NPSheehan

I think the sleeping bag liner is the way to go and provides extra warmth for your summer or multi season bag when you need it. I'm planning to pick up this one for myself for kayak camping next week as temps are forecasted to be very warm. http://www.ems.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3662376 Neil

So the long and short of this question is use the MITA Trail Guide as a reference as this would be your best resource for planning a Maine Island day or overnight adventure. Have Fun! Neil

Hi Katherine, If it's Maine Islands you are curious about then the simple answer is go to the Maine Island Trail Web Site or if you are a member use their Trail Guide book. If not a member you can borrow a book. However you are requested to be a MITA member to use or camp on a MITA designated non public Island. The MITA Trail Guide indicates both http://guide.mita.org Hope that helps for Maine anyway.

I'm planning to attend

After soaking as Suz and others suggested if you still have problems get another person hold one blade while you hold the other. Tape the button down or have a third person hold it depressed. Thed twist the blade back and forth in minute increments till it gives a little then soak again & repeat. Once there is a little give in twisting it should pull apart. After you get it apart soak the ferule and inside the other shaft end and clean it real good. Apply 303 then wipe dry and be sure to rinse your paddle where they join after every use. I sometimes rinse mine with leftover water from my hydration pack. Salt water when it dries will leave a residue which will quickly build up and cause the paddle to get stuck. My spare paddles get special attention as they are always exposed to salt water which dries over the course of the day. Neil

I may be there too Neil

You may want to try this stuff. It's available at Home Depot and I'm sure marine stores as well http://jbweld.net/products/water.php WATERWELD will plug or seal practically anything that leaks. It will patch holes and cracks, and mend almost anything that is broken. It is excellent for rebuilding or fabricating parts, and as an all-purpose adhesive for metals, wood, fiberglass, masonry, ceramics, PVC and ABS. Permanently repair holes, gouges, cuts ... even seals rot in fiberglass and wood. Cures under water.

There are many kayak companies in Maine who offer guided trips. Here are just a few... http://www.carpediemkayaking.com/tours.htm http://www.maineislandkayak.com/trips.html http://www.lincolncanoe.com/outdoor_center.html http://www.h2outfitters.com/trips/campingt.../casco-bay.html Or maybe someone in this or other kayak groups would love to go on a multi day trip. Neil

WOW Now I'm totally confused. Best advice I've read is try different paddles. Most serious sea kayakers I've met have 205 or 210cm length paddles. The other variables are bent or straight shafts, blade sizes and shaft size. I love my Werner Cyprus Carbon 210cm straight small shaft. I'm sure others will tell you what they love about their favorite paddle as well Neil

I plan to be there too Neil

A Mapping GPS with Tracks / breadcrumb trail enabled is great for getting you back out of the marshes. I've used mine a Garmin 60CSX and new Colorado 400C a number of times for this. One time I didn't bring the GPS in the marshes and we got a little lost. The problem was the tide came in and the path through the marsh was obscured. It was hard to find the right path as the marsh was flooded and hard to tell. It appeared you could paddle through the marsh grass but it was too shallow to do so. The GPS would've put us back on track easily. Neil

Awesome shots!! Here is a link to some more... http://www.meetup.com/NESeacoastPaddlers/photos/994818/ Neil

I always keep in mind what a good kayak surfing friend told me when starting to kayak surf. MOON THE BEACH!! Keeping your BUM pointed at the beach keeps your edge towards the wave. I find it also very helpful to keep my eyes on the wave and not the beach when doing a low brace while side surfing towards shore. Once you drop your but or look towards the beach over you may go. Have Fun! Neil

I think I may have already replied on the NESP Message board on your question but for those here on NSPN my favorite VHF is the iCom M72. It's the most waterproof and has the highest power 6Wats and longest Battery Life of any of the other iCom models and for that matter probably others on the market. iCom M72 sold at West Marine Play the video from the link above for more info. Marine Electronics Review of iCom M72 Neil

Great videos although I was getting a little seasick watching the long one Neil

Very Cool!!! Great shots Doug Neil

Was that a big hump of sand in the bowl I saw in your photo? Hope that doesn't impact the surf in the bowl during high tide. Neil - who is not too happy about being back to work and unable to get on the water as much.

I'm planning to be there and happy to get wet Neil

A peek at the metadata embedded in the foregoing image reveals not only that it has been Photoshopped, but also by whom: Tim Shobe, a photographer in Sitka, Alaska. A search of Shobe's online gallery produced an exact match of the image minus the errant kayaker. See complete article below. http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/fish/ss/h...d_kayaker_2.htm It is a cool picture but I'd bet a humpback would realize if a kayaker was above it while feeeding and this type of thing could never happen. Neil

[quote name=Has there even been a case of a person drowning by panicking and failing to pull off their sprayskirt? (not counting cases where sprayskirt was not possible to pull off) Yes! Many kayakers have drowned due to their grab loop being tucked in their skirt and panicing when they can't find it. Unfortunately for these folks there was nobody around to rescue them. Panic is a scary thing and panic can happen to anyone. See article below... http://caskaorg.typepad.com/caska/2008/07/...y-reminder.html Neil

I don't keep bent screwdrivers in my toolbox but I also think outside the box when it comes to a situation and would use whatever tool that would work in a pinch instead of fumbling around in the meantime. Hand of God is an appropriate technique if you are in the right position. Problem is you need to get into position. If I could get to a person's bow or stern quicker then I'd grab it and work from there. You can always work your way around after grabbing the boat. Neil

If a person is flailing and panicking while still in their cockpit capsized with spray deck on the rescuer needs to act very fast to help them. I've seen people who are not very comfortable with wet exits do this in the pool sessions as well as in ocean & lakes wearing a neoprene spray deck. I feel that you need to get to their kayak ASAP and try to right them or just give some support so they can get air and stop the panic. Maybe the bow assist could be used in this case as you just need a little support to keep the person floating with head above water. Charging in with your kayak along side them may not be the best idea or it may take too much time to set up. If they don't know what you are doing you could both be in the drink and this could cause a worse situation. I guess the key is having lots of tools in your rescue toolbox and knowing how and when to use the most appropriate at the time. Neil

You could be suffering from a mild case of BPPV Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disor.../bppv/bppv.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benign_paroxy...itional_vertigo Neil

Yup! First priority in a dangerous situation is self preservation. Only if the risk is manageable should an assist be given in a very volatile area and it should be quick and effective. One needs to analyze the situation and conditions before racing in or they risk becoming the next victim. If it's too dangerous to assist then every man for themselves. Neil

The contact tow can be performed from the bow to stern or bow to bow where the person being towed leans over your kayak and grabs on tightly to your perimeter lines. It is very useful for a quick short tow out of harms way. The tower can forward paddle or back paddle depending on the set up. We practiced these tows in a recent 5 day Sea Kayak Guide training course I took in all possible combinations. The question is when would this be used? A Contact tow is used to get a person out of a bad location quickly for a short towing distance. Scenarios.. 1) Person needing a tow breaks or looses paddle in surf zone or near rocks and needs to be towed out of harms way very quickly. 2) A person having trouble in a boat channel or current where you need to move that kayak a couple of hundred feet very quickly. 3) A person is injured or sick and can't paddle and they are in a bad spot and need to be moved quickly to a safer location before setting up for an assisted tow. 4) A combination of any of the above I'm sure there are other scenarios where this grab and go towing method would be appropriate as well. The key to this is that both people do know what they are doing and that both have practiced this on some occasion or at least understand the actions needed to be performed. Here is a blurb from Atlantis Kayak tours. Although the person in the drawing being towed would be closer to the towers cockpit and leaning over and grabbing their perimeter lines http://www.atlantickayaktours.com/pages/ex...-Skills-3.shtml Neil