billvoss

11 hours ago, cfolster said:

a 12 mile trip with no option to stop

I like the swell, and can cope with the wind.  However, the "no option to stop" aspect concerns me.

The weather odds look excellent for Wednesday.  I'll plan to arrive around 4pm assuming someone else posts they want to join me.

If sometime this Wednesday Walden tweets that they are closed, this week's plan B experiment is the Lowell Rd boat ramp which Google Maps describes as 181-299 Lowell Rd, Concord, MA 01742, about a 7 minute drive from Walden Pond which was discussed in last week's Walden thread.  Basically, if I see online before I leave  that Walden has closed even if they plan to reopen, or if I find myself locked out of Walden when I arrive, I'm heading to the Lowell Rd boat ramp hoping to find a friendly face joining me there.  Otherwise I will enjoy Walden's waters where Dan has assured me:

How is the water quality? I'm no expert, but I know for a fact that fish pee in all three of those rivers, whereas at Walden they're supposed to use the bathhouse.

If you haven't attended before, see the NSPN Calendar Entry for other useful details.

First, it was a good trip Cathy.  Thanks again for organizing and leading it Supreme Leader.

1 hour ago, cfolster said:

I think this writing is probably the first time they will understand what it was really like. 

Yes.  I would probably have suggested I spot you while you repeated at least part of your swim if I had fully understood your experience.

56 minutes ago, cfolster said:

I swam towards the shore but couldn’t get there.  I swam with all my might, but could not escape the current.  I continued to be swept down the small river, with panic starting to rise in my gut and crowd my thoughts.

Panic is always a potential problem.  It is certainly difficult to stay calm and think clearly when panic visits.

51 minutes ago, cfolster said:

Would the current have lessened enough out there that I could get out of it?

I wasn’t in grave danger, but I wasn’t in a very good situation.

In white-water, if you swim a rapid the basic rules are get on your back, get your feet up and downstream with your legs slightly bent, and time your breathing because sometimes your head might be underwater.  The extra credit options are maneuvering to avoid running into things like rocks, and barrel rolling into eddies.   However, usually you just wait because eventually the rapid ends and then either discharges into a pool, calmer current, or if you are a semi-crazy paddler playing above something dangerous like a waterfall you should soon see throw ropes coming your way.  Getting a huge adrenaline rush and finishing with very rapid breathing is a typical reaction.

In your case the current would have slowed and eventually discharged you into the ocean which was in a mellow mood that day.  In the unlikely event that nobody ever came for you, you could have lazily swum across the mild current like dealing with a riptide, then swum in to shore and walked back to the bridge.  Your PFD would have kept you breathing, and the conditions were warm enough that you had hours of functional self-rescue time available.  Assuming none of the Great White Sharks nibbled on your toes.

1 hour ago, cfolster said:

Bill, who has excellent white-water experience, walked up and over and lept in with the swimmers, and rolled beautifully into the first eddy.

That was my plan A.  Plan B was to catch a later eddy.  Play C was to float the entire rapid and then treat the current like a riptide swimming across the current and then in to shore.  Assuming of course none of the boaters I floated past offered me a lift.  I do have the advantage of having practiced those skills during multiple swift water rescue courses, not to mention the even more numerous unplanned swims I've experienced paddling white-water.

20 minutes ago, Nick1979 said:

I would like to suggest The Upper Mystic lake in Arlington/Winchester/Medford. This is my go to local place for practicing. Plenty of parking all around, and there is a decent size parking with a boat ramp as well. Water quality at the beach is good, as some places get Cyanobacteria outbreaks this time of year. 

Where do you park & launch?  My Google searching only found the Medford Boat Club, but I'm not especially interested in joining it for such limited use.

Temporary issue: The Mystic Lakes are currently closed to swimming and kayaking because of a cyanobacteria algae bloom.

14 minutes ago, Dan Foster said:

Given the popularity of Walden on hot days, I'd propose that on "really nice" days, or days where Walden has at least one closure before 4PM, we abandon the pond in favor of a river paddle. Destinations can include the Old North Bridge, Fairhaven Bay, birdwatching at Great Meadows NWR.

I wouldn't practice rolling or spend a lot of time inhaling water from the rivers. Rescue practice is probably fine.

Dan, you know that I HAVE TO ROLL.  Though inhaling water is optional.  Just how bad is it?

I had some issues with your links Dan, but I think this link should provide Google Map directions between Walden and the Lowell Rd boat ramp.  Next time Walden closes on a Wednesday shall we have everyone just automatically go to the Lowell Rd boat ramp?  I'm certainly open to trying it at least once.

I actually drove over to the AMC Boston WW Paddlers practice spot from Walden yesterday.  Unfortunately all the close spots had already been snagged.  While it is possible to drop your kayak and park at the school, I didn't feel up to it in yesterday's heat.

I was in the car in front of Yong.  Arrived at Walden about 7 minutes after they closed.  I just got home ( about 1 hour drive down, about 1.5 hours to get home).

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Walden Pond‏ @waldenpondstate 2h2 hours ago

7/19/17 at 3:53pm Walden Pond closed for visitor capacity. Walden Pond closed for the night. Walden Pond opens 5am Thursday, 7/20/17

It has been a few years since I was last shutout.  After 2.5 hours in the car today, I think I should stop attempting to get in during "reopening" windows.

The guard at the Walden gate was urging me to go to the river, I believe he meant the Concord River to paddle.  Without prior arrangement it didn't make sense to go alone tonight.  Does anyone local know if there is a river put-in near Walden that might make sense as a backup plan?

Sorry I'm dropping out this time.  Partly the 30% chance of thunderstorms (NWS as of 1:58pm) , and partly new competing interests at home.

I expect to attend.  Did you pick a VHF channel Jeff?

I plan to arrive around 4pm on Wednesday.  I and almost certainly others will be happy to help you learn assisted and self rescues.

The weather looks clear but HOT, which will probably mean crowded.  If you cannot find parking at the boat ramp, you can drop your kayak at the ramp and park in main parking.  Unless of course the park closes because it hits visitor capacity. (See https://twitter.com/waldenpondstate.)   So far this year they have only hit capacity on weekends and around holidays.  However, days with highs in the 90's tend to maximize attendance.

Cathy said I can launch at 10:30 , so I'm interested.

Bill - not a morning person - Voss

Since Cathy says I can plan on launching at 10:30  , I'm interested.

If you are all bailing, I guess I'm not going either.  ?

Better luck next week.

I'm still going.  However, if the sky looks threatening I'm going to practice in sight of the boat ramp instead of paddling across the lake.  If there is thunder, I'll probably pack up and leave, not try and wait it out.

On the bright side, the forecast will probably make parking easier.  While the weather odds have certainly changed for the worse, as I post this the odds are still in our favor.

Hope you and your DeLorean can make it Jane.

The weather odds look good for Wednesday.  I'll plan to arrive around 4pm assuming someone else posts they want to join me.

I think there is a good chance we will get to Ooh and Aah over Peter's new Gearlab paddle.  So this week's Walden is also a Gearlab Rendezvous!  Bring your Gearlab or at least Greenland style paddle if you own one.

As always everyone is welcome, even if they don't use a Greenland paddle.  If you haven't attended before, see the NSPN Calendar Entry for useful details.

My waiting list now has more people than I will probably be able to train this summer.

Clarifying some confusion.

These sessions were born with a waiting list from last year.  Don't let that stop you from getting on the waiting list this year.

You do NOT need to be an AMC member to participate.  The fee is "pass it forward" regardless of your AMC membership status.

I'm offering rolling instruction again this summer through the New Hampshire chapter of the AMC.  My plan is to meet students Monday afternoon/evening at a pond in Hudson, NH.  Go to https://activities.outdoors.org/search/ and search for kayak rolling to find the official listing.  Then click the "Email this person" link with questions or to get on the waiting list.

Quote

 

Intended for the kayaker who still wants someone standing next to them as they learn to roll, I'll work one-on-one with you in a local pond for multiple weeks. You graduate when you can perform six rolls in a row, three on each side.

You must bring a PFD, helmet, kayak, neoprene spray skirt, paddle (European or Greenland style), and a desire to repeatedly capsize.

I strongly suggest you also bring kayaker's nose plugs (the kind with a cord) and goggles, or a swim mask. Seeing what you are doing and not worrying about water up your nose definitely accelerates learning.

Extremely limited enrollment via a waiting list as students graduate. Let me know if you can meet in the afternoon, or if you need "after work."

The fee is "pass it forward."

 

Bill Voss

Great Dan!  The more the merrier.  I'll try to get there around 4pm again this week.

Sorry Pru, I'm not interested in mornings.  The rangers will probably lock us out eventually some Wednesday this summer, and weekend/holidays are apparently crazy.  However, I would put my money on it being a scorching hot day, not a "nice" day when they lock us out.

Weather is looking good!  If another person posts they are going, the event is on.   (Unless the rangers close the park.)

I like what the NWS is telling me.  I expect to attend this Wednesday.  Will try to arrive a bit after 4pm.

Last Wednesday some attendees made tentative plans to go out for dinner afterwards this week.  Totally optional, but consider yourself invited to join us afterwards.

I don't currently have any schedule conflicts, and dinner makes it even more tempting.  I'm currently waiting on a more reliable weather forecast before I commit.  However you can certainly attend without me.  If two people post they are going, the event is on.  I don't have to be one of the paddlers attending.

Bill

I'm going, and I'll have a spare paddle.

My car is packed.  See you this evening.