rfolster

The owner has been located!

As a matter of fact, I had a thermometer with me and Sunday morning registered 55 degrees in the bivy and 50 degrees outside. That was with just the screen enclosure. When the temperature drops further, I plan to close the outer flap and hope to get at least a 10-15 degree savings, if not more.

Ed, I am very appreciative of Warren's tarp as I do not have one yet. Although the bivy seems to be waterproof, using it in high winds and downpours would have not been impossible, but very awkward since it does not have any protection of the interior upon entry or exit like a vestibule on a tent. My determination is that I will eventually end up with a small tarp of similar design that will allow for the minimal protection needed. I am not sure if the bivy is necessary to protect the sleeping bag in general, but running the risk of getting absoutely soaked (if the tarp didn't work so well or failed) would have been a disaster. Situations like this also need to be taken with greater concern as exposure become dangerous. Also, I like the fact that the bivy will keep the sleeping bag cleaner and free of damage. We crazy folks are working on maybe two more trips before the end of the year. At some point, maybe late December or January, the risks might become more than our experimentation will allow at this time. That is yet to be determined. We are learning valuable information on each trip towards future expeditions, which is why we have choosen to modify our plans due to the adverse conditions rather than cancel altogether. When you are on an expedition, you can't count on the weather behaving. This will be my first full winter season having the ability to paddle all winter, but I don't yet know if I have all of the skills and knowledge. Cathy and I are going to the Cold Water Clinic with Suz and Scott, and plan to evaluate my current knowledge and skills at that time. As far as camping, Warren is better suited for snow with his tent (Cathy and I only have a three-season), so I am curious to see if the bivy is an option. I did not know about the deer hunting, and will file that into the back of my mind. Do you actually use a bivy? I am looking for other users to compare notes.

You can see a picture of the inside here: Bivy Interior.bmp

This exact scenario was portrayed in a Simpsons episode. I didn't know it really happened!! That is both funny and just a little disturbing.

Warren: "Hey Rob, are you ready for another camping weekend?" Rob: "Sure!" Mother Nature: "Oh, really?" Rob: "Um....let's check the weather..." Warren: "20kt winds, 6' seas, rain" Rob: "So....somewhere protected?" Warren: "Indeed. Quahog bay it is, and we will look up into New Meadows if conditions allow." Rob: "Sounds good to me, but did I just hear Mother Nature giggling?" Friday morning at the launch: Warren: "Latest weather report: 20kt winds, 30kt gusts, gale force warnings, 7' seas, rain, and morning fog for Saturday. Small craft advisory all weekend and temperatures might dip into the 40s." Rob: "I swear I just heard a chuckle!" The trip: We paddled up into Quahog bay to once again test our camping skills further into the shoulder season and inclement weather. Always taking safety into consideration, we made sure to choose a camp site relatively close to our launch and in a protected area. The little MITA island we choose turned out to be smaller than expected and much fewer trees. Since I was testing out a new sleeping arrangement, my first priority was to get the tarp set up for the best protection from the wind and rain. The rain was holding off nicely, but the wind was not. This island was not as protected from the wind as we originally thought, and would give us a pretty good test. Things learned about 20kt winds: a tent can actually be lifted off the ground - rocks help; Leave-no-trace "burrito wrap" paper can actually fly away - rocks help; Always pee down wind - rocks don't help. Once camp was established and lunch taken care of, we took a little time to explore the bay and test out the slogginess of the wind factor. Yup, definitely sustained over 10kts and up to 20 kts gusts, but we have handled this not that long ago, and not that far from here. We spent some more time checking out the shore line and finished up with a view of a large nest high up in the trees - maybe a newer eagle's nest? Unfortunately, no eagle or osprey in sight. Back at camp, we started thinking about dinner as the 30kt gusts started thinking about our dinner preparation equipment. Warren kept a sharp eye on his JetBoil system while I opted for a cold meal to avoid the situation altogether. Darkness is falling earlier this time of year and can throw off your timing. Dinner was over, it had gotten completely dark, so a good point to see if it is bedtime....... 6:20pm is not a good bedtime! So, Warren pulled out his mini tent lantern and we talked over the glow of a tiny yet bright little light until the batteries gave up and our faces went dark again. Well, it was probably late enough to call it a night, so we each hunkered down for an "interesting" night. I swear that, under the noise of the wind, I heard Mother Nature laughing. On this particular night, "interesting" included constant high winds, gusts that I estimated at 40kts, heavy downpours, and lightning. I occasionally glanced over at Warren's tend to see it wobble like a pile of jello and expecting the tarp to take flight at any second. However, not only did Warren's tarp hold up surperbly, but I was actually able to sleep with my bivy open! I did not feeling a drop of rain despite the wind and downpours. This experiment has been determined a rounding success and another notch added to our site prep skills. Saturday morning, we checked to see that each other's sleeping quarter's were still on the island. Happy with our success, we studied the morning fog during breakfast and discussed our options. The fog was thick enough that we could barely see the nearby islands, let not to even think about the shore line beyond. This would definitely be a compass heading kind of day, and we thought we would most likely spend another night in the Bay. However, keeping with the idea for optimal safety, and to get used to multi-location expedition trips in the future, we broke camp and packed all the gear just in case we decided not to return or, more importantly, we would not be able to return. Warren performed excellently, calculating our headings to get us exactly to our progressive waypoints, and kept his GPS nearby to verify locations occasionally and also in case things got screwy. As predicted, the days lower velocity winds were easily manageable and the large sea swells were knocked down to two footers by the time they got near West Cundy Point and into Ridley Cove. The lifting fog was not lifting, so we continued to follow Warren's plotting. Rounding the point and up into New Meadows River, we stopped into a good sized cove for a break and to discuss the conditions. We were heading into the river along with the current, and the southerly winds were at our back. We would make good time except for the fact that Mother Nature was really playing with us. Every time the fog started to lift, it would drop right back on us. It would turn out to say around well into the night - Mother Nature was giving us a good test yet again! Up the river, we dogged a lobster boat or two coming out of the fog only a couple hundred feet away, Warren with fog horn at the ready and me with my radio if they showed no signs of seeing us. Luckily, the horn and radio were never needed, but glad we had them. We wandered up the western shore and eventually came to our second camp spot of the weekend. I am sad to say that we found this spot to be quite pitiful since there was no clear marking of the actual camp site other than the name of the island carved on a wooden sign. No official MITA sign, no log book, and no nearby put in! The site was small and no level spots to speak of, and the trek from the muddy cove to the site was uninviting, as was the dead porcupine! The decision was quickly made to move on up and across the river to the island from our last visit to the region. After several more foggy channel crossings and one or two more boats avoided, we finally made it to the new site location and looked forward to a quieter but colder night. Again, our site setup worked perfectly, and we were more than well equipped for the 50 degrees my thermometer indicated. Our planned 8am launch on Sunday morning to catch the outgoing tide easily drifted to 9:30 as we discussed the duration of slack tide and the weak currents at the beginning of the flood tide. It was all too easy to just sit in the still and quiet, enjoying warm beverages and banana bread in the crisp, cool morning daylight filtering through the trees. We thought fondly of all those people out there doing chores who would rather be right there right then. Back on the water, we kept to the western shore again to keep out of the SW winds, and made all of the crossings with relative ease. The sun was warm, the breeze was cool, and the sky a crisp blue with some white fluffy clouds occasionally showing off their silver linings. The trip was considered a success within the first hour of our launch as, even during a 10kt headwind crossing, we paused to watch a bald eagle gently glide along and up to its perch above a good sized nest. When ever I watch Warren paddle, he has a smile on his face. It was just a little bigger from that point on. We made the trip back staying out of the wind as much as possible. Crossing a questionable sandbar to see an area that would normally be passed by yielded a most excellent beach to land on, for navigational purposes of course! This was the second Sunday we had paddled down the river, and what a delight this area is! One other slight detour later on had caught us enjoying the scenery too much, but provided an equally slight spot of interest, so all is forgiven. Well, once again we had decided to evaluate what Mother Nature wanted to challenge us with, and by planning well, executing properly, and working together, we determined that time can be spent safely on the water under adverse conditions. We met her challenge, and she gave us some more. We took it all in stride, and she congratulated us with a glorious day to end the weekend. We were not even back to the landing yet and already discussing what gear and skills to test next. Mother Nature, mark your calendar!

Well then, my dear lady, consider my apology henseforth withdrawn! Looking forward to a quieter paddle for a change, so everyone talk nice to the weather gods

Ed, I would like to stay on Katherine's paddle on Sunday, but may have Saturday available to join you if you end up going out that day. I will watch the postings and see how it goes.

No Bob, that would go under the classifieds for individuals.

I will also apologize for raising the specter of splitting into pods. In my defense, I realized that the immediate responses to this trip were for a circumnavigation, and I tried to alleviate concerns early by offering an alternative so that we could gauge interest from all paddling levels. I thought that a compromize of a more challenging 2nd half paddle would encourage advanced paddlers to spend some time with less experienced paddlers and allow for for an opportunity for some mingling and perhaps even mentoring.

Has any female lost a PFD and spray skirt in the Quahog Bay area of Sebascodegan Island near the top of Salem Sound? I do not know when they were found, maybe a couple of weeks ago, give or take. I don't know where exactly they were found, except for a mention of on a point. This is not cheap stuff and includes a couple of additional items that indicate they are not from a rental. FYI - there is no personal identification information in or on the jacket or PFD, so you may want to consider that for your own gear if it should ever get lost. If you or any female you know have lost both a PFD and spray skirt, please email me at robertfolster at verizon dot net with a description of the items and we will see if they are a match.

I should be available to go as well and will have no problem with the circumnav. Also, if anyone else wants to go but are concerned about the circumnav, are you willing to pod into two groups after "brunch" as long as there is sufficient participation in each pod? I am sure that we can find a volunteer or two to say back in a creek pod if needed. Just an option for those that might want to keep with the relaxed paddle to enjoy the marsh idea.

I also haven't done a moonlight paddle yet and would love to go. I don't mind cold air or water, but the weather is looking quite iffy with clouds and/or rain.

Late Thursday morning, Bob C., Cathy and I thumbed our noses at the incoming tide and set off from Sandy Point to make the familiar run out to Jewell Island. The sun was warm, and the slight breeze was barely noticeable. We made the typical lunch stop at a MITA Island along the way, and were loading into camp within plenty of time before dinner. With dinner over and the sun providing a nice sunset, we lit a fire and swapped stories into the night. After a night listening to the bickering local wildlife (raccoons), Friday's daybreak found our eager crew doing exactly what we had come out to do - sleeping! A leisurely breakfast allowed for a discussion to determine whether to paddle out and meet our fourth member or explore the island. Since Cathy got a bad sunburn and we had a newbie "Jeweller", we opted to explore. By noon, I thought I would head out to meet Doug H., who promptly walked up to camp as I was gearing up - it figures. Just a three hour paddle with a lunch stop! May the breeze always be to your back. After lunch and some chatting, the three explorers decided that now we want to paddle. Doug choose to take a rest, so we decided to take it easy and circumnavigate the island. Heading out of the cove, we jumped the sand bar, thanks to the incoming tide, and headed south for a counter-clockwise course. As we rounded the southern tip, we were reminded of the 15kt west winds ripping across 4 foot seas. Um.......... Cathy promply turned back (smart move), and Bob and I decided to test our Lake Chebacco skills and give it a go. Keeping an eye out for where the swells and waves were breaking, we easily found our way though the bigest stuff and around to the east side of the island. The reflecting waves off the Jewell coast were just as strong as the wind waves coming from the east, so let's call it commercial-grade wash tub waters. We bounced our way up the coast and, once by the Punch Bowl (why don't we ever camp over there - Ooohhh, THAT's why!), we stopped and surveyed the vast field of breaking waves in front of us. We considered turning around for about half a second - not after that ride, but after a couple of minutes of discussion about options and surveying from a different angle, Bob found a less than 100' wide passage between swell breakers and big rock crashers, and guided us around the northeast end of the island. We turned again and headed back to Cocktail Cove as the sun lowered in the sky, and found Doug and Cathy on the beach glad to see us safe and sound. At dinner, Doug had brought with him the typical Jewell decadence (yes, the H word!), downsized for our smaller group. There was keilbasa, soup, cheese and crackers, noodles, banana bread, cookies, 'Doctored' hot chocolate with whipped cream, guinness, beer, wine and Baileys. We ate well, talked long by another fire, and wished Leon was with us to calculate the odds getting hit with one of the countless high-velocity acorns constantly falling around us. Actually found out that the odds are 50% as I took one to the shin and Doug had one bounce of the brim of his hat. The hard hat he found along the shore will come in handy next time. That night, the stars were out, the fire was warm, the conversation was endless - this is why we go camping. Saturday woke us with a little bit of drizzle and light rain, which was expected overnight. As the morning continued, we looked out from our dry haven under Bob's large tarp, and wondered why the weatherman was calling for partly sunny skies - did he have the right day? Well, we could go out and paddle in the rain and fog, or......... more food, more conversation, why not! We passed the time watching a group of boysouts carry endless gear from the cove to the next site up the way, until the rain ended just before lunch. Cathy had settled in with a good read, so the three amigos decided to head out, and came up with a loose paddle plan that we would improvise on the way. Venturing farther than we expected with the late launch, we ended up on the southern tip of Whaleboat having a late lunch and gathering a few pieces of driftwood for the Eternal Jewell Flame. We crossed over to the islands in Potts Harbor (ask Bob about his newly discovered "butterfly rescue") and continued back over to Jewell to end a respectable 9+ mile paddle. Good food, good fire, and good company went late into the night one last time. Sundays south winds of 10-15kts with the incoming tide would make for an easy ride home, if the winds had cooperated! 10kt W/NW winds with gusts up to 20kts would make for a long paddle back. All thoughts of trying to find protection in the lee of this island or that were dashed as we decided to point our noses directly into the wind and make the best of the shortest route possible. With some respite along the east side Great Chebeague, we were lulled into thinking the winds were dying down. Rounding the northeast point proved us very wrong and we immediately landed on the first beach we found - with charts in hand for navigation purposes...yeah, navigation (we might have been foul after 3 days of camping, but we certainly weren't fishing). After a rest, we put out into the wind again and finished the long journey home, a total of over four hours in the wind! Despite the raccoons, the acorns, the wind, and some sunburn, another trip to Jewell can be considered a success.

I am surprised no one has asked yet... What type of paddling do you do that you need a dry suit? Are you a shoulder season paddler that just needs that extra protection when the water dips into the low 60's & upper 50's, or are you a cold weather paddler trying to get your last paddle in before the snow flies?I started out being a shoulder season paddler, and opted for the basic Front Entry suit with relief zipper and socks. I considered the Meridian, which offers covered zipper and the overskirt, but they did not seem worth the additional cost and additional hassle to deal with. I just purchased a new spray skirt, and will need to determine just how much water actually gets in, so I don't know how much the overskirt really helps. For most sea kayaking though, I don't think it offers as much as it would a white-water paddler.As I move towards four-season paddling (looking forward to our first snow-paddle!), I would probably opt for the hood. I am very glad to hear from Suz that they have improved the material to be softer and quieter. Noise around the ears is a very big problem, and any help we can get is good.Neoprene caps and hoods may serve you well, and that is what I use. Just remember that your head will still get wet. I believe the point of the Kokatat hood is that it will keep your head dry.I have noticed that all of the new suits seem to have a chest pocket. I prefer arm pockets that are more accessable when wearing a PFD, but I think they are only on the Expedition suits. Most PFDs now have plenty of pockets anyway.

My understanding is that they are continuing the sessions as long as the daylight and weather permits. Bob Cornell, Cathy and I will not be there this week since we are camping, but Rick and others should be there.

It looks as if our timing is good and we are just missing some larger ocean action with seas up to around 10' Tuesday night! We have a small group that is planning on braving the supposed "chance of showers" forcased for most of this week and maybe into the weekend. If there are any last minute interests, please PM me and we will discuss adding to the group.

This is the site I used to determine the sea heights, although I was using the Warnings & Forcasts section to pinpoint exactly where I was looking at. How were you able to determine the swell direction?I have been told that surf sites notoriously exagerate the forecasts - surfers love surf! I was using Magic Seeweed to work on last weekends forecast until I was steered to the NEARCOOS site.

I understand that the weather can chance and it is usually wrong anyway, but I find it helpful to get a big-picture idea of what is going on in the general scheme of things. I start looking at the weather as early as possible to find out what probabilities there are that I will need some minor contigency plans or if I need to put the boat away and start buying sandbags. I may have figured out the answer to my own quesiton. Using NEARCOOS wave prediction model at http://www.neracoos.org/datatools/forecast/wave I was able to see that, at least on Saturday, there is a weather pattern causing waves entering the Gulf of Maine to generally turn from a westerly direction to a northerly direction. When they turn at the Cape, they seem to curve up just past Gloucester, which makes a line just about to the Merrimack River. This might explain the larger sea heights above the Merrimack and lower below. This may all be for naught as I will be spending Sunday making repairs. Turns out that a sneaky little rock that I "bumped" this weekend made a 16" long gouge deep enough to see daylight through (no leaking though!). I think I should fix that before heading out to Jewell next week.

Can anyone help me figure out what I am seeing on the NOAA forcast for Sunday? There seems to be a magical line where anything south of the Merrimack River is forcasted around 2' seas and everything north is forcasted for 5' seas. Does anyone have any input as to why this would be? I have checked multiple points both onshore and off, above and below Gloucester, and up into northern Maine. I can't seem to figure out why there would be such a uniform difference in sea activity at a seemingly arbitrary point.

Some of you may have seen me wearing what looks like a white "hoody" shirt during summer paddles. This is, in fact, two separate pieces consisting of a long sleeve shirt and a buff or cowl that can worn in different configurations. Each piece has an SPF rating (30?) and works very well. The cowl can also be worn over the neck of a drysuit, eliminating the need for sunblock near the neck gasket. Gloves typically eliminate the need for sunblock on the hands, but I know some people just don't like wearing them. I found the SPF shirts are available everywhere, but have only seen the cowl, made by Columbia, at West Marine.

'twas a twig really, maybe just a leaf thundering, uh, I mean gently drifting down to the forest floor Nice job, Warren, on a terrific trip and a great report. After reading it, it made me think of Greg Anderson's quote "Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it." For me, the "extraordinary" extended into Sunday, mostly due to the vast difference between the two days. The entire region seemed to be sleeping in after the ordeals of the previous day. Even a couple of lobster boats that chose to venture out only did so with a quiet purr. The serenity of the day, the ease of the paddling, the fact that we had survived the night, and great company all made for an impressionable journey that would have otherwise been just another paddle.

Brian, I applaud your positive thinking, but respectfully disagree completely. Rolling IS a difficult aspect of our sport, which is why many of us spend all summer practicing once a week at lake sessions and then over the winter at pool sessions. Please consider that you can practice bracing, ruddering and sculling all day long with little effort. Rolling requires an extensive amount of energy and time, especially if you do not successfully complete the roll and need to wet-exit and perform a self or assisted re-entry. Therefore, this skill is not practiced as much as other paddling skills. While many newbies (myself included only learning within the past year) have an overwhelming fear and awe of the roll, no one here is projecting any myths, only the truth that rolling is a skill that has more nuances to that one action than any other technique in kayaking. There are times when even the most skilled paddlers can't pull it all together, which is when a paddle-float re-entry roll would be extremely helpful. I, however, will agree with you that if you believe something will be hard, it will be. Some of us have started taking on the notion that we do not have a "bad side" when rolling. We don't believe that one side should be good and the other bad, you shoud just be able to roll to whatever side you need to roll. It falls within your line of thinking that if you think you have a bad side, you will have a bad side. Gene, I think that you have made a great point that this technique should be brought into more people's bag of tricks. I have seen plenty of practices where other forms of entry are used, including the re-entry and roll without the float. I will pass this along and let people decide for themselves.

The short tow has a very different purpose from the long tow (even when shortened with a daisy chain). To expand on Ed's comments, at least twice recently I have witnessed situations where a regular tow belt was impractical to grab a loose boat that got separated from a dumped paddler in conditions. The loose boat would have drifted into the rocks before the tow line had time to pay out (even when shortened it can take longer than you expect) and we would have been required to separate from the group to maintain control of the drifting vessel. However, both times we were also without short tows and quickly learned just how useful they could have been. While you may not intend to paddle in rough conditions or near rocks, we also never intend to need towing either. The point is to be prepared. This is not the only reason to have one, but just something to think about. I still have not put one on my boat yet - like you I am checking out the different designs and features. Let us know if you decide to get one and what you choose to use.

Thank you for your input Nate and Ed. You are absolutely correct about that!! The trick is to deterime if the conditions are Level 3 or Level 4. I think that all parameters are within the Level 3 category except for the swells - hense the curiosity. I apologize to those who can get seasick, but I LOVE riding large swells and waves! I think the wind will play a factor - at leat maybe on Sunday. Winds over 10k might turn out of the West on Sunday with swells out of the SSE or something like that. My understanding is that cross winds on typical swells usually make for "confused" waters. Is this compounded for larger swells or does the wind have less of an effect on water with "more energy"? My guess is that you just end up with confused waters on top of big swells, which just makes me dizzy to think about. Is anyone familiar with the concept of Primary Swells and Secondary Swells? One of the forcasts that I have been looking at uses both along with Wind Waves to calculate the overall state of the seas. I understand that waves are generated from local winds and swells are from distant winds (long fetch over time, etc.) but what are Primary and Secondary swells?