kate

Student has far outstripped teacher. Seriously.

Fantastic. You are living my dreams. All those birds wheeling overhead.....

Yes it did get sizable....

I did a video some years back of the hydraulic at a high tide ebb. I think it's public (in facebook). Gives you a visual of the flow, to say the least. Found here: https://www.facebook.com/kate.hartland/videos/vb.1360630236/1050814154850/?type=3

My husband, who is very familiar with the currents in that area, tells me that Little Harbor runs about 10 knots at full flow. You definitely can't paddle up into Little Harbor at full ebb. Depending on the size of the tide, it can be quite a formidable current with a massive hydraulic mid-stream. Easy enough to pick around in the swirlies at the edges though, for play. Kate

I'd like to join you. Kate

That's a beautiful story, Gene. And I'm thrilled to encounter Hopkins in the voice of Rick Stoehrer, here on NSPN. Would that happen on a meetup post? I think not. Kate

I love a good kayak expedition story. Here are some suggestions: Wilson, Brian - Blazing Paddles (Around Scotland by Kayak). This guy did his solo trip long before drysuits and gps. Well told with humor and humility.Turk, Jon - Cold Oceans. A series of trips in various cold oceans, the first of which (around Cape Horn) he attempted, solo, having never been in a kayak before.Turk, Jon - In the Wake of the Jomon. Heck of a good story.Foster, Nigel - Stepping Stones: Of Ungava and Labrador. I stand in awe.Campbell, Ken - Around the Rock: A Newfoundland Sea Kayak Journey. Amazing trip, done to promote literacy in the province (and also for adventure!) Holdridge, Desmond - Northern Lights. This is a sailing journey but I can't recommend it strongly enough. This guy by all rights should have died several times over on this journey but somehow pulled it off. He maintains a sense of humor about his incompetence. One can't help but appreciate his drive for exploration and adventure though.

Bow draw is similar but not same as Duffek. Photo below is what I consider the classic position for beginning the Duffek - crossing arm at forehead to prevent shoulder blowout, blade out-turned and placed just inside eddy as kayak crosses eddy line, blade as anchor around which the kayak pivots (little or no draw involved), blade then in position for forward stroke to pull boat further into eddy: Video to see this in action, starting to approach the gate at 2:40, executing duffek at 2:47. There's nothing there that looks like a brace. Wow, slalom kayakers have amazing skills.

I learned and have always used a Duffek stroke for entering and exiting an eddy. The shoulder protection comes from always keeping the cross-body arm at forehead level - no higher! - so that if the paddle is jerked back, the head stops the arms from moving beyond the safe "box" zone. This is neither a high nor a low brace - it is a very dynamic move that turns into a forward stroke finish. I have not been able to find a video or even a photo of a Duffek, so I guess it has fallen out of fashion, but it has worked well for me. I guess that a cross-bow rudder is similar, but the blade angle and placement is different, as best I can tell. I use a high brace in surf. It's all about keeping the arms in the box, isn't it? (Box = forward of and up to 90-degrees from head and shoulders)

Yes. 1) I'm older. 2) The skiing is better here. Sorry about minor thread hijacking. I too think John's foam pad suggestion is great!

Before I knew you I was doing March whitewater trips, trudging across snow to get to streams with ice-shelves still along the shoreline. Back in Maryland I kayaked year-round (but didn't have pogies then). One memorable New Year's Day trip temp was 14 degrees F and I had to keep knocking the paddle against the boat deck to dislodge ice from both. Trip ended by eddying in behind a big brown mossy rock that turned out to be a frozen dead deer. Yup, that's how we roll down south.

sorry, the kind I used is no longer available. This one looks worth trying: http://snapdragondesign.com/2008/12/12/hyper-hands/

Pogies are ridiculously warm. I wear mid-weight gloves under them which lets me feel the paddle. If I need to open a hatch or work with deck bungees, I slide out of the pogies and can do this with the gloves on. Last time I wore pogies I actually had to NOT use them now and again because my hands got too hot. They are basically a big thick neo mitten over the entire hand. Well worth trying if cold hands are keeping you from enjoying winter paddling. Also, one point that sea kayakers seem to be less familiar with than whitewater kayakers: wax the paddle in the winter for better grip with heavy gloves. A search for "paddle wax" will bring up various products for the job.

the Wave too?

Another great Pru trip report, thanks so much for recording this for posterity! And many thanks to Peter for organizing it, as well as for safely dealing with the few unexpected events that occurred. I had a fantastic time with old friends and new, all four days. A few (publicly shared) facebook pix found here. Kate

I have been using Wheel-eez , the mini version, and have been very pleased with it. It has pneumatic wheels but I've had no issues, I'm careful to clean it after using. It trundles over just about anything. It doesn't fit in my Explorer hatches but I don't generally need that anyway. I've been quite satisfied, and it's sure made things easier.

Hey, it's class 5+ whitewater, and I'm sure they had scouted it and knew the lines they wanted to take. That's standard for such runs, no way is a "rough section" going to take them by surprise. Even so, random things happen, people miss their lines. I thought they did as good a job as could be done. Amazing that they even got to him as quickly as they did. Then, two ropes on him in an attempt to stabilize his position. Looks like the sprayskirt was trapped under the rock and he couldn't release it until he finally went under. No way he could have been lifted up and out. In that strong of a flow, I doubt they could have pulled him and the boat back out unless there'd been time to stabilize him and then set up a Z-drag - once the boat de-stabilized, the only way out was through. He's a lucky man. Usually those undercuts have all kinds of debris lodged in them. Yes, people who run rivers at this level know what they are getting into and the price of a mistake. Kate (20+ years of whitewater, up to class 4, and many safety/rescue classes, and a few times putting what I learned about rescue into practice.)

Gear report? Trip report??? A photo or two?????? There are those of us who would benefit from the information you now have about that area of Newfoundland..... wondering wandering Kate

What a wonderful trip! What a wonderful trip! What a wonderful trip! I really resonated with your feeling of being overwhelmed by the largeness and remoteness of the area as your trip began. I'm very familiar with that feeling, and I tend to deal with it the same way you did - grounding in the tasks of the moment. And I resonated with your feeling at the end of the trip of not wanting to lose the isolation and beauty of those 9 days. So hard to step back into the bustling world where it doesn't matter a bit if you know the difference between a map and a chart, or how to rig up a tarp. Thank you for posting all your photos of this magnificent place, and writing up the detailed report. What a wonderful trip!

Pawlata is very much like a greenland-style layback roll, which uses an extended paddle. Like every other roll, it can be done with good form or with poor form. I have never had to use my greenland roll near rocks, but I feel certain that it would be less dangerous than a wet exit.

Thoroughly enjoyable report. As usual, finding enjoyment in whatever you meet. Kate

You are all so clever! I love the "hot thermos the night before" idea. Less enamored of the "wait to PEE" idea - not this girl's bladder! Like others of you, I stuff the sleeping bag, fold and then stuff the tent (not in dry bag, just stuff sack - it dries quickly if it gets at all wet in the hatch), stuff the fly (also not dry bag, since it's often wet anyway) in separate bag. Footprint just gets folded and put in the bottom of the "wet" hatch (there's always a wet and a dry hatch, yes? one that leaks a little?), too wet and messy to pack inside something else. Gene, yes that is what I like about traveling solo. It's difficult for me to wait for others to wake up, while watching the wind come up as the morning goes by. I really like Warren's suggestion of having two target times defined the night before. I'm fine with occasionally launching without making a hot breakfast (in the case of group paddling, of course this would have to be agreed upon ahead of time by all). Paddling warms me in no time, and I am so happy to paddle before wind strengthens. A thermos of tea, though, is mighty fine along the way. Just random thoughts and agreements, as well as appreciation for everyone's input. Kate (often both the first and the last to launch)

I ended up with a Stohlquist number that I suspect was made for rec boaters but it was in an REI garage sale for $20 and it fit better than anything else I'd tried. So, sold. I've used it for several years, including 2 trips to newfoundland and one to nova scotia, plus some surf days and whatever touring locally. Point being, you don't need anything fancy or rescue-accessorized. My suggestions: try on a whole bunch to find a good fit. make sure it has some pockets that zip, and one that is big enough for camera or radio. A d-ring inside one pocket is nice for attaching a spare car key, whistle, and compass. side straps for adjustment under the arms, bottom clip to reinforce the zipper in the front, and shoulder adjustments (probably all pfd's have this, but I'm not 100% certain). Make sure the color matches either your kayak or your eyes (and really, did you buy a kayak that didn't match your eyes??).

Yes, the tide height makes a big difference, but also the height of the prior tide and how much rainfall there has been (snowmelt, in this case). Mark has it down to a science so he should be the one to comment, but there are multiple variables. Smaller tides are not so very exciting, and a lot of rainfall (or a higher prior tide, if I recall correctly) will wash it out from the river side. I've seen (and experienced) some of the best rides on highest tides very late in the wave development, but there are times when you just can't get across the eddy line to reach it, too. Tricky. Basically, you get what you get, and sometimes it's great and sometimes not.