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Gary: I do not recall gate, but have not been there for awhile. I believe you can park outside of the state park, but you need to ask around about that. As for Muscongus, I believe Burnt, Allen, Franklin Liight and Pleasant Point Gut are must visits. At times, Porpoises hang out between Caldwell and Hupper Point. Might be getting late for Puffins. Seems the Cressey is really going fast from what I have heard. Unreal that no big schooners were saved. If you can pick your date and tide, I believe Muscongus Harbor is a nice place to start. Friendship is nice too if you start at end of road between mainland and Garrison. BTW, I always wondered about Muscongus being a reverberating bay, but I became a believer after paddling from Pemaquid Point to New Harbor. Ed

Gary: Popham Day trips or overnight? Parking is limited and day only at the fort and a bit of a carry, but nice place overall. Basically, launch area out of the current as I recall. New Harbor There is a ramp with limited parking near end of the harbor on the south side that I have used, but suspect not a place for overnight parking. One option is to park car at Pemaquid State Park where overnight parking can be arranged. Its a relatively short walk over to New Harbor...maybe a couple of miles at most. A fun paddle is to start at Pemaquid, go down the Thread of Life to Thrumcap, then over to Pemaquid Point and around point up to New Harbor. Then walk back to car stopping for snacks/ice cream along the way. Being a long distance sort, I suspect you could add Damariscove to the route without too much trouble and increase the texture odds. Ed Lawson

I wondered about all the kayaks I was meeting as I headed home from Brooklin after a six day journey. Once I saw the School Bus, I knew it was a collection of NSPNers. From pictures it appears you experienced classic Stonington fog as well as great sunny days for paddling. In other words, the whole deal. As Huth indicated on another thread, MCHT provides some very nice places to camp and visit with Saddleback being right up there. Ed Lawson

Based on only the sizing chart info and taking a SWAG at it, seems the IR medium is too small for your rim, a Seals 1.4 should work, but my guess is a 1.7 would be way too big. Best to take the boat to the store and try the skirt on the boat if possible. I would rather have a spraydeck that is harder rather than easier to put on and take off, but to each their own. Ed Lawson

If you have a FG boat you may need to push the loop away from you before "lifting" it up to remove it from the coaming. Of course that assumes you can reach that far. Just yanking back and up will often not work well on a FG boat while it will work on a plastic boat. I once saw a long time WW kayaker struggle and essentially fail to get a spraydeck off a FG boat because they were using the technique that always worked on their WW boat. Coamings are usually very different in contour, etc. between the two. I would forget about, if not remove, the "emergency" strap and instead practice grabbing an edge and rolling it off. Ed Lawson

I cannot specifically answer the question asked because I do not have the type of radio asked about. Generally speaking, Icom and Standard Horizon radios have better build quality than the others, but that does not mean the others are unacceptable. Personally, build quality is important to me and I would always buy either an Icom or Standard. All of these radios are fungible in terms of basic radio performance. I understand in the past members of the club bought a Standard Horizon which was a lemon and having a M88 on the PFD shoulder strap has almost been a badge of membership, but being a contrarian I make two points. First, there are many models made by Icom and Standard and each has some models which are better than others. Icom might well be better across the board, That said, some basic Standards are known as very reliable, tough workhorses. Second, these radios are not designed to be used as kayakers typically use them which in turn means some care needs to be taken or any of them may fail after extended use. Consider what is the value of having a floatable radio; it should to be tethered to you so of what benefit? Although battery technology is changing fast, floatables have historically had lesser capacity batteries. I want as much capacity as possible given the importance of having a radio that will last when it hits the fan. One spec I look for is the waterproof rating of the radio when the battery is not attached. I believe that is a good measure of just how impervious the radio will be to water intrusion in the long term. Ed Lawson

At least in NH many of the rivers are low in the winter after the draw downs in the Fall. Once exception is the Winni where there is a traditional New Years Day run of water that is III and IV into Franklin. I believe they do a release just for that event. Lots of NH rivers to run in the Spring when the snows melt. Maine too. NH rivers tend to get bony in Summer. Don't know about rest of area. As Paul suggested, MVP is good source as they are active IV and V paddlers. Ed Lawson

It is a wonderful time for paddling on MDI and has always been a great weekend paddling with NSPN folks. I am looking forward to next year and perhaps trying new places to visit such as the island chain from MDI to Swain's. Ed Lawsojn

Are you referring to Darth Lucas, Prince of Darkness? Ed Lawson

Gary: Though expensive, relatively speaking, I have found these to be excellent and satisfying. I tend to have one or two along on most trips now. http://www.patagoniaprovisions.com/pages/soup The small rice noodle packages found at local health food store remain my go to solo base food. Ed Lawson

Pru: So you thought Don Draper was not alive and well? Ed Lawson

It is not often you see a loaded lobsterboat being used to provide a child some fun tubing time. More kayak centric notes from the trip: 1. Puffins are still out and about on Eastern Egg Rock. With luck they will be within feet of your boat. 2.. There are a high number of ticks on Black Island in Muscongus Bay so if going there, pay attention. Ed Lawson

Oh, so your position and course did not raise risk of collision. "Bearing down" suggested a potential problem.

Useful as in "Get out of my way"? Ed Lawson

Josko: I would try to avoid the mentality of solo, follower and leader mode. I believe I understand the AMC thing about leaders and followers and will refrain from commenting, but I suggest you really need to think about the mindset. Not suggeting anything about what your "kit" should be. Ed Lawson

Not sure where the "dimples" are, but I have had same experience as John's with slight "dimples" on the side. So consider not messing with weights at first and just let it sit for a day or two to see if it heals itself before doing anything more dramatic. I doubt the dimples matter in terms of functionality. Ed Lawson

Today John Connelly finished his trip of the combined Northern Canoe Trail and Maine Island Trail. 1,500 miles combined. He did the entire coast of Maine in 14 days and paddled in some rather nasty stuff along the way. To say the conditions today were trivial for him would be an understatement; and it was a hot, sunny day. Nevertheless, he was wearing a drysuit for the brief run into Portsmouth from Cutts. Must be a lesson there. Ed Lawson

I do not recall what the various replies to my inquiry from 2012 where. I can say I installed a KeelEasy strip on a boat that I have used often for solo camping trips. Which means the boat gets dragged about a good deal even when loaded. Often on less that friendly terrain. I am very pleased with how it has held up. Ed Lawson

Rob: I was wondering if he distinguished between a guided trip, a club trip with a designated leader, or a trip by a few "mates". Allen is know for holding different views and it does not surprise me given background he would hold to a dogmatic approach. Ed Lawson

So what are the assumed circumstances/conditions for Allen's " must lead from the front" opinion? Ed Lawson

Easy for me to say since I won't be there, but consider not avoiding the wind. At least for a little while. Forecast suggests you will have opportunity to deal with wind without much of a sea state since there will be minimal fetch. Often the behavior of a boat changes once the wind it up and you can find a boat that is fine in a breeze won't turn well if at all. How the boat deals with wind and how the boat paddles at all points of wind can be important knowledge to have. Let alone how to keep the paddle from being blow out of your hands. Better to find before you need to maintain a course to get home. Not as glamorous as playing in rocks and current, but spending time paddling a 100M or so up, down, cross as well as bow and stern quartering to high wind might pay dividends some day. Ed Lawson

Phil: Well, I did say believe if that gives me any cover. I have seen many NDK boats with Valley day hatches in years past, but they may well have been using Kajaksport day hatches as well. I suppose there is an advantage to having a floating day hatch cover. Ed Lawson

Gary: I wish you well on getting another season, but my experience is that when the Valley hatch covers start to go as you described they will structurally fail soon. Unless the seam sealer provides a structural repair; it will stop the leaking, but not the failure. One day either putting on or prying the cover off you will end up with the edge separating from the center of the cover. Ed Lawson

"As it turns out, the night nav was along one section we had not covered! This was not purposeful, but just due to conditions and logistics of the paddle. " Hmmm. Maybe, but my suspicious mind believes reading this quote will bring a wry smile to the bearded gnome of Boothbay. Ed Lawson

Rob: From pictures and description it must have been a delightful way to spent Thursday evening. Your comment about seeing light and fires is a reminder of just how effective a light at night and a signal mirror during the day can be to attract attention. Ed Lawson