Deb Millar

A beach sticker is issued by the town or city you live in. In Gloucester, you go to City Hall, show proof of residency -- either a tax bill or your car registration -- fork over $20 and they hand over the sticker, which you put on the driver's side passenger window of your car. This "buys you" parking at the beach. Otherwise, you'll pay whatever the going rate is at Good Harbor or Wingasheek; my understanding is it ain't cheap. There is no charge for parking at Niles Beach or Lane's Cove, but I'd rather have a sticker proving residency in Gloucester than find my car keyed because a local thought I was from out of town. I also know I wouldn't be too happy if I got to Lanes and wanted to launch my boat and found every available parking space taken up by out of town kayakers. And, btw, Niles is impossible to launch from as the Mommy Patrol is petrified that an errant kayaker will run over one of their little darlings. What galls me is that wind surfers launch from this beach all the time and a wind surfer doesn't strike me as having as much control over their craft as a kayaker. In the case of Essex, a resident with a sticker can park in the very few actual parking spaces near the water rather than down the road a bit. As for summer residents in Gloucester: They qualify with a tax bill showing that they own property in Gloucester. I think property renters qualify with a copy of their rental agreement, but it's a temporary sticker. Essex and Rockport residents -- I don't know about Manchester -- can obtain a sticker (although it is not reciprocal; trust me, we've tried in Essex) from Gloucester BUT the fee is higher and may be between $50 -$100; I don't know what it is because I've not needed to buy one. I'm not sure what the procedure is in Ipswich as residents have access to Crane Beach at considerably lower rates than even The Trustees of Reservations (TTOR) members pay for entry. The reason it works this way is an agreement between Ipswich and the Crane Family that goes back quite a ways. In the number of coastal towns I've lived in the above is pretty much the procedure for obtaining parking privileges. I think Lisa Huntington mentioned that she could buy a parking pass from Manchester but I'm not sure how that differs from a beach sticker and how long it is good for; a beach sticker is good year round and sometimes acts as a dump sticker, also. Deb M

As long as you don't launch or land your kayak on the boat ramp it should not be a problem at Conomo. As for parking: Essex residents are entitled, as they are in Manchester by the Sea and in Gloucester, to park closest to the launches. For non-residents -- and this includes Bob and myself in regard to Essex and Manchester -- it's best to get your boat and your gear off and out of the car ASAP when you're parked on the area facing the beach at Conomo, then move it to the area between the signs on Conomo Pt Rd. When you land, do the same. Walter Mears has sold his house on Conomo and parking in his driveway is not an option. We've been paddling out of Ipswich and Essex for years and never had a problem, although it sounds like Pavillion may be becoming one. While I can see the need to keep paddlers out of the swimming areas and have them launch at the far end of the beach, I don't see the need to resort to nastiness, which is pretty cowardly. As for parking at Pavillion in Gloucester and Lane's Cove: it is fairly limited and Lane's Cove is a "working harbor" of sorts. I bought a beach sticker this year to prevent any "issues" with residents, and I'm hoping it doesn't become an issue for others. Perhaps this sudden rash of nastiness is due to all the hot weather and more and more people using the beaches than usual. I've lived in coastal towns most of my life and I can well understand why the locals get upset when they get to the beach and there's no parking for them because out-of-towners, sans beach stickers which residents have probably had to pay for -- the going rate in Gloucester is $20 --, not to mention taxes, are parking for free. However, this does NOT excuse sabotaging people's vehicles. The police are usually pretty understanding about this but, as they are paid by the town, they may not be too eager to follow through on the complaint. Deb M

Whoops, Bob has the Panasonic TS1, which came out last year. The TS2 is the new one. Thanks for the heads up on the corrosion. Bob's been trying to get a silicon case like I have for my Optio60, but it appears to be a no-go, or a no-go on Amazon. He's really good about rinsing the camera and hasn't had any issues, but there's always a first time.... Still pricey but worth it. Deb M

The Panasonic Lumix DMC TS2 is a really nice camera. I gave Bob one last year for his birthday and the picture quality is excellent as is the video you can shoot. Only problem is the price. However, it's sturdy, fits in the pocket of the PFD and is easy to use. Deb M

I agree totally with what Rick S and Tyson so aptly said, with especial emphasis on a low, sculling brace to hold you up when things seem to be heading downward fast. I'm a very big fan of the low brace as it puts less stress on your body when done properly. It's worked for me in some fairly gnarly situations when fellow paddlers thought I was upside down but, in fact, had braced and then remained upright for the whole ride. It's also failed and I was washing sand out of my hair for a week. While the high brace is very helpful, it can be potentially damaging to your body unless you really know how to use it properly. I've seen too many pictures of even experienced surfers using it with their arms way out into the wave. This position alone can lead to such delights as a shoulder dislocation and a few months of PT. Hopefully, you know how to execute a high brace properly. If you're unsure and also don't want to harm yourself, learn how from an experienced paddler or sign yourself up for a few lessons with an instructor. Deb M

Hi Spider, I know it's confusing, but there's a Pavilion Beach on Gloucester Harbor, right by the infamous Greasy Pole. A great launching area if you want the area or head south towards Magnolia and Manchester-by-the-Sea. Deb M

As soon as she can hold her head up and focus. Congratulations to you and Kim -- I bet Zoe is a little beauty. Deb M and Bob C

I have a truck bed spray on on the RomanyLV, which has held up really well although the outfitter who did this for me has gone back to doing FG. I'll be putting a fiberglass keep strip on the AvocetLV. While a fiberglass strip will cost more, or take some time to apply yourself (perhaps BNystrom has directions on his site), the long-term benefits are more than worth it. After all, you get what you pay for, in the end. Deb M

The lady is Jen Kleck, who owns AquaAdventures in San Diego. She was the first US-born coach to attain Level 5, which is as high as you can go in the BCU coaching scheme. She is also one of the few 5* woman paddlers in the US. Jen's a really neat lady and a fabulous coach. Humble, too. Deb M

I'm guessing that Glenn started in Key West = kw? Any one who does these long slogs in varying conditions has my admiration as my idea of a long slog in varying conditions is circumnavigating Crane Beach Deb M

I second BB&B. Shawna and Leon are amongst the best coaches I've had and the trip north is well worth it just for that great Washington State scenery. Deb M

I may be totally wrong on this, and the trip from Riverhead to Devereaux is a nice one, BUT the reason we were able to land en masse on Devereaux was because it was before Memorial Day, the kick-off of the beach season in most coastal towns. Somehow, I can't see the lifeguards, especially if there are lots of swimmers and little kids in the water, which is a likely scenerio given the predicted temps Saturday, being overjoyed at a fleet of kayaks landing, no matter how skilled or considerate the paddlers may be. Now perhaps I'm wrong and the Solstice Paddle has landed on Devereaux for the past decade, but it's a thought. It might be worth a phone call to the Park and Rec department in Marblehead to find out, just to prevent any unpleasantness on any group's part. Deb M

I was wondering, too, if it was Chinese chop suey (which is actually an American invention) or the chop suey that we call goulash in my family and is that old college/high school cafeteria staple. If it was the latter, it might not be bad on a decent roll -- sort of like having french bread with a pasta dish, but, since it's the former, my stomach just rolled up against my spine and screamed. Deb M

Another vote for paddle britches. And, because they are made from heavy duty fabric -- I think it's Cordura -- they won't scratch your deck up every time they shift position. Very neat invention, even if they do look like Lederhosen for Leprechauns. Deb M

Summer is almost here and, therefore, the solstice paddle. Still in the works for paddle levels, invitations to other paddling groups, all that good stuff? Deb M

I think Valley still makes both as they presumably have the molds for the OC AA and the Pintail. However, it may not be necessarily so that you would spend more but then it would probably be a custom boat, which means you might wait a bit longer for it to cross the pond. I'm sure someone will enlighten us on this. Deb M

Although my husband, who has an OC Pintail, and I fit very well in ocean cockpit boats and I really like the fit of an OC, it should also be pointed out that Valley, who seems to be the biggest offender, started making the Pintail and the AA with the keyhole for the longer legged, taller or even wider paddler who wanted the playfulness of these boats but wasn't comfortable in them otherwise. Look at it as a company seeing a need for a keyhole to meet the needs of serious paddlers and not as committing some sort of mortal sin in traditional boat design, or God forbid, pandering to Americans with their seeming need for comfiness at all costs. Deb M

I'd been told from a reliable source who specializes in forward stroke that the foam seat in my Romany and ExplorerLV's would inhabit my rotation as the seat wouldn't be as "slippery" on my sitz bones. He and the other coach he was working with had me sit on a hard surface and "paddle" to prove their point. As much as I dearly love my foam-seated NDKs, they were right. At first I thought the reason I could "feel" my bum rotating in the AvocetLV was because my butt is a bit smaller than in the past due to my becoming a semi-gym rat . However, there is a definite difference in my stroke. Of course, this could be attributed to the fact I'm pushing less boat (although not that much) and a different hull (I DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO A DISCUSSION HERE ABOUT HULL VS SPEED VS THE PHYSICS OF PADDLING ) through the water, coupled with the fact that the AvocetLV's cockpit is only 11.5" deep. It could also mean my stroke/rep rate is higher. However, I do feel that I can rotate better due to the harder surface. Or, it's all in my head because the honeymoon is still in progress with the new boat. Deb M

I have an AvocetLV and, while I don't have any issues with the seat although I did remove the padding, I always figure what works for one person won't necessarily work for someone else. While I can't offer you any advice, I can sell you an NDK foam seat. We bought these a few years ago in case I needed to replace them in my ExplorerLV and RomanyLV when I moved those seats 1" forward. I didn't need to, though -- careful removal of the originals per BNystrom's excellent instructions on the web meant I could still use them -- so I have 2 for sale. Contact me if you're interested. gaeldotcridheatverizondotnet And I agree, it's a great kayak. I never thought I'd give up my NDK's, but I'm pretty happy so far with the AvocetLV for fit and playfulness. Deb M

While we do all have a "stronger" side and a "weaker" side, the reason we may use the term "other" side when teaching or learning rolling is simply that it's a more positive term for an activity that some people can have difficulty doing. "Off" sets up a negative idea in a person's head. Since learning to roll and rolling itself has a lot to do with one's noggin and one's perception of the "black art" as it's sometimes called, keeping things on a positive, i.e. "other side" might help the process. I can't speak for everyone here, but I know that I roll my boat a lot more often than I actually throw things and calling my less-used side my "other" side makes it a lot easier when I'm caught upside down and have to come up on the "other" side of my boat. Or that's how it's worked for me, especially when I was learning to roll on my "other" side, which is actually better as I've had to train myself with a bit more technical discipline. Deb M

With the exception of my first Kokatat dry suit, which was a no-front-zip man's, I've always had the "frownie" zipper. I've never run into any problems with exiting, entering, being uncomfortable when sitting, or zipping mine up (although I always make sure it's well waxed and carry waxing material with me). While I'm contemplating a front zip in addition to the rear zip on my next dry suit, I've not found any issues with the rear zip model, so I'd probably not mess with what's been a good thing. Deb

I'm not surprised that a gust hit 91 mph here in Gloucester, We've lived in our 258 year old house for 18 years as of today, and we've never, ever felt it shake like it did Thursday night. Luckily, we had no damage, although we made sure the cars were away from the trees, such as they are, in our back yard. Thankfully, we never lost power. While we have a generator in case of such an emergency, I really feel for our friends in NH, northern Essex County, and East Gloucester, too. Deb M

Whoops -- here's the link: http://capefalconkayak.com/Paris.html Sorry 'bout that. Deb

Hi John, Here's a link to the boat I built 5 years ago in a class with the aforementioned Brian Schulz. While the kayak has gone to a good home in Maine, it's a pretty boat and fun to paddle. I have the plans framed and hanging on a wall in our kitchen but could possibly get them to you if you wanted them. The design is similar to one of the one's Ed mentioned, which might be more helpful. Deb M

Unless there's a lot of snow piled up along the road and parking would become a hazard to your car and others, you can park AFTER the sign that says "Resident's only." While I'm not sure how well the non-parking restrictions are enforced in winter, it's best not to park in the large lot directly across from the beach or in the lot above the beach, which is for Essex residents. However, it's fine to unload your boat and gear by the beach; just move your car afterwards. The only real drawback to Conomo is that when the tide goes out, the tide goes WAY out and if you miscalculate, you'll be launching or landing in cold muck. The following link does have a tide table specific to Essex, which will be helpful if you want to launch from Conomo: www.boatma.com/tides/ Conomo is a really nice place to launch as you can paddle over to Crane, circumnavigate Choate Island and also just explore the back marshes. Just be mindful of using the ramp as the clammers who make their living off the mud aren't always overjoyed to share that space with kayakers, especially when they're launching their own boats. Deb M