gyork

Yes. Not so bad for solo day trips, but for extended camping safaris, can be a slog encouraging the fully-loaded (>100 lbs) 'yak up on to dry land. When possible, I try to find a stretch of seaweed for assistance, and on flatter landing sites scramble to collect smooth "tumbled" logs for rollers. Thanks for sharing youtr trip Kate.

Let's launch early am Fri. I'll find lodging Th nite. Who else can join us for a long weekend?

Neat stuff-thanks. Initial spike reflects the warming of surface water from Irene, I suspect. Perhaps the weather wizards could chime in here to explain the complex ocean physics that cause the dramatic temp drop?

Sad news Suz. I'm assuming you've contacted police, Harbor Master, and business(es) near the launch site. Was there any ID on it? FWIW I affix a simple dymo label on all my electronic gadgets, noting my (shortest) E address that I have. Don't know if it works, and assumes integrity from strangers.

Looking for trekkers to join me for Moosehead Lake and beyond trip in Sept (bucket list). I've secured Holiday time Sept 22 to Oct 1. My initial plan was to launch from either Greenville or Lily Bay, head up eastern shore, explore Mt Kineo, continue to NE cove, 2 mi. portage (or shuttle)over NE carry, side trip to Lobster Lake, resume float down W. branch Penob, explore finger lakes off Chesuncook Lake, then downwind Chesuncook to shuttle back to car. Expect 75-100 statute miles. Contingent plans would be to explore Moosehead only depending on potential participants availability. References for this trip include Thoreau's "the Maine Woods" (chapter on Chesuncook Lake) and Northern Forest Canoe Trail Map 11. If you can secure the time for the entire trip or a segment, post interest here or PM. gary

That sounds like a huge boat, if you expect to be out of the wind!

Great photos and wonderful prose capturing the essence of the trip. Thanks Spider.

Pru, try calling your local Michael's craft store. In the past they have sold a cylinder of 15 skinny, 4" sticks. They can be taped fore and aft, or crafted into bracelets or necklaces with the little "couplers". Not available to order on-line, but individual stores may carry them. At $1-$3/cylinder, this is a bahgin! gary

You might try lobster buoy campsites on Waterman Point; http://www.lobsterbuoycampsites.com/ Don't know if they will allow launch-only, but it's an easy paddle from there. I don't know how you feel about car camping but this is a viable option for this neck of the woods, given the dearth of decent islands (____ EXcluded) to camp on. gary

Neighboring _____ is another example. The description from the Guide book: "Campsite location: Wherever practical (do not clear vegetation)" kinda sums it up. If I'm overnighting in this area, stealth camping is on the agenda.

Although not the 2 best waypoints for triangulation, I'm coming up with the location of the windmill as: 42.42.851N 70.50.513W (using GoogleEarth as a nav-aid to locate a new aid to navigation [windmill]).

Yup. I recall an outing with Peter B in Casco Bay. Despite a "weather alert" broadcast on my VHF and Peter's vociferous "GET OFF THE WATER" message, I was more concerned with trying to ring up Pod B that we were running late. Never again!

Rob hazard piqued my interest in attempting to post an exercise for readers to practice armchair navigation. Yes, this should have been posted in January, I know. If this works, perhaps others might add questions to the post, or start their own postings? After camping at Lobster Buoy Campground on Waterman Point, D, J, and G planned a day trip to the Muscle Ridge archipelago: Our trip would follow a clockwise (CW) route, starting at Waterman point, splitting Dix and High, E side of Birch, CCW Hewitt, CW Pleasant, split Bar/Graffam, E point of Sprucehead, back to campground. This would be a trip of (9.5) nm. Based on a forecast of sunny, wind SE 5-10k, seas 2 feet, this would be considered a CAM level (3) trip. After our beach briefing we determined that Eben and Tommy Islands were at bearings (135°) and (161°), mag, respectively. We agreed to shoot for the S tip of Tommy. We could see a fog bank rolling in. We regrouped at S Tommy and decided to paddle in the limited visibility fog. We would use the handrails of Garden I ledge daymarker as point 1. With foghorns at the ready, VHFs on Ch 16 for possible Securite call-[describe] (Securite. Securite. Securite. 2. All Stations. All Stations. All Stations. 3. This is a group of 3 sea kayakers on a 124° mag course from S end of Tommy I. to Garden I. Ledge day marker, expected transit time ~15min. 4. "OUT" 5. Cancel securite at destination.) Our compasses would read (124°)mag in this transit at slack tide. We assumed speed of 3k. Given the distance of (0.67)nm, we would expect to arrive at the daymarker in (~15) minutes. From there we would follow a bearing of (93°) mag to #10 nun, with similar expected transit time. Proceeding easterly in the pea soup we heard the muffled deisel of a lobster boat and gulls vying for discarded bait. The fog slowly lifted, revealing Oak I, and we proceeded to the W tip of High I, with its massive granite piers Waste from the quarrying industry was everywhere, as we explored the old quarry on High. Next we headed to ____, a MITA island with supposed camping? Don't think so, but it served as a perfect lunch spot. Climbing to the highest point, with strong glasses, I spied a red can #2B, beyond the NE tip of Hewitt I., at a hand-compass bearing of ~153° mag, T or F? (False-even-numbered buoys are NUNS) In a westerly direction the target at Sprucehead I. was at bearing (282°) mag. After launching from ____ we split Flag and Hewitt and started to CW Pleasant. At its eastern-most tip Two Bush Island light came into view. My deck compass read (199°) mag. Explain the abbreviations associated with this light-Fl 5s 65ft 5M HORN (Flashing every 5s, 65' tall, visibility 5M, horn). We CW'd Pleasant and took a break at the tiny neck, mid-island . We split Graffam and Bar/Hurricane to Sprucehead, thence (~0/360°) degrees to the campground . What a glorious day on the water! Highlight the space between parentheses to see answers in white lettering. gary

Common Adventure Model: http://www.nspn.org/trip_participation.htm

This past weekend on the Jewell trip, my first night was in an uncomfortable hammock, hung below a sil-nylon OES tarp (11oz). Nite 2 I went to ground, and employed a tent footprint (ground cloth), same air pad, and a borrowed (thanks Judy) bivy-sortathing (think nylon liner, but external). With rain/fog forecast for the overnight, I hoped my bag would stay dry, and it did. In the shoulder seasons of Apr-May and Sept-Oct, I am happy to NOT pack a tent, as the bug situation (mostly) goes away. I own a goretex bivy that allows a small dome-shaped, pole-supported space near the head region, but is very claustrophobic as a stand-alone shelter. It works great paired with the tarp, and ensures my bags, one of which is down, stay dry. Might it add a degreeF of warmth? Who knows. During bug season, I pack my one-person MSR Hubba (fly included), and ALWAYS at least one tarp that can serve as kitchen/LR/etc. if weather comes in.

More pix from the trip: https://picasaweb.google.com/garylyork/JewellIslandMay2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCJnEtKPQ4pefEg#

Suprised this little fella and rest of family at a designated MITA camp on _____ (Muscongus) two summers ago: http://picasaweb.goo...898798574808642 gary

Came across this list from National Geographic. Not sure if they are numbered in order of "most popular" by the reviewers. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0404/adventure_books_1-19.html

Thanks for the heads up Ed-I had forgotten. In the past the Jewell group has stopped at Bangs, but we'll leave that to the planned June 4 party, unless we hear you need a scouting report or clean-up help from our trip this weekend.

FWIW Rob, we are planning to give Crow I. the once-over on our way to Jewell next weekend. gary

LAST CALL

I think that is the key. Very late, perhaps last, I would offer him/her/them the yellow NSPN informational brochure titled "Paddle Smart!" that I am staring at on my work desk (future home: car glovebox).

Thanks for the links Peter-I had no idea. gary

To those who may have a SPOT system: would you be willing to rent it to me for a week this fall? BOARD MEMBERS: Might you consider a Club purchase, available to loan to Members for no longer than a week, 1X/year? New device ~$150; yearly subscription ~$99; Number of times I would anticipate using it in (the rest of) my lifetime-1. Responses are likely to include the word "liability", but please consider, even if w'all have to sign a waiver. gary

From the Clinton Era: http://offthewahl.com/editorialcartoons/1997/9714.htm On a more serious note: http://www.pinnacle-travel.org/white-water-rafting/glossary.htm