The Airs

I recently entered the Air realm. In the fall I got a MacBook Air and then for my birthday I got an iPad Air. They are both light, fast, and pretty to look at.
The MacBook Air was, ostensibly, a work purchase. My previous job had spoiled me with a MacBook Pro as my primary computer and my current job insists that writers need an 8 core desktop PC to do their work. I disagreed and took matters into my owns hand. I got the entry level Air with beefed up storage. It is more than powerful enough for basic needs. I haven't tried any hardcore games or video editing, but everything else runs quickly and smoothly. I have played with iMovie and that is as smooth on the Air as it is on my wife's Pro.
The two most impressive things about the Air are the battery life and the speed at which it starts up. The weight is great, but with a name like Air it is expected.
I have run the thing for a full day without charging it and not gone bellow ten percent battery life. These runs didn't involve a lot of video watching or even too much use of iTunes, but the wireless was always on and e-mail, calendar, reminders, and Safari were constantly running.
The start up time is impossibly fast. It is easily less than a minute from shutdown to fully functional. At start up, my Air loads calendar, reminders, and e-mail. From asleep to ready is instantaneous. It wakes up as fast as my iPad or iPhone. That is impressive.
The only drawback to the Air is the limited storage. I am not sure I could use it as a primary computer without running out of space. I have a large iPhoto library and a mid-sized iTunes library. I could currently move everything from iMac to the air, but the air's disk would be over 90% full. I could get away without moving up the music since I have iTunes Match, but I would be uncomfortable.
The iPad Air was actually H's idea. She wanted an iPad, but didn't want to buy a new one. She encouraged me to upgrade so she could inherit my iPad 3. It has been a successful swap. She enjoys the iPad 3 and I got a new lighter and faster iPad. The iPad Air is a lot like my old iPad except that it is much faster. The speed is noticeable between the 3 and the Air. Things on the Air are just smoother. The Air is also much thinner and lighter. The cut in weight has been great. I never got tired holding the 3 for long periods of time, but it was definitely a two hand job. With the Air I can comfortably sit on the couch and read with one hand. It is not a easy to one hand as a mini, but, for me, the extra screen real estate is a good trade off. I'm not so convinced that the extra thinness is a great thing. At first the edges didn't feel great while I was holding it and typing in bed, but I've gotten used to it.
One thing that I have noticed that isn't great about the iPad Air is that the screen occasionally feels plasticy. The two older iPad, and Bug's mini, have more solid feeling screens. It is not that the Air's screen is bad, it just sometimes doesn't feel as lush to the touch.

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.

Hermit Island

This is the second year we've gone to Hermit Island for camping. Getting sites is like getting concert tickets. You start calling on the designated day, get a busy tone, and keep dialing until someone answers. It may seem like a lot of work for primitive camping sites, but it is worth it. The sites are nice, the campground is quiet and well maintained, and the beaches are exquisite. The prices are also reasonable.
The first night was rough. The mosquitoes were unbearable. Venturing between the safety of the screen house and the tent cost a pint of blood each way.
Fortunately, things got much better. The first day we spent most of the time biking and hanging out on the beach. In the morning, Bug and I took our bikes out to explore after breakfast. She enjoyed the freedom afforded by the dirt roads and lack of cars. We stopped at the marina for a little while and explored the shore. Bug liked throwing rocks and looking at the hermit crabs. After lunch, we went to the main beach and hung out. Bug spent a lot of time digging in the sand and making castles.
The second day was kayaking. PB and I took out the "real" kayaks for some ocean paddling. We left the barge, which I had taken along despite H's protests, at the beach so H, Bug, KB, and the rest of the group could play.
I was using H's Capella 161 and my scoopy Lendal paddles. It was a different feel from the Q-boat and the mighty stick. The sky was clear blue, the temperature was on the warm side, and the wind was a no show. It took a little while for me to adjust to everything. It wasn't until we stopped for a snack and some water that I started feeling right. That was about the time PB started feeling less that ideal. The heat and lack of wind was not our friend. The serenity of the area and the beauty of the scenery mitigated the heat.
On our way into the beach, we ran into Bug and H paddling the barge. Bug was having a grand time and wanted to keep paddling. We made a quick decision to paddle the kayaks back to the camp sites instead of putting them back on the cars. H and I switched kayaks. It was only fair that she got a chance to paddle her own kayak. Beside, I like hanging out with Bug and some time in a kayak with her is an opportunity I cannot let pass.
The paddle back to the camp sites was short, but fun. Bug wanted to paddle "super fast", so I did my best to accommodate. The barge is heavy, short, and wide. It is not designed for speed, but it can be surprisingly spry when pushed. The scoopy Lendal paddles really helped out; I'm not sure the mighty stick could get the barge to go "sorta fast" never mind "super fast". She was happy to check out the other boats on the water. When we passed the marina, Bug asked me if I remembered the crabs. She had a big smile on her face as she recounted seeing them the day before.
When we got back to the sites, Bug wasn't quite ready to get out of kayak. The cove where the sites were located is protected and had plenty of water, so we decided to explore a little more. We paddled down to the end of the cove and checked out the store. Bug checked out the cars and other tents and asked all sort of questions. She sang "row, row, row your boat." It was one of the funnest times I've had on the water without rocks. On the way back up the cove, she waved at people.
We must have been in the kayak for more than an hour and she loved it. I was thrilled to spend the time with her doing something we both enjoy.

Outer West Passage

This paddle was a rare and unexpected treat. The outer west passage is one of my favorite places to kayak because it offers a gamut of conditions within easy reach. However, I wasn't expecting to be able to go on the paddle because I was seeing Jimmy Buffet the night before. In my 20's and most of my 30's I'd thought nothing of paddling on littler or no sleep, however in my 40's I consider the wisdom of paddle on a few hours of sleep.
H was insistent that I paddle and made sure I packed the UberEgg before we left for the concert. We got home from the concert earlier than I expected, so I made sure to get right to bed. With a good 6+ hours of sleep, I felt good in the morning. The weather was looking good as well. Not too warm with a slight breeze and clear skies. I left the house confident that I was going to have a good day on the water.
Little did I know just how good a day I was going to have. The conditions were perfectly tuned to my desires. The spring tides had the current running out of the Bay as fast as I have ever seen. The wind was just enough to keep us cool and create some good chop. The conditions were just inside the comfort zone. Since I don't get out on my own much, I prefer conditions that are more challenging. I can always find a little time with the family to paddle on flat water.
TM, our newly minted BCU 5-star paddler, coordinated the group with his usual skill. Since most of the members of the group were familiar with the area, the coordination was more about keeping the group together and managing the comfort levels of the paddlers. To me, this is the hardest part of coordinating a group and I am glad TM seems to enjoy it. He did an excellent job of allowing the group to spread just enough so that some paddlers could experience the bigger chop along the shore while others could paddle in the relative calm on the channel.
The most impressive bit was managing the group on the crossing from Beavertail to Whale Rock. The conditions on this part of the paddle are always the biggest. It is the entrance to the Bay and the ocean swells tend to be larger here than further inside the Bay. TM timed our paddle up the Jamestown coast to allow the conditions to settle before making the big crossing. Earlier in the morning the combination of the current and the wind was making big swells. When we got there, the swells were more reasonable for everyone in the group. They were big enough to provide some excitement, but not so big as to make trouble. TM also did a great job of ensuring that comfortable paddlers were evenly spread amongst the group to support the less comfortable paddlers.
For me this was the best part of the paddle. The combination of the big swells, the fast current, the wind, and the need to keep an eye on the group presented the perfect amount of challenge. There was no zoning out or getting frustrated. It was just focus. There were a few unpredictably large swells that gave me a pleasant surprise.
The relatively mild conditions along the bluffs were nice for practicing boat handling skills in the rocks. They also made for a nice cool down before hitting the beach.
Before finally relinquishing the ocean, I did a few rolls. They were a little creaky, but that was to be expected. I was happy that I rolled up without too much trouble. It was a great way to end a great day.