Joseph Berkovitz

A number of us found ourselves there by chance last summer (I went in the house and looked around) and I remember talking to Dan Carr about it so yes I think they know. It’s a nice enough bunch of ledges (at high water the island would be claustrophobic to live on IMHO) but there are much nicer and bigger MITA islands right nearby like Stevens and Norton. Not sure it would add much to the trail… The story about the guy wanting to shoot up the wildlife is strange. I guess there are a few ducks there but the entertainment would not have lasted long as it’s so tiny.

Bay Area Sea Kayakers do this without the coast guard - they have zoom workshops, with video turned off and different members role-playing paddlers and CG operators and nearby boats in breakout rooms. I have never attended one of these but I heard people learned a lot from trying it. I would bet it starts to feel pretty realistic pretty fast. If you like I can find out more.

Here are another couple of things to throw into this mix. I’m not advocating for any particular option here, these are just choices that may be relevant for kayakers alongside (not instead of) VHF radios. I think redundancy is good. - your smartphone can give you your GPS coordinates to verbally relay over a VHF call even if you have no cell signal. On iPhones this is on the built in Compass app. - the coast guard can use your smartphone to locate you if you do have a cell signal. Typically this would be in response to a 911 call but one could also give ones phone number over a regular VHF distress call. - if you do have a cell signal, calling 911 or a local marine authority can be a good choice alongside a VHF call. For example the local Harbormaster in Marblehead has told me to always call his office via the police dept. if in trouble OtW nearby, as he can respond faster than the time it takes for CG to figure out to call him. - satellite based devices like SPOT or Garmin inReach are another (although pricey) possible complement to DSC radios as they connect you with a dispatch center even when VHF or cell can’t reach anyone. If you are in Maine offshore and outside of of a rocky island you may not have VHF line of sight to anyone or anything. obviously to leverage any of these options you need to be able to use these other devices in a tough situation in the water. With practice, a good waterproof case (and something to brush water off the screen) it can be done.

Since no one has expressed interest in this trip I am cancelling it. If you wanted to go out tomorrow but didn’t post to say so, please PM me and we can work something out, either tomorrow or at a future date!

this trip is cancelled since no one has signed up IMPROMPTU TRIP: In the wake of the cancelled Easter Bunny Paddle, let's have an Un-Bunny Paddle on Sunday. (If you see any actual bunnies, be aware that they are not officially connected with the event.) note: renamed to Orthodox Easter in observance of the fact that Easter is celebrated on different dates due to calendrical schisms over the years. This is a COLD WATER PADDLE open to anyone with safe gear. If you don't have a lot of experience doing this yet, this could be a good time to try. We are not going far, possibly no more than a few miles in protected water. The goal is just to get out in this cold-shoulder season, and have a fun and safe time! Here is the low-down:- We are meeting at Riverhead Beach, Marblehead at 9:00. The goal is to launch no later than 10:00 as the tide will be dropping, lengthening our carry. Low Tide is at 12:40. The forecast is for air temps in the low 40s, NE wind diminishing from 10 to 5 kt, waves in Salem Sound probably 1-2 ft. That NE wind will be raw and make it feel colder when we launch! - You must be dressed for immersion. This paddle will feature a swim-before-we-launch gear test - everyone will be getting in the 44ºF water—albeit briefly—to make sure we are all reasonably comfortable with that. For all practical purposes, this means you need to be wearing a drysuit. - You must have a spray skirt. - Neoprene gloves and neoprene hood/cap are very strongly recommended. Again.... 44ºF water. - Boats must have bulkheads fore and aft with static deck lines. - You will need lunch and a hot beverage. Please post your interest and/or questions below.

There actually were graupel-spitting clouds today over Salem sound, in case those not living around here are curious! For a period of around 10 minutes right around noon we had small 1/4” hail coming down. But there were no thunder claps or lightning flashes and the wind did not seem to pick up all that much. It was all over quickly and with little apparent danger to any foolish boaters who may or may not have been out there. (I wasn’t.)

Gaia has sadly become unusable since this change (and they are responsible, since the underlying new-style NOAA charts have plenty of detail). Since their support people could provide no indication of a pending fix I have cancelled my subscription to Gaia and now use the Navionics app, the same as countless non-kayak boaters. It is not as good for route planning or sharing but excellent for in-the-moment navigation. the charts are complete and functional and the integration with weather and tidal information is very good. Also they have their own chart database that extends worldwide so usable in Canada, Europe, etc.

Rob, To help us decide whether and how to participate, can you outline the goals of this session for us? What will attendees accomplish with you, what will they come away with, and roughly what next steps will follow? thanks very much!

Expect to be "there".

Sorry I won’t be able to make this after all — have fun!

Intend to attend.

This trip is now full. Thanks to everyone who asked to come!

Very recent Canada update: as of April 1 tests aren’t required for fully vaccinated travelers. So unless there are new unfortunate changes to the rules, this trip will likely visit the Bay Of Fundy/Campobello area #whales #cliffs #islands #beauty #nottheusa

Barb, keep on paddling and practicing because I’m sure you’re closer to being ready than you might think!

Visiting Down East Maine's Bold Coast and Cobscook Bay, this trip visits one of the most dramatic coastlines in the world, along with one of the most dynamic and unique tidal estuaries. It takes place over a long weekend from Friday August 26 to Monday August 29, 2022. Bob Levine (rylevine) and Joe Berkovitz are the trip organizers. Daily paddles are organized, using the Sunset Point campground in Lubec as a home base. Ranging from Machias Bay to Lubec and beyond to Canada's Campobello Island, the Bold Coast is a largely undeveloped and wild region with lots of dramatic cliffs and rocks, 25+ foot tidal ranges, strong currents and amazing wildlife. Take a look at the 2020 trip report for a sense of what it can be like. (We skipped 2021 due to the pandemic.) This is considered an L3+ trip. Paddlers joining this trip should be prepared for: - Daily trips of 12-15 miles, with limited bailout options. Much of the Bold Coast is roadless wilderness with high cliffs rising out of the ocean. - Strong currents (> 4 kt in some places) and turbulent eddy lines. - Cold water, often in the low 50s even in high summer, with air temps in the 60s. A drysuit is essential some days. - Rough water conditions on a very exposed coastline where waves interact with rocks, weather, and current. - The need to stay in a cohesive pod and maintain strong situational awareness. - An international border crossing (Covid-19 rules permitting) requiring a passport. The general plan for this trip is to section-paddle various portions of the Bold Coast and Cobscook Bay, adjusting the plan for conditions, interest and level of challenge. Each day we will choose from various out-and-back or shuttle adventures and have a lot of freedom with the length and nature of the paddles. We may visit the Campobello Island area also if international travel rules make this feasible. Despite the challenging waters, we want to be safe! Each day we'll evaluate our options carefully. There are a wide range of locations to choose from, and directions in which to go. And if conditions are too bad to paddle, there is really great hiking in the area. Home base for this adventure is the Sunset Point RV Park in Lubec, which is a very clean and well-run campsite. Despite the name, it's not all about RV's -- actually, the area reserved for tents is a perfect grassy headland that juts out into part of Cobscook Bay, with its own little boat ramp and pavilion. Showers are free with unlimited hot water and if you care, there is free Internet at the office. In terms of logistics, plan for 6-7 hours of road travel to reach the Bold Coast from the Boston area. The campsite is reserved starting Thursday 8/25 so that everyone can come up on Thursday and we can hang out together and do some planning before getting a good night's rest. Checkout is Monday 8/29. Individual arrangements can be made to extend your stay earlier or later, as the tenting area of the campground is usually only sparsely occupied. Please work that out with us up front. Each person's share of the campsite rental will run to a total of $40-50 for the 4 nights - the exact amount depends on the group size. This trip is now full. If you would like to get on the waitlist, please fill out this form. Conversation about the trip is on a private message thread for the participants, but this forum topic can be used for general Q&A about the trip, or you can PM either Bob or Joe .

I have used the inflatable Handi rack a number of times on rental cars in California where I keep a boat (along with this rack) at my daughter’s house. It is quite well designed and secures itself to the car and also - via a separate loop - the kayak to the rack. The squishiness of the inflated rack grips the boat more securely than foam blocks and keeps the boat from moving around. Bow and stern tie downs essential.

If it’s not a busy weekend day One can always put in at fisherman’s beach in Swampscott and paddle down the edge of Nahant bay.

It’s happened at Nahant too, but only a few times. Depends on the ranger…

https://endurance22.org/endurance-is-found 10,000 feet down in the Weddell Sea.

If you have two or more people, each using Josko’s strategy, the results may be interesting…

To those who couldn't attend (and for those who just can't wait to see it all over again): My presentation notes are available here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1H5zUs_XUk9o-Wm2b16MD6UQBXozyhL1njSAu6axboMo/edit?usp=sharing I have posted a video on YouTube of the recording of the session, also:

Zoom info is private - if you’re not on the PM thread already please message me for details.

Of course, I can't explain anything to do with their pricing. They are indeed expensive paddles. I know from talking to Lendal that they really believe in their product and its superiority to Werner paddles, and in their mind the higher price is completely justified. They have also been through some difficult times with the pandemic, they lost access to their factory in late 2020 due to a building safety issue caused by their landlord, and I am sure their space and labor costs have gone up like many businesses. But I don't know the inside story of these recent increases. I do think the paddles are worth it, though, in terms of the experience they offer a paddler. Besides the blade shape grabbing the water very crisply, they are definitely not made of the same material as Werner paddles, they are very noticeably stiffer and harder (perhaps this is the resin, not the carbon fiber). As far as communications go, I have emailed them at their regular contact (sales@lendalna.com) and gotten responses, but sometimes there's been a delay. Going through a dealer might be a better way to get attention. A dealer may not want to (or be allowed to) sell blemished product though. Many high-end manufacturing companies don't want blemished product out there in the world as it can damage their brand, since they only compete on quality not on price.