...

Jason,

Wow!

Thank you!

Warren

Kate,

I hope you have a chance to circle back on this discussion chain. In reading your trip report you refer to the "SPOT" device that you used to let Mark know your location. Can you expand the acronym? Where does one locate a "SPOT" device?

Warren

I had the very good fortune to participate in a course to obtain Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification on September 10 and 11 at AMC Knubble Bay Camp (AMC-KB) in Georgetown, ME. A full description can be found in the Events and Commercial Classifieds section posted on August 30, 2010. THE AMC-KB committee (Mary, Gail, Bill, Dave, Pierre and Dave) did a superb job creating an environment that was conducive to our education. The instructor was Aaron Gorban, the AMC Leadership Training and Risk Management Manager. In the hospital where I work we have a saying that we must all "exceed expectations" regarding the patients that we serve. Aaron exceeded my expectations in the WFA course and I believe he would exceed yours as well.

Having spent time on the NSPN website, I have been acquiring all the gear listed in the “What to Bring†section for Level 2, 3, and 4 trips. A consistent item needed for all three levels is the First Aid Kit. Not knowing what to include, I asked Aaron for his recommendations. His suggestions are listed below:

Quantity/Kit Item

3 Cravats

2 rolls 3" cling gauze

4 4x4 pads

1 5x9 trauma dressing

1 medical tape

1 Ace Bandage

15 Band-Aids

1 Sam Splint

1 Cold Compress

3 sheets Moleskin

6 nitrile gloves

6 iodine prep pads

6 alcohol prep pads

1 potable aqua

3 zip lock bags

4 hydrocortisone cream

10 Antihistamine packets

1 CPR Mask

1 Tweezers

1 Trauma Shears

3 copies SOAP note

1 First Aid Book

1 waterproof pen

I realize that the contents of a first aid kit tends to be a personal decision that you build over years of experience and perhaps no two kits are identical. Aaron’s suggestions may only serve to confirm what you already know.

If you are having trouble locating any of these items you might want to consider the following website addresses.

Prestige Medical Fluoride Scissor, Black, 5 1/2 Inch

http://www.amazon.com/Prestige-Medical-Flu...1628&sr=1-4

Rite in the Rain Pen - All Weather Pen

http://www.constructionbook.com/rite-in-ra...land-surveying/

General Medical Supplies at Moore Medical

http://www2.mooremedical.com/

The Field Guide of Wilderness and Rescue Medicine and the All-Weather Soap Notes

http://www.wildmed.com/blog/gear-store/category/publications

May you have safe journeys,

Warren

Kate,

Kate,

Clearly, I enjoy reading your reflections and what kayaking has helped you achieve. I do not yet have the richness of experience to share which you seek. I am just beginning my journey in the field of sea kayaking. I, as well, would enjoy reading any postings which focus on solo expeditions since I seem to do my best work during times when I am alone.

In your journey to the Bay of Fundy you seem to have struck a good balance between risk and reward. I admire the ability to accomplish that balance in what seems to be referred to as seamanship skills, or the ability to know thy self and the risks ahead.

What has attracted me to the sport of sea kayaking is the intellectual (seamanship) aspect in balance with the need to always remain humble particularly with the environment in which we practice our craft. Perhaps some of the future postings will touch upon those aspects.

Warren

Kate,

Thank you for sharing your trip to the Bay of Fundy. I was particularly drawn to the solo aspect of your journey as well as how you interacted with the world around you. I suspect that a similar experience could not have been as rich if it occurred as a group activity.

Perhaps I am like many who spent most of our lives feeling like a gerbil on a wheel and a good week is when we do not end up in the litter pan of life. You have crafted a vision of what it is like to live outside the cage we create for ourselves. I suspect your trip report will have a profound impact on my journey ahead.

Warren

Suz,

That was a riveting trip report and a great flection. Should be mandatory reading for all beginners. Thank you for sharing the experience.

Warren

So... Last weekend I went kayak-camping on Cape Island/Cape Porpoise, great fun aside from hitting Pease AFB traffic to and fro. When I came home I was very tired and not as methodical as I can be. I washed my boat and all my stuff (shoot, forgot to hose the car) and took the black thingies (straps?? tie-downs?? loops???) off of my kayak and put them on the roof of my car. Monday AM I drove blissfully, sleepily, to work, parked and went "oops". Black thingies were MIA.

The black thingies loop around the bow and stern and that is what I hook the lines to. Do you know where I can find replacement thingies?? Or what they are called?? It's hard to look for something when you don't know what it is...

Much thanks,

Katherine,

Based on your description, I believe you may be referring to the "Attachment Straps". I use a Thule Glide and Set and it uses attachment straps (2). The Thule part number is 853-5467. I have had good luck working with the staff at Eastern Mountain Sports. Perhaps if you call them they may be able to special order you the replacements.

I hope this is helpful,

Warren

Ernie, Peter, Bill, Deb, Gene, Ty and Katherine (shoes are great, kayak booties are better!)

Thank you all for your comments and ideas. You have made me feel very welcome in joining NSPN. I can not say that I had the good fortune to discover NSPN on my own. You were highly recommended by Tom Bergh at MIKCo. I had the privilege to recently spend a day at MIKCo and Tom said, “You need to join NSPN. They are a group of smart, talented men and women who have created a collegial network that supports the free flow of ideas in support of advancing the sport of sea kayaking.†Tom was right!

Now Ty, I really like your hydration solution. When I crafted the requirements for my first kayak, it needed to support my goal of having a solid roll. That was one of the reasons I was drawn to the Romany. I honestly never thought of locating the bladder in the cockpit. Perhaps some day I will see your creation and understand the quick disconnect feature. I do not know if I will be able to master a solid roll and I do not know if a back mounted bladder will hinder my performance, but if it does, you have helped me envision a solution. Nice job Ty!

Warren

Is anyone considering or currently owning the Garmin Oregon 550t? The built in camera will allow you to geotag your GPS track. It looks like it will fit in most PFD pockets and should be waterproof if the advertisement is correct.

Warren

Welcome, Warren

No laughter, no reprimands. However, you might exercise the SEARCH functions to see if any topic you're interested in has been covered in depth beforehand.

While we decidedly do not have an established "bible", there's a lot of reference info to be found.

Hence, you may not get the level of response to individual topics you'd expect as some have been discussed ad nauseum.

Wow! The SEARCH function works great. You have helped me locate a vast "boat load" of valuable information. Thank you!

Warren

Warren, welcome to NSPN. The beauty of sea kayaking is that as you continue your progression you'll find many reasons to celebrate. Your first flat-water roll, first camping trip with your kayak, first wave you catch in surf, first tide race, first combat roll, first moonlight paddle, first day you survive wind and waves, all will likely inspire that same feeling of joy you experienced with your first self-rescue. Happy paddling!

Lorrie, frequently a journey needs to establish major milestones in order to measure progress and celebrate success. You have helped me understand the milestones ahead that I will need to achieve. Thank you!

Warren

Hello fellow beginner and novice colleagues. I want to take a moment to share four hints that I shamelessly gathered from several very experienced sea kayakers. A wise man once said, “A good kayaker learns from her/his mistakes, but an excellent kayaker learns from the mistakes of others.†Please remember these ideas may not work for you, but do not give up hope. Perhaps in a future posting an idea will hit home.

1. PFDs and Torso Rotation. If you are like me, you purchased a PFD perhaps because it was on sale. Although the one I purchased was highly regarded, it was a men’s L/XL and made me feel like an NFL linebacker. Although the size was correct for me, the design felt all wrong. As I attempted my mandatory 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock torso rotation during the forward stroke, my performance was less than acceptable. A wiser man than me suggested a women’s PFD since the front padding and arm holes are significantly different. He shared a secret that all the male instructors at that school wear them. I actually followed his suggestion and it worked for me. No longer can I blame my lack of torso rotation skill on the PFD. The one I selected was the Kokatat MsFIT Tour PFD available at Kittery Trading Post or many other fine New England establishments. You can obtain it in a very gender neutral mango color.

2. Hydration Systems. One of the constant fears of a beginner is an unexpected capsize event. We frequent try our best to not loose our concentration. We also tend to exert and need frequent hydration. The thought of reaching for the customary water bottle under the forward bungees can seem like a Herculean task while riding two foot swells. (I know what you are saying, what the heck are you doing riding two foot swells. That will be a story for another day.) Another wise sea kayaker suggested a hydration system mounted to the back of my new PFD listed above. Bingo, frequent hydration without the fear factor. I purchased the Kokatat Tributary Hydration System but there are other manufacturers. Although it was not easy to find in local stores, I did purchase mine at New York Kayak Company, Inc.

3. Water Sport Eyewear. Whether you need prescription eyewear or not, it is important to protect your eyes from impact as well as UV rays. Here again a wise sea kayaker shared her experiences from the whitewater kayaker world. Since beginners can spend a fair amount of our time hanging upside down under our kayaks, the last thing we need to worry about is will our eyewear still be on our head and our eyes protected. I purchased the Zeal Swap-it water sport eyewear from Sport RX Prescription Eyewear. The aqua insert also protects against water spray and the drying effects of the wind. Consider two sets of lens, one Amber 2 and one Grey 3. You will be in great shape for all day time light conditions.

4. Sunblock. Since a lot of what we do as beginners is controlling little annoyances that can break our concentration, I need to speak to sunblock. It is critical that we apply sunblock, but perhaps you have experienced the pain of some in your eyes. Try one of the sunblocks specifically manufactured for babies. I use Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby (SPF 60+). Just remember to check the label since not all baby sunblocks pledge to not sting the eyes.

Note #1. – I do not represent any of the manufacturers or business establishments listed above and can not attest to whether or not these ideas will work for you. In its purest sense, I see myself as a catalyst for conversation, nothing more.

Note #2. – To the advanced skill members, I hope I have created an opportunity for amusement as you read this posting. Once the laughter subsides, please feel free to improve upon these ideas with your own expert experiences. An example of where your guidance is needed is what you would suggest we place in the many pockets created on our PFDs. I would expect variation from member to member. Perhaps we beginners can gather your ideas and decide what works best for us. I currently have a whistle but nothing else.

Note #3. To the web moderator, I hope I have not broken any rules with this posting. If I have, then please feel free to delete this posting and give me a severe reprimand. I can blame my ignorance on guess what, “I am a Beginner!â€

Warren Parlee

Suz, I am glad my posting gave you a reason to smile. I am serious about learning how to care for my Kokatat GMER dry suit (radish) with Ibex wool layers for comfort. I purchased the gear with the hope my Romany would arrive in September and allow me several weeks to practice with my dry suit. I honestly do not have a clue as to how best to maintain the suit and would value a knowledge transfer session if you happen to offer one.

Gene, I really enjoyed reading the summary of your planned trip around Gerrish/Cutts Island. I am hoping you will offer a similar trip in 2011. I will make every effort to progress my training to be at a level 3 by next summer. Also, Lisa’s GPS map was awesome and made me want to purchase a Garmin Oregon 550t so I could geotag the pictures. Perhaps some day! Mainwhile, I will focus on building my basic skills.

Hello, my name is Warren Parlee and I am new to sea kayaking and a new member to NSPN. Having joined on 8/5/10, I thought it was time for my first posting.

To the advanced skill members I would like to share three requests.

1. Please continue to offer the winter pool sessions in 2011, I would very much like to participate.

2. Please also continue the practice sessions at Seabrook Harbor. I will be the one with kayak in hand on day one.

3. Also, please continue the numerous postings which I so enjoy reading. The posting that spoke to me the most as a beginner is listed below:

“If it wasn't for the club (NSPN) and my ability to participate in paddling opportunities for my first year of paddling along with the different clinics such as Navigation, Knot Tying, Skill Sessions and such, I wouldn't have been able to progress in kayaking as I have done. It might be silly but I want others to have that same opportunity.†Posted on 5/8/08 at 9:06AM by Suz

And yes Suz, I would enjoy a Dry Suit 101 or 202 session this year.

To the beginner and novice skill members, you have a new colleague who has a passion for sea kayaking. Since the “journey is the joy†I need to share an experience from having spent yesterday on the water at Casco Bay. I completed a Kayak Essentials Level 1 course which included my first wet exit, solo rescue and assisted rescue, all critical rites of passage for any sea kayaker. Although I know I will celebrate, at some point in my future, when I finish a full course of rock gardening and kayak surf instruction. Perhaps no day will be as memorable as the day I completed my first solo rescue.

Warren Parlee