Paddling with the Heater

The major joy of summer camps that do overnights is the day parents get to spend a whole adult day.

H decided to spend one of these days getting out on an ocean like kayak trip. She also wanted to see Classic Tim.

We decided to do a mid-week paddle out of Sakonnet Point and head north up river for a bit. The route is on the ocean, with some ocean conditions, but is also protected by Aquidneck Island.

We decided to take a leisurely approach to the day. We put in latish - closer to 11am than 10am.

We slow paddled around the harbor to let H get her sea legs under her before heading out into the river. It was nice to ease into things and take a little time to practice turning and just feel the kayak move.

The conditions out in the river were relatively tame. There was some swell and wind put a nice slow bounce on the water.

We stuck pretty close to shore and took our time paddling.

To Tim and I, H looked great in her kayak. She was moving along at a nice clip with a smile on her face and a nice, confident forward stroke. H can move her Capella around like a pro - or at least fake it very well.

After about an hour, we found a sandy spot to put in for lunch and a chat.

H reported that it felt good to be back in her kayak, but that she felt a little nervous with some of the swells. It has been a long while since she paddled in anything like open water.

The paddle back was much like the morning paddle, just going the other way.  Tim and I stayed in close to shore to catch what little action was around. H stayed further out and bounced around in the swell.

It was a chill and relaxing day on the water.

We followed the paddle up with ice cream and a Bender drop in.

Paddling and catching up with old friends makes for a great day.

Classics at Sakonnet

The paddle today was a special event. Two old hats made appearances. Classic Tim was down from Maine taking a vacation from house construction woes. Bob H. was in town for the Newport Jazz festival.

This was the first time this year I had seen Classic Tim and I cannot remember when I last saw Bob.

The plan was to paddle out of Sakonnet Harbor, out the lighthouse, play along the rocks, and have lunch at a nice surf beach.

The conditions were pretty mild, so the chances of trouble were low as were the chances for good surfing.

The rocks were nice with the mellow conditions. Paddlers could get pretty close into the features without much danger of catastrophe.

Then we headed up the coast to find a nice surf beach.

The best surf we could find wasn’t much. There was some breaking swell, but it was infrequent and unpredictable.

Most people just headed in for lunch.

After lunch, the surf was slightly better and we all took tries getting runs.

I found it frustrating. I just couldn't seem to find any good waves.

Other paddlers had better luck than I.

Just because the surf wasn't great didn't mean there were not several people who went in the water. I was one of them...

I caught a decent wave that petered out in a shallow rocky spot and before I could get turned back out, a sneaky wave came in and knocked me right over. I started to set up for a roll but my hand scraped against a rock. I bailed and swam the kayak back into the beach.

The paddle back was very pleasant and relaxing. Things were pretty flat and we skipped most of the rock playing options.

Once we turned into the river, the group split into two. Classic Tim suggested sticking close to the shore to avoid fighting the current and the following seas and took his own advice. Most of the rest of the group decided to stay out in the middle of the river in the midst of the current for some reason.

I decided that Classic Tim knew what he was talking about and stayed inside the other paddlers, but the "good group" side of me made sure I split the distance just in case the main pod ran into trouble.

There was a small post paddle gathering at Coastal Roasters (the best coffee around). We sat chatting and looking out over the river.

Is there a better way to spend a day than paddling with old friends followed by sharing excellent coffee with an excellent view?

It was so bad it was good?

 I have missed paddling.

The last few months something has always gotten in the way. Some times the thing in the way was just inertia to be honest. COVID travel restrictions and anxiety keep me close to home and the only real paddling options are flat, not so clean water. It is hard to get up the energy to pack up the kayak when you know that a good portion of your time will be tied up in getting the gear packed and unpacked and repacked and unpacked and when the most exciting thing you'll see is duck and the most challenging obstacle is going to be a frustrating wind that is blowing at just the wrong angle.

Taking one of the bikes out is an easier option.

This morning I decided I was going to get in the kayak. I packed up the truck, dug out some paddling clothes, and drove over to the local boat launch figuring that this late in the season it would pretty quiet. It was packed. I found one spot that could accommodate the truck and I almost lost it while getting the kayak off the roof. The parking space barely had enough room for me to open the doors; the kayak had to come off before I parked.

While sitting on the back of the truck putting on my water shoes, I felt a nice pain shoot from hip across my lower back. I could walk mostly straight, and bend over if I took my time. I decided that if I could pack up the kayak and get into it, I was OK to paddle on some flat water...

As I settled the kayak into the water, I spotted a sign mentioning dangerous algae blooms. The water didn't smell, there were no visible signs of algae, and a lot of other people on the water. I wasn't going in the water. I cautiously ignored the sign and set off.

My plan was to do a little warm up paddle and then practice boat control for a while. I wanted to work on figure eights, bow and stern rudders, and some lateral movement.

Once I was in the kayak, my back felt good. I could get decent rotation without pain while doing a quick forward stroke. As I loosened up and started working on the control strokes it continued to feel good.

All in all I was feeling pretty good and having a good time. The reverse figure eights took a little time to get sorted out. I needed to play around with the edges to figure out which ones worked best, but once I got it even those felt good. I know the Aires is a cheat when it comes to making maneuvering look impressive, but it does take some skill to get it to do the right things at the right time.

After playing around with the turns, I started working on latter movements with draw strokes. Things started off great. Then I started upping the ante and putting more edge on the boat during skulling draws and experimenting with which edge worked best.

Next thing I know I'm upside down in murky water and don't have my paddle in rolling position. Instead of talking the time to settle myself, get into position, and just do the roll, I panicked and pulled the loop. I'm now floating in cold water about a 50-75 yds from shore with nobody to do an assisted rescue. Without taking the time to think about what gear I have on hand (a paddle float and a pump sitting in my cockpit), I just start swimming and dragging the kayak towards land... Then I realize how cold I am and remember the toxic algae warning...

I finally got close enough to shore so I could stand, empty the cockpit, and get back in the kayak.

Fortunately, the air was warmer than the water. Once back in the kayak I started to warm back up as I made a bee line for the boat ramp.

Unfortunately, the waiting line for the ramp was three power boats and a couple of SUPs long.

I couldn't just float around waiting for the line to clear, so I went back to practicing. It was the only way to stay warm. My back had started to tighten back up, but things still went pretty well. Overall, I was pretty happy with how I did.

I only took about 20 minutes for the ramp to clear enough to allow me to get off the water. Dusk was closing in and the temperature was dropping.

I am glad that I had invested in Hullivators because it made getting the kayak loaded much faster. OK the Hullivators were the only reason I could even get the kayak on the truck. There was no way my back was going to put up with lifting a kayak much further than waist height.

I am also glad that I spent the extra money on a tree row truck. It made changing into dry, warm clothes much easier. The parking lot was way to open and busy to change outside and my back was not going to do the contortions required for changing in a normal sized car.

It was possibly one of the worst days paddling I have ever had. Nearly freezing in toxic water because I couldn't keep my wits about me was not a proud moment.

Yet, it was a day that I got to paddle. That has a magical way of making me feel better....

Getting on the Water and Fire

I cannot believe it has been a month since my last post. Time in quarantine blurs and starts becoming abstract. The only things that keeps me semi-rooted are the days I have meetings. The long days are not helping either - not that I would prefer short days; they would be as disorienting and miserable.

The last month has had some nice highs.

The biking has gotten more frequent and easier. The high intensity cardio creates a great high and makes sleeping better. Is it just me or has the months of staying home screwed up sleep schedules?

I even got out on the mountain bike once. One of Bug's friends wanted to do a physically distant play activity and her Dad thought trail riding would be fun. Bug jumped at the idea. It was a nice day and she misses actually seeing her friends without a screen. I was less than thrilled since it triggered all my anxieties: How do I get Bug to wear her mask all the time? What if someone falls? What if the trails were jammed full of the unmasked? For the sake of the child's mental health, I did what I felt was a realistic accounting of the risks and decided it was within a rational person's risk profile: the other family has been following all the guidelines, our network of peeps has not had an active case, none of us are high risk, we would be outdoors, biking forces some distance, and I was mostly certain the other parent wouldn't pick trails that were technical or likely to be busy. It turned out to be fun even though I got a flat tire as we were heading home. It still felt like I had to reset my two week clock...

We started having physically distant play dates with gymnastics friends before the bike ride. We limited it to two other girls who bring their own equipment. The yard was measured to mark off space.

Now we are letting Bug back into the gym for practices. There were meetings and forms and discussions and more reviews of policies and skipping a week to let other parents be lab rats before we decided that the risks were with in tolerable limits. She still has to bring a raft load of her own equipment and shower immediately upon returning. The kids are kept distant, the coaches are all masked, and there are no skills that requiring spotting. Still it is better than nothing.

Some people think we are crazy for taking any kind of risk, but at what point does the mental health risks outweigh the viral risk? I guess if it were just me, I would stay locked in the house most days except for the occasional bike ride. Fortunately for the world, most people are not me.

Another highlight was our new fire pit. We got a BioLight fire pit. So far it has been awesome!!! It has a battery powered fan to increase airflow. It keeps the smoke down and makes lighting it super easy. The other cool thing is that its sides are all mesh, so it looks like the fire is floating in the air. Sitting by a fire with a cool cider or two is living.

I also, finally, got the boat on the water.

I was hoping to go on Sunday, but some food poisoning got in the way. That was less than fun. H spent an hour or so expelling food from both ends. Bug, who normally freaks out when people are sick, went to the edge. She refused to even come in the house until there was no other option. It was pouring rain and sitting in the truck was getting hot. Once in the house. she hid in the basement. To mollify child, and some of my own, anxiety I sanitized the whole house while also trying to take care of H and Bug. Fortunately, once whatever food that needed out was out, H recovered quickly. Again, I feel like the two week clock has reset.

Anyway, since it was so nice out today and the boat was on the truck already, I decided to head out to the Charles and go for a paddle. The put in was pretty empty, so there were no issues with distancing even though I still wore a mask. Being on the water was nice. It was different too. I still need to acclimate to the new paddle. I still think it was a great purchase and it feels great- just different. There were other people on the river and instead of being glad to see each other, we all did our best to stay out of each others way. I was also paddling kayak designed for playing on the ocean on a flat, calm river in the midst of a half urban landscape. I think I had my expectations ramped up to 11 and only got an 8. An eight is great and I am definitely going again, but this time with more realistic expectations.

I will paddle on the sea before the summer is out!!!

When the Helmet is a Good Idea

It was a beautiful day for a paddle and a perfect location.

The Westport boat ramp can be a bit of a PITA with the having to pay money and move cars into the overflow lot because kayaks don't need trailers, but it is the best point of entry for one of the most dynamic paddling locations in MA.

If you can catch it at the right time, the mouth of the Westport is a great place to play in standing waves and currents. Heading south from the mouth, you can find some great off shore rock features to play in and a little farther down you can find some great surf.

Anticipating a day of full contact playing, I launched wearing my helmet. I didn't want to be the only one left hanging on the sidelines when it got fun.

The currents at the mouth of the river were strong, but not at peak. The wind was blowing with the current, so it was flat. A few of the group tried to find something to play in to little avail. I decided to save my energy for more fun features further south.

The first feature we came to is known as the elevator. It is two rocks positioned roughly parallel to the coast and each other. The shorter of the two rocks is on the ocean side and the gap is just wide enough for two kayaks to fit through in a pinch.

Conditions around the feature were pretty calm, but there was enough action to play. We darted through the two different passages. We took turns holding our kayaks in positions near the rocks without crashing. It was a good time.

We moved on to a smaller rock formation that also offered some easy playing. Nothing that pushed the edge of the box, but enough to get a little adrenaline surge.

Just before lunch we found a nice off shore break for some surfing fun. Most of the group caught some nice rides.

I, on the other hand, was having a hard time finding my groove. I was either out of position, too late to get up to speed, too fast to get up to speed, or my stroke was uneven and I'd get turned before catching the line. It was frustrating. On the plus side, the Aries will surf on almost anything so the few little waves I did catch gave me nice rides.

By lunch, my helmet was starting to hurt my head. I was glad to swap it out for a regular hat for a little while.

When packing up from lunch for the return trip, I considered the tame conditions we had encountered in the morning and how comfortable I felt in my hat. I packed the helmet in the back hatch. I did consider stowing it in my cockpit just in case, but in the end I figured the chances of wanting access to the helmet were not worth the annoyance of having it bouncing around my feet.

After lunch we headed back over to the offshore break for some more surfing. The waves had moved a little closer to the rocks, but I found my surf mojo and caught a few nice rides. I just made sure to stay clear of the rocks.

From the surf, we returned to the smaller of the rock formations. The tide was lower, so it was more fun. I was bummed that I didn't have my helmet... There were some runs I decided against trying. However, I did take a few chances. It was hard to pass up.

We then returned to the elevator. It was here that I really missed my helmet. The feature had more power than was prudent to risk without head gear. I was the guy stuck on the sidelines watching others play. It was fun to watch, but I'm not really a spectator.

Gary gave us a master class in rough water boat handling. He parked himself in the center of the elevator and just bobbed up and down as the water tried to smash him into a big rock. It was a beautiful display of well placed draw strokes and hip control.

Getting back into the river was more challenging that anticipated. We expected that the current would be running up river, but instead it was still dumping water into the ocean. The water trying to force its way out of the river against the water trying to fill the river up created some nice swells and some tricky vortexes.

It was a fun challenge to slip in close to the knubble and make a tight shore hugging turn to stay out of the craziest parts of the confluence and boat traffic. Fortunately, the Aries was more than up to the challenge. I few well timed leans and hip bumps mixed with quick paddle strokes and the Aries can dance.

I had a long, great day, on the water. There was a plenty of play opportunities - but next time I'll make sure my helmet is not hiding in a hatch....

Essex with the Trailer

We decided it was a great day for a family paddle. The trailer made it much easier to transport Big Red. The drawback is that it makes parking more difficult at some kayak put ins.

We decided to do the Essex river, because the boat launch is a big boat ramp and they have trailer parking.

The paddling was windier than we expected, so I immediately put the rudder down to keep Big Red under control. Bug was not a help. She did do a little paddling in the early going, but then she put the paddle down in the cockpit. That would not have been so bad if her paddle wasn't just log enough to get in my way.

The beach break was nice. We had lunch. H relaxed, Bug played in the water and looked for ways to burry herself.

The paddle back home was a little more stressful. H was on Bug to help out paddling because the wind was up. H was also very concerned that Bug and I were not hugging the shore enough. Bug and I worked out a system where she would give me a boost when I needed.

Dinner was when the real fun started. We promised Bug seafood and the only place we could find had a small parking lot. We pulled in and then spent 20 minutes trying to maneuver the trailer around the parking lot. We couldn't get it into a spot; we couldn't get the car turned around to get out of the lot. It was a hot mess

We finally ended up disconnecting the trailer and pushing it into its own parking spot and then we parked the car in another spot. Thankfully, the trailer is lite and easy to push around.

Once we got past the parking, dinner was excellent.

Despite a few minor bumps in the road, it was a nice family day on the water.

Banged up in Boston

It was time for the annual Boston Harbor paddle. PB and I always get an interesting crew for the paddle and it is always a nice time. I expected today to be no different. The weather was predicted to be nice. The tides were ideal: the gut would be a non-issue, the current would carry us out to the islands in the morning and push back to the launch in the afternoon.

PB’s plan was to be at my house at 7:30, load boats, and be on the road before 8am. That gave us plenty of time to get to the launch by a little after 9am and prepare for a 10am launch.

At 7:40 I woke up and sort of panicked. PB was in the driveway getting ready to call and wake me up…. I had relied on Bug being my alarm clock since she never sleeps past 7. Oops.

We managed to stay on schedule. We were at the put in just after 9am and mostly ready to go by 10am. More impressive was that we did it without rushing or forgetting anything.

Our launch was a little delayed by the friendliness of the local rowing and lifeboat historical society. Several members came over to check out our kayaks and give us updates on the conditions in the outer islands. We were not in any rush and they told us about a really cool art exhibit at the fort on Georges Island.

When we got to Boston Harbor Light, the keeper, in full period garb, came down to inform us that the island was full. We were welcome to come back for a tour between ferry groups. She must have known that a RIC/KA group with only one Tim was trouble.

Before moving on to explore the more interesting parts of the Brewster Islands and the Shag Rocks, we donned our brain boxes. The water was just on the fun side of bumpy and we all wanted to play. The Aries was itching for some fun.

We made our way around to the backside of Little Brewster and out to Shag Rocks. Then over to Great Brewster for lunch. It was fun paddling. The bounce was just enough to make things exciting. We played in and around the rocks a lot. It made me appreciate the Aries even more. It is built for play.

After lunch we headed around the backside of Great Brewster. With the added exposure, the conditions were just a little more bouncy. We were having a good time looking for play spots.

About halfway around Great Brewster, there was an interesting little inlet with a big rock formation in the middle. Two paddlers went in for a look. TG and I planned on skipping it since it didn’t look that interesting. I, however, drifted near the center rock formation keeping an eye on the paddlers in the cove. The waves were small and manageable, so I was not concerned….

Then a bigger than average set of swells drove me sideways into the rocks. I was pinned with my side on the rock ledge and the hull against the portion of the rock sticking out of the water. Rolling was not an option since I was basically on dry land, with the occasional wave slapping the hull back into the rock.

I decided the only plan of action was to get out of the kayak, push it into the clear water, jump after it, and let the others do an open water rescue. It all went according to plan. TG was right there to scoop me up on the bow of his kayak while the Aries was retrieved. They popped me back into he cockpit with ease and made sure I was all set before releasing me to my own care.

Everyone kept asking if I was OK. I was fine aside from a few scrapes. Once out of the kayak I was on a nice stable ledge and once I jumped into the water I was clear of any rocks. I was far more worried about the Aries. A quick look showed only minor scrapes and there didn’t appear to be any leaks.

We continued our trip out around Cliff Island and crossed over to Georges Island by way of Lovels Island. I’d like to say that my brush with doom made me play it safer. The chances for play were just too good to ignore. Besides, the chances of me wrecking twice in one paddle were low.

On Georges I got the chance to inspect my injuries and the Aries. The minor scrapes were bigger than initially thought. There was nothing that required stitches, but there was a lot of scrapage. My left calf was hamburgery. It gave Dr. Paul another chance to break out the industrial first aid kit. He applied some sexy purple self-adhesive tape to my leg to keep it clean. Reportedly, I was only a slightly less fidgety patient than Bug getting her splinter pulled.

The Aries had a decent crack on the deck. It didn’t puncture the glass, but it did do some damage. It was going to need to visit Dr. Carl.

The art exhibit turned out to be a bit of a bust. There was one big display by the beach and a few things that may have been displays. The one big display was inside the fort. It was made up of some pulleys and other stuff. I think it was supposed to be a wind powered instrument of some sort. The group, made up mostly of scientist and engineers, spent a lot of time trying to figure out how it worked and reverse engineering it. It was less of an art installation than an engineering problem. In either view, it was a bust. It didn’t work.

The paddle back to the beach was uneventfully pleasant. It was a great way to come down from an exciting paddle.

Not My Cup of Tea

H wanted to do a family paddle today. Her original plan was to do Wickford Harbor. It provides a nice protected area, ice cream, and proximity to friends. What could be better?

Bug had different plans. She didn’t want to ride in the car. She doesn’t like salt water. She didn’t want to go to the beach. She didn’t want to spend time in the sun. She didn’t want to go anywhere. She doesn’t like ponds….

I was not feeling overly accommodating, but H wanted to find some compromise that Bug would at least not melt down over. We discussed going to Walden Pond or Lake Cochituate. I was not thrilled with either option and kept making the argument that we should just go with the original plan. Neither Bug nor I were making H’s morning easy.

On a lark I threw out Essex as a possible place to paddle. In my head it was closer to home. It also offered some level of ocean paddling, and provided access to a real beach. After thinking about it for a little while, H decided it was a good compromise. It also meant we could squeeze a visit with grandparents in as well.

We packed up the paddling gear, the kayaks, and some lunch. In my head, this was a short process. It took more than an hour. The cradles needed to be attached, things needed to be found, water bottles needed to be filled one at a time, hair needed to be done, kayaks needed to be prepped and carried. Bug needed to be cajoled.

We woke up around 8am and hit the road before noon. With an estimated travel time of 45 minutes, we figured we would be on the water before 1pm. Then we hit traffic. 45 minutes later we still hadn’t passed the Rt. 93 split and Bug was complaining about the long car ride…. By the time we reached the 128 split we had been in the care for more than an hour and I was starting to complain….

Things turned around when we got to the launch. It was nicely appointed with easy access, free parking, a nice grassy area to eat lunch, nearby bathroom facilities, and a decent ramp. The weather was perfect: sunny, but not too hot. Breezy, but not windy. Everyones mood had turned sunny as well. We were all looking forward to getting on the water.

The paddle out along the river was great. Bug took out her paddle, which is getting a little small for her, and starting sticking it in the water. “Look I’m making plastic bags!” she shouted gleefully as the water arched over the partially submerged blade.

Then she started splashing the paddle side-to-side. “I’m helping paddle!” Then she looked back to see how I was doing it and started paddling backwards….

I explained to her how to paddle forward and she did a good job for a little while. The big smile was all the help I really needed.

Meanwhile H was enjoying paddling along in her own kayak. This was her first time out this season. She looked very comfortable.

When the narrow river channel opened up we were faced with a decision. Go left and follow the boat traffic around an island to get to the beach. Go right and wind through the sand flats to get to the beach. It looked like there was a clear path through the sand flats and it looked way shorter than paddling around the island….

The path clogged up a quarter of the way through the sand flats. We decided to hang out on the sand for a while. It was like a beach. Bug was nervous about hermit crabs pinching her feet, so we had to ensure her that was not a problem.

The sand banks were a great place to hang out. There were a bunch of clam shells to discover. There was also these funny looking holes along the edge of the water. H decided to do some exploratory digging and discovered a giant clam! It was cool. It was more cool to watch it rebury itself once we put it back in the water. The clam sat for a while and then flipped itself up on its side. Once it was vertical, the clam made speedy work of covering itself back up.

The green head flies munching on my legs kept the scene for being idyllic. There were not eating H or Bug quite as much, but the wind on the sand was starting to die down. No wind usually means more flies. Also, the real beach was within sight. I wanted to at least see the ocean.

There was enough of a water way to keep the kayaks afloat as we dragged them along and across the sand banks. We eventually found another channel that was deep enough for paddling. That channel took up into the open water between the sand flats and the beach.

When we hit the open section, we had to deal with current dragging us out to the ocean. It was not a strong current, but with an open double one cannot be too careful. We made a hasty crossing and found a spot on the crowded beach.

Everyone hopped out and Bug raced off to explore. Then she raced back to splash in the salt water. I wanted to walk around the point and see the Atlantic, so we made our way down the beach. Since we couldn’t cross the dunes due to plover nesting, we stuck to the shore line. This made Bug super happy since that meant more water time for her.

We didn’t linger too long on the beach. It was getting late and the green heads were still biting. We had to drag Bug out of the water and back into the kayak. After we promised ice cream she was more than happy to go back.

We were again faced with the option of following the channel or going across the sand flats. H reasoned that since the tide was coming in, the sand flats would have plenty of water over them…. We only had to drag the kayaks a little way while providing a feast for the green heads.

Before we hit the sand Bug turned around and looked at me with a big smile on her face. “Daddy, paddling isn’t my cup of tea,” she said. “But I know you like it, so it is OK."

Once back in the main channel, Bug got sick of the green heads and started splashing water everywhere to keep them away.

“Say got it when the water hits you. That way I know the flies are not getting you.”

We figured this would last for a few minutes and then she would settle into a new game. We were wrong. It lasted for the rest of the trip home. The good thing was that it kept the flies away.

The downside of the splashing was that it made it hard to keep Big Red on course. I was getting tired, so I dropped the rudder to lend a hand. The rudder made it easier to steer, but harder to go fast. I have a hard time paddling and steering with a rudder at the same time. (I can chew gum and walk.)

We got back and met the grandparents for dinner. Bug still insisted that she didn’t like salt water or paddling. The mind of a five year old is mysterious and fickle thing.

Playtime

Sometimes you see the details on the chart, but do not put all the pieces together. Sometimes you get lucky and put the pieces together in time to avoid disaster….This weekend was scheduled for a visit to my brother’s family in CT. His daughter was having a birthday party and it made for a good excuse for the families to get together. It conflicted with the perfect paddle for breaking in the new Aries, but family always comes first.What we missed on the party invite was that it was at a kiddie spa. The name of the venue suggested ice cream, not pedicures…. Fortunately, H realized this the day before the event. Later in the day my brother e-mailed saying he was working all day. So, the three of us were going to drive two hours to attend an all girl birthday party for an eight year-old at a spa….
H, who is a saint, made the command decision that I was no longer included in the birthday party plan. She and Bug would go to the birthday party, and I would go paddling. I tried to argue that I had to go to the party because it was my family…. She stood firm and insisted that I go paddling.
I got up in the morning, packed up the last of the paddling supplies, strapped the Aries onto the roof, and headed out with plenty of time to get to the put in. As I was driving down the hill from my house to the Starbucks, I noticed that the kayak’s bow was drifting to the left. My initial thought was that I just needed to tighten the straps down what I stopped to get coffee. When I checked the straps I saw that one of my cradles had suffered a catastrophic failure. The hinge attaching the lower portion of the jaw had snapped off. I wasn’t sure I could even limp the 3/4 of mile back up the hill to my house.
Saint H pulled through one more time. She dug out a spare cradle, packed up a very unhappy Bug into her car, and drove down to rescue me. She even helped me get the new cradle attached to the car so that I could continue on my way to the paddle.
The drive was not relaxing. I was caught between watching my speed for fear of a second rack failure and wanting to speed to make up for the lost time. I was sure I could make it to Westport before everyone left the put in, but I didn’t want to be that guy. I am particularly sensitive since I am incapable of getting on the water quickly. Time just slows down when between the opening of my car door and the time my kayak glides away from the beach.
I did make it the paddle in plenty of time. A lot of the time was taken up with people complimenting me on the new kayak. It was a little embarrassing, but fun as well. The yellow over bright orange is eye catching. Since this is only the second time the Aries has been in the water, I still wasn’t sure it was more than eye catching. Could it keep up with a pod of traditional length sea kayaks? Would it be fun to paddle in conditions without being too easy? Could the hull shape possibly live up to the hype?
This paddle was a good opportunity to answer some of those questions. There were a lot of traditional sea kayaks in the group. TM was the only other person in a play kayak--He was testing out his newly acquired Romany XL. The paddle to and from the mouth of the river is pretty traditional touring style paddling. The current and rock play provides plenty of opportunity for the areas where the Aries is designed to shine.
The paddle to and from the mouth of the river were pleasant. The wind was light and the current not too much of an issue. The Aries paddled nicely and I didn’t feel like I was working too hard to keep up with the other kayaks. It paddled like most other sea kayaks I have paddled. That was a big positive. For relaxed paddling in mild conditions, I want a kayak to feel neutral.
When we got to the mouth of the river the current was running pretty strong, but the wind was not cooperating. It was blowing with the current and flattening the waves.
Despite the lack of standing waves, it was a good chance to practice paddling in current. The first time I tried an eddy turn, I did a 280 before I knew what happened. After that, I had a much better sense of how to handle the turns with some edging. Out in the main flow the Aries skipped across the moving water. It was fun to just play around and see how the kayak handled. The few waves that popped up proved that the Aries loves to catch waves. It just hops on the wave and takes off.
It didn't take long for us to get bored and start thinking of new ways to spice up the paddle. It was supposed to be a play day. We decided to head out of the river and play on the rocks on the outside of the nubble.
After lunch we found a choice outcropping for playing. It offered multiple play spots. The most popular was in the middle of the out cropping. The waves crashed around and made a nice soupy mess. I quickly got over my oh it is too new to scratch and put the Aries in the thick of it. This was what the boat was made for…. It was stable and maneuverable through out. When I was done all it took was a little edge. The bow slid out and I was on the other side of the soup.

The other fun spot to play on the rocks was on the far edge. There was a nice little slot where the waves pushed through with a little less force. From the beach side it made a nice spot to practice keeping the bow in position. From the ocean side it provided a nice safe surf run.

While playing on this safe run, I managed to time a wave very poorly. I found myself getting pushed straight into the rock. The wave steepened and I felt the bow getting pinned. Once that happened, I knew there was no way to turn past the rocks. Just as I resigned to kissing the rock, the bow popped. I edged, the bow turned, and I slid past the rock with a huge smile on my face.

The trip back to the put in was uneventful. It was a nice relaxing way to cool down. It was also a nice reminder that the Aries was a capable regular kayak.

Blow by Blow

There are two divergent truths about the weather forecast: you always need to check it before going on the water and you can never trust it.
I made sure to check the weather before leaving to paddle this morning to make sure it was not going to be a total slog fest. The weather forecast was for moderate winds and nice temperatures. When I arrived at Gooseberry Point, I was greeted with howling frigid winds....
I am not sure I would have left the house for the actual conditions. The actual conditions were not bad enough to head home without getting on the water. I could definitely make the best of the conditions. There was plenty of surf and bumpy water along the Horseneck Beach side of the point.
This was also the first real cold weather paddle. I packed the dry suit and a bunch of fleece layers. I check the box-o-gear to make sure I had gloves. I forgot to check for a hat.
Most of me was toasty warm in fleece lined gortex. My head was freezing. Fortunately, JS had a spare hat he was willing to lend out. It was a perfect fit and cozy warm to boot.
We launched in the shelter of Gooseberry Point. It was hard to match the conditions on the water with the conditions in the parking lot. The wind and seas were calm. It was almost boring.
On the other side of the point things were much more challenging. The Q-boat is a notorious weather cocker and the beam wind knocked the skinny little tail around. I usually try not to use my skeg because, in my twisted head, it is a crutch and there is a little shame in it. After struggling with a myriad of correcting strokes, I finally gave up and dropped the skeg. Then, we stopped to play in the surf.
At first, I just sat outside the surf zone. Then I got bored and tired to catch a few waves. I got few OK rides. The wave were OK, but not great. So, I decided to try surfing backwards...in a Q-boat....
The first time I dumped, on the first wave I caught, was not bad. It's amazing how toasty fleece lined gortex is. I was a good way off shore, so I swam in, took the opportunity to relieve myself, and relaunch.
The second time was more adventurous. I was in shallow water close to sure. I actually managed to roll up once. Before I could settle, I was knocked over again. I went for a second roll and felt the mighty stick touch the bottom. I tried not to push off the bottom, but it was too late. I came up without my hat and losing my sunglasses. As I tried to secure my glasses, another wave knocked me over. I tossed the glasses toward shore to clutch the mighty stick in one hand and the grab loop with the other. I popped up between the kayak and the shore. Before the Q-boat knocked me silly, I ducked and got on its good side. I dragged everything to shore and started searching for my missing kit. JS kept telling me not to worry about the hat.... The glasses, thanks to the croaky, float and were easy to spot. My head was still naked and getting chilly.
TM, who is a boy scout leader, had a back up hat and my head was once again toasty.
The paddle home was a slog. Beam winds and chop made keep the Q-boat on a straight course nigh impossible. I started off using a paddle, paddle, stern rudder sequence with a few sweeps thrown in. Then I dropped the skeg and found that I still needed the occasional stern rudder to keep straight. Shame and corrective strokes were too much for me and I pulled the rudder again. TM told me to try a stern draw to keep the weather cocking in check. I'm not sure if it was lack of technique, the Q-boat, the mighty stick, or all three but I found myself slicing like a half dimpled golf ball.
Getting around the point made me feel like a novice. Getting the Q-boat to turn was a bitch. I was tired and out of practice. Getting the Q-boat onto a chine and make it turn was a physical and mental struggle. I finally got a enough of a turn to make it back into the lee of the point.
Conditions in the lee were clam again. The last bit of paddling back to the put in was easy peasy.
This was not an easy or relaxing paddle. It was energizing despite the frustration. A good challenge is always worth the time.

Bug's Big Adventure

This was the first weekend day in a long while that we didn't have any obligations, so we decided to take advantage of the perfect weather and have a family adventure. Many options were discussed including kayaking at various locations and biking on the Providence to Bristol trail. I wanted to kayak and, fortunately, the rest of the family agreed.
To my pleasant surprise, H mentioned kayaking out of Hingham Harbor and checking out Grape Island. We had talked about camping on Grape several times, but the camp sites were booked full since early in the season. The weather was perfect for the paddle and the tides were favorable, so it seemed like a great idea.
We planned on launching around 10 or 10:30. That put us on the water when there was plenty of water and give us more than enough time to explore before low tide turned the harbor into miles of sticky mud. Plans are funny things....
We got a very late start. We all slept in a little. We tried a new way to tie Big Red to the roof. We had to revert back to the original way of mounting Big Red. We forgot the sunscreen and had to make an extra stop on the way to the beach....
We managed to get on the water before noon. We still had plenty time to play. We brought along a bunch of sand toys for Bug to use on the beach at lunch. She also had her new paddle along for the ride. It is a "daddy" built greenland paddle. It is not terrible effective as a paddle, but it put a smile on Bug's face and made her feel like she was part of the team.
Bug's new paddle also makes it easier for me to paddle. She used to bring along half of a real kayak paddle and drag it in the water... That could create a lot of drag. The new paddle doesn't create nearly as much drag and it is double sided, so she can actually paddle with it.
The paddle over to Grape is about 2.5 miles and is mostly along the shore. It was a nice relaxing paddle. Bug pointed out all of the boats and birds and planes. H paddled along nearby in her kayak. There were a few bumpy spots, but nothing major. Bug wasn't sure what to make of the bigger waves, but seemed to enjoy them once she realized we were safe in the kayak.
Lunch on Grape was nice. There were a number of people waiting for the ferry to bring them home. We spoke to one of the park rangers who told us that the island, despite what the reservation site says, is rarely full. Apparently, you can all over the day you want to camp and they can usually accommodate you. It is cheaper to pay for the unused site than cancel a reservation....
After lunch we were going to play on the beach. Bug was all set to play near the kayaks, but H wanted to go on an adventure to see what was just around the corner from the kayaks. After some protestation from Bug, we made our way around the corner. H sat down on a nearby bench and figured Bug would stop and play in the sand.
Bug didn't get the memo and wanted to continue the adventure to see what was around the corner... We walked around the corner. There was plenty of interesting things to see as we walked around the corner. We saw crabs, all sorts of shells, interesting trees, more kayaks, and even some other people. After a while, Bug started getting tired and wanted to be carried as we continued the adventure around the corner. By that time, it was shorter to keep going than to turn back. After a nice walk around Grape we returned to our kayaks.
Our trek ate up all our time on the island. The tide was receding and we didn't have a lot of time to get back before the mud flats took over the boat landing. On the paddle back we went around the back of Slate Island before crossing over the closer to shore. Bug curled up in the front cockpit for a little nap. It was a pleasant paddle back.
We got back just before the mud flats raised their sucking maws. A few people who came in after us were not as lucky.
We finished the day off with some nice cold brew coffee and excellent burgers. What a great day!

Rain, Rain, No Way

This weekend was our annual Boston Harbor Island paddle. I was jonesing for a big boy paddle. I love getting on the water with the family, but sometimes a boy needs to stretch his blades....
The weather forecast didn't look promising. On Friday it was a chance of thunderstorms. On Saturday it was a 50% chance of thunderstorms. Late Saturday it was a 60% chance of thunderstorms.
I checked on Saturday with PB to see what he wanted to do and he figured we would stay the course. The forecast looked a lot like the forecasters were essentially tossing their hands up because they couldn't tell what was going to happen. In addition, we could always stick to the inner harbor and be safe. It was the answer I wanted to hear. Without a second opinion, I may have whimped out and canceled the paddle.
Sunday morning was reasonably sunny, but a little windy. The wind was actually good. PB and I needed the reminder that paddling to the outer harbor was a bad idea. There is enough stuff to see on the inner harbor for an interesting day on the water.
The weather forecast was enough for a number of people to decide against paddling. The only ones rugged enough to join us were TM and CMO. Four boats is a very nice size pod for a day on the water.
We launched from windmill point and crossed the gut to the outside of Peddocks. We made our way along the outside of Peddocks under clear skies and almost no wind. The island shielded us from the blow. Peddocks is a deceptively big island. It is like two islands: the half with the fort and the half with the houses. There were people out on the beach enjoying the morning as we paddled along the shore.
When we rounded the end of Peddocks, we hit the blow. From the tip of Peddocks to Grape we paddled in wind. It was a strong beamy blow that churned up the water into a pleasant chop. It was my favorite section of the paddle. The Q is happiest in choppy water. The wind did cause some weathercocking, but that just added to the fun.
As we neared Grape ominous storm clouds filled the sky. We knew something was coming, but there was no thunder. We had lunch by the ferry dock on Grape Island with the camper waiting for the ferry. Just after breaking out the food, I got a text from H making sure we were off the water. Then the rain came down.
It rained, but didn't thunder for about 30 minutes. Once the sky dried up, we continued on our way back to the cars. The rain washed away a lot of the wind and chop. There was still a beam wind that pushed the back of the Q around, but it was far less than what we saw coming from Peddocks to Grape.
Our return trip took us around Slate and over to Bumpkin. We figured if the thunder did arrive we could hang out at the shelters on Bumpkin. There was no need to worry. We paddled under clear skies the whole way back to the put in.
I did try a couple of rolls before landing. I came up both times, but they were ugly. My blades dove both times. It is a clear sign that I need more practice....
The rain didn't really come until we were sitting having coffee and pastries. That was a perfect time for the storms. It meant less hosing down at home...

Big Red Rides the Slocom River

There are very few group paddles that we feel are OK to take along Bug. The Slocom River paddle felt like it would be an OK trip, so we e-mailed the coordinator to double check. She said it would be fine, so we packed up Bug's new kayak, a big red Wilderness System's Northstar double, and H's kayak for a fun adventure.
The night before we did a camp out night at the Y, so we our schedule to get to the put in was tight. We had to take down the tent, feed the cat, and ourselves before getting on the road. We actually figured we would be late and aimed to be just late enough that the group would leave without us and we could catch-up. My thinking was that it wouldn't hold anyone up. If we showed up before they left, say five minutes late, everyone would wait around for 10 minutes while we got our act together.
It turned out our plan didn't matter. Carleen and Cat, very nicely, decided to wait for us. As a result, the whole paddle kicked off 30 minutes late. The paddle was split into two groups, level 2 and level 3, by design. As it turned out, we were the only level 2 paddlers. Carleen graciously gave us a guided tour of the river.
It was a great day on the water. The weather was perfect: warm, sunny, and dry. There was a slight breeze, but nothing troublesome. Bug had fun on the way down the river. She looked for ducks and sang us a few songs. She also dragged her paddle in the water which made steering interesting. Fortunately, Big Red handles fairly well for a double and it was easy to keep on track without deploying the rudder.
At lunch we chatted and Bug made mud pies on the beach. We spotted little fish, crabs, and snails.
The wind was a little troublesome on the way back. It was just enough of an angle that Big Red weather cocked. I deployed the rudder and once I adjusted to using a rudder, the weather cocking stopped being a problem. I focused my paddling energy on forward motion and my feet on directional stability.
About half-way up the river, Bug put her paddle down, snuggled into her seat, and fell asleep. It didn't look like the most comfortable nap spot, but I'm sure her four year old body can be comfortable in places my forty year old body cannot.
There were a couple of places on the way back that the river gets pretty shallow. Carleen did a good job of keeping in the channel. I don't want to have to discover how hard it would be to drag Big Red out of a mud bank....
We all had a great day on the water. Carleen was very generous to take such good care of our little pod. The trip was a great length for all of us. Bug didn't get bored; H and I both went far enough to feel like it was a good paddle without going far enough to feel pooped. It is days like this that make me happy.

Thatcher's Island

Could I have asked for a better day for my once a month paddle? The weather was perfect: sunny, warm, and a lite breeze. It was so nice that H and Bug tagged along to spend the day at the beach.
We launched from the scuba beach and headed north for a bit. Then we paddled out to the sea wall. It was so calm, we decided to head out to the dry salvages to look around. As we approached the salvages, TG spotted seals flopping into the water. We stopped approaching to give the seals some space. We were surrounded by a large pod of seals. They were fairly bold and quite large.
From the salvages we made a beeline to Thatcher's. The island is populated by a number of aggressive and large gulls. The caretakers suggested that we take big sticks with us as we walked around. There was one big gull guarding the loo. It was a squacker, but it stayed just on its rock. While we were eating a monster gull kept swooping down near the picnic benches. The best thing was watching the swallows dance in the air. There was one playing with a feather that was impressive. It dropped the feather and swooped around to catch it before it hit the ground.
Before heading back to the beach we paddled around Thatcher's. It was rocky and had some nice action. It was a nice spot to have some safe excitement. TG, channelling Bubbles, did manage to get pushed up into some rocks. He got caught by a big swell that pushed him into a rock. He managed to roll up and get himself out of trouble without assistance.
Paddling back by Bearneck I spotted a curly haired Bug waving. I paddled over and said "hi". It was great to see the family enjoying the day. It was a perfect way to end a perfect paddle.

Good Ol' Gloucester

The hardest paddles to write about are often the best ones. Little Tim's paddle out of Gloucester was one of those paddles. It was a simple, calm paddle on a beautiful late summer day. We bounced enough to feel like we were on the ocean. Mostly we paddled, talked and soaked up the sun and surroundings. It was ideal for those paddlers not looking for the next shot of adrenaline.
The comic relief was land bound. A lost paddler called just before the main group was getting ready to launch and wanted to know where we were. They were waiting at what the locals said was Pavilion Beach. Turns out there is a much bigger parking lot at the next beach over which is separated from Pavilion Beach by an old factory.... We all launched together.
At lunch Little Tim showed us an idyllic knoll where we could eat and gaze out over the sea. It involved a little climbing to get to, but it wasn't too bad. With a little hunting there was even an "easy" path. As we made our way back to the kayaks, the park ranger intercepted two of us before we could get to the beach. Apparently, access to the beach is forbidden from the grassy knoll.... The ranger was determined to prevent the stragglers from rejoining the group, but was no match for the dynamic duo. After a tense game of cat and mouse we all made it to our kayaks.
Simple and relaxed was perfect.

Boston Harbor Islands

I love this annual trip. It always offers a relaxing and interesting day on the water. It also offers the opportunity to paddle with a few new people since the location is more amenable to MA paddlers.
We had perfect conditions for a day on the water. The sun was out and the winds were calm. We had timed the currents so that the Gut would be quiet on the way out and at our likely return time. We were all looking forward to a good day playing around the islands between Boston Harbor Light and Graves Light.
Things started to look bad before we made it through the Gut. One of the paddlers in the group wound up out of their kayak in the middle of the Gut. TG did a fast, clean rescue. I helped out stabilizing the kayaks (I wanted to look useful). Everyone was back in the kayaks quickly and without seeming to have suffered more than a little embarrassment.
It didn't take long to realize that the rescued paddler was not in great shape. They were taking short, choppy strokes and not moving particularly quickly. As one of the other paddlers put it "They are taking two strokes for every one of our strokes." I paddle a stick and use a high cadence, and this paddler was spinning faster than I was.
We were heading directly for the light house and all kept a close watch on the distressed paddler. It was probably safer to go the distance to the light house in calm water than try to make our way back through the Gut.
Once we got to the lighthouse we started discussing next steps. Fortunately, the distressed paddler volunteered to stay on the island for a bit. The rest of the group planned to explore the Brewster islands for a couple hours and return to the lighthouse for lunch. If the distressed paddler was felling better, we could all return to Hull as a group. I not, we would come up with a plan B.
The main body of paddlers explored the Brewster Islands and looked for rocks to dodge. The conditions were tame, so there was no real danger. There was enough danger to make things fun. I even pulled out the helmet and played. I forget how much fun it is to play chicken with rocks. It is more than a pure adrenaline rush. It is also the intellectual challenge of finding the right path and the right moment for safe and maximum fun.
At lunch we found the distressed paddler had recovered. They were ready to finish the day paddling. The plan was to paddle to Georges Island, check it the fort, and then return to the put in through the Gut when it was reasonably calm.
The rest of the day was relaxing. We monitored the distressed paddler, but they seemed much better. The pace was relaxed and the conditions were clam.
I had such a good day that I rolled a few times at the end of the day. It was a great day.

Fun in the Sun

Having a child forces you to do things differently. A few years ago, I made decision about when to paddle on the fly. Now, I make arrangements weeks in advance. Planning in advance is nice because you know you will get to paddle at least a few times a season. It also makes bad weather a big deal.
Fortunately bad weather was not an issue today. I'd been waiting for this paddle for many weeks.
We descended on the parking lot early to make sure we got parking. Manchester, like all towns on Cape Ann, has limited public parking. It has even less parking that is suitable for launching kayaks.
The weather was nearly ideal for a day on the water. Sunny, but not too warm. A light breeze and calm seas. The afternoon threatened some thunder showers, but we were not worried.
The plan was to paddle out to the Misery Islands, check out the area from Little Misery, and likely head out past Bakers to play on the rocky islands.
The morning was pleasantly uneventful. We meandered our way out to the Miseries. Along the way out JS and I reminisced about the last time we paddled this stretch of water. It was a very different paddle...
That day was cold and gray with mean seas. The swells were steep and unpredictable. We spent a lot our time trying not to surf into the other paddlers in the group and hoping for landfall. It was one of those days where you ask yourself, repeatedly, if you are crazy....
After a brief stop on Little Misery to see what was happening and pick our lunch spot, the group headed out towards Bakers. The seas were just bouncy enough to remind you that this was a sea kayak trip. I love this kind of paddling, particularly when I have been away from the water for a long time. The rhythm of the paddles and bounce of the swells become a mantra. It is an alert relaxation; it is revitalizing.
After lunch the paddling was more active. The winds and swells picked up a little. It was a nice change. The conditions required an active presence but wasn't enough to knock me out of the zone. Paddle, correct, paddle, correct, deploy skeg, paddle.... Just right to remind me that I was at the mercy of forces beyond my control. All I could do was be present and adjust as needed.
Back at the cars, I felt the rejuvenating effects of the paddle. I was more relaxed and more balanced. A great day on the water.

Rolling in the Mud

Today was the RICKA planning party and first official paddle of the year. I have been itching to get out for a few months and it seemed like every time the chance came up, I had a conflict. Since I was going to the planning party, I had no conflicts with the paddle except for Bug's swimming class in the morning. I decided, with some difficulty, that I could miss one swimming class and get some stick time. A happier daddy makes for a happier Bug.
The weather has started to take a turn for the better in the last week and it looks like Spring has finally arrived. Too bad it took a hiatus this morning. When PB picked me up this morning it was chilly. By the time we got to Gooseberry Point, it was down right cold and the wind was howling. We seriously considered spending the morning at the Bayside and skipping the paddling. The conditions were not going to make for a pleasant paddle in Buzzards Bay. The wind would make paddling a chore. The chop would make paddling damp. The cold would make you think too hard about taking any risks.
Once others started arriving, a consensus to relocate quickly formed. We moved to Hixbridge Road and the Westport River. This would give us some shelter from the wind at the very least. We could paddle up or down river as we fancied.
We fancied going up river, figuring that it is better to paddle into the wind when you are fresh and let the wind blow you home. The trick with going up river was that the tide was going out and the water levels were dropping.... The initial plan was to just paddle a couple of miles up river, then turn back so we would have plenty of water. If we wanted to keep paddling the lower part of the river would have water longer.
The river did provide good shelter and made for a pleasant paddle. It was actually perfect for me. I was a little tired from yesterdays bike ride. My skills are a little rusty as well. The leisurely pace and flat water made it easy for me to find a rhythm and work the kinks out. The river is also pretty scenic and the company was good, so the slow pace helped there as well.
At some point the group decided that we were going all the way to the end.
"We might as well kiss the rock," someone said while CO was looking for some rational reason for the adventure. I'm not sure what she was thinking. Rationality is a rare commodity among RICKA sea kayakers.
The further up river we went the lower the water got. We spent a lot of time looking for the channel and practicing our turns.
After a quick stop at Osprey Sea Kayak Adventures, we headed back. At first it wasn't too bad. As long as you stayed on the narrow course, you stayed afloat. Every now and then the stick would dredge up some mud, but for the first mile or more it was pretty smooth paddling. Then the mud flats came....
The first time I got stuck wasn't too bad. It was only a few hundred feet of digging the stick into the goop. The second time sucked. It was hundreds of yards of digging through the mud. At points the stick was so useless, that I just used my hands to turtle walk through the mud. I would have gotten out and carried the kayak if I didn't think that I would sunk to my neck in the mud.
Once past the last mud flat, the paddle got much better. The stick stopped dragging in the mud and I could cruise along. By the time I got back to the launch point, most of the mud had washed off the kayak and the paddle.
It wasn't the perfect way to start off the season, but was still better than a day at the office.

Dry Run

I like winter paddling. When the conditions are right, it is the best time to paddle. There is something about the light and the quiet. The added danger probably adds to the allure.
As the temperature started dropping and plenty of good paddles were being listed on the message board, I started getting the itch to paddle again.
Sadly, my trusty old Reed paddle suit had sprung a pretty major leak and needed to be replaced. I considered replacing it with a new Reed suit, but there were enough things about the suit I didn't like and the exchange rate doesn't make it much of a bargain. I also looked at the IR dry suit, but it got very mixed reviews and seems like it needs a little more work before it is as good as the IR paddle tops. In the end I decided to go with the defacto standard: Kokatat Meridian. They are expensive, but have an impeccable reputation. The new styling is top notch as well. The old style mango and orange was fugly.
When it finally came I needed to give it a proper trial run. Fortune smiled o,n me and provided a perfect weekend for paddling. The forecast was for cear and warm weather. I wanted an easy and nearby paddle and was thinking a lake or Walden Pond until PB suggested Cape Ann. That sounded lie a much better idea. It is still close, but got us on the ocean.
Before setting out we had to trim the neck of the dry suit... PB bravely volunteered to do the cutting since he had experience. My nerves would have made a suit wrecking nick inevitable. In the end we trimmed what looked like five inches off the neck.
Our plan was pretty loose. All we knew was that we were paddling in Gloucester. Once we got closer, we decided to checkout Wingersheek Beach as a launch site. Both of us had paddled out of the harbor, and PB was looking for something new.
Wingersheek is a decent off season launch if you don't mind the carry from the parking lot to the beach. At the dead of winter though the parking lot is closed. You can still use the beach to launch, but it is much longer carry. We decided to pass.
Up the road from Wingersheek is a state fishing area and boat launch that puts you out into the end of the Annasquam. It looks like a great place from which to launch a kayak. The parking lot is reasonably large the boat ramp is dirt and not too steep. I had used this put in once before and knew it hard a dark secret.... At high tide portions of the parking lot can flood and claim unsuspecting cars. This was the sight of Egg 1.0's drowning.
PB and I decided that we would use the launch anyway. It was not supposed to be a particularly high tide and there were plenty of high areas that wouldn't flood even in a big high tide.
The paddle was just what I needed. The sun never quite warmed things as predicted and the thin fog hung in the air throughout the trip. In an odd way that sort added to the paddle. It kept things quiet.
The dry suit was excellent as expected. The neck gasket was still a little too tight, but that is easily fixed. It was comfortable to wear and didn't look too goofy. After the Reed suit, I expected that all dry suits were damp suits that kept the sea water out and your sweat in. The Kokatat was actually pretty dry inside. We didn't push ourselves that hard, but hard enough to work up a sweat. Most of it evaporated through the gore tex as advertised. I stayed toasty and dry. It will be interesting to see how it works on a hard core paddle.....

Rockport to Thatcher's Island

Cape Ann has some great paddling. There are a bunch of neat islands that dot the coast and the coast itself is interesting to explore. It poses a few issues: access, parking, and company. The Cape Ann shoreline is pretty rocky and the cape does not have a lot of major roads, so finding a place to put a boat in the water with car access is tricky. Most of the easily accessible launching areas have very limited parking. Most of the people I paddle with live in RI and can get onto the ocean with ease, so the idea of driving two hours is a hard sell.
Fortunately, one of the guys I paddle with was visiting Gloucester and was willing to do the leg work of finding a place to launch and work out the parking. He was also recruited a few other paddlers to drive up for a paddle.
I got clearance from H as soon as I knew the paddle was going to happen. She knew that a day on the water would do wonders for me and was more than happy to give me some time. One of the funny things about having a family is that while you know you need, and will enjoy, time away from them, you also know you'll miss them the whole time.
As the weekend got closer, the weather forecast got bleaker. By Friday it looked like the weekend was going to be bust. Then Saturday turned out to be a decent day and Sunday's forecast got worse.... Before setting out for the paddle, I checked the weather and the radar showed a block of showers sitting over the coast. NOAA was predicting an 80% chance of showers with Thunderstorms and fog likely. That was no reason to cancel the paddle.....
We met at Back Beach in Rockport. It is a popular place for divers and provides good access to the water for kayakers. It also offers some metered parking and restrooms within an easy walk of the beach. The longest meter is five hours, so the parking is not great for all day kayaking trips. There is a limited amount of on street parking to be found with in walking distance which is what we used. Of course, that meant we had to leave the kayaks sitting on the beach for a while we took care of the cars.
Fortunately, the kayaks were fine when we returned. We headed out of the harbor towards the breakwater. Our plan was to checkout the breakwater on the way to the Dry Salvages. Then we planned on checking out Thatcher's Island for lunch. In the afternoon, we would head back to the beach along the shore.
The paddle out to the breakwater was uneventful. One could even say it was boring, but it was also a good chance to warm up. The water was flat and there was no wind.
Once getting out to the breakwater and seeing the relative position of the Dry Salvages, we decided to skip them. It would be a lot of extra paddling to see a bunch of rocks. So we made a bee line for Thatcher's. Once we wete beyond the breakwater the conditions picked up a little. There was now some wave action to make life interesting.
Thatcher's has a nice ramp that is perfect for landing. It is designed so that it is easy to drag a kayak up onto shore. The island is also set up for camping and tourists. There is always personnel on the island to help out and make sure you sign the guest book. There are trials that can be explored, a museum, abundant bird life, and the towers.
The north tower, which is not now only a landmark and not an official coast guard lighthouse, was open when we were there. Getting to the top is a slog. The stairs wind up in the dark tower for seven or eight flights. Once at the top, we checked out the disappointing views from inside the light housing. It was hazy and the plexiglass made it worse. As we started down, BH discovered the door to the outer landing. The view from the landing made the climb worth it. Even with the haze and the fog you could see for miles.
After lunch I decided to swap boats with TM so I could try out his old school Cetus. I have always been intrigued by the Cetus since it appeared on the scene and gained immediate rock star status. TM's was equipped with plastic foot pegs that supposedly can be adjusted without climbing into the cockpit. The one side the worked was great. The other side came off the track and was a floppy mess.
I cannot say I was impressed by the Cetus. Admittedly I was paddling with only one foot peg, so it wasn't able to give a fully fair shake down. The kayak was stable and maneuverable for a big kayak - and it did feel big compared to the Q-boat. Like the Q-boat's back end the Cetus' back end releases pretty easily. Unlike the Q-boat, the Cetus felt more predictable. The best comparison I can make between the Q-boat and the Cetus is that the Q-boat is a Porsche and the Cetus is an Audi A6. The Cetus drives nice, but isn't quite as much fun.
Before TM and I switched back to our own kayaks, we explored the backside of Thatcher's and Milk Islands. The conditions were excellent for playing in the rocks. I hung back because I wasn't quite settled into the Cetus, but the others played. This area could get real in fun if the sea state picked up a notch...
After a quick repair break on Milk Island, we made our way back to Rockport along the shore. The conditions were calmer along the shore, but still lively enough to play. The shore line is rocky and dotted with houses which makes it fun and interesting.
Before heading back into Back Beach, we made the obligatory trip into Rockport Harbor to see Motif 1. Then it was a short trip back to the beach.
It was a great day for a paddle. The threatened rain never materialized. The haze was just enough to keep us from baking in our kayaks. The fog threatened to roll in, but never did. I don't know that I could have asked for a better day to explore the north shore.