jonsprag1

You're right---the backside (east side) of Isle Au Haut has very spotty cell phone coverage as do other parts of the Stonington area while some are excellent, others are non-existent---far better to file a float plan with relatives or Old Quarry to let folks know when you are overdue---glad to hear he is ok, but I bet there were some annoyed S&R types.

MITA used to start at East End Beach in Portland and for those traditionalists like me, it still does---extending it to Cape Porpoise was an impertinence---also it ends in Machias---The Maine Island Trail in New Brunswick is a contradiction in terms

I followed this last year when the whole thing occured---regardless of the safety gear he had or didn't have and his level of training and expertise, what he did was extremely dangerous--an 1100 mile open crossing over seas that have some of the highest winds and biggest waves anywhere(the roaring 40s). No amount of gear or training can make this voyage safe--this doesn't mean that McAuley shouldn't have attempted it--I personally was rooting for him to finish--but what ultimatly happened shouldn't be a shock to any experienced paddler. and BTW the kayak he was using was a commercially produced model with a couple of modifications to allow him to sleep--it wasn't something specially designed and built for the trip.

QUOTE(B @ Jan 8 2009, 02:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Next stop......Vineyard Sound ahhh would have been a long, long day

Ditto--keep working on the roll but don't let it keep you from paddling in the wintertime if you otherwise want to---Just be smart about it--

I'm not familiar with the area (only been to Cape Cod once in my life)--but I'm curious as to whether you could have paddled down stream with the current to a spot where it would have disapated or would that have put you too far out at sea?

I don't know about the Gaspe but on the coast of Maine, the prevailing winds are SW in the summer and NW in the winter.

Jon--just when you think your getting pretty skilled, the ocean always throws something like this at you.--- God just doesn't want us to get too cocky I guess sounds like you had a good day though

Where can I order one?

went to Baker Island from Southwest Harbor via Crow last Saturday---did the outside of the Cranberries on the way over and the inside on the way back---Point of Fact Baker is two miles from Crow not one, at least according to not only my GPS but another one belonging to one of my buddies. BTW did you notice that someone had actually built a fire on the grass campsite near the trees on Crow---what idiots---Crow is one of the few islands on the trail owned by private individuals, as opposed to private foundations like MCHT, Cherwonki, Nature Conservancy etc. and continued misuse like the campfire in absolutly the wrong place will result in its being taken off the Trial. Glad you had a good time and come back soon

I forgot to add that Barlett's Island is open to the public on most of the beachs on the north, west and south sides(but not the east side in front of those big houses) and I think you can camp there as well--but is not on the MITA list.

Lightening is the one thing that really frightens me on the water---I was caught earlier this year on Pushaw lake---rather largish one near Bangor---luckily I was close enough to an island so I could get ashore and wait it out. On the water I think I would paddle like hell to the nearest shore, maybe saying a silent prayer---don't think I would purposly capsize my boat than hide underneath in the cockpit---I'm not sure you could breath under there.

There is a symposium in September where one of the "courses" is a non-stop circumnavigation of MDI---I'm really not sure why anyone would want to do this other than the bragging rights or why they would be willing to pay 75.00 ((I think that is the fee) for the privilege---if you are a strong enough paddler to actually consider this paddle, you are strong (and knowledgible) enought not to require a guide. But if you are interested I think it is being put on by Aquaterra/Carpe Diem

you should have gone with the picnic girl---who knows you might have gotten lucky.

Like to paddle with friends but really love to paddle alone---but I'm a lot more careful about things(distance of crossings, weather, etc) when I'm out by myself---Paddled from the sears island causeway to Sprague's beach just south of Turtle head on Islesboro saturday---some risk in a 2.5--3 mile crossing but the weather was fine, forecast good, had all the right equipment, and had been practicing my rolls recently. Had a great time and a good paddle.

Lucky you aren't posting on p-net---you would have about half a dozen paddlers there explain why they shouldn't have to wear a pfd--interesting reasons too like "causes heat stroke" "it chafes my arms and shoulders" " makes visible tan lines"---the good thing is that Darwin generally will sort these people out from the rest of us--but it's a bad thing for their friends and loved ones.

try starting your trip at Lamoine State Park--just opposite MDI--you can probably reach the Cranberries the first day, weather permitting and camp on Crow just off Big Cranberry.

If you don't mind me asking what was the fee?

There is no licensing or registration requirement for paddle craft in the state of Maine---YET there have been at least two attempts by the state legislature to pass one---both times were defeated due to the efforts of the paddling community.

the cynic in me says that the reason why the State of Maine Marine patrol says that kayakers are their primary worry is that for the past three years the state of Maine has been trying to pass legislation to require registration of kayaks(for a fee of course). Every time this matter comes before the legislature the rationale is that it costs money to search and rescue kayakers. I really don't see how this is a more significant problem now than it was 10 years ago.

Funny the last time I bought a VHF it was around 150 dollars---my last farmer john style wetsuit---which most paddlers prefer to a full wetsuit---is around 100--125---ask for one for a graduation present.---and if you are really planning on going to Maine you will need it---even in the summer the ocean water is mostly quite cold.

Hamilton Marine in Portland, Searsport, and Southwest Harbor sells one that is very loud and perfect for paddlers. It come with a lanyard that allows you to attach it to your PFD

Ive done that trip plenty of times in an open canoe, and one time one of our party ran it by himself in a regular canoe---not a white water model---the stretch you are talking about it is Chase Rapids which is the 3 miles below Churchill Dam to Umsaskis Lake---it is easily runnable in a sea kayak although you should use an RM model rather than fiberglass because you will hit a rock or two---at most water levels it is class 2+ at the most intense---the rest of it is class 1-2---the rangor service provides a shuttle for your camping equipement and will leave it for you at Bisonette Bridge(old washed out crossing)at the end of the rapids. If you want, they will also shuttle you and your boat but I would suggest that you could run it yourself quite handily--- it is really just a series of ledge drops----remember to hang to the right on most of them---the AMC Whitewater Guide to Maine contains a very good description and hints on how it should be run----have fun---PS the only white water to speak of below Chase rips is Round Pond Rips---class 1 at most---the hardest thing there is avoiding the canoes anchored in the rips to fish---and Allagash Falls---DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RUN ALLAGASH FALLS---it has been done but I don't know if anybody lived to tell about it.

If you are in a position where you may have to change direction quickly leave your skeg or rudder up---and with a skeg, I agree with the posters above---you really should only need or use it when running down wind or in a quartering sea---some say that in a beam sea too it is helpful but I haven't found it so. and when you do deploy it, its best to only put it down half way or so, to retain some acceptable degree of manuverability. Finally it's been my experience when going to windward from 60 degrees relative to the wind to right into the wind(0 degrees relative), having a skeg deployed can be counter productive, particularly with winds over 20 knots and seas over 3 feet. Having a skeg deployed in those conditions makes the boat liable to lee cock(head down wind) when you really want to head up wind---in fact given extreme enough conditions, the boat will be pinned---unable to go anywhere but down or crosswind if the skeg is deployed at all. As far as a rudder goes I don't have enough experience with them to have an opinion one way or the other.

Didnt' work this morning but worked now probably something wrong with wavelength website earlier now its fine---interesting article