NateHanson

This comprehensive course for improving paddlers has been a great success each of the past two years, and I'm happy to be offering it again this August. There are still a couple spaces available, so please contact me or call Old Quarry Ocean Adventures at 207-367-8977 with questions, or to sign yourself up. Cost of class includes use of any equipment you need, including Werner paddles and boats from P&H.

Thanks, Nate

Paddler Development Week

A 5 day course for beginner to intermediates to hone skills for becoming a complete intermediate sea kayaker.

Come spend a week with Nate Hanson (ACA Coastal Kayaking Instructor, BCU 4-star sea leader), and hone all the skills which contribute to becoming a complete intermediate sea kayaker. In this unique 5-day format, students will have time to explore and improve everything from boat handling to weather planning. We'll spend part of each day refining strokes, learning new rescues, or expanding our knowledge of navigation and tidal planning. But we'll also leave time to relax and enjoy those skills as we tour around the scores of scenic islands that surround the Stonington area. Class size will be small, and instruction will cater to each student's particular needs and goals. This class is appropriate for beginner or intermediate paddlers. Cost is $585 per person for the full 5-day class (or $140 per day if you are unable to attend the full week).

2013 Course Dates:

August 26 - 30

Hi Ed. I see how what I wrote was misleading. I was referring to the home screen on my phone. On there I made a folder called WX, and I place icons there which link to each of the NWS marine and terrestrial weather zones that I use. Also NWS radar.

That way I can get to each page with one click - saving battery on longer trips.

AyeTides, for tide and current prediction. Navionics is a really nice charting app, but I mostly use it to check out an area when I'm goofing around, dreaming of a trip, but I don't use it for navigation much at all. Paper charts are easier and more practical. Links on my homepage to all the marine forecasts, and to doppler radar are the thing I use most.

How do people feel about down vs synthetic bags for kayak camping?

I like down. It packs so much smaller, and in my experience the loft lasts longer. I just stuff it directly in a small drysack, and haven't had any troubles keeping it dry. Having a thick insulated air pad keeps the bag well away from moisture on the floor of the tent, so that helps too.

I use a 40 degree marmot down bag for almost all my kayak camping. When it's in the low 40s I use a bag liner, and sleep in more layers, hat, etc. Summer nighttime temps in the low 50s are quite common on the Maine islands, so a bag liner or a fleece bag is not sufficient in my mind. I'd like to get a 20 degree down bag for early spring/late fall, because I don't like how large my 20 degree synthetic bags are.

MITA is a good place to start, but there are many other resources that will increase your options. Not all are easy to find, and some are intentionally hard to find, I think.

Maine Coast Heritage Trust is a good resource, as is Island Heritage Trust. There are also properties and islands in my area owned by the Nature Conservancy and the Frenchman Bay Conservancy. Then on top of that there are state owned islands which are not really advertised anywhere, but which are accessible to the public. Towns own some local islands, and allow day use and sometimes camping.

There's no single source of all this info. The bottom line is that it takes a lot of sleuthing. Guide books, word of mouth, local knowledge, internet research, etc.

And I'd agree with the person who said "it's easier to mark the islands you CAN land on". Generally, assume you don't have access rights to any island, until you learn otherwise.

The mariner who responded was in fact Bill Baker of Old Quarry, though the group had no connection to Old Quarry. (It's remarkable how often he ends up providing assistance when folks are in trouble around there.)

Perhaps this group will plan for cold water next time, and be equiped to deal with hypothermia and equipment problems on their own. Glad all ended well.

That is indeed an interesting area for tidal planning, isn't it? It's unique both in the complexity of the currents/tides, but also in the relative abundance of tidal current prediction stations. What other prime kayaking ground on the maine coast has 3 current stations within about 5 miles of eachother?

That said, my observation is that the East Moosabec Reach current tables are good primarily for that one spot (and presumably also for the west side of Roque Is.). They do not tell you much about the current in Eastern Bay. In Eastern Bay, the current floods nearly until High Tide at Steele Harbor, while the East Reach current station would have you guessing that Eastern Bay starts to Ebb two hours before High Water.

In Western Bay, the West Moosabec reach station is about right for Western Bay in my experience.

Ed, there is unfortunately no tidal height prediction given for the current stations, and no current prediction given for the tidal stations. So direct comparisons are not possible. And you're right - the current in these specific locales are not strong in the "reversing falls and whirlpools" sense, but recognizing the eddies will often make the difference between moving at 4 knots and 3 knots. Also, you'd better time the current if you wish to pass under the bridge, because at higher tidal ranges kayaks can't attain under the bridge at max flow, so in that one spot it's particularly critical. In my experience, the current under the bridge resembles the Western Reach current station, moreso than the Eastern Reach station.

Nate

It's probably built in 1990, as indicated on the builder's label. Those boats with a paddle recess in the stern deck just have static lines (non-stretchy) running down both sides of the stern, and then bungies run between the last pair or two of recessed deck fittings, to hold the blades of the spare paddle. You'll need to order Recessed Deck Fittings (RDFs) to screw into those round holes along each side of the deck. Then your static lines and bungies will go through the RDFs. Looks like the RDFs that are used in current production boats might fit those holes. You can get them online, or better yet, check with a local dealer - that way you can test one before you buy a whole mess of them.

sounds very much to me like your new stance is suboptimal when the water gets bumpy - you don't have enough contact with the boat - you are going to want to have a lot more contact surfaces than your butt alone. you aren't going to have much success with that.

These are different schools of thought Rick. There are plenty of good paddlers who have a lot of success with a "less-locked" stance in the boat, in confused water. The idea is the same as the "loose hips" principle. Let the boat do what it wants, and it will ride along upright. Lock into the thigh braces, and you're basically forced to actively balance the boat.

Different philosophies work for different folks.

In my experience, NOTHING sticks to cold wet surfaces very well. But give the hull a quick swipe with a paper towel, and whatever you have will work much better. Heat sealed baggies with a patch of window flashing and a paper towel are the best I've tried.

Thanks Ed. Seeing my post above, I'm struck by how long it got! I'm glad you think there might be something worth saying in there somewhere. Maybe I'll employ an editor the next time I'm tempted to post while eating my lunch.

<I like to roll in regular hand position because it's faster>

Nate, what has this got to do with anything, really? Why or when do you need absolute <speed> in getting up again? I would humbly suggest that (once the water warms up somewhat) you start to <enjoy> being upside-down. I can hardly think of times when it is necessary -- of far greater import is that you treat your spine and musculature with as much gentleness and respect as possible -- and <this> is what you will find is so rewarding about Greenland-type rolling.

When I once attended an open afternoon at Walden Pond, Harvey Golden (I think it was who was instructing me) kept drumming into me: "Slow down -- go as slowly as you can". I believe it works, making you pay attention to the hip/torso rotation and thus making your <body> do the work and not any fierce, heroic bracing on the paddle -- think about this...

I like basking in my one-ness with Mother Ocean as much as the next guy, and I'd suggest it to anyone, but I'd agree with Rick that there are certainly times when it's better to get back upright sooner rather than later. And there are places where laying back, shoulders to the sky, paddle extended 6-feet to one side of the boat, isn't a realistic position to be in. My opinion is that I'd rather have my first roll technique be the one that works in tight spaces as well as wide-open spaces, rather than deciding which one to use based on the last thing I saw before going over. So for me, I've found that non-extended rolls work better. There is also a certain fluidity and conservation of movement that comes with executing a roll just as one would any other stroke - without special set-up, hesitation, or adjustment. I find that attractive.

You're absolutely right that "slow it down" is often the best advice for anyone when they are working on rolling. It's helped me many times, and I've seen it help students many times as well. And rushing is never a good thing. But there's a middle ground. I think it's good to get to a point where a roll can happen fluidly - without pause or hesitation. Minimal effort, and smooth technique is the goal. This is not incompatible in my mind with executing a roll efficiently, without any extra time for adjustments or extended paddle sweeps.

To be clear, I'm no enemy of Greenland techniques. I've taken lessons with some long-bearded gurus (and even one without any beard at all!), and those perspectives have made me a better roller and paddler. I have taught some students greenland style rolls because it was the best thing at the time for that student. Currently my go-to roll in conditions is the Storm roll, and I like working on a (fairly modest) list of the greenland rolls to pass the cold winter months during pool sessions.

When practicing, I agree that having comfort and patience underwater is important, and of course focusing on body technique, rather than paddle force is the main idea. On this one I really agree with Suz, that de-emphasizing the role of the paddle is key, and for some that's best done by learning rolls that use less paddle or no paddle at all. That way, when you do use a paddle, really solid underlying technique makes the paddle itself an unnecessary aid. I don't chuck my paddle, and hand roll in conditions, but practicing handrolls when playing around really disciplines upper and lower body technique, to make the paddle rolls require less effort.

Personally, I like to roll in regular hand position because it's faster. Setting up before the roll takes no extra time to shift hand position. Also the roll itself is faster without extended position. Sweeping that extended paddle takes longer (and that's part of what makes the pawlata roll more supportive too). In strong current or breaking waves, I think it also eliminates a maneuver where you might lose your grip on the paddle. All small differences i'm sure, but that's my preference.

Do what you like, and practice what you do.

Nate

Can anyone comment on the differences between Tropos and Gore Tex in the Kokatat line?

The Goretex one packs smaller and is ligher, which was a priority for me. It also breathes better, but that's not much of a concern, IMO, for a Storm Cag. The idea is to block heat loss, and either fabric will do that.

Hey Warren,

I believe we met a few years ago at John Carmody's. I'm an ACA instructor, and a BCU 4-star, and I work as a coach at Old Quarry in Stonington, ME.

I'm happy to help you out with this stuff, (though perhaps not quite so far south). We could set up a L3 skills assessment, or a day just to work on those skills if you'd like, either up in this direction, or maybe somewhere in between.

Drop me an email if you'd like to discuss. nathanielrhanson@gmail.com

Nate

For what it's worth, I have had WFA, but I took the AHA classes recently to keep my certification current for a couple months until I can take a WFR course.

Never again. The First Aid. "Class" was just a 3 hour video, with no skills at all, and all geared towards workplace accidents. It was boring, useless, and a waste of time and money. The CPR course was much better, but I wouldn't recommend the FA class to anyone.

Do yourself a favor, and find a WFA course from SOLO or WMA.

Nate

I've heard warnings about currents and conditions near Bass Harbor, but when I've paddled there I haven't really had problems.

Whether Bass Harbor Bar might pose problems for someone depends on what they're comfortable with, but it's certainly an area where any of us should pay attention to where we are in the tide cycle. Slack current at the bar corresponds basically to high and low tides, and floods west. On a recent day with 5-10 knot easterlies, a 1-foot swell, and only a moderate tidal range (under 10 feet) there were 3 foot breaking seas across the entire bar from the light to Great Gott at the middle of the ebb. There are small tide races between all of the islands just south of Bass Harbor, and on springs once, a friend was suprised to find himself getting sucked into a suprisingly large overfall between the Sisters, east of Swans. Great fun or holy terror - you decide. But either way, worth keeping your tidal planning hat on.

Like Barb, I have paddled around MDI, but not all at once. (It's on my to-do list) The easiest parking I know of is Hadley Point, at the north tip of the island. When I checked with the BH police 2 years ago, overnight parking was allowed here, but I'd recommend checking with them again to make sure, (and to let them know your dates, so they don't get concerned.)

The key to getting around MDI is campsites - fairly plentiful around the western side, and almost non-existant around the east side. There are public and MITA islands near Bartlett (also MCHT islands in the general area), and then you need to get to the MITA island that is south of Bass Harbor. From there it's not a long hop to another MITA site in the Cranberries, but then you've got a fairly long haul to get back to Hadley Point. Without reviewing a chart, I'd guess you're talking about 20+ miles. (There is a very small MITA island off Grindstone Neck, which requires a fairly bold crossing, or a longer coastwise route from Bar Harbor, but I wouldn't camp there if I had a choice. It's low, exposed, and very small.)

Pay attention to current directions, and where the wind will oppose the current. And as Barb said, choose your days carefully when negotiating the section from Seal Harbor to Bar Harbor. It's often rough, and can have no-landing zones for long stretches.

Good luck! Nate

When I was replacing my radio last year, I considered the Standard DSC-GPS enabled handheld (Icom hadn't released their DSC offering yet). It was much larger, and had a much smaller-capacity battery than the Icom M72, and that seemed like too many compromises to the critical VHF functionality. A gps-dsc handheld makes your VHF function a LITTLE like a PLB, but not quite. There are plenty of areas where any VHF distress signal won't reach the good guys, whether it's a digital DSC signal, or a verbal Mayday.

I decided that for my purposes, I wanted a really strong, long-battery life VHF, that's easy to carry in my PFD. (In the near future, I expect such a radio will incorporate GPS and DSC, but that wasn't the case last year). For more remote or higher consequences trips where a VHF is not sufficient for emergency calling, I want a true satellite PLB, so I think two dedicated devices (or three if we're talking about a GPS for navigation as well) is the way to go.

One other warning for DSC shoppers - there have been DSC enabled handhelds on the market which rely on external GPS interface. These are only useful on a yacht, where they can sit on a cradle, recieving GPS info from another instrument, until you pick it up to make that distress call. But in a kayak, that DSC (without intergral GPS) functionality is not useful, so kayakers should make sure they are only looking at DSC handhelds that incorporate a GPS reciever.

I am really ancious to just by a boat and get used to it, but Cathy is desperately trying to be the voice of reason. The hardest part about trying out different boats is that I would really like to do a "side by side" comparison of all the boats in conditions, and that is just not reasonable.

The best way to do this might be to take a paddling class with a coach that has boats from various manufacturers. That way for $150 or so, you get the opportunity to genuinely test paddle a couple boats in conditions, plus you'll improve your technique. Money worth spending, in my opinion, when you're considering a few thousand dollar purchase.

I'm your size, and I wear Kokatat size Large. Large would be perfect for me if everything were about an inch longer (torsos, and sleeves), but I've never custom ordered because the regular Large is close enough. I tried XL once, and the length is nice, but everything's too baggy, and the neoprene arm gaskets are too loose.

Registration is now open for Wilderness First Aid, taught by SOLO, at Old Quarry in Stonington, April 20-21. This 2-day class covers the first aid skills you need to have when help is more than just a phone call away, and students will leave with a 3-year Wilderness First Aid certification from SOLO.

Appropriate for anyone who wants to be prepared for their outdoor adventures, and essential for those who lead others on the ocean or in the wilderness. In addition to classroom sessions, we'll have outdoor and waterfront scenarios to apply and practice our skills.

Tuition is $225 (Community CPR certification also available for those who need it - $40).

Camping or Bunkhouse accommodations are available on site, as well as breakfast and lunch. Bring your boat and stay an extra couple nights for some great springtime paddling before or after! Call 207-367-8977 to sign up.

Thanks, Nate

You will not find any salt-water ice in Maine in December. Water temps are near 50 that time of year. My experience paddling year-round up here (downeast maine) is that ice is only present on protected bays and rivers, and even then mostly during cold snaps in January and February.

The ocean temperature isn't below the mid-30s in late winter, so ice can only form when water gets isolated in a bay on a calm night, and the air temp gets very cold and freezes the surface of the still water. Then we'll get an inch or so of ice on the surface, and in bays with any tidal current, that ice breaks up and is flushed out to sea with the next tide.

In island camping, you will not likely encounter any snow on the ground in December, but the nights will be cold, so I agree with the above poster, that clothing and appropriate camping gear is probably the biggest concern.

As to meals, personally I'd never camp in winter without hot meals because I find cold food on a cold night demoralizing. And from a safety perspective, I'm never without a stove and thermos during cold-weather or cold-water paddling, even for day trips. You need to be able to warm people up.

Hello neighbors to the south. I've got a day to kill in Boston next Thursday, and maybe Friday morning too. I'll have my Delphin with me, so I'm wondering what are some good paddling spots close to East Cambridge. Despite growing up in Belmont, and doing extensive sailing in Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay during grad school, I don't have a paddler's knowledge of put-ins, landings, and good play spots. I'll be alone (unless others are interested in joining), so nothing too crazy, but a little light surf on a friendly shore line would work. Nahant? Nantaskett? Or a tour of the outer harbor islands? Remind me which you can land on? The Brewsters, etc. Stuff out beyond Georges and Gallop.

Or feel free to make suggestions aside from the stuff I've mentioned above.

Thanks,

Nate

To complete my narrative arc, Icom replaced my M72 under warranty. They noted that after use, I should remove the battery, and don't charge it until everything is dry. Not sure that explains the water intrusion problem that killed the radio itself, but there you go.

Nate