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On these tabletop projects, expect the edges to be coated. In fact, in the early stages, I'd recommend coating the edges with a foam brush. After ~1/2h, when the goo has started to set, take your foam brush and sweep excess (bottom edge) goo to the underside of the table. Another option would be to add molding around the edges to create a tray table, where the epoxy would remain on the top, and, effectively, create a waterproof reservoir (think backyard ice rink project)

or, how I spent my Q20 vacation. No one loves more than me to pore over nautical charts. Such incredible detail, artwork, and colorful masterpieces! Since we live (mostly) in an E world, I tend to review my laminated charts or E charts/software. Since Casco Bay is home base for me, I decided to find a way to display a chart of the area, and took on the challenge of epoxy tabletop finish. An ugly dark brown coffee table was a suitable choice. Here is the step-by-step eezy-peezy project: 1. Fill in any divots, especially the flat top, with dry-patch, dry, then sand. 2. Paint table color of choice. We used basic white, spray paint. 3.Determine area of chart you want displayed, then trim to include 3" around all edges. 4. Apply adhesive, carefully position chart (Lat/Long lines parallel to table edges), then flatten with laminate roller. 5. Allow to dry, then trim edges. 6. Cover any undersides of table that may be exposed to drips, then apply warmed, thoroughly-mixed epoxy, per directions. 7. Allow to cure, and Bob's your uncle! Remember to save unused portions of chart to make coasters, clock face, mirror frame, key chain, etc, using the same epoxy method.

Given the soaring demand and $$$ for homes in NH, Susie and I are looking to downsize. Not too much, though, as we still want room for furry kin, and kids, when they come home to visit. Anybody have a boat like this they'd like to unload?

Bucks Harbor makes more sense.

A perfectly timed "carry" on a glorious day paddle, post-interruption by a passing squall, as part of a (modified) NSPN "Annual." 44° 12.959', -68° 38.889'

It's been several years since I posted the recipe above for OVERNIGHT OATMEAL, but have refined it slightly to look like this: 3 c. oat bran 6 c. rolled oats 1 c. each of steel cut oats, farro, and whole oat groats 1/2 c. seeds each: pumpkin, sesame sunflower, chia, flax 1 c. each raisins and shredded coconut 1 tsp each of cinnamon and allspice Mix all above and store in cupboard. Before retiring for the night, Add ~1/3+ c. dry mixture to cookpot and add equal amount or more of water, stir, cover, and let set overnite. Warm first thing in the morning and enjoy with ~1T (homemade) maple syrup. Note: I found the grain samples above at my local food co-op, first testing a small sample soaked overnight. They add a chewiness that I rather enjoy, and is a substitute for 1 c. nuts which are always optional. The ratio that works for me as a starting base is bran:oats/grains = 1:3. The rest is left to (your) imagination.

1, 2. My friend Jordan and I were delighted to paddle near this arch, the only one I remember along the Maine Coast. 3. Ocean Pt. Linnekin Neck, with Ram I. Light in background. I suspect you were headed to photo #4, Damariscove, but can't tell where you were headed, based on the launch photo!!! 4. Museum on Damariscove, with view to privately-owned, abandoned lighthouse. 5. SW view to Brothers (single island), from campsite on Halifax. 6. Yes, comfortable enough with a pad! 7. Haven't paddled here??? 8, 9. Cutler Harbor with spooky USN radio towers looming over the fog bank. 10. Haven't paddle here. # of Carrying Place Coves? Lubec, this one. Ploby more! Carrying Place I.? See a house on island but no roads nearby? Dune buggy? Launch from Addison or S. Addison HIGHLIGHT MY REPLY TO EXPOSE MY DEFINITIVE ANSWERS AND GUESSES.

A supreme BONUS feature!

Can you identify Jewell Island from this representation? g

“......taking an ax, he chopped the hoofs and bones up together, and placed some of the mess in the kettle to boil. A really greasy, though very rancid, broth resulted. Some of the bones and particularly the hoofs were maggoty, but as Hubbard said, the maggots seemed to make the broth the richer, and we drank it all. It tasted good. For some time we sat gnawing the gristle and scraps of decayed flesh that clung to the bones, and we were honestly thankful for our meal.”Such were the travails of three young men facing starvation and the approach of winter. Their journey started late-July 15, 1903, and would last Until late October, in the desolate Labrador wilderness, where they would face numerous obstacles in this uncharted territory, including 80 miles of canoe portages, scant game, and dwindling provisions.“When a fellow starts on a long trail, he’s never willing to quit. It’ll be the same with you if you go with me to Labrador. You’ll say yes, each trip will be the last, but when you come home you’ll hear the voice of the wilderness calling you to return, and it will lure you away again and again.“The Lure of the Labrador Wild by Dillon Wallace AFTER reading this, read the follow-up journey two years later, by Wallace and others: Great Heart: The history of a Labrador Adventure by James West Davidson

Also, somewhat related, from the archives: I don't expect there are many that doing nite nav in unfamiliar territory, but the on-land utility of having a red light "is glowing" at the camping outings, especially around the campfire and dinner table (once upon a time), as a less irksome distraction than the directly-in-the-eyes white. g

Hard to beat the price of these HEADLAMPS, and claim a discharge of 30h on the white low mode, which is plenty of light around the campground. Not waterproof, but IPX4 water resistant (Who here has swam whilst paddling @ nite???) Has WHITE HI/Low/Blinking and RED low/Blinking modes. Bought the package of 3 (discounted; bring 2 for tripping, keep spare in car/bedside/mudroom closet). No worries about low batteries with these IF you fully charge your lamps prior to your overnight trips. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DNDMSLY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 g (Captain Frugalmeister)

More suggestions here, an older thread:

Edited a screen shot of my IcomM88 owner's manual, found on-line:

See poll above..

I've got a number of bags (ratings of 40°[synthetic], 35°, and 20°[both down])and employ a simple calculation that considers lowest of the lows predicted for any trip. I subtract15°F for the predicted lowest low to choose the right bag. On the recent Jewell multi-day, predictions were for ~50°, so I brought along my 35° down bag, and slept the best that I have ever slept camping. However, I must admit to bringing Hubba's big sister for the first time, giving me more room to stretch and ?dream. I also confess to wearing my merino wool 1-Z from Stoic, well worth the most expensive piece of non-coat clothing I've purchased. This previous post includes tent in the title, but discussion entails bag, mostly.

Skip report; go straight to slideshow We were fortunate to have a party of eight willing to attend the annual Jewell outing, and the October make-up date did not disappoint. Yong and I departed late Thursday morning from East End Beach; the others planned to depart from Bug Light, noonish. We paddled north of Fort Gorges towards the southern tip of Lil Diamond Island and spied a group of three kayakers apparently headed for the same destiination. As we neared, it was obvious that Cath was one of the paddlers, her kayak and PFD unmistakable. Relieved that we were not in for a race, we identified Nancy and Jane–they were headed to Crow for a long weekend. We paddled and chatted, soon encountering some lively waters upon entering Hussey sound, 3-4 foot rollers and light wind from the southwest. The trio took the V. Island inside route, while we preferred going outside, keeping an eye on the broadside rollers. At length, we landed at the beach near the old wharf site (#3). Yong, a self-proclaimed creature of habit, pitched his tent at the end of the wharf, and I struck out to investigate sites 1, 2 and 4, the latter a pleasant surprise since my last visit there some years ago, complete with scattered tent spots and the perfect fireside gathering spot for our gang. I pitched my tent in a premium spot, southernmost, and near cliff–side. I was delighted to find a downed maple tree, not far from the fire ring, and made short work of procuring numerous long branches with my buddy Sven. After a delayed start, the six stragglers landed around 1630, and reviewed the different camping options. Liz and Doug opted for Yorktown, Jordan joined the Yongville site, and Pablo, Beth, and Karen squatted on site #2, a very Pablovian response. Site #1 would remain empty until the following night. We all enjoyed the fire, sunset, full moon, and each other’s company before retiring early. We expected to see some rain the next day, but that did not affect our plans to paddle, and a clockwise route around Big Chebeague was entertained. Yong, Pablo, Jordan, and I were game, and we launched around 10 o’clock to cloudy skies, light wind, and flooding tide. Our first stop was on Lil Chebeague, to check out the campsites, which I had never done, believe it or don’t. I appreciated why this is a popular spot during the summer months, requiring a caretaker. Post-lunch we slogged around the nearly 4–mile length of Chebeague, enjoying a nice northerly push as we proceeded to diminutive Crow to check on the campsite and our lady friends. Crow is a very charming small island, with its wraparound, inviting cove and beach on the eastern side. Although no tents were set up inside the somewhat derelict building, Cath made good use of the covered porch next to her tent, set up on the grass nearby. Historically, a meal at the Dolphin Marina Restaurant is always on the radar, and that was our plan for Saturday’s paddle, With a slight modification. We launched at 10 and made our way through Brown Cow Ledges, gray seals aplenty, to Admiral Peary’s Island, where we rested, and related the story of the party that landed here many years ago (here). We would delay lunch until having explored the MITA and MCHT sites westerly. Upon resuming our voyage, I met a woman who was anchored nearby, and it was soon revealed that we were neighbors in a previous life, when I grew up not far from where we were chatting. This day was glorious on our 14-M paddle-flat seas, sunny skies, and negligible wind as we turned the corner towards Dolphin. Having witnessed a helicopter land on the grounds of the restaurant, the crowd, and unruly kids, we realized we were not the patrons that the restaurant was looking for, so we followed Jordan’s lead, and landed at Erica’s Seafood Shack, enjoying various fried entrées, the most popular being the scallops, which resulted in post-prandial comas for a few. By the time we be arrived back at Jewell, Cocktail Cove now had six anchored vessels, and two more would nestle in before the night was over. Karen, Doug, Liz and Beth had happily remained on this aptly-named island, as I am wont to do most years, and Doug had somehow been able to log 8+ miles on his journeys on and off trail. We repeated our nightly routine, and bid farewell to one another the following day, full of happy memories of this supreme outing. P.S. The caretaker's cabin on Lil Jewell is in fine fettle, and the first acquisition for the future museum is on display:

Now I’ve never been a big fan of dams you know, but d**n, somehow this flood control project resulted in a quite spectacular, almost wilderness-like boating and camping experience. My daughter had found a website that listed this locale as one of the “secret“ camping spots in Vermont, and she needed to get away for Nature Therapy. It was halfway between us, and I would happily arrive early Friday to try to secure a campsite before the potential crowds arrived on this beautiful September weekend. The camping here at Chittenden Reservoir is listed as dispersed, with some 27 sites along the shore, including day sites, many with shoreside fire pits. I decided to paddle straight across the lake and work my way in a clockwise pattern, looking for potential base camps. Seems I lucked out on my first landing, and decided the spot would be hard to beat, nestled in the spruce and hardwoods with a spruce needle floor, fire pit, and room for multiple tents. I gathered firewood and erected my tent before it got too dark, then paddled back to the launch to meet M. A party of six people and two dogs had arrived from Brooklyn in the parking lot just before sundown, and were quickly inflating their 2, 3-person rafts. M arrived at civil twilight, and we quickly packed up her kayak and launched for the campsite, two LED lights serving as beacons for the crossing to Base Camp. This would be her first time kayaking, so this particular venue was just right, and we paddled lazily across the still water, stars emerging above in the cloudless sky. Amato's sandwiches from Woodstock ,Vermont, of all places, were second rate, though there were no leftovers. We shared time between the sputtering fire and the tiny beach before retiring to hammock and tent for a well needed rest. Hiking, if possible, is always included in the plans for any trip I organize, and we decided that we would connect to a trail that led up to a shelter just off the Long Trail. We paddle a short distance, left our boats, and bushwhacked in a fairly straight line to the trail/road, an easy trip through hardwood forest. We hiked on this warm day up to the David Logan shelter, enjoyed our lunch, and read the latest few entries of the logbook. M’s best friend Brett had finished the Long Trail a year earlier, and we turned the pages hoping to find a possible entry. Sure enough, M recognized his writing, and we photo-captured his entry, to share with him when we returned. The day was still young, so we opted to paddle close to the shoreline, clockwise, to check out any of the empty campsites. Beyond the biggest site we recognized Brooklyn, who had managed to secure a campsite in the pitch black, following last-minute advice from a local. Without signage to indicate the different sites, we relied on small paths or cairns for landmarks. As night approached, we paddled back to the campsite to enjoy a (better) fire and simple meal. On our last day, Sunday, we paddled back to the ramp to unload our gear, then proceeded to check out the remaining coastline before sadly departing in different directions. Reflections: -Try to arrive early, if on a weekend, to secure your base camp. No maps are available that designate tent sites, so rely on the locals around the ramp for advice. -Take advantage of the numerous hiking trails that circle around the lake and up to the Long Trail. According to a local, North Pond is not to be missed. -I suspect that it must be very crowded during the summer; consider visiting during the spring and fall paddling seasons.

I may be an ass-ta-risk (*) it,........

FWIW, Ed/others, just reviewed my "kayak receipts" file, and determined the radio with original battery is 15 years old! During this past weekend's Jewell Annual, I had the radio "on" for each day trip, for a total duration of ~ 20h, with multiple transmissions/receptions. At the start of the WE, the battery indicator displayed a level of 8.2; at the end of the WE 7.9. I may be an * it, but you already know about my attachments to boat/car/ wife.

Webmasters: Is there a way to create folders in the "Downloads" section? It would be nice to keep charts separate from other docs. I'd like to suggest "Southern", "Midcoast", or "Downeast" for simplicity, or follow the MITA guidebook index which is divided into "Southern Coast", "Casco Bay", "Western Rivers", "Muscongus Bay", "PenBay", "Deer Isle", "MDI", "Downeast", "Bold Coast", " and "Cobscook Bay."

When weeding out the kayak locker, I came across this reflective marker. Anybody know where the stash of these car/kayak decals are?

I know you are looking for the western shore parking, but for readers of this post, I have had luck parking overnight here many years ago:

I only charge my battery once a year, in the spring before paddling season, and have depleted it to ~0 once, purposely, having read that it might be good to do from time to time. My Icom M88 is still going strong after 15 years. g