rylevine

I plan to attend. Thanks. - Bob

Also hoping for a speedy recovery, and that all these friends survive the supposedly dormant winter months until the spring!

Ditto on this, especially the relief. Tuck's Point awaits..... Bob

Hey Barry and Doug, We have to stop going out is such rough conditions! Barry, I did something similar to what Rene is suggesting last summer for somewhat less damage at the same location - minus the paste and gel coat - just the fiberglass tape and epoxy. It's not very pretty but has held up fine. Since you have to bridge larger openings, maybe the paste and Blaine's supporting dowels make sense. It was the first time I did any fiberglass repair, and it went very well. Bob

What about that exotic and invasive species otherwise known as Massachusetts residents?

He noted that in Maine a $20 fee is levied on canoes and kayaks and the proceeds are applied to controlling exotic and invasive species. Is that true?

I've always started my re-entry and roll from the boat completely upside down. I'll try different techniques in the next pool session. - Bob

Understand that the free surface effect only comes into play when the cockpit is partially flooded. (Anything in between completely empty or completely flooded.) Hi Jon, OK, now this is interesting to try. I've actually never heard of flooding the cockpit for more stability. However, have definitely felt the free surface effect in practice in choppy conditions - and the boat is much less stable - but it never occurred to me to just add water! As for the tether, I have a short contact tow rope with a strap for tethering the paddle in rescues. Like Gene, I don't really see being entangled with a short (<10in) tether. I haven't used it for assisted rescues in conditions because I'm uneasy with being rolled without the paddle in my hands. However, if already out of the boat, I might use it to hold the paddle while putting on a spray skirt and then retrieve it. On the other hand, there is the available armpit....Need to practice all the options. Bob

Practising re enter and rolls with attached spray skirt is fine: I;ve done so, but in ,my experience theres still lot of water in the cockpit to be pumped out, so its not worth the extra time and effort. That extra, say, five or more seconds underwater to attach the skirt can be stressful and fatiguing: better to conserve that energy since youll need to pump out anyway. Certainly no harm practising in a pool: I just wouldnt plan to count on it in a "combat" sitation. I think it all depends on the conditions. Nothing is more stressful than getting tossed again, and that is likely to happen in a open water-filled boat with more water pouring in. You have a better chance to stabilize a sealed cockpit with less water inside. However, if you judge that you can handle the chop, then the fastest roll-up would be better.

At a pool session last night, my good friend Rene and I were commiserating on how difficult self-rescue is in conditions if your roll has failed - and cowboy does not work for you - and you are alone. Re-enter and roll leaves you with a boat full of water, more water coming in from the waves, and the need for an exhausting pump out. Unless you are lucky (or very good at multi-tasking and balancing), there is a good chance for another roll-over even with the paddle float. We decided that a foot and/or electrical pump was an option. Then Rene demonstrated the re-enter and roll with placing the spray skirt on before rolling up. The idea is that there would be less water in the boat, and an intact spray skirt. It may give you more time to organize the pump-out by releasing a small section of the skirt to slip in the pump. I tried it a few times. While you do not need the lung capacity of a pearl diver, it does take some time and finger dexterity (not sure about this with gloves and cold water). Also, my paddle floated away in the pool while I was trying to secure the skirt so a tether is necessary. However, it did seem to work. The situation on the roll up is better, if not ideal since there is still water in the boat to be pumped out. Bob

How do you calculate the risk of being taken by a crocodile? I think WW kayakers learn to read rivers; and the most skilled are best at that, and can expect to live long exciting lives. It seems like this poor individual was in that category, but was just very unlucky.

His description sounds like hypothermia was likely, and he had leg wounds.

Thanks for the article, Barry. Under the circumstances, I'm not sure why he didn't try to call the CG from Long Island instead of shoving off again. Did he have a water-proof cell phone mentioned earlier, or does 'inaccessible' mean back in the car? In any case, testimonials like this one are a public service. - Bob

Thanks to Peter, Ernie, Betty, Rob, and other board members/organizers/helpers. It was another great holiday party to top off a great paddling season! Bob

The reporter stands corrected!

What can be said of two men of a certain age that decide that despite breathtaking views, sparkling seas, and close wildlife observation, an excursion around Salem sound would not be complete without literally making physical contact with every island and miserable outcropping? Taking advantage of a calm ocean, although in this reporter's opinion it would not have mattered in the least, Blaine and I entered into such a contest at about 10am this morning from Ladys Cove (across from Deveraux). It was in the 30s with a brisk wind from the Northeast, but the sky was clear and tide was high. The circuit was first to Children's and then Dry Breakers, where seals were accidentally encountered (see other thread). Then S. Gooseberry for lunch and N. Gooseberry for launch - men of a certain age cannot resist seals nor seal launches, even when said launches result in battered hulls and jammed skegs. Pope Head offered a another clutch of nervous seals and the opportunity to bump kayaks on rocks. At Bakers, one of us (who is not the reporter), hit upon a beach incantation, perhaps as a way to ward off the other nervous wildlife in the area - namely the notoriously touchy Baker's Island denizens ('why do you think they live on islands'?). Afterwards, on the way to Misery, one of us (who is not the reporter) decided that House was properly in Salem sound although the other of us countered that it belonged to Manchester. Legal niceties notwithstanding, we paddled to and made contact with House Island before turning into mild following winds and seas to the Miseries. After a brief break in the Misery cut, we headed for Eagle Island. At Eagle, it was noted that Coney belonged to Salem Sound - certainly more correctly than House Island. As we gazed across and considered cooling temps and a setting sun, it was suggested by one of us (the reporter) that Coney is certainly in Salem sound but hardly counts as it is such a common launch point into the deeper sound - it would be more appropriate to consider it as an extension of the Marblehead peninsula. Desperation being the mother of invention, that did the trick, and we were on to Children's again and Marblehead rock. However, there was no escaping the fact that Tinkers belongs to Salem (as well as another well-heeled and aggressive human tribe) and could hardly be written off as a launch point into the sound. So it was off to Tinker's and an astounding sunset with the Boston skyline as a backdrop. The Tinker's contact and incantation complete, we paddled into Deveroux in darkness at about 4:45. Although tempted to partake of that other men of a certain age indulgence, namely the beach brewski, it was noted that somehow a warming cup of tea was more appropriate - perhaps this is a sign of a crossover to the men above a certain age condition?!

Hi Jeff, I'll have my radio on Channel 72. We should roughly follow the track listed in Blaine's note. Conditions at http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/wfo/sectors/boxMarineDay.php#tabs Bob

Last Saturday, after leaf raking most of the morning, I left from Forest River about two. Did six practice rolls before the cold water got into my hoodie and caused an ice cream headache - so then headed to Coney Island. High tide, but the swells were big due to an off shore storm, and they were breaking on the Coney ledges. That was the first time I saw that at high tide. Quick change of plans, and decided to head to Misery. The swells were elevators most of the the way, and very pleasant. I got to Misery about 4:30, just in time for the sun to set. No problem, except I forgot that the sun is lower in sky! It blinked out in minutes (although after a stunning sunset)! I thought the landings were too rough in the Misery cut, so decided to head back. The question was whether to cross in the dark or to hug the coast down to Lynch Park, and then cross to the Willows. Elevators are easier than breaking swells, so I was really tempted to cut across, but lost my nerve (thinking about those breakers on the Coney Island ledges). So it was a paddle in the dark down the coast - which was fine except I had trouble making out where the swells were breaking, and over-compensated by pulling further off-shore. This made the trip longer than necessary. Worse, there was no safe place to land and call my wife. I was concerned that she would call the harbormaster because of the delay. Anyway, seals were much in evidence and they were less afraid of the kayak in the dark. I mistook one for a lobster pot, and then noticed shining whiskers in the moonlight as I passed - very romantic! Eventually, I found a sheltered landing at the back of Lynch. Called my wife, and all was well. She wanted to pick me up, but I was feeling very comfortable in the cold air, elevators, and half-moon sky so insisted on paddling into Forest River. Ended up coming in on a calm, dark, empty harbor with Salem lights reflecting off the water. Just perfect!

Nice to have you back Glenn... Ditto on that....welcome back! - Bob

Hey Jon, The Margarita is doing great, if a little battered. Had to patch a smashed stern after a Casco trip last July. The boat was actually taking water into the back hatch during the final leg back to Portland. The bow got dinged on rocks during the Solstice, but that and some other scrapings have only been cosmetic. Now that I know what they are, I'm going to check the RDFs when I get home tonight - although I'm pretty sure I would have noticed a missing one yesterday. Ed, the carabiner was simply gone after the tow attempt....neither on the boat nor on the line. It is easy to replace. Good time to check the equipment! Bob

Blaine and I decided to go forward with the (cancelled) trip, figuring that if the surf was too rough we could go find a less bumpy area. Started at around 12 at Kings(?) beach between little Nahant and Nahant. Greater than seven foot swells, but the Nahant side of the beach looked more reasonable so we decided to leave the Little Nahant side to the boarders. It was a little breezy but with air temp in the 40s and water temp a balmy 50 it was really not that cold. The winds were onshore, so a lost kayak would blow into the shore. We began with some quick rolls, then headed to Egg Island. The swells were a little bigger around Egg, but also there was a lot of >2ft chop on the swells that I think was refracted energy from island rocks (even though we did not go closer than 50ft to the boomers). The big swells pushed us back to the beach were we started surfing on the Nahant side. We decided to try some surf rescues....and Blaine went in on a big wave....and then nothing. Apparently he had trouble finding the spray skirt loop among all the deck paraphernalia that may have shifted back toward the cockpit in the turbulence. Luckily, he had practiced for such a circumstance, and worked the spray skirt loose from the sides. It is the second time this year that a person I've been paddling with had real trouble with those loops. Everyone should practice releasing the skirt from the side - especially in surf-like confusion. Both Blaine and I decided to try to clear up our decks, at least for surfing (eg. do I really need a paddle float a hundred feet off the beach with other skilled paddlers?). We followed that event with a series of messed up surf rescues, including attempting contact tows and long rope tows. Both Blaine and I tried being the swimmer at different times, but none of the surf rescues worked in the heavy waves and the swimmer ended up on the beach emptying the boat. After a frustrating half hour culminating with breaking the carabiner from the long tow rope, we went back to surfing. I was windowshaded three times, but in only one case was I muscled over by a large wave. The other two were just mistakes of concentration. We broke up the surfing by bongo sliding in the soup zone, and more rolling practice. Finally around 5 we noticed that the sun was going down (daylight savings!), and that the swells were getting bigger. I was able to surf into the soup between these big sets, and then decided foolishly to try surfing backwards - well, that ended badly, and probably was a message from somewhere to go home. All-in-all, a very satisfying day off Nahant. Thanks to Blaine for calling it. Bob

I'll go on the next one. Have a good paddle tomorrow! Bob