Nancy Hill

Please join Wayne and me on Saturday for a trip along the RI coast, from King's Beach to Easton Beach. About half of this paddle is along the Newport mansions on the Cliff walk. Round trip around 10-12 miles depending on route. Winds are forecast to be light, so it should be an easy, enjoyable paddle. The restrooms at Easton Beach are open. We will take our lunch break on the beach. Water temp 61 F and air temp around 50 F. Drysuits required. Use King's Beach, RI for the launch address. Please arrive in time to be in your kayak and ready to paddle by 10:00 AM. -Nancy

Jane Cobb and I plan to launch at 10:00 at the ramp/beach in the "Scuba Diving Lot" at Fort Wetherill, in Jamestown, RI on Wednesday morning. For those who would like to join us, a proper sea kayak 14+ (bulkheads, deck lines), and a drysuit will be essential, and a helmet if you like to get close to rocks. This is a rocky area. Forecast calls for sunshine, air temp in low 50s with water temp around 60F. Plan on about 10 miles, but route will depend on interest and may be shorter. We will take our time in the more interesting areas. There will be a few opportunities for a stop on shore. It is possible that we will paddle to Beavertail Light and back (about 10 miles RT). Current forecast is for 1' seas, 5 seconds. Primary and secondary swells may add a little to the mix. Winds, 4-8 Kts, NW becoming W in the afternoon. There is no charge to enter the park. To find the launch, use Fort Wetherill Scuba Diving Lot, Jamestown, RI as the address. Please arrive in time to start paddling at 10:00 AM. -Nancy Hill

A recent trip report that included mention of raccoons stealing food prompted me to write this. I always hang my food, toothpaste and trash unless I am in an area with unacceptable or no trees (unlikely, but it happens). Recently, I was sitting by a fire and looked over at my tent and there was a raccoon in my open vestibule, looking completely at home. There was no food or anything smelly in my tent or vestibule. I think he was just curious. Hanging my food gives me peace of mind and it's easy to do. I use an arborists line that glides smoothly over the bark and does not damage the tree. I also use a 12 oz. throw weight, but you can use a small bag of rocks. I use the PCT method. https://theultimatehang.com/2013/03/19/hanging-a-bear-bag-the-pct-method/ . A tent stake works better than a stick because you can slide it off the line (without untying) when taking the bag down. You can find videos to demonstrate the method if that is more helpful to you. It takes a little practice to get your line over the chosen branch. Here are some tips. https://www.bartlettman.com/blogs/news/how-to-use-throw-lines I've come across some odor-proof bags that live up to their name that have a variety of uses, included DIY WAG bags (doggy bag inside the odor-proof bag). So, if no trees are available, the odor proof bags might be good enough. They area available in different sizes. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y2WLY4K?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-ypp-rep_ypp_rep_k0_1_8&amp&crid=B9V8KS27XNUU&amp&sprefix=odor+pro

Head shapes (in general) are either round or oval. Some helmets are good for round head, some for oval. If you find that your helmet feels tight against your forehead, you may have an oval head and a round helmet. If you helmet is tight against the sides, you may have a round head and an oval helmet. It's really hard to tell what fits unless you wear it for hours. I had a helmet that I thought was great until I leaned over and raised my head, only to have the back of my PFD push the helmet over my eyes. I could not adjust it to fit right. Now I have a WRSI Current Pro and I can wear it all day and do not notice I have it on. WRSI has two models - Trident (more oval shaped) and Current (more round). It took me years to find a helmet that fits properly. I took a chance when I ordered it and am glad I did. I have a small head, too, and that made matters a little more difficult.) Good luck.

Thank you, Jane, and to everyone else who showed up to make it a great day on the water.

There was a caretaker (lighthouse keeper for a 2-week stint) on White Island when I was there a few years ago, although the website for White Island Historic site says it is unstaffed (and it was closed to visitors in 2020 due to Covid). If you were the caretaker or knew the caretaker.... I also recall seeing an add from a local kayak company (not sure which one) a few years ago advertising a kayak/camping overnight on one of the islands. They must have gotten permission.

I've paddled out and back once and spent a bit of time paddling around the islands and visiting the lighthouse on White Island. I'd love to spend more time paddling around the islands without the out and back part. It's really beautiful out there!

There is a new wash-over directly across from Chatham Bars Inn as of February 3. There is a Facebook page called "Chatham's Three Breaks". It is there you'll find pictures and video.

Now, I want to go back to Misery to look for goats! I think Wayne was the only one to see it (but I assume there are more).

The rescue story about the goat in Belfast, Maine reminded me of this. My husband saw a goat on Great Misery Island today. We also saw a lot of deer, but that is to be expected, But, a goat? One thought is that a goat (or goats - but he only saw one) were taken to the island to keep the poison ivy and other vegetation at bay. Does anyone know anything about this? Is this another runaway goat?

A drysuit is essential this time of year.

Wayne and I will join you!

Neoprene is waterproof. A good pair of neoprene gloves that are advertised as waterproof will have the seams sealed where they are stitched or glued together, making them truly waterproof. Think of the seams of the gloves like the seams of a tent fly that has to be sealed along the seams to be waterproof. My NRS Maverick gloves (old style) have a circular cutout at the wrist which seals it fairly well over my drysuit gasket. I haven't seen any other gloves made that way. The new version has the same wrist. It's called a HydroCuff. I don't think one can generate enough heat in the hands to warm a constant inflow of new cold water into a glove (if it is leaking). It is not my understanding that a glove is intended to work the same as a wetsuit, particularly in cold water. In fact, when the water is really cold, divers switch to a drysuit and there are different gloves and systems to keep the hands dry. Some of the gloves have a wrist gasket, like on our drysuits. Any neoprene glove that is advertised as waterproof and isn't was not made properly.

I wore my NRS Maverick gloves last week and found water leaking in in a few areas that were worn (mostly thumb and cracks in the seam where the knuckles bend). I ran a bead of neoprene cement along the knuckles and coated the thumb pads along with the tips of the index fingers with two coats on all those places. After trying them in a cold basin moving my hands around, opening and closing my fists, they are completely dry inside. I've always liked those gloves and it seems I have given them some new life, for now. <fingers crossed>. Most have said to have dry gloves to change into at lunch, or sometime(s) along the way. I agree with that!

I've always thought these might be good, but they don't come in sizes, so would probably be too big for me. https://www.chillcheater.com/greenland-gauntlets

Here's what you need, Prudence.

This is exactly my problem. I haven't found that any one things is best, but some things work better than others. I have worn a thin liner glove under a nitrile (or similar) glove. Over that combo I wear an Outdoor Research Revel Mitt. It is waterproof up until a point and thin enough that I can use my camera and get my spray skirt on. Yesterday, I put on some neoprene gloves (I agree that most of them leak - even my expensive NRS gloves with gasketed wrist leak now) and then I traced out a pogie that I thought would fit over my gloved hand. I made the pogie out of 3 mm neoprene. If fits my gloved and hand fits well on the paddle shaft. I will try it out and let you know how well I like it. For me, I always have an assortment of things with me so I can change when I start getting wet/cold. One thing that kept my hands fairly warm were NRS thick neoprene mittens, but I decided against wearing them because it is impossible to do anything with them on, other than hold the paddle.

Joyce is to the left of Pablo. That was the first time I'd been to Jewell. What a great weekend!

That's right, Gary. If you haven't been to #7, then you won't be able to guess. The harbor is Head Harbor on Campobello Island.

Oh, that's a good question, Prudence. When I am on the NSPN website on my computer, I have a long row across the top of my reply box where I can do lots of things (bullets, indents, font size and color). When on the site on my phone, I only have B (bold) I (italics) U (underline) and the link symbol. The rest of the choices are not there, so perhaps it is something like that on your iPad. Hmmmm....perhaps someone with an iPad knows how to change the font color. If I want to see the white answers, I just click and drag across the missing text (as if to highlight it). -Nancy

My original guess was between Greenlaw Neck and Stinson Neck. Found this while looking for the answer. Very interesting: https://www.ellsworthamerican.com/maine-news/discover-deer-isle-along-ancient-canoe-route/ I have not been to that exact spot, so my answer is somewhat of a guess, but I have used Gary's clue to make it a more educated guess. Gary's latitude and longitude point to the narrow land between Greenlaw Cove and Deep Hole

Very good, Gary! I guess you have to go to #7 someday. You'll need a passport. You got half of # 8/9, but the wrong harbor. For #10 you got the launch right, but not the name of the island. -Nancy

Is it time to play a game again? (Thanks to Gary for starting this idea). Where am I? Answer in white text so others can't see your answers. (To do that, use the underlined "A" above and use the down arrow to change the color of your answer.) 1) What island was this house on? (Hint - this house no longer exists and the story of its removal is interesting) 2) Hint - same island as #1. Where might you launch to get here? 3) Where is this launch and where are we going? 4) This is an easy one if you've been here. If you haven't been here, you should go! Where am I and what is in the building where I am standing? 5) Where am I and what I am looking at in the distance? 6) Hint for #5. You can camp here! 7) Low tide makes for a long walk. Launching at low and returning at high is preferable! What harbor are we launching into? #8 What harbor is this? The photo in #9 will give you a hint. 9) If you look closely, you will see something in the distance above the fog. What are you looking at? It is what you would see in the photo in #8 if the fog had lifted a bit. 10) Last one for extra credit. Impress me. We paddled in the fog one day and stayed close to shore. We paddled around the outside of an island, and returned by portaging over a sand bar that enables one to drive out to the house on the island at low tide. The island is not too far from a place called Carrying Place Cove, but not the one you are thinking of. How many "Carrying Place Coves" are there in Maine? What is the name of the island? Where might you launch to get there?

There are so many good books to choose from. Here are five: Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers Farthest North by Fridtjof Nansen N by E by Rockwell Kent In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

Thanks for organizing, Jim. It was a fantastic day! I didn't take as many pictures as I usually do, but here are a few. That is a really beautiful stretch of coast.