On 3/30/2022 at 7:40 AM, Dan Foster said:

We are nearing capacity for this trip, so if you're interested in joining, please contact me by Sunday, as described above.

If you are a new (or relatively-new) kayak camper who would have liked to join this or a similar trip, but had a conflict or some hesitation, please reach out. There will likely be a second Intro trip later in the season, and I'd appreciate your input.

Hi Dan, my husband and I can't make this first camping trip, but would love to go on one later on if possible. We've only kayak camped once, on an island in Moosehead Lake, but have done lots of car camping around ME, NH and VT.

Interested!

I don't recall, does REI have either WiFi or a network wall jack, so that we can bring laptops? If they have network jacks in the wall that work, I could bring a small 5port switch and network cables for other people to also use (I work for a small IT shop, so can bring a limited amount of gear).

My husband Scott and I are in! But yeah, that 9am start time is going to make it rough, as we're an hour South of Boston.

20 hours ago, Alex Debski said:

Unfortunately, my white water kayak is in Rhode Island so whoever comes can laugh at me trying to do tricks in a Romany. 

Where in RI? I/my husband could possibly pick them up and bring them to the pre-easter plunge tomorrow for you.

20 hours ago, rfolster said:

Marlana, I completely understand if Saturday is not sounding like the "fun" we might have hoped for, but even as an L2-3 paddler, you and your husband are still more than welcome to join us to test out your gear and the general learning experience.  If we get to the beach and conditions are just unbearable, we can take a really quick drive to a spot in Manchester Harbor that will provide more protection.

Oh, I'm not looking for this paddle to be 'fun'. I'm thinking it's a pre-season test of our gear with the advantage of being with more experienced paddlers.

Plus, sometimes 'fun' is when you look back at an event, while during said event it's a slog paddling/hiking/snowshoeing through mud/rain/snow/below-freezing weather. I just don't want us to hold the group back. In the past 2 years, we've done a 16 mile roundtrip, 10kn+ headwind with rain paddle from Cedar Point to Chapmans Landing in Stratham, NH... and  a paddle from URI's Bay Campus across to Jamestown Island, sheltering behind Dutch Island over 2 miles in 2'+ non-breaking slow-interval broadside waves. We finished each paddle exhausted. Each was a L3, but in different ways.

8 hours ago, rfolster said:

Saturday is looking like a good day for testing cold weather gear!  Strong southerly winds, rain, and 4'-6' short period wind chop waves will make for a miserable day for attempting any sort of journey.  My thoughts are that I would prefer to do any paddling against the wind to start, and end with the wind to my back, so some place like Marblehead Beach is not ideal (that slog can be interminable).  I also worry that if things go bad at a place like that, the wind is carrying boats or people into more exposed waters.

I am thinking about West Beach in Beverly with Misery Island just 3/4 nautical mile away as an option.  The the beach is really exposed, but at least we don't have to worry about anyone or anything getting blown out to sea.  Paddling out to Misery could be a challenge, but we might find shelter from the wind out there.

Might be a really good day for a shorter water session and a warm PPPO somewhere local?  Open to suggestions.......

 

As a paddler who's between a L2-3, a more sheltered paddle on a cold, rainy, windy day would be preferred...

My husband and I are in. Will be our first test of our cold-weather gear, even though we've worn/brought it for early mid-May in Maine paddles.

Any cost to attend this?

-No, we're not going to Jewell. We're looking for Lvl 2-3 trips.

-I don't see a Solstice paddle on the calendar?

-Yes on dinner. 

In 'normal' conditions, is this more of a Lvl2 or Lvl3 trip? I can handle 15k winds and 2' waves... but not sure for 1.5 miles. I can handle BCU 2* conditions for a while, but 3* tires me out quickly.

My husband and I might be interested.

I'm assuming water conditions require the use of a dry suit for that time of year? I only ask because it's the one large piece of kit that my husband and I don't have yet.

Depending on the date, my husband and I might be interested in going.Would it be suitable for 13' sea kayaks?