prudenceb

Sorry you can’t make it, Nancy. Karen, you’re in!

The trip is now full! If you would like to join, I can put you on a waiting list. If anyone signed up changes her/his mind, please let me know. Prudence

It's now officially (post Labor Day) the best paddling time of the year! Warm water, wonderful autumn light, and places like West Beach in Beverly open again to non-residents. This week's WLP out of West Beach was so wonderful I want to go back again! Arrive at West Beach in time for a 10:00 am launch. I will be limiting the size of the group, so please indicate interest below. (I'll have folks give float plan info at the beach.). Options are to head up the beautiful rocky coastline or out to the islands. I'd prefer the former, but we can discuss at launch. low tide 11:00 am. High tide 5:00 pm. Current zone forecast for NE winds 5-10 switching to SE 5-10, but point for coastline less than that. Should be a beautiful day! Boats with bulkheads, deck lines required, and helmets for rockplay. And if I haven't paddled with you before please send me a PM. Prudence

I'm in. Will send PM with FP info.

Good for you, Peter. So glad you carpe'd the diem!

I unfortunately have to cancel this paddle tmrw. If others want to organize and go, fine, but you will have to start new thread. Apologies for late notice. Prudence

I will be unable to organize this WLP. Apologies for late notice. I will reach out to anyone who has posted they were planning to attend. Looks as though the weather gods are cooperating. There may be a bit of residual rain/drizzle/showers early Wednesday morning, but forecast to become clear and lovely. So…. We will LAUNCH AT 10:00 am at Granite Pier in Rockport. So get there in time to drop off boats, sort gear and then move cars to upper parking lot. There is a $12 launch fee, so bring $$. We can decide as a group where we want to go - Thatcher and Straitsmouth, along the coast in either direction, whatever…. Wind may have something to say. I don't have Joe's fancy signup so please post your intention to join on this thread and I'll gather float plan info at the launch. All the usual about bulkheads, deck lines and so on. If I haven't paddled with you before, pls send me a PM. Looking forward to seeing everyone! Prudence

Wonderful day with return across Piscataqua completely different than in the morning. Wind had picked up more than forecast, and it was windy/wavy/sporty going across, but we managed as a tightly together pod (congrats to all for that!) and 100% returned. The paddle back along the coastline was either into or with beam seas. A few found a nifty tide race just at the entrance to the harbor. Mellow paddle the rest of the way. I love doing the Garrish circumnav, and would note that an hour after Jaffrey Point high tide, there was PLENTY of room under the causeway bridge going back.

Hmmmm. Don't think what the old timer said is true. Just looked. Bald Head is under 50 feet. Otter Cliffs on MDI are over 100. Ditto cliffs along Bold Coast… it is a nice area to paddle, but others are more spectacular imho…. We've gone there in the fall a number of times.

Oy! But still looking forward!

Is anyone planning a paddle for Wed? If not, I'm keeping an eye on Wednesday weather and if forecast more encouraging as time gets closer (current talk of rain and tstorms Wed am) I'll post something - but likely not til tomorrow. So check back in then…. If it happens it will likely be one of the old faithful - Lanes, Greasy Pole, Granite Pier…. If anyone has more inspired idea(s), feel free to take over! Prudence

Any idea on the ETA for orders we're placing with you? Looking forward to getting the new paddle!

So generous of you, Matt! Were I not here, there and everywhere for the rest of the summer, I'd take you up on your offer. Although not convinced I'd stay upright long enough to catch a wave ??! Prudence

And to say that I'm featured is a HUGE overstatement. In one podcast there is one indirect reference to yours truly!

OK…we've got a crowd now. Trip is closed to further signups. Perhaps several people who are familiar with it could park at the Duley St mini lot. I'd like to keep the number at the state lot at 8. Volunteers? Folks who park at Duley St can launch and meet the rest ofmus over at state ramp. Prudence

The state launch is the one at the far end of Andrews Street. We used to park in the informal lot off of Duley St, but we've been using the state one more recently.

I'll be hosting this week's WLP, and thus will be using the old-fashioned float plan signup at the launch. If you're planning on attending, pls post here so I can keep track of numbers. Hoping to keep the group somewhere around 8 or so folks so as not to completely overwhelm parking at Lanes. It's supposed to be a toasty day (temp close to 90) but there is a breeze forecast. Let's meet at the state launch at Lane's Cove in time for a 9:30 am launch…yes, a little earlier than usual, but hey, it's summer! I'm thinking of a route that would take us from Lane's to Halibut Point or just beyond, then turn around and head back the way we came to the Annisquam River, where we can either poke in a bit (although greenheads may be an issue) or cross over and paddle along the beaches toward Cranes. And if anyone wants to stop and take a dip along the way, well, that would be fine, too! Depending on what the weather actually does on the day, this plan can, of course, be modified! So…reminder: pls post if you'll be joining on this thread.

This is fabulous, Joe!!

My Crosstrek gets about 35 mpg (and sometimes more if I'm a bit below speed limit) without boat and about 31-32 with boat. So, yes, about 10% reduction for my old-fashioned car.

Must have been Kim, the nice woman I spoke with to start the day. I didn't know she'd talked to any of us after. Good to know!

As for questions about the gate opening at Odiorne... It has been a real problem. About 20 cars with kayaks on top waited about 45 minutes last week for the gate to finally open at 8:45. I talked with the asst park manager, who said they're having problem hiring folks - with pay $12 an hour! She hopes it will improve after the Fourth, with college students and high school students more available to work. I think planning on arriving at 9 am is reasonable. Joe, no point in contacting park in advance to ensure the gate opens on time. It opens when it opens. If the person who's supposed to be there isn't there...well, that can't be predicted in advance. They're doing the best that they can!

Wonderful!

Wonderful day but for beach littered with dead gulls. I actually found a form to fill out for MassWildlife, a Massachusetts state agency that is asking for reports of sick or dead seabirds. Apparently they are tracking Avian Influenza. I gave the location - Milk Island. They asked for the number of dead birds. I said the beach was littered with them, but the form required a number, so I just said 25. Sue's hooked gull was another sad part of the day. Other than the bird issues…it was a most beautiful day. Perfect weather, mellow paddle, great group. Thanks to everyone for joining! Prudence

Jodie, Thanks for looking this up. I wasn't actually planning on landing there…just doing the circumnav…with lunch likely on Milk, but if folks voice an interest, some could always stop there. My knees aren't thrilled with it! (But good to know that with National Park Pass, landing fee is waived!) If folks do want to stop it would likely be around 11 am…

Joe and Bob are away, off in the wilds of wherever, but the WLP's must go on! Arrive no later than 9:15ish am for a 10am launch from Granite Pier, Rockport. (Granite Pier is an easy all-tide launch, but cars must be parked in upper lot, so there's some time time-consuming to-ing and and fro-ing before we get on the water.). There is a $12 (cash only) parking fee. As of today conditions look nice for hitting Straitsmouth and Thacher Islands, with lunch possibly on Milk Island. Please read boilerplate in one of Joe's old WLP postings for boat, vaccination and so on requirements. I don't have Joe's fancy Google sign-up and waiver form - we'll do it the old-fashioned way with pen and paper at the launch. But it would be good to know who's coming, so please post on this thread if you plan to join. Prudence