myself, and the same fantasy of easy passage would have been dashed repeatedly.

0 - number of times I had used pogies before on a trip. Why didn't I think of this before? They work just fine on a greenland stick. Toasty hands! 1 - number of times I had used my radio for anything other than weather reports, until this trip. Seems that not everyone can read my mind to know where I am. 2 - number of thermoses of tea I made in the evenings for first-thing hot tea the next morning. Thank you, Robert Folster, for the idea! 3 - number of bawdy limericks Peter Brady recited at the pot-luck meal. 'Nuff said... 4 - number of helpings I had of Janice's excellent tahini sauce, which recipe she promised to share. Okay, Janice, do share! 5 - number of people in our return-to-Bug-Light trip. Also the number of people who will probably swear along with me that there is no such thing as a "protected route" between Jewell Island and Portland. Also the number of ticks I found on myself or my tent. 6 - number of people smart enough to wait until afternoon to do the Jewell circumnav, after the wind had dropped. Turns out that hiking there is every bit as enjoyable as paddling there. 7 - number of stair flights, in the WWII tower, draped with bird poop but so worth navigating for the view from the top. Excellent for pouring boiling oil on marauding enemies, so I hear. 8 - number of dollars per day for parking at Bug Light, and so worth it. Thanks, Gary, for arranging it for us. 9 - number of emails it took to coordinate the launch. CAM model has its challenges. 10 - number of islands I can remember paddling past/to. Or possibly twice that. There are so many! 11 - approximate number of feet that airplane had for landing and taking off from the sandbar at low tide. How did he do that?? 12 - number of directions waves were refracting in Portland Harbor. Oy. 13 - number of choruses of "Baby Shark" I sang to myself to get through those waves. Oy. 14 - number of times I tripped over that tent vestibule peg. Must paint it bright red... 15 - number of awesome people on the trip, who I hope graciously accepted my group-challenged paddling. Countless - number of times I marvelled at the beauty of Jewell Island and Casco Bay. Thank you, Gary, for organizing this trip! It was fabulous and I hope to return countless times. Kate My campsite at low tide. Cliff at southern end of Jewell, on windy morning hike. Janice and Lisa at Vail Island on our route to Jewell. Amazing rockface of Jewell Island. morning view from sandbar near campsite Site 2, and central gathering place.

Thank you! I feel so validated!

If you could do same for me, I'd appreciate it. I can do all the functions of a member here, but I am listed as a Guest. This can be confusing to others. If you can figure it out, thanks! Kate

Planning to go. Thanks for putting it together.

Josko, thanks for your generous offer. Now that I'm retired, mid-week works for me (I'm about an hour away), but later in the season when I've had some time to polish the skills. I love kayaking that area, but not sure I can keep up with you and Mel (in fact, sure I can't), so would only sign on for a mid-level trip. Rounding Naushon with the currents would be cool, haven't done that, but I have another commitment on 6/30. Running down to Cuttyhunk - been there, done that, and never again! Most boring coastline ever, for hours! Woods Hole itself is the most fun and interesting and hair-raising part of it all. Everyone who wants to hone their skills should make the effort to go.

You can definitely paddle from Woods Hole to Oak Bluffs - I've done it several times and I'm sure Josko is no stranger to the route. From there to Edgartown and Chappaquiddick - I haven't done that but it sure seems doable. My husband has circumnavved the Vineyard so it's all possible. The crossing can be tricky - timing for tidal currents and dodging boats and ferry - but it's an awesome trip.

Wise weather decision anyway. See you in 2 weeks.

I'm still planning on being there for the pond portion but not restaurant. Kate

This is great! I so miss the old rolling days with Turner and Will and Dan. I can make Tuesdays and hope to get there for the first one, weather permitting.

I have an older Explorer LT (bought used in 2010, don't know the age). Agree it is one heavy boat. The only design change I'm aware of is that newer boats use a different skeg system. Which IMO is a good move, as the old one requires a lot of babying to remain functional, and jams easily. I suspect that this boat will last longer than I will....

I drive a Subaru. Sedan. No eyebrow. What a PITA to have to deal with that. Note to self: keep current car forever....

I do what Pru does, using one of the car floor mats at the trunk edge and another one at the top of the rear windshield (this is for a Legacy, not Impreza). Have done this for years without damaging the car. Or my back. My entire summer season was paddling solo. I have seen those roller suction cup things being used and they are pretty cool, just haven't been motivated to find one and buy it. Kate

Enviable and inspiring trip! Thank you for detailing it so thoroughly. I would not have thought to run against the current, nor to break the Bold Coast into 2 trip segments. Kate

http://www.marinerkayaks.com/ has just a ton of info, both about the boats and about kayaking in general. It's interesting to wander through and see how the sport looked back in the day. Yes, it is awkward to carry since the carry-point is so far aft. The two Broze brothers who designed these boats definitely had unconventional ideas! Sorta fun, though, to paddle something so different. Hope you have a good time with it.

I own and paddle a Mariner Elan, which is a smaller boat than the Coaster, as I recall. I can talk about the Mariner and maybe some of that will relate to the Mariner II. Mine is very lightweight - I can lift and carry it alone. I assume that means it's not as sturdy as a British kayak, so I take care of it in the rocks. The cockpit is unusually far back toward the stern which makes for a fine surfing position but less fine for windy days when the rockered bow swings around in the wind. There is no skeg or rudder. It has a sort of built-in skeg shape in the extreme rear of the stern hull. The hull is rounded except for several feet under and around the cockpit, where it is quite flat with hard chines. This again makes it a good surfing boat (planing hull) and adds to its nimbleness in turning. It originally had no fore bulkhead so that it could be packed from the cockpit. I've put in a foam bulkhead in place of foot pedals and sealed it, but still use an airbag in the bow, where there is a very tiny hatch opening, maybe 6" diameter. Stern hatch opening is equivalent to a day hatch size. It's quite an unconventional boat, but obviously well thought out. It has a quirky attachment system for a paddle with a paddle float, for self rescue (I've never tried it - the boat rolls so easily). I'm 115 lbs and it doesn't ride low enough for me to handle windy days without being pushed around mercilessly, so I don't use it then. YMMV. It's very easy to roll, far far superior to my Explorer LV for surfing, and delightfully easy to move (both in water and out). Hope this is of some help for your friend. Kate

I'd like to join you. Early finish is perfect for me. Kate

What a mighty fine trip, Pru. I am deeply envious. I seriously looked at this very trip over the winter, with great longing, wondering if maybe, someday... Now I wonder even more. Thank you so much for documenting it all for us. Botanical notes: the purple flowers are wild geranium - they grow here too but probably different cultivar. Yellow flowers look like celandine poppy, which also grows here (lots in my back yard) - they like wet places. The Dr Seuss flower looks like Angelica which it seems was used as an herbal medicine in Iceland. Kate

I use the NRS brand with a zipper closure. Have taken it on multiple multi-day trips over multiple years. Still good to go, doesn't leak. And still very clear. Just a winner. If it leaks tomorrow, I've gotten my money's worth long since and will buy another. Kate

Both Mark and I have done so. AFAIK, during off-season it's fine. Good luck with the mega-surf! Nahant has a nice gentle slope into the beach which makes for long rollers, vs Nantasket's steeper shoreline which tends toward dumping surf. But who knows how it's shaped now? Go try it out.... Here's an image of Mark headed out on a beater day. Note the location of the photographer (me) after one too many dumping waves.

Prudence leading from behind in her spiffy new Aries, as the group rounds Tinkers Island. Thanks for successfully dealing with a medical issue, an out-of-boat issue, and multiple why-won't-this-group-stay-together frustrations. Thoroughly enjoyable day.

This was the best lunchtime I've had in a long while (alternating between your trip report and NASA's live eclipse coverage...). What a wonderful wonderful trip. All those icebergs, the bare rugged mountains, the light at 2 a.m., the profusion of wildflowers - thank you so much for sharing via abundant photos what I'll probably never see. I know that feeling of being the one who can't keep up with the group, and of being the one who says, "No, I don't think we should keep going forward." You made the best choice for yourself and, I suspect, the group (esp. the woman w/o a pfd). Those final photos flying away from Greenland - my goodness, what a wild place. I'm so glad it exists. Kate

Couple places to put in: 1) Scituate Harbor - I like to go all the way out to the lighthouse and launch from the beach there, just inside the jetty. But there is also a public boat launch farther into the harbor. Hard to find parking at that launch. From the harbor, you can go south toward New Inlet or north past Egypt Beach which has the coolest cobble beach going. 2) New Inlet - launch from the driftway on the Herring River (good parking, boat launch at all tides), paddle about a mile or so out to the convergence of North and South Rivers with the ocean. Always an interesting place, if you like current and waves. Unless your 10:30 is on a weekend, I can't join you, sorry to say. I have kayaked at both places solo multiple times, no problem.

I'm late to comment but finally got to sit down with your report and savor... What a beautiful place! What a marvelous adventure! Flying tents! Fractured limbs! Cow-patty golf! It's hard to even imagine paddling in a place so different from the Northeast. Thank you for documenting and reporting so thoroughly. I don't think anything is lost by not completing a circumnav - much more worthwhile to know the place where you are than to get to the place where you aren't. I am envious!! Kate