spider

Just home for a week so heading back up to the Gaspe in a day. ..hope this links to a furry fellow checking things out... https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=78afc8e644&view=att&th=140d6317940c9814&attid=0.1&disp=inline&realattid=file0&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P9CHbCdh8pLJJ6MlJH5PU-f&sadet=1377983466071&sads=GWjCTSr0AVBsixCMQLGe5T4c3Sg that is exactly where I was sitting out of the wind a few minutes before... that is my spray skirt...where I had been resting out of the wind..amazing how agile they are...and do get bigger as they get closer....

Just got back from a 10 day trip up in Quebec north side of the St Lawrence...2 single kayaks and one tandem canoe (with two experienced canoeist)...they smoked us big time. Okay not all the time, but I paced myself to them and kept with them... it was a strong pace. If they pulled ahead it was a definite sprint to catch back up. When the wind was up and broadside it made it hard for them, but not impossible they had the muscle, and technique to travel as necessary. When the wind was up for them it was also challenging for us as well. My friend in the other kayak pulled up lame on day 5 with big time tendonitis in both wrist & arms. I might write up a report but it was a fresh water trip... All and all it was agreed we paddle with our brains not our muscles so to speak (brains not brawn I guess) We called it an expedition/vacation...satellite phone etc... up on the Canadian Shield

Problem solved...I cut down the tree ;-> not really I took out the manual and saw that the ... "Go to" is the default.... bearing to destination or you can set the "Go to"...to a course that goes to the destination.... or you can toggle between the two choice accidently or not depending if the" page" button gets held down for a moment or two... amazing what is in those manuals if we read them ...........never did like that tree anyway.....

ok couldn't resist doing the "tree test" I made a mark walked all over the place using the "go to " function and it consistently pointed to the mark no matter what I did or stated otherwise just has it has done all these years hundreds of times. but thinking it through we have a favorite saying on paddling trips...we are most lost when we are actually at our destination. Also stated otherwise... the gps gadget lies most to us when we are already there. Then it will tell us we need to go forward backward off to the side or whatever as it fluctuates within it's area of accuracy... Therefore in practice, which I have done in the dead of the darkest of nights, we wait until the arrow is completely at a right angle to our destination before we change course, we find the most success using that method. If we point directly at the object in near proximity the closer we get the more the arrow will lie to us...however a text will appear and say "you have arrived at your destination" and for all purposes the arrow becomes meaningless. So perhaps that is what is happening to you with the tree experiment....then again I could be wrong... for after all it is not a rainy day and I should be tending to chores instead... (no need to quote me in it's entirety I seldom say that much of any great importance,..)

Thanks... I'll put that on a "rainy day" list of things to do..hopefully that will be in a few days .

Not sure I am following the gist of any confusion. i know I use a GPS frequently..map & compass to get to the general area and then GPs to find an exact spot (in my case usually a campsite). ( I never use an electronic compass of any kind so I disable it) I know that you can set the GPS to actually look like a road and it will show you if you are off course, might even tell you how many degrees, can't say for sure as I never use it that way. As soon as I use the "go to" function it works much like billvoss has in his diagram therefore I use that function sparingly as I figure the gps has no brains and is only showing where my destination is. If I drift heavily, for example, it will constantly recalculate the length of time it will take me to get to my destination..but I don't expect it to calculate in advance what my drift will be, only what is happening at that moment. Perhaps I am under using it, but I am thinking drift and what not needs our brains...point or go to gps is a no brainer and the gadget just points the way and doesn't give a hoot how we get there..as far as it is concerned if I have to paddle across several islands and a housing development that's fine and dandy.. So it kind of leaves me wondering where the confusion is...then again I have been know to live in a confused state of mind for many a year..

oh, oh..I don't know which is more efficient etc etc. I know I paddle with a 'stick" and often find it hard not to pull ahead in a group situation. So if I want to keep my cadence and keep with others I just angle the paddle so the paddle has less strength and just pops in and out of the water with little effort. Sometimes I drop back to visit with others and then scoot up to talk to someone near the front, so nice advice about touching base with others as you go along. sometimes I just zig zag along, but have found if I literally do circles it can wear on people so I avoid that. All that being said I seldom paddle in a group, plenty of people are better paddlers and could easily leave me well behind, so I'm just talking group situations...

I am a bit behind on some of my reading, so thought I would seek out more info and ask questions. I am all for working the chop of wind & waves, but paddling clapotis has always seemed counter productive to me esp on trips. Still that was, for the most part, was the explanation of micro eddies & riding the back bounce or waves. I know if I'm trying to ride the back bounce I try to pick my line where the confused water settles down, in this case a few yards out from where we were paddling. I couldn't really do an accurate comparison of speed made good, but it seemed he was moving around plenty but stalling repeatedly in the clapotis. (I briefly checked with the gps). I know this guy wanted us to follow him like a duck following it's mommy but that was certainly not for us. Yeah, we are not much for paddling point to point, but we do like to actually reach a destination then enjoy a rest and some play time even if it means breaking a sweat from time to time. This particular day it took about 9 hrs to travel approx 12 miles (8 hrs of paddling and a lunch break). So to me any effort saved by paddling the clapotis was off set by the extended exposure to the elements and of course the snails pace, if nothing else. However if there are strong reasons other than fun, we would swap over to that method of travel...but if it's just for fun I would prefer to make my destination then goof off and have some fun playing in the clapotis after the fact if we wanted. .

Excellent photos, Haven't seen some of that area, but I remember fog, fog, fog as part of the mix that's for sure...

That was my take on the situation, fellow was surprised when I called him on it.

Very nice to have met you. I was always impressed on how you loaded those boats way up high on your traveling home. I love paddling lakes, coves & estuaries for it's bio diversity. I am sure when you are paddling these waters you will graciously add to it's diversity with a smile for all to see. Best of all to you & happy paddling as well.

We were travelling with a guide up in the Saguenay. Traveling tight to the cliffs in the claptios. I was thinking light wind smoother water a few meters away would make better time/less effort than paddling the claptios... Didn't do any lengthy comparison, but thought that was a general rule of thumb. I imagine there are varying opinions so I would be curious..6 of one..half the other...?

Just wondering if anyone has travelled along with canoes on a trip..? next trip is 2 weeks ...2 of us in single kayaks and 2 travelling in a canoe... my friend feels we will easily keep up in singles... I tend to think we might be underestimating how quickly 2 experienced men in one canoe can travel. So thought I would ask...?

Thinking it over in my head, I would be thinking anything in Labrador or Hudson Bay I would be using the expedition word..like a "mini expedition" for example. For camping I would be thinking in terms of campsites, for expeditions I would think sleep where you can. many times I've wanted to say.. Oh, I went on this or that wilderness trip, but eventually came to the conclusion that I haven't really done any "wilderness" trips but many "semi wilderness" trips. so as yet I would have to say I haven't been on any expeditions, but have been pushing the semi wilderness category quite a bit.This next one should be quite far & away "off the grid" and make it to wilderness....but staying this side of any wandering polar bears would be a life goal, unless I want to shorten it considerably....

I have heard variations of the story mostly English peasants showing the English King that their fingers remain. Interestingly enough the big english swear word means nothing (or little) to them. As our swear sounds Identical to the french word.....Seal. Baleine for whales... phoque for seals... most of us know sayings... like 3 sheets to the wind... I figure other counties use many of the same sayings..and a few we would find quite odd... ..I like the similarity of what we become when there are many mouton on the water...never thought of it that way...it does bring a chuckle.

After it was pointed out that my wife waving "hello" to people might be perceived as a distress signal. it was suggested that if you really wanted to wave to someone you could could perhaps use the "Queens wave" I had never heard of it...others from Quebec readily knew the term. ....I did mention in the states that we have another kind of special "wave" but it uses far less upright fingers, and we never use it on paddling trips. They were also quite familiar with that as well... Ever hear of that expression..or perhaps other regional expressions from most anywhere ? I know when we ask about "white caps" no one knows what we are talking about...but if I were to ask if there are "many sheep on the water" (roughly "mouton de mer ? ) well then people would surely know instantly what we were asking.

I can't help but notice when a woman just a few years older than myself dies while paddling, especially in a place I go frequently. In the hiking community people occasionally die in the woods I wonder if this is much the same only while paddling. Huge heat spell here the past few days can't help but wonder about heat stroke, but I'll wait to see what they figure out. My understanding is that the type of pdf's that we wear will Not keep an unconscious person afloat if face down. Maybe it's a local thing but it's always sad when someone dies paddling around these parts. In this case I would say... let they who walk on water cast the first stone....

Yes, it does sound callous.

Condolences to family and friends. here is a link to the story http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130625/NEWS07/130629506/0/NEWS07 It does indeed strike home I was there 2 days ago, water very muddy. Our greatest sympathy to all.

Sites seem okay now....

I will read up more on the subject, For me it is "making a mountain out of mole hill" I don't know what rock these people who don't supposed to like us live under. I haven't met any yet. I meet friendly hard working people along the Maine coast. We know (even more so now) there is no shortage of people who will tell you what you can do, should do, and "rights" groups seem to multiply by the minute, however you need to look might closely at what is true what is b. s. and of course the grey area between. I think it gets a bit spooky when people start dissing photos that they disapprove of on our friendly web site, that encourages paddlers. Yes people can walk all over your property, ever had someone knock on your door that you don't know ? That person has not trespassed to come to your house, they have not broken any laws and yes they can walk in your flower garden. Unless other wise posted.They do have to leave when you ask though. Though I don't hunt I appreciate the efforts they have made to keep open land open, and yes a hunter can walk on your property, whether we like it or not unless otherwise posted. So while Maine does have some pretty bizarre coastal laws, what happens in real life seems far different than the absurd laws unless somebody is purposely.. well.. making a mountain out of a mole hill...oops did i say that again. Some might have noticed on the link I posted that there are $ incentives to keep land open to the public. I, for example, get a discount for that reason (NH) If a property owner is getting a break then post their land for no trespassing, they would be technically breaking the law. Then again who would really give a hoot if you're just out trying to enjoy the day. smile awhile... enjoy the day...happy paddling

People seems mighty confused as to what it takes to legally post your land as "no trespassing". Just because a land is privately owned does not mean it is off limits. Here is a link for the Maine rules and regs. http://www.maine.gov/ifw/commissioners_office/LandownerRelations/frequently_asked_questions.htm I purposely made sure this was a link to Maine's laws, as the laws here in NH might be a bit different. You may note that in many cases that signage has to be posted every 100 feet. Many owners of land do not wish to spoil the landscape with visual pollution of their view shed. There are of course exceptions. I believe the people of the Rouge Islands do not even want to see you let alone land on their property...but do they also own the water ? If property is not clearly posted then no laws are broken and the "property right" groups can just go..well whatever... Here we are on a website that is even afraid to mention public Islands and launch places...surely this is a highly negative approach to simply enjoying life and paddling. Yes I own property here in NH it is not posted and therefore open to other people using it. This might be an interesting question ..How many islands on the Maine coast are owned by folks who do not even live in Maine...Have they posted their property every 100 feet. ? I doubt it. Just a matter of time before people complain that we are breathing the same air and not infringing on the "rights"....

Though I wasn't on this paddle trip I love trespassing by justification. (Though sometimes stated as justification by rationalization.) Nice pictures, they always seem to have an extra clarity to them Finding places where we are unwelcome in Maine or this country is not that difficult it would seem. I think the main lessons I have learned over the years is not to bother telling people where I paddle, till eventually I seldom write reports of any length and don't carry a camera. I find that to be a negative lesson but a lesson I have learned well. Old enough to remember.... "signs, signs everywhere a sign...sign said said long haired freaky people need not apply" yet that was not enough to stop anything either. With all the violence and illnesses in the world..trespassing on some speck of a place is close to meaningless some might say. however the one sign I did pay close attention to was the one that said... "Notify next of kin before trespassing" ..those tend to catch your attention a bit more.... ...Happy paddling, stay safe..

Nice report , good to see you got out while we had such good weather to enjoy. Many a time I'm heading for the shade...any shade . Extra nice having the islands to yourself, not the busy time of year yet, till a bit later in the season I guess. No black flies this year ? ...happy paddling

ahhh.... the tide waits for no one... a little up date. One thing nice about Great Bay is that if the tides aren't working for the open ocean I get another "window of opportunity" to ride the tide in the Bay So the good news ht was about 6-6:30 this morning the water was settled and I could see a couple of the Horseshoe Crabs from the launch before I even put the boat to the water. Later when I returned to Adams Point about 9:30 am. I met the young lady who is heading up the Horseshoe Crab census these past 2 years,(if I have my info correct) I paddled down to Sandy Point and there I definitely had to be careful not to step on them or crunch them with the boat, All in all there were about 20 of them right there on and nearby the launch even though I was more than an hr after HT by the time I stopped by there, they were still coming to waters edge for spawning. I did rescue one large female who started climbing up some jumbled rocks and flipped upside down stuck between them. I knew it was a fatal mistake so I picked her up and put her back at waters edge. (yes and her pesky "boyfriend" as well). So this is what I learned from the young lady and the fellow helping her. ...The horseshoe crabs like the warmer water right now and Sandy Point seems to warm up sooner so there is a good concentration there. ......they can tolerate a fair amount of fresh water so the salinity after a rain should still be ok. .......she studies the temp of the water and the clarity of the water..the clarity of the water caught my interest as to whether it affects the spawning ......not all the empty shells are fatalities some are old shells from molting esp the smaller ones. ...they can't tell if the population is crashing or not, but they certainly are trying to figure it out .....volunteers go out on all the high tides...even the new moon high tides at 3am in the morning apparently a group of scientists or biologists took a kayak tour yesterday trying to get an idea how things were looking but came up somewhat empty handed. ...there are other invasive crabs in the Bay and may or may not be impacting our Horseshoe friends. ...they assured me the spawning is not over but we are in the middle of it and it will continue further into June as well... ...and yes they are looking for other volunteers also. ....there are other study areas along the Bay and Little Bay (up to the Bellamy maybe further I believe) ...and yes Horseshoe Crabs are more closely related to Spiders...though I would say part of the "extended" family :-)