Nancy Hill

From comments above, it looks like launch time is 10:00 AM. Is that correct? Is parking for the launch in the main lot for Ogunquit Beach at the end of Beach Street?

Me, too, please.

I'm happy to hear that very good news, Joe.

That's great! Congrats, Joe!

On cold weather trips I bring puffy pants and jacket and wear them (over wool pants and shirt) in my bag. A hot nalgene bottle at the foot end helps, too. The nice thing about the puffy pants is that I can wear them around camp in the evening and morning. I can get by with a lighter bag using this method. But, when it is really cold, I bring a down bag rated to 5F.

Due to the difficulty of hand washing, I carry disposable gloves (the kind that pull out of a tissue-like box). After using, I remove them inside out and put them in my trash. They don't take up much space and are handy for a variety of circumstances (particularly WAG bag, outhouse...)

My Gearlab Greenland paddle with carbon fiber ferrule came with a little disc of what looks like candle wax for coating the male side. It helps the pieces slide together and come apart much easier than with no wax. It is not quite as hard as parrafin, but more like a soy candle wax (just a little softer). Maybe try something like that?

We did have a beautiful day! It was my favorite lunch paddle so far. It is really a spectacular stretch of coast. Here are some of my pics:

Wayne and I have wrapped part of the shaft (where our hands are) with triangular silicone self fusing tape. It hardly adds bulk, but makes it much easier to hold. I was getting forearm strain from my death-grip on my Epic wing, but the tape has cured the problem and is holding up well (3 years now with no sign of needing to be replaced). -Nancy

Thanks, Joe, for another splendid day on the water. Here are some of my pics.

Another awesome day with a great group of paddlers. Let's do it again, say, on a Wednesday...

Portuguese man o'war, lion's mane jellies and then there's these nasties that live in the eel grass in Cape Cod salt ponds. Oh, joy! https://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/feature/mysterious-jellyfish-makes-a-comeback/ I will not be wading in or sticking my hands in a salt pond anytime soon.

Al, to be honest, I am not sure if I was required to pay or not. I told him I used the beach to "launch" my kayak and asked if I should pay the "launch" fee. He said it would be appreciated. That is the word he used. It was really busy there with people trying to park all over the place at about 2:00 PM. He may not have been thinking clearly and everyone was hot (93 in the lot!), so I just gave him $5 and left. It's a small price to pay for a great spot, even if it is not expected or required for hand carries.

Please put me on the wait-list for Friday if that is the day you choose.

No charge for "parking", but the harbormaster said he would appreciate the $5 launch fee for hand carried kayaks. You pay up at a machine next to the harbormasters office with cash and you get a receipt to put on your dash. The machine does not give change, so have a five dollar bill with you. I have the feeling that you wouldn't get fined if you didn't pay when hand carrying a kayak to the water.

OK, here are some photos. I excluded the ones of empty kayaks and bobbing helmeted heads.

That's disappointing to hear. I know of a few people who have been regularly going to RI with no problems. Not sure where, but lucky for them, I guess. It's like a full time job looking for launches that are open to out-of-state and even in MA lots of places are residents only (of that town). Staying closer to home is not as easy as I thought it would be. Grrrr. I'd looked all over the RI State website and can't find anything about non-residents and boating (that isn't outdated). There was a 14-day quarantine a while ago, but I thought that had been lifted. Some beaches opened on June 1 and there are prices listed for residents, non-residents and seniors. I wonder if this policeman had the right to ask you to leave. Nancy

It was so nice to get out on the water mid-week on a beautiful day. We had great weather (way better than expected), great company, and really great bird sightings.

Beautiful photos and description. Thanks!

What a great day! I like it when conditions are such that kayaks disappear behind the swells and waves crash on rocks. Thanks for organizing, Joe.

These are good ones, Gary. # 4 Butter Island took me a while, but I finally got them all. #3 you are on the western tip of Andrews. I got the rest of them, but I think you've already answered them in white. I checked to make sure I agreed with you and I did. It's fun looking at the chart and reminiscing.

Many people err on the side of too long. If you could buy a paddle with an adjustable length, you could vary length and see what suits you. I have an Epic wing and I usually paddle with it set at 208 cm for general paddling, but extend it to around 213 for downwind surfing/paddling. I can adjust it from 205 to 215. When I am not using my wing, I use a GP. If you could try as many different types and lengths as possible, that would be good. Good paddles are expensive so take your time if you can. These days, without being able to get together in large groups, that is a little more difficult. I'd suggest you work on your "Turner" GP and seal it with Tung oil - Circa 1850 is a good one. It is polymerized, so it will cure quickly. Some Tung oils take weeks to cure. Other Tung oil "finishes" are not really Tung oil. -Nancy

Another fun one, Gary. I recognized a lot, but realize there is more exploring to do! My answers: 1. ?, 2. ?, 3. Cutler Naval Base, 4. Off Louds in Muscongus, 5. Crotch Is., 6. Eastport (because it says it on the stone), 7. Quarry on Dix, 8. Shipstern (a favorite!), 9. Old Quarry, 10. ?, 11. ?, 12. ?, 12. ?. 14. Sprucehead (what is that thing anyway?), 15. Green Island, 16. off Malega, 17. Chauncy Creek.

Thanks, Joe. I'm glad to know the term. This must be what is happening when I stand in shallow water and the waves wash over my feet and I sink deeper into the sand as the motion of the water removes sand from the edges of my feet.

Ok, now I remember the terms variation and declination are used interchangeably when referring to true versus magnetic north. When I see the word declination, I think of measuring the angle (with a sextant) of an object above the horizon. I have never used those words interchangeably, but see how they could be since they both measure angles. Just don't anyone call it deviation! I will really roll my eyes. ?