PeterB

The MSR dromedaries are bit pricey, but I like the way they conform to the compartment space they're stuffed into, unlike a lot of plastic containers. If you can get past the price, they're hard to beat.

Sid, Welcome! If you go to an NSPN pool session or two , you'll meet people, and in between having fun in the pool, there's lots of time to talk about gear, drysuits, boats , BCU and ACA classes, paddling destinations, and generally get advice from people. Most if not all pool sessions are sure to have someone there with BCU and/or ACA experience, and who paddles in the winter. Pool sessions are found in the calendar section. See you soon, we hope. Peter

QUOTE(Kevin B @ Jan 2 2008, 08:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Queazy? I'd say it goes beyond that...I also notice that they don't show any nights scenes of Central Park...wise move By the way, God equals "hairy thunderer" and GB eats kittens like corn on the cob :HAHApound: :HAHApound: Wow, "Deteriorata": that's from "Radio Dinner" by National Lampoon; haven't heard that, or thought of it, in thirty years. "we all want to go underground and get back to the earth we don't want nothing if it isn't free I mighty mass of furry little mindless animals a million lemmings marching to the sea."

If the weather is not bad, The Merrimac sounds good to me. Peter

Yes indeed, At this time one is naturally inclined to think charitably of the year past, people met, new friends made, time spent together on the water. "God bless us, each and every one"

If you’re scared or unsure of what your cold water limits are : (I have found that ) The winter surf session is a good setting to further get a handle on how much/what kind of cold water immersion is comfortable for you as an individual. Its easy to get immersed, it’s generally wet paddling mode, but immersion can also be avoided with prudence,, i.e. you can dial in your own level of immersion: if you want more, surf more, if less, just practice paddling in and out of surf, launching/landing etc. Unlike most standard outings which stray from the original put-in , you’re close to the safety of the shore and your car, and can always bail if the water is affecting you adversely , without affecting the agenda of the larger group.

If anyone thinks, just because we are concerned primarily with sea-kayaking here, that spelling and English usage are unimportant, then I believe such a person to be woefully misguided (yes) and part of the cause for the sad and general decline in present-day standards. Our language is a razor-sharp tool with the potential for high accuracy -- don't forget that! The founder of this website never took me to task for such tongue-in-cheek comments, so why now, all these years later? I care very much about language and shall not desist. Dear Christopher, As NSPN's new self-appointed language inspector general, how's this for purposeful and accurate use of English?: This was a dispatch by the Duke of Wellington to one of his generals, written during a crucial phase of the battle of Waterloo. “I see that the fire has communicated from the haystack to the roof of the chateau. You must however still keep your men in those parts to which the fire does not reach. Take care that no men are lost by the falling in of the roof, or floors. After they will have fallen in, occupy the ruined walls inside the garden, particularly if it should be possible for the enemy to pass through the embers to the inside of the house.” This was written from horseback, while under fire, its author probably had had no more than a few hours sleep in the last few days, and it contains a future subjunctive and a future perfect construction. Not bad?

Cape Small can be seen from most anywhere in Casco Bay as that easternmost landmass, more or less defining the boundary to that end of Casco Bay, and from Popham Beach, it looms as a headland several miles to the west. I've seen Cape Small from these two common paddling destinations, but had never been to the place itself, SO : With that in mind, two of us paddled out in the direction of Cape Small from a remote little boat ramp at Hen Cove, a few miles from Cundy’s Harbor. It was one day after the big storm, yet the sun was shining, it was a clear, warm and dry, with a mild wind that built to maybe 12 knots by mid-afternoon and subsided thereafter. Water temperature seemed mild for November , maybe 50 degrees. The main feature, of course, was the big swell, which built to 6+ feet as we made our way to more open water. After a 2 mile crossing along the bay at mouth of the New Meadows River ,we ducked into Carrying Place Cove, about a mile north of Hermit Island . Here is a charming, ungentrified little fishing outport, with clustered shacks on tall pilings, protected by a small island just offshore forming the cove. It was close to low tide and the cove was running out of water, so we portaged a hundred feet or so over the mudflats to continue out through the south end of the cove. Just off of Hermit Island we threaded between some boomers, which were earning their name on this day: big pillars of white water flying upwards. This was no day for rock gardening, as the entire rocky coastline was being buffeted by large powerful waves. As the day progressed , we generally left the rocky shoreline alone, and paddled out in open water, less bothered by the rebounding swell. Continuing on, we passed Hermit Island and its familiar campground, which was fun to see from the seaward side for the first time , and before we knew it our roller coaster ride across incoming 6+ foot swell was depositing us at Cape Small, where a little pocket beach on the west corner of Bald Point(Head Cove on the chart) beckoned , a good place to stop for lunch. The wind and swell had evidently not been a hindrance, as we had covered the seven nautical miles to Cape Small at roughly a 4 knot pace. Bald Point is aptly named , a barren, wind swept place covered with grasses and heather, with rocky outcroppings, the same metamorphic (I think) rock with southwest to northeast striations so familiar throughout Casco Bay (evident to the naked eye and to the reader of charts), but here the rock is deeply pitted, volcanic in appearance, perhaps from the battering this exposed headland takes from the ocean. We had a commanding view of the whole area on this clear day : Seguin Island and its lighthouse to the east, the whole of Casco Bay to the west, numerous ledges and small islands, all of them fringed with faintly rumbling surf. Even as far away as Jewell Island , some ten miles distant, one could just barely see tall white plumes of surf pounding its shoreline. The wind from the west was picking up, and Casco Bay was now carpeted with small whitecaps, cutting across the swell, which was from the south and east. The ledge extending southward off of Cape Small bordered on the spectacular: big waves were now and again pounding into each other to form massive haystacks. On our return trip , after nosing through Gooseberry Island just off of Hermit, and passed between Little Wood and Wood islands, but otherwise elected to stay more out in the middle of the bay, as it was a simpler ride than dealing with the clapotis closer to shore. Along the way, Roger was goosed by a surprise wave, eliciting a quick yelp and low brace. Loons, White- winged scoters , and oldsquaw checked in on us now and again. As we approached the cove from where we started , the wind died down to nothing and the sun was setting, so the last two miles back to the ramp we paddled slowly, savoring this golden hour(“roaming in the gloaming”, I guess we were... ) I had been looking forward to reporting that we had the ocean all to ourselves on this fine day, but late in the afternoon two working boats passed in the distance. All in all, it was a grand late autumn day on the water.

Glad to see that people got out on what was clearly a big surf day. We were paddling at Cape Small, and with swell rolling in from the south, unimpeded, there was giant surf on the south- facing beach between Bald Head and Small Point. Presumably Popham Beach , a few miles to the east , was a sight to behold as well. As the surf in this area looked positively life- threatening, we gave it a wide berth...

10:30AM Launch from Cundy’s Harbor ( small peninsula between Bailey/Orrs Island and Cape Small) and island/ledge-hop (Jenny, Long, Flag, Jamison and Wood Is. Ledges ) to Cape Small and back. Est. 12-18 Naut. Miles , Level 3+. Pace and mileage flexible. If strong NW winds may alter course to look for some lee. We'll plan to stay warm and dry but will dress for the swim. CAM all the way. If interested, post here or by e- mail. pbrady@neaq.org Launch site and directions can be shared as plans come together.

was that fine bit of canine portaiture taken at Woodsom Farm by any chance?

Yes, that's the one. There are others like it but this one compresses into a quite small pouch, the size of a small melon. http://www.seakayakingusa.com/gear.htm#shelters

“Having extra warm gear for those breaks on shore is a must, a large pullover that fits over your pfd, a fleece hat (or two or three), etc....” Absolutely! I have rarely felt cold while paddling, if anything have felt overdressed, but as soon as one stops paddling and takes a break, chilling occurs. A cag is a must for rest stops during cold weather paddling! The Kokatat & GRO ones (I have a Valley/GRO cag) are definitely way-cool, but one doesn’t have to own a kayak-specific cag: any oversized parka or jacket that you can put on over your pfd will work okay. But make sure you have something. “what about shelters? have one? “ A storm shelter is another must! (says this paddler who doesn't yet have one! Mine is on order from Georgia: For now,I make do with a ripstop nylon tarp, which doubles as an emergency bivvy aid) During a wilderness first aid course, we did hypothermia drills, and when you put a hypothermic person inside a storm shelter with two or three persons, it really works! the space turns very toasty very fast, needs to be experienced to be believed... A storm shelter can be more than an emergency/life saving kit item: it can be pulled out at lunch stops on raw windy days all year long, (it stuffs into a small bag, can be deployed or put away in seconds) and if a paddler ends up swimming, they can be warmed up with a strom shelter during a quick break on the beach With all the attention on drysuits and body protection, don’t forget head protection , as the initial shock of cold water immersion can be severe. I love my Kokatat balaclava fleece lined hood; very comfortable, snug enough that during a three or four second immersion (your typical capsize & roll set-up) water trickles in but that initial shock of cold water on your head is neutralized. Perhaps not recommended for extensive mid-winter rolling practice, but very functional for my typical cold weather paddling needs.

This article on "risk homeostasis" is, I believe, worth reading and has some measure of relevance to the discussion here. http://www.wavelengthmagazine.com/2006/am06hom.php

I would not recommend this method of self rescue. I have seen this attempted at a practice session, and looking at these pictures, one can see that it requires the arm to be fully extended while bearing weight, which puts the shoulder joint in a vulnerable position, generally not recommended for any motion common to sea kayaking. Compounding this issue: As the paddle float re entry is most likely be used by paddlers new to the sport (with more experience paddlers usually graduate to the cowboy re-entry, re -entry and roll, and paddle float re -entry and roll), at this early phase of ones paddling career it is critical to be working safe shoulder position (elbows never far from the torso, arms not high and extended etc) into ones muscle memory, and this method would seem to run counter to that.

Chris, Since switching from a Pintail to a Nordkapp would be going from one quirky, unique boat (adored by some, disliked by others) to another, it would be of the utmost importance for you to paddle that Nordkapp yourself (there are a number of Nordkapp designs), preferably for a day (sounds like a boat to neither be infatuated with nor give up on after a quick spin around the pond ) and through the in the conditions you plan to use it (tall order, granted), to see if it works for you.

Can anyone recommend a pair of thin paddling gloves with maximum manual dexterity. I’m not looking for warmth, just skin protection for rock gardening. I'm looking only for full (not fingerless) gloves. Thanks, Peter

I've got a few extra glow-sticks, and some zip ties, and an extra c-light (can be zip- tied to pfd) if any one is in need.

Judy, Do you mean that where the skeg cable tube passes through the bulkhead, theres some void there, so water can leak though the bulkhead right next to the tube? If so, you could use plumbers epoxy. (Home Depot, a couple of bucks) you knead part A and B together and it handles like modeling clay. You can keep your fingers lubricated with a small amount of water or denatured alcohol.

Launching from the beach at the State Park, (about a mile before reaching the Fort) is also an option. The currents are a little less tricky there than at the fort , although you will probably be launching through surf, which varies greatly depending on the day, and the tides . There is a fee for parking there, although perhaps not in the off-season. It is a long carry from the parking lot to the beach, but manageable if you are with someone. Doing a solo carry of a kayak would be pretty strenuous. The Fort is right at the mouth of the Kennebec, which has some of the strongest currents on the Maine Coast, especially on the ebb tide. Local knowledge ( knowing where the eddies are and where the current is strongest ) is most important. I'm very glad that the first time I paddled there was in the company of others who knew the area well.

Kate, Have I ever seen a better trip report than yours? I'm sure I haven't. A perfect balance of photos, text and maps that gives me a real sense of the area you explored. Thank you. As an aside, your photo gallery gives one a good sense of the high quality of parks and camping facilities in Canada.

Heidi, Don't be intimidated by the prospect of installing a seat. its very easy. If I could do it, anybody can. A dry surface is the most important thing.Getting your current seat out is the first step; Depending on how your seat is installed it can be as easy as dislodhging with a yank two, or as hard as cutting it out (hung seat, integral to cockpit coaming) with a saw or dremel tool. From there, installing a foam seat is incredibly easy. NDK seats are an option. Necky has a foam seat (@ 44$) that's a bit different but might work well ; You can get one at CRCK. Stores like NESC & the Trading Post usually have one or two kinds of foam seats, and NRS has some online. Best to try out first :put it on the floor , or better yet, in your boat and sit in it.

I have a Valley/GRO cag, and would be hard pressed to find something negative to say about it. It cost @ $160, about a year and a half ago, and I don’t know what extra value one would get with the Kokatat storm cag, which is considerably more expensive; maybe its compact its storage size. Mine is not a lightweight, compact item, but I prefer it the way it is, since I store it in my day hatch, stuffed in last, and it provides dunnage for whatever is in there ( water bottles, waterbroof boxes, dromedary, Tupperware etc), keeps them from shifting. Also, my understanding is that a cag should not be breathable; (see description from seakayak georgia website) http://www.seakayakgeorgia.com/shoponline/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=41) it is meant to stop the evaporative cooling that the breathable garments (gore-tex, fleece etc) underneath create , so I prefer the nonbreathable GRO cag to the Kokatat's gore-tex fabric.

Wine as ballast: that fits nicely into the "everything in your kit should serve two purposes" maxim.

Muscungus Bay is a favorite spot for many. Paddling options range from trips in more protected waters, (e.g. from Bremen Town dock down to Hokomock channel and Medomak, or circumnavigate Bremen Long Island), up to venturing further out into the bay (Thief Island, or all the way out to Egg Rock, depending on comfort/skill level/preparation) . Be prepared for fog and lobster boats, though. More lobster traps per square meter than anywhere I’ve ever been. If you can paddle on a Sunday all the better. For lobster rolls, check out roadfood.com: and the section under ‘Maine” and “lobster pounds” http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurants/Search...;s=ME&rt=42 Check out Haraseeket Lobster Pound (in S. Freeport, but seems far removed from the LLBean atmosphere nearby ) and Red’s Eats in Wiscasett. Both a bit pricey, but Haraseeket has a lot of classic Maine lobster pound atmosphere, and Reds eats is unique (see review); rather than lobster salad (chunks of meat w/ mayonnaise) you get big chunks of fresh cooked lobster meat, (the better part of a whole boiled lobster), dpped in butter annd stuffed in a bun.