Dan Foster

Imagine that you had an infinite, free supply of NOAA charts, and could therefore mark them up to your heart's content to make a customized chart before each paddle. Imagine you could draw lines and get bearings and distances added automatically. You could move compass roses around, or add a magnetic grid overlay. You could rotate the chart so that magnetic north was up, or your destination was at the top.

What would you do or add to create the ideal chart for use out on the water?

The reason I ask is that I write mapping software, and I've been realizing as I paddled this summer that sea kayak navigation on the water is a lot different than stopping in the woods to check my compass against a topo map. Having a chart oriented to magnetic north helped, and having pre-determined magnetic bearing lines for critical crossings REALLY helped. I tried a few things out, and have some ideas how I'd like to prepare my maps for next season. But I'd really like to start a discussion about what's worked for others in the past, and what issues you're still facing out on the water (or in camp planning the next day).

If anyone has real, marked-up charts from expeditions or trips they've done in the past, I'd love to see them.

I can't paddle Sunday, but would be interested in Lane's Cove to Rockport on Saturday, in mellow conditions.

Yes, as you can see here, if we'd been any closer to high tide, it would have been a tight fit.

The bridge keeper came out to say hello as we went through on the way back, and seemed amused when John thanked him for putting the bridge up for us.

Some photos from yesterday's paddle on the Annisquam River. Seven of us paddled down from Gloucester's Long Wharf Town Landing to Gloucester Harbor, and then back up the Annisquam. We took a break on the tip of Wingaersheek beach across from Lobster Cove, and then padded out to Annisquam Light before returning back to the put-in.

The beach briefing.

Local wildlife. We also saw a peregrine falcon, herons and egrets, and a huge raft of what we decided were eiders.

The second time through, the MBTA bridge keeper was kind enough to raise the bridge for us.

Annisquam Light.

Total distance: 9.7 n mi, 11.2 statute mi.

It was last weekend.

To get an idea of just what an impact a single kayaker can have, take a look at this local paddler's blog:

http://www.trashpaddler.com

He's collected and disposed of over 4000 items along our rivers and shorelines this year alone.

Some time when you KNOW your grab loop is available, and you have help standing by, practice releasing your skirt without the loop or strap. Mine comes off if I grab a handful near my hip - there's less tension in the spray deck there than up by my knees. You can also try punching your fist down through the spray deck to try to implode the sides of the skirt. I have a plastic boat, so the coaming is less grippy.

A few times after practicing rolls, I've found that my grab loop ends up under the first bungee line across my bow deck. I may tie it forward to reduce the chance of it getting in the way of a release.

Have you practiced reaching back to grab one of your spare paddle halves, and doing a broken paddle roll?

Go to http://www.blackburnchallenge.com/CARC_Race_Results.asp and view the Blackburn results by class - you'll see each racer's boat model next to their time and place. 2014 results aren't up yet, but you can see several years prior.

I've never seen a nautical chart that didn't have grid lines labeled in degrees and minutes of latitude and longitude. On the water, I'd stick with that format instead of decimal degrees or deg min sec.

Another popular option is UTM coordinates, since the UTM grid is rectangular, not curved like lat/lon, and the grid spacing is one kilometer. If you are going to be determining coordinates by looking at features on the map, UTM is much easier to use, since it's base10.

You should also be aware of the horizontal datum. Almost everything is WGS84 these days, unless you are using an old USGS topo map in NAD27 datum.

Yes, the tide was going out, and the fishermen were afraid they'd be aground before Sea-Tow arrived. Two of our paddlers attached tow-lines to the stern of the boat and pulled it out a few dozen yards, before realizing that the boaters hadn't pulled their anchor up yet! So they got to do it twice.

Some more photos from the rocks...

I'd like to join the L3 group.

If someone goes tonight who can bring a waterproof camera and take some pics of a classic Walden session - I would really appreciate it! Need a good pic for the home page banner.

Here are a few photos from last night's session.

I'm looking forward to meeting some more of you tonight. I'm bringing some marker buoys and plan to work on turns and reverse figure-eights. I'll bring a waterproof camera.

How to leak-test a drysuit:

I use a vacuum-sealed remote control in my PFD when I bring a bow-mounted action camera out in the surf. Works great, and no leaks! If it was really expensive, I might seal the sealed item in a second vacuum bag. I don't see any reason why a GPS or radio wouldn't mind being sealed up - they don't generate heat that needs to be dissipated. I wouldn't seal or bag something that had a fan, heatsink, or cooling vents.

If you're worried about dampness, they make indicating dessicant that changes color when exposed to moisture. Or you can seal some dry rice against the backside of your VHF and it will absorb any moisture that works its way into the bag. The lack of vacuum seal at the end of a paddle should alert you to a leak.

Thanks again for the suggestions, and especially the introduction to http://www.mythicdrysuits.com/ - I took the plunge.

I appreciate all of the responses and the cautions that all of this is relatively subjective. I would, however, benefit from hearing some observations about drysuit usage by month in various places along the coast where some of you have extensive local knowledge, along the lines of:

"At our surf sessions at Hampton Beach, NH, most paddlers are in drysuits until May, and resume wearing them in late September. Nobody wears them in July and August." (I made these observations up for the example...)

A drysuit is a big $ investment, and at this point I simply don't have the data to decide if it makes sense to buy one, or to rent one for specific trips.

I did find this table, listing monthly average sea surface temperature for a dozen locations in our region:

http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/all_meanT.html

I was referring to the water temperature. For example, both of these links recommend drysuits for water temperatures below 55 degrees:

http://www.nspn.org/forum/topic/9344-water-temperatures/

http://www.paddleboston.com/advice/dressforcoldwater.php

To date, most of my paddling has been in the relatively-warmer waters of Boston Harbor, the South Shore, and Nantucket Sound. and have limited my paddling to months where I can wear a farmer john wetsuit and dry top. I'll be venturing further north this year, and am considering purchasing a drysuit. I'd appreciate hearing what you consider to be "drysuit season", particularly for Casco Bay and for Cape Ann and the North Shore. Many paddlers consider 55 degrees to be the transition temperature - is there a chart somewhere listing typical sea temperatures on a monthly basis at paddling locations in our area?