spider

I might not be seeing it but ...I used to go to the Maine Harbors website for the tides and what not for Maine, NH & Mass. Did they move the section for the tide charts for Mass ?? thanks

Thanks, nice site...that will keep me busy for awhile. Hadn't seen that one before...

Yes, I'm just now starting to get a grasp of what the graphs are trying to tell me about whats going on. Also tryig to get the most out of the "informations" that they have. That is the site I go to most often, but I can only get 7 day tides at a time. Anywhere I can get the months tides for up there. Much like the Maine Harbors site for down around here ??

Thanks, I didn't want to be completely clueless on the subject.

Anybody know here in the East where the prevailing winds shift from the North West to the South West. From years of hiking the White mountains the rule of thumb were the winds were from the NW. Same I believe if I was out in Great Bay. but up in the Mingans and and Gaspe the prevailing winds are from the SW. So is that a coastal thing?? Infulenced with winds coming down from Labrador?? also Is that seasonal with summer winds coming from one direction then shifting during the winter?? thanks

Darn good question, so I went back over my info and figured the height of the tides was pretty acurate. In real life we were surprised that we almost ran out of water, because the tide heights were only about 3 ft. It was a good education for us as we saw 3 Blue Whales last year from the same area and now we realise what a confined channel they must have been swimming in. I would think the danger level would be pretty huge if they missed judged their location. Now that I think of it we launched from Cap-aux- Os . (Cape of Bones) which to my understanding was a natural place where whale bones washed up. But thinking it through it may well have been a place where Whales got stranded. The swing in tide times I find confusing. If I were in my home waters of Great Bay Nh I can count on Exeter high tide being about 2 1/2 hrs later than Portsmouth. Water is already well ebbing while Exeter"s is still rising...but at least that is a steady constant from one tide to the next....

When I'm up here Parc Forillion is a couple of hours away. So in Sept I looked up the tides for the Gaspe station (from the Canadian Hydrographic Service) wrote them down and off we went. We knew the tides were small during the days we wanted to visit Sept 24-26. Knowing the tides helps us know if the seals will be sunning on the rocks or more apt to be in the water, plus ,of course any ride from the tides is always a help. But my times were off. The tides listed by the Parc were different (they take them from Pointe-St -Pierre opposite the tip of Forillion. but the times were off seemingly randomly...high tide was off 1:48 min low tide off 47 min next day high tide was off 58 min and the next day high tide was off only 13 min. Any ideas why ?? (I have half an idea from a web site from a man named Zollitsch who has travelled many a mile up through here but still haven't got a good handle on it, and can see he was also confused when he travelled through here) I could understand how my times could be off if they were uniformly off, but the wild swings in time confuse the heck out of me. Any help out there?? Also when I read my tides it reads... Eastern Daylight Time (+ 4hrs)...what is the +4hrs referring to?? thanks for any help

Sounds nice. Was wondering if you might be out on the water up there. Looking forward to it

I'm heading back down to the States for Oct and am planning on doing a few days up in Maine on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Depending on the water level there might be some class one or easy 2 rapids if time allows. Any one push the envolope a little with their touring kayaks on the rivers without swapping over to ww kayaks or canoes?? Mine's 16 foot (Eddyline) perfect for the big lakes but curious how others have made out with an occassional rapid or two. thanks in advance. spdr

yes, If I find such a person suggesting such a thing I'll give him a stern talking to...

I'm always curious witht the wet suit, dry suit options and opinons. I know I have backed off considerably on the always wear a wet suit thought that I used to think ( don't have a dry suit) Aside from thinking that fisherman have one of the most dangerous jobs there are yet I can't think of any that go to sea wearing wetsuits unless they are diving. I will read of people rowing across the ocean and it will show someone in a tee shirt and shorts. I think I really saw the paradox in myself when I showed up for an outdoor rolling lesson in Newburyport dressed to the max like a penguin and this fellow at least my age ( mid fifties ) or older comes down to the water in some skimpy speedo wades in and off he goes for his daily swim. The word envy did come to mind, as well as marketing of which I felt quite the sure they had found the picture of succeptiblity in me as I walded (sp?) over to my boat...

OPPS...just noticed it should say Sept 1-5, 2008

Thanks Kate, we have referenced your excellent trip report from last year several times and that of some others. We do have some nice pics but not the knowledge how to put them on a website. plus we are here on a dial up connection we are just getting the hang of. If folks want to see the pics I just would say" see Kates they are much like hers". We have learned that freighters will put your kayak in a container and you can travel that way. Simon & Julie (boyfriend,girlfriend, always refered to as a "Chum & his Blonde" or the other way around no matter who the people are) both guides, travelled some 200+k in the land East of East and couldn't say enough nice things about it. We did see the Le Chateau, it was very excellent, and we have have a little story to tell of a "mystery wave" near there...the telling of the tale is.." After making the crossing from Ile Nue de Mingan through the narrows between the Isles of Bouleaux we were only about 50 ft off shore of Grande Isle looking through the "longviews in search of a small fresh water waterfall. Suddenly there is a wave coming from the cliffs... heading our way about 40 ft off. We are all startled. The water is calm yet the wave comes toward us. I swing the bow to take it full on at the same time realizing it's a whale that is there. "What she doing??" is Simons soft question as we make no other moves. First there is a blow off behind us, then another to the side. A mother and her young perhaps?... but no we decided. It was a Minkie (Petite Rogual) Whale . Though they have only Baleen and no teeth they are known to eat small fish and will crowd them against the cliffs for concentrated feeding. We think she came up either head 1st or for a breath ,noticed us and swims along the surface more than a normal dive so the wave was much like that from the bow of a boat. Very exciting!! Minkies were with us from time to time every day for the rest of the "Petite Expedition" We also learned that if the water is dancing or it looks like it is raining but no raindrops it is little fish and the terns as well as the whales may well be in close proximity for the feeding. because of a typo in the translations our French compaiinons were all excited to see their 1st Sterns for they had never seen them before. I was able to look them straight in the eye and say "Me To"... for it was true never had I seen a flying Stern, though Terns aplenty... just a short mention that one other thing we learned is that though the tides are much like ours approx every 6 hrs the flow or the ride is more like 8hr to 4 hr. 8hrs on the ebb and 4 for the ride up river. (It might not seem quite logical but it would be something Like Great Bay in the States (NH) How does Exeter have it's high tide while meanwhile the bay is well into it's ebb) I think I can be reached under the members info...I see also the excellent Newfoundland report..bon chance

just a short report from the Gaspe to say we went over to the North Shore of the St Lawrence . this is our 3rd trip over the years but the 1st to Kayak some of the Mingans. It has been 9 years since we were last there and met our 1st sea kayakers on Isle Quarry. We have planned this trip for 3 years now including purchasing a new 21 ft Boreal Design tandem. (Blue & White of course as they are the Provincal colors) This was a total spluge as we went with a local guide ....which mean No cooking !! Aside from wanting local knowledge of the tides and currents we also wanted much more immersion in the culture and ask all those questions we have had from over the years. We totally lucked out with this young fellow named Simon and later on, Julie his "blonde"(a boyfriend is refered to as the woman's "chum") also a guide, and her parents also joined us making a party of 6...and the feasting truly began. We paddled the central and western parts of the Archipelago putting in at Longue Point and taking out at Riverier Romain a high tide take out. Lots of Minkie Whales some porpoise, grey seals and many birds. We lucked out with the weather 5 perfect days. Nice weather meant we were able to spend much time on the southern more exposed shores making a circumfrence of most the islands we visited. We also learned that 6 persons can carry a fully loaded kayak most any where you need to ! We paddled both of us using the sticks , Greenland paddles. Load including us was somewhere about 500lbs no problem No big culture shock at the end of the trip as we only had to return here to the Gaspe, though we expect to return to the States in Oct. Excellent trip and much worship of the "Yellow Doors"... The Parc is divided into Western Central and Eastern sections...still heading east along the lower north shore is refered to as East of East.. till you go beyond the land of roads. Villages are about every 30 miles or so ...it is that area that calls to us now for future years...spdr

Though I have't tried a wing paddle, I have also noticed with various other paddles that if I miss my roll and have to set up again I will also use the back side of the paddle for the next roll. Often it gives me far more lift and not dive if I'm not in perfect form.

Has anybody "been there, done that" I would think that there are some wild tidal races in some spots. Also wondering if anyone has been to the Bay of Fundy Biosphere Reserve and Fundy National Park? I would think the paddling would run from mild to wild. Did you use a guide. Day or multi day.. ? Any preferences seeing it on the New Brunswick side or the Nova Scotia area? We are thinking about the 3rd week of Sept...

Hi, We are planning on getting a Boreal Designs Beluga for our tandem to do some more of "expedition" style trips up north on the St Lawrence etc. On one hand we want the lightest version for loading on & off the car. But Isn't there something about Kevlar and Carbon being strong but brittle. Is there anything to that ?? Right now I paddle a Eddyline Night Hawk, made with some kind of Carbon mix. It has held up fine these past few years and has survived a sharp rock or two in it's day, with no problems So...whats your thoughts?? Is all kevlar the same or are there different qualities etc...?

Yes, the boat ramp on Main St (right down from Mr Mikes gas and snacks), parking is a bit snug, but should be fine this time of year. Great Pond is also the headwaters for the Pow Wow River (if I'm not mistaken). parts of which makes for some nice padlling with the high water during springtime. The put in for some of that is off New Boston Rd Kingston.

I should be there on the early side of 3:30, I was there today practicing with a new paddle. Very nice...

I think I'm looking good to catch with up with some folks tommorow. Pretty sure you mean the 17th...

Ok guess I'm confused..why would the Coast Guard require you say "Help Me" in perfect french...""this isn't like a knock knock joke" is it ?) I'll be up in Quebec in a week or so..I'll try that explanation about May Day and see how it works out, I'm curious . ...mostly when I go up there and something is broken it is ..."kaput" ...probably not very French but pretty universal..

Yes, a fine looking boat it is.

that link doesn't work for me ...any other way to check it out..? (the original one at the top of the page) also who was that guy who drowned, not such along time ago, about 30 miles from Austrialia after making a long crossing ? Was that a New Zealand to Austrialia crossing he was trying for ?

I mostly put the MSR bags behind the seat and my firewood down by my feet behind the footpegs .

Yup I noticed the helmet, and PFD...he even had his spray skirt on ! Figured he needed as much protection as he could get his hands on... Sent it over to a mnt climbing friend that I've been yaking with in the fall...it sure "elevated" the sport. Esp. seeing the guy haulin it up the mnts with ropes et al. Pretty radical stuff... figure he comes from a ww background as he seems as comfortable going forward, backward, or sideways. Tempting stuff...lot's of powder for those soft landings and "face plants" think I'd be more on the "bunny slopes" though....