Paddles of 2015

Paddles of 2015


4/19/2015     Narrow River, RI
4/25/2015     East Branch Westport River, MA
6/6/2015       Freeport,  ME
7/5/2015       Wash Pond, NH
7/10/2015     Lake Champlain, VT
7/18/2015     Stonington, CT
(six paddles in 6 NE states... cool)
7/25/2015     Boston Harbor Outer Islands, MA
7/31/2015     Sakonett Point Rescue Practice, RI
8/8/2015       URI Bay Campus to Narrow River and Whale Rock, RI
8/14,15,16    Casco Bay , Bangs and Goslings, ME

















8/29,30         Boston Harbor Inner Islands, Bumpkin and Grape,  MA
12/27,28,29,30   Everglades City, FL  Pavilion Key, Mormon Key, Crooked Creek Chickie

Johnstone Strait and Broughton Archipeligo

More than 6 years ago I bought some maps to plan a kayaking trip.  The destination was Vancouver Island. The attraction was seeing Orcas.  And the wait was worth it...

The maps I'm referring to were of British Columbia and Washington State.   The important paper references were John Kimantas' book  "The Wild Coast 3" and Coastal Waters Recreation maps of Broughton Archipelago and Johnstone Strait .    More recently, www.bcmarinetrails.org and innumerable web pages from others who have made similar trips have augmented my research.

The Orcas were most likely going to be in Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Sound. Both of these areas are visually somewhat uninspiring and subject to wind and tidal current issues.  Broughton Archipelago was visually stunning, more protected, but had much lower whale sighting odds.  Between these areas lies Hanson Island.  The currents through Weynton Passage and Blackney Passage on the west and east side of Hanson can exceed 5 knots and are subject to complicated rips. 

The area is also subject to overcrowding.  During the summer numerous outfitters run multi day tours in the area.  This implied June or September were the desirable times to be there.  The research showed late summer was more favorable for the whales.

Finally, the area seemed a little more than Keri and I could do safely as a pair.  So we needed some others to come out and play with us! 

One of Keri's strengths is advanced planning.  She had frequent flyer miles that were going to expire so she said "pick a week in September" and we'll get tickets to Seattle.  (Actually we scheduled two weeks.  And the vacation in September was to coincide with one of those birthdays ending with a ZERO.)  I've never successfully used my frequent flier miles before... Keri managed to get us a non-stop flight out and a 1 stop first class ride back!  All at very reasonable times of the day.  And all for $15 each!

Next was the search for partners.  Our friends Jody and Scott signed on.  Their neighbors, George and Donna followed suit.  Unfortunately, none of these 4 were highly experienced paddlers.  What they were was very skilled campers.  They were willing to take on the adventure.  And as I found out, they happily persevered through some of the  more difficult moments.

Jody and Donna took the lead on meal planning.  I was the paddle planner.  Keri, George and Scott were usually the highly important "voices of reason". 

Early on I learned that typical weather in Johnstone Strait in September is foggy until 11 AM and windy from the NW from 12PM on.  This left only one reliable hour of paddling a day!!!!  Additionally, the tide would be ebbing out of JS against the prevailing wind most afternoons of the week we were paddling.   Ouch... I wished I had looked at the tides before choosing the week... damm.  Every blog I read told of at least one day of being "weathered in" per week.  Also, the water is cold year round and large vessels like cruise ships and commercial barges use the shipping lanes that we would need to cross. 

The crux of paddling in the area is getting by Hanson Island.  A group of experienced paddlers could probably run with the currents if the winds were reasonable.  Our group would have to time the passage at slack water.  Ideally, it would be slack water turning to the direction of travel.  Of course, during our week it would be slack water turning against us. 

An early realization was that we couldn't schedule to do these crossings twice.  The "voices of reason" decided that we'd do the crossings outbound and schedule a water taxi to pick us up for the return trip.  This opened up the option of traveling out further into Broughton Archipelago.  (We also knew that if the weather was bad we could have the water taxi drop us off in Broughton Archipelago and skip the crossings altogether.)

Our travel plans would get us to Telegraph Cove near mid day on Sunday.  I wanted to do a short paddle into Johnstone Strait that day so that we could see what it was like and get a feeling for the conditions beyond what I "imagined" they'd be like.  It would also allow us to perfect our kayak loading and assess everyone's capabilities. 

My plan was as follows:   

Sunday:  Telegraph Cove to Blinkhorn Peninsula before the currents turned against us at 4PM (3 miles)

Monday: Cross Johnstone Strait and station in the Plumper Islands near the 10AM slack water (this is an area with high currents and tidal rips).  If all went well we'd get to the north side of Hanson Island.  (6 miles)  If we were late, we'd stay on the south side of Hanson and try again at 11AM the next day.

 Tuesday:  Cross Blackfish Sound near 11AM slack.  Camp on Owl Island on the lower end of Broughton Archipelago (6 miles) 

Wednesday:  Paddle along the Queen Charlotte Strait side of Broughton Archipelago to Crib Island.  (5miles) 

Thursday:  Paddle up Fife Sound with the tide and wind after 12 PM to Burdwood Group Islands. (12 miles) 

Friday:  Paddle down to Echo Bay with the tide before 1 PM (3 miles)

All the mileages were very doable.  I was assuming we would add to them with explorations or make up for lost time by doing two day's paddles in one day.

At any time we could fall back to the more protected inside of Broughton Archipelago if needed.  The shortest path distance from Telegraph Cove to Echo Bay is only 22 miles so worse case we could do it all in two days of paddling.  If it took us too many days to get around Hanson Island we'd just stay in Johnstone Strait.   There seemed to be plenty of fall backs.  We'd "go with the flow".  (Keri and I also had the fall back to take a whale watch boat ride after paddling if we didn't see whales.)

We arrived in Telegraph Cove before noon.  Lunch, kayak rental details, and boat loading went surprisingly smooth and we were on the water before 2:30.  In a little over an hour we had traversed the 3.5 miles to Blinkhorn Peninsula, our destination for Sunday night.  The weather was a nice, the winds were light.  The current, late in the cycle, had some speed but only the smallest of rips and a hint of an occasional slow whirlpool. 

The forecast was for some wind building through the evening and high winds possible the next day.  The three couples set up their tents in a semi-protected area above the "high tide grounded logs" that we would so often see.  Dinner and an early bed was our preparation for our first crossing the next day... if the weather would let us.

About midnight Jody got up and realized that the dromedary bags that we left near the high tide line were at risk of floating away.  There are no reliable sources of water once you leave Johnstone Strait  and we had to carry 4 liters per person per day with us.  What a tragedy that would have been to lose our fresh water on the first day.  Jody moved the dromeys to higher ground then she and Scott pulled the boats up higher.  Soon she woke Keri and I telling us our tent was in imminent risk of being inundated by the tide that was sneaking around the higher ground to the lower spot where we had pitched.  Did I mention that the week we chose also had moon tides?  It was at 12:30AM the first day that I realized why I needed to know when high tide was not just the slack water times.  The slack water is not at the same time as the high tide like we are used to in Narragansett Bay because of the large and distant bodies of water that need to be flooded through Johnstone Strait and other passages.   Fortunately we were within minutes of high tide so the water would not be rising any higher. 

In the morning there was a breeze of about 10 knots and it was overcast.  (It sprinkled a bit over night.)  To be sure we made our timing we packed our boats without having coffee or breakfast.  There was a 1 and 1/2 foot  beam chop on the crossing of Johnstone.  George and Donna in their double were zig-zaging +/- 30 degrees to the chop the whole way.  We all reached the other side safely.  We were now in the protection of the Plumper Islands on the West side of Hanson Island.  The group was watching seals and eagles and starting to talk about breakfast.  I suggested that we keep going to the north side of the island while the tide was in our favor.  Before I knew it we were in a rip with chaotic short 1 footers.  We were already late making our passage.  Jody seemed happy as a clam.  I was worried about the group.  Keri was singing "I don't want to be here" songs but paddled through confidently with a little encouragement.   George and Donna were generally behind us and recognized the rip and avoided it all by staying far left.

We were now less than two mile from what would be our camp site.  But the winds had picked up to a steady 15+ knots and the seas were near 2 foot and choppy as new waves can be.  We made it about half way and there was some concern about going on.  I was  "pretty sure" that we could pass the next point inside of Spout Island, the small island off the point. The available charts in this area are 1:40,000 which is fine for open water kayaking but marginal if you are trying to decide where the rock garden passages are.  Passing around the outside of Spout Island in these conditions could have been beyond the capability of the group.  There was a general "lets tuck in this cove for safety" call. 

We pulled up on a muddy beach to make our breakfast at about 11AM.  There was some sun but the wind was deeply chilling me in my wet cloths.  We looked for a potential camp site in this cove but the options would give us a long carry out of a muddy cove when we left the next morning at low tide.  After we ate we all got back into the boats to see what the conditions would look like.  I gathered everyone in the lee of an island and checked on the willingness and confidence of the group.  They were willing, I was questioning the wisdom of doing it.  I held the group again In the lee of the last island.  I went out into the open water and made a decision.  I knew the group could make the short passage into the next cove.  If there were any issues we could probably do it rafted up.  If anyone went over we would drift into shore not out to sea.  I suggested we go....

There was some excitement but everyone made it no problem.  Scott and I were visited by a sea lion.  He didn't hang around and we couldn't pause to watch him.  As soon as we rounded the point we were in a beautiful cove.  The cove was protected from the wind and in the warmth of the early afternoon sun.  We looked around for a camp site for nearly an hour.  Combined, we got in and out of the boat about eight times.  We passed inside one more island into the next cove and found a beautiful camping spot.  (This passage was protected unlike the previous one.)  Home at last for Monday!

The open water of Blackfish Sound was about a half mile away out of the cove.  Somewhere in the late afternoon while we were all sunning ourselves on the beach I thought I saw a black spot on the water.  I ran up and got the binoculars to have a closer look.  Within about ten minutes I was certain that I was seeing a whale.  Over the next hour we could see (and hear) Humpbacks and Orcas.  They were about a mile away but we could still tell that there were male, mom, and baby orcas out there.  

I couldn't wait to get on the water the next day.  We were departing at low tide so the carry was long.  But unlike the rocks on the first morning, the bottom  was sandy with seaweed. I leaped ahead of the others to get views into Blackfish Sound.  It quickly became clear that there were about 6 Humpbacks in a two mile radius of us.  The question became where to situate ourselves to encounter whales without chasing whales.  It was flat calm and the group seemed content to linger in the center of the channel watching the spouts and tails around us.  I was a bit concerned that we were sitting in the middle of a shipping lane.  I was monitoring Chanel 71 on the marine radio to check for shipping but honestly was finding it difficult to figure out what the communication I was hearing really meant.   (All large ships have to call in before passing through the area to avoid collisions in the tight passages, some of which have blind corners.) 

Eventually we made it far enough across to the Swanson Island side.   It was near this shore that we had our closest encounter.  This Humpback sat at the surface within 100 yards of us for a minute or so.  We could see it rising and sinking as it quietly inhaled and exhaled at the surface.  Then it dove with the characteristic flair of its tail.   We were thrilled.

In total we spent about 75 minutes with the whales.  We rounded the top of Swanson Island right before the currents turned to insure we wouldn't have to fight any currents or rips just to get out of Blackfish Sound. For the rest of our afternoon we practiced our map reading skills to figure out where we were.  We knew we were around the islands in the entrance of Knight Inlet but which island was always a little in doubt. 

We stopped for lunch at one of the camp sites on Owl Island.  It was nice but shady and I was pretty cold.  The other site on Owl was reported to have a shallow cove so we looked at a spot on Cedar Island.  This one was unimproved but beautiful.  It faced the west and was warmed by the sun.  Home for Tuesday night!  A dry sunny day when the wind never really picked up.  Lucky.

The forecast for Wednesday was marginal.  Our plan was to paddle the  Queen Charlotte Strait side of the islands if the weather allowed us.  The fall back was the appropriately named Retreat Passage.  In the morning there was no sign of wind so we headed out across Spring Passage and into the maze of small islands off Bonwick Island.  There were more Humpies near Arrow Passage.  They weren't very close but we could hear them vocalizing and spouting. I also watched one tail slap about a half dozen times. 

There were very strong currents in some of the passages in our approach to a lunch (and potential camping) site in Sunday Harbor.  We discussed our destination for the evening.  The recon indicated there could be Orca in Fife Sound so we wanted to set up camp on John Island.  We had paddled a leisurely 7 miles before lunch.  John was still 6 miles away. The group was comfortable with continuing on. 

The views just kept getting better and better.  The small islands on the edge of Queen Charlotte Strait were giving way to larger, taller islands.  The open water was gone and we were oscillating between tight passages and small bays.  We were pretty tired by the end of Misty Passage but still had a few miles to go.

The views around John were as beautiful as any.  The beach at the camp spot was smooth with white shells.  Unfortunately, a place to set up a tent, let alone three, was nonexistent.  I crunched through the woods while the others appreciatively got out of their boats.  Nothing.  I checked the GPS waypoint and sure enough we were in the right spot.  There was a tree down right where the most promising site was.  Maybe the site had fallen into dis-use.  We had to try the site on the other side of the island.

The site on the other side was the same story.  Right spot, no place to put the tents.  This time Scott got out to give a look.  Back around the island to the first spot.  George, Scott, and I all trudged around looking.  Meanwhile the women were preparing themselves to go back to Insect Island.  We hadn't actually looked at that site when we passed it earlier but they were convinced it was our best option.  By this time we are at the highest point of current flow out of Fife Sound.  The receding 20 foot tide had left our heavily laden boats high and dry.  We have no idea what direction or how strong the currents will be in the 200 foot wide passage we need to go back through.

We did 4 and 6 person lifts to re-float the boats.  It all went smooth but by the time we got to Insect Island we had done a 17+ mile day instead of the 12 mile day we expected.  However, this home for Wednesday night was our best spot yet!  And again the whole day had been sunny with little or no wind, despite the dire forecast.

The plan for Thursday was to get to the Burdwood Group.  This would put us beyond our Friday destination but set us up to ride the ebbing current to Echo Bay on Friday morning.

Thursday's paddle was in extremely light air and again sunny and warm.  The only wildlife was seals but we didn't mind.  The camp Thursday night was the best yet.  A white shell isthmus connected our island to smaller islands.  We had a protected Cove and a view overlooking mountainous islands that faded into the BC mainland complete with snow caps and ice fields.   The wind did pick up a bit in the evening.  But it didn't affect our paddling. 

Friday's paddle was only 3 miles.  Short of a hurricane, we would have no problem and the forecast was actually benign.  We made the short paddle at a relaxed pace and cooked a "brunch" on the beach in Echo Bay while we waited for the water taxi to pick us up on the dilapidated government pier.

 James from Silver King Marine arrived an hour early which was great.  We weren't quite ready for him but we were ready to be ready!  What a mound of stuff we loaded into the boat.  We had never before seen all the stuff that fit in 4 singles and one double in one place. 

On the ride back James saw birds working in Blackfish Sound.  He stopped the boat and shut down the engines so we could watch and photograph Humpy's feeding.  The whales were coming vertically to the surface  with mouths agape, one time two whales together.  It was awesome.  There was a chance that we could have intercepted (legally of course) Orcas but they had already headed up Johnstone Strait before we  arrived in the area.

Back in Telegraph Cove we returned the boats and equipment.  It was time for showers and a decadent meal at the local restaurant.  The week had been far better than we could have realistically expected.  Sure, the Orcas didn't come visit us up close but now I have a reason to go back and try again.  

Some other details: 

We rented from the boats from North Island Kayak.  They were Seaward Aurora's (17.5’x24”).  The double was a Seaward Southwind (21’x30”).  They were fine, I was reasonably comfortable in the boat and with its loading and handling.  I spent most of the time with the rudder up.  The spray skirts were neo but loose and leaky.  The paddles were as you expect for a rental (I brought my own 4 piece Lendal). 

We carried 20 liters of water each for the 5 full days out (4 liters per day/person).  We used less than 3 liters per day per person.  But, we didn't dump out any cooking water (like when cooking spaghetti) and we washed and rinsed dishes with salt water and cleaned ourselves with baby wipes.  No regrets on bringing that much water.   

The weather was well beyond what it should have been.  The locals said "this NEVER happens" (a string of 5+ nice days).  I personally was cold at times when wet and out of the boat.  I'm not sure how warm I could have stayed if it had rained multiple days in a row. 

The water is cold.  I did not measure the temperature but I could not leave my hands in for very long.  As a group of six I was comfortable paddling within a mile of shore in "fleece" vs wetsuit or drysuit.  If it was just Keri and I we would have had to wear immersion clothing.

Jody, Scott, Donna and George all took the kayaking seriously and practiced wet exits, bracing, and rescues before the trip. A capsize in real conditions is different from in the pool/lake but the awareness would have definitely helped if a problem had occurred.

We were quite capable of doing this adventure unguided.  I am certain that we had a better experience on our own.  However, we all did a lot of advanced planning and preparations.

 September was a good choice if you desired solitude.  Tuesday was the only day we saw a significant number of kayakers (a tour group).  Most days we saw about two or three over the course of a day.   

And most telling... I would go back and do it again in an instant.                  

      

Paddles of 2014

March 7  St John, VI    Cinnamon, Maho, and Francis Bay
June 7     Gloucester to Manchester
July 19    Gloucester, West Side
July 23    Lake Cochituate practice session
July 26    Lake Jody pool practice
July 27    Boston Harbor "inner islands"
August 31  Lake Cochituate paddle and practice
September 7    Telegraph Cove to Blinkhorn Point, Johnstone Strait, BC (3.4m)
September 8    Hanson Island, Blackfish Sound, BC (7.5m)
September 9    Cedar Island, Broughton Archipeligo, BC (8.6m)
September 10  Insect Island, Broughton Archipeligo, BC (17.1m)
September 11  Burdwood Group, Hornet Passage, BC (7.8m)
September 12  Echo Bay, Cramer Passage, BC (4.5m) to TC (22.5m)
September 27 Sakonnet Point
October 25   Fort Wetherel
December 27 Wickford to Rome Point

Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand

Abel Tasman National Park



Beautiful Water


Beautiful Coastline


Seal Entertainment


Pups



Lunch (Green Lip Mussels)

Milford Sound, New Zealand

Milford Sound NZ






The Sound in the morning




Little Waterfalls (592 Feet)




Fiordland Crested Penguins in the wild

Okarito River, New Zealand

New Zealand Kayak Pictures





From the Okarito Lagoon



Up the Okarito River

Paddles of 2013

Paddles of 2013:



Jan 12, Wickford RI
Feb 3, Osprey Sea Kayak Rolling Clinic
Mar 30, RICKA Rolling Clinic
April 6, Hix Bridge to Head of Westport
April 7, Stone Bridge
July 6, Westport River, West Branch
July 28, Boston Outer Harbor
Aug 10, URI Bay Campus to Beaver Tail to Narrow River
Aug 16,17,18 Casco Bay, ME camping
Nov 2, Okarito River, New Zealand
Nov 7, Milford Sound, NZ
Nov 11,12,13, Totaranui Bay to Torrent Bay to Sandy Bay, Abel Tasman NP, NZ

Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada

I’ve wanted to do a fresh water paddle trip for at least 5 years.  I’d love to see Lake Superior and probably will someday but I was looking for something I could conveniently(ish) drive to with my own boat.  I had spent a little bit of time on the shore of Lake Erie back when my son had a water ski tournament in Pennsylvania.  I was intrigued by “real 2+ waves” in fresh water.  But I wasn’t enamored with Lake Erie itself.  It seemed to have a rather monotonous shore line.   Both Erie and Lake Ontario give me the impression of industrial areas.  I’m sure there are some beautiful areas but it isn’t what those lakes are known for.  I have done a little exploring on Lake Champlain but this lake is too small to call an inland ocean.

The closest interesting I could find was Georgian Bay.  Some internet exploration and a book by Kas Stone had me convinced that a 12 hour ride to the lake would be worth it.  Fortunately, Keri had a conference in Toronto so we decided to combine her work with some pleasure. 

It was clear from my reading that the further north we went would result in a more remote feeling.  But it could also easily add another three hours to the commute.  We settled on an area just north of Parry Sound (birthplace of Bobby Orr!).  The broad area is known as the 30,000 islands region.  The specific area we sought out is bounded by the mainland and the Mink and McCoy Islands that lie about 4 miles off shore.  We had as a backup plan the Massasauga Provincial Park.  It is a water access only area that is much more protected.  Our plan was to go there if the weather was looking iffy wind wise.   

The expected air temperatures were 80 during the day and 60 at night.  The water temperature was a balmy 70 degrees.  The combined data from buoys and Parry Sound indicated the winds typically build onshore to about 10+ knots in the afternoon.  It seemed very manageable.   What was unknown was what it would be like.  How easy would it be to find camp sites?  What distances should we realistically plan for?

The weather forecast was looking favorable over the full four day, three night paddle we had planned.  We launched out of Dillon Cove Marina about 10:45 AM.  We were initially in an area with summer houses but they were not cheek to jowl as they are around here.  And many were on small islands accessible only by boat.  It was a Wednesday so there was not a huge amount of pleasure boat traffic.  Within the first half hour we met another couple that was returning from a week in a cabin that they paddled out to.  We gathered a little reconnaissance of the typical weather patterns and got their thoughts on the prettiest spots. 

Our destination for the first evening was somewhere in the Hertzberg Island area.  We stopped for lunch on Twin Sisters Island(s).  Then we wandered in the cove near Osawa Island.  This was the first time we could really appreciate the beauty of the area.  There still were a few cabins on this island but there were little coves and passages to get lost in.  We stopped for a break on Kneller Island before we headed out into the wind and open water to the west. 

Back in our boats, we passed through a narrow passage to open water.  Within about 50 yards I noticed a black bear walking the shore towards where we were just napping.  Keri had the camera so I started pointing aggressively to get her attention and get her to take some pictures. We watched the bear for about 3 or 4 minutes while it popped in and out of cover while it was exploring the shore.  This brought on a volley of “did you know there were going to be bears?” from Keri.  (I knew there might be but I’m not too concerned about black bears and I really didn’t expect to see one.)  A reasonable compromise of “we’re not camping on an island that we KNOW there are bears on” was reached. 

We landed on Little Elm Tree Island.  It wasn’t the best Island to camp on but we were tired and ready to stop.  The tent was “pitched” on a gentle “pitch”.  The gentle pitch felt like a hill as our slippery down sleeping bags slid down on the sleeping pads.  And pitching a tent here meant piling some rocks on the tabs where tent pegs usually go.

We planned on having chicken the first night and steak the second.  But the warm weather had melted all the ice and left the food warmer than we were comfortable with.  We disposed of the chicken and ate the steak with onions, potatoes, and mushrooms.  We were in bed before sundown (9 pm).

The forecast on the marine radio (that I could only hear if I held the radio above my head) involved high wind warnings building throughout the day and subsiding by noon the following day.  This left me a little concerned about being stuck out on the McCoy Islands if the front lagged.  Given that we had never been there and any exploring we did would be interesting we decided to circum navigate Hertzberg Island instead.  We passed through Frederic Inlet.  This was another area with some tasteful cottages.  Cottages interesting enough that Keri paddled up onto a rock while looking at a house instead of looking where she was going.  (She claimed it wasn’t there earlier).  Back on the inside, we started looking for our next night’s camp.  We stopped and decreed McCormick Island acceptable but kept poking around looking for something better.  I was avoiding Hertzberg Island itself because I was sure it was big enough to be home to a few more bears. 

We ended up settling on McCormick.  We chose a site that would protect us from the predicted NE and East winds.  This made both cooking (heat actually reaches the pan) and sleeping (less tent flapping) more relaxing.  We swam a bit and explored this somewhat larger island.  The nice thing about swimming was you came out clean!  Not salty and sticky.  For dinner, the Pasta Primavera we planned for the last night moved up a day.

The site was perfect protection from the wind and we woke to a steady but dying wind just as it was forecast.  Our destination was south of the put in somewhere along Franklin Island.  This route brought us back by some cottages.  These were by far the most posh ones we had seen so far.  But Franklin Island, like Hertzberg, is crown land and there are large stretches of open space.  We found what I am convinced is one of the nicest camping spots on the bay.  We overlooked many of the bald granite islands that characterize the area as well as the Mink Islands well off shore. 

I was prepared to deal with mosquitoes on this trip but it turned out flies were really the problem.  We paddled out to one of the off shore “rocks” to get away from them.  While standing on the rock I was thinking about this blog and how I would comment on the conditions.  The size (100 miles by 50 miles) of Georgian Bay means that waves can build to a good size, but they don’t linger.  Within about 20 minutes of these thoughts the winds went from calm (hence the fly problem) to about 15 knots out of the NW quickly building a decent chop.  Although this is very manageable to most of the experienced sea kayakers it could definitely have taken a novice explorer by surprise.  And fighting this wind would certainly make a trip to the Minks an arduous journey.

For dinner, the chicken chilly we planned on eating the first night turned into vegetarian chili on the last night.  One thing of note on this island was the spiders.  Their webs were tenacious and strong like spectra rope.  And they were spanning any available branches.  At one point we counted nearly 20 on one 6 foot tall tree/bush.  By morning their webs had strained out dozens of midges. 

Interestingly, when we woke up we could hear a dull buzz.  I thought it might be a generator running on some distant island.  Or maybe it was a swarm of bees somewhere on the island.  Finally Keri noticed that there was a swarm of mosquitoes about 20 feet above our heads spanning 100’s of feet.  Fortunately, they really seemed to have no interest in us.

We packed up early because it was a Saturday.  We wanted to get off the water before it got busy with weekend boat traffic.  We also wanted to get on the road for our long commute back.

Georgian Bay is a 12-14 hour ride.  When I compare the experience to other places I’ve been it ranks pretty high.  It was beautiful.  Swimming and bathing in fresh water is a joy.  It is certainly worth doing it once and I’d go again in a minute if the opportunity presented itself.  The only things it lacked were the ocean swells and the ability to gather seafood that you get on the New England coast. 

July 18, 19, 20, and 21. Paddled  8.5, 8.5, 8.5, and 3.5 miles.  Water temperatures were in the low to mid 70s.  Winds generally 10-15 in the afternoon through evening.

Boston Harbor

Commitments and distance from the water often keep Eric and me from leading paddles.  To compensate we both try to be helpful paddlers during the paddles we do participate in.  (Although I’ll admit I can be a bit mischievous about the places I try to fit my boat when around the rocks.) 

We both volunteered to lead a paddle in Boston Harbor.  It’s a location a bit closer to our houses and it’s also an opportunity to explore waters other than Narragansett Bay for a change.

The plan was to lead a level 3 out of Windmill Point in Hull.  This launch point has its advantages.  You can go outside to Boston Harbor or you can stay in Hingham Harbor if the weather is a bit iffy.  Its disadvantage is that there are strong currents in Hull Gut and it is a focal point for boat traffic.  The day we chose and the start time we selected meant that we’d launch near slack water and we’d return with the current at our backs.  (Navionics software on my Iphone was very handy for the planning.)     

There were 11 paddlers.  Scott and Sue were friends of Linda I had never met.  Mary, who I see about once a year showed up.  Carleen, Peter, Tim-2, Jon, Bob, Eric and I.  It was calm, warm, and overcast.  We were on the water just a few minutes after 9AM and we already had some current to deal with.  But it was very manageable because the water was just starting to flow in.  We made the crossing to Georges Island as a nice tight group and then made our way along the spit to Boston Light. 

We landed at the light and spent about a half hour exploring the island.  The coast guard auxiliary members gave us a quick history lesson but they wouldn’t let us climb to the top of the light because a tour boat was arriving soon.  The quick visit made for a nice break and helped set the relaxed ethos that was prevalent throughout the day.

Back in the boats, we headed to Shag Rocks to play a little bit.  There was very little swell so the danger level was low.  We just poked in and out of some of the passages.   All the same, one paddler spent some time on top of a rock and another spent a few seconds upside down before completing an effective combat roll. 

From Shag rocks we made our way to Outer Brewster Island.  It was raining very lightly but no one seemed too concerned.  There was a little excitement as the occasional larger swell rolled over the exposed end of the Island.  We looked at the Graves light house but the consensus was it didn’t justify an extra 3 miles of paddling.   So instead we headed over to Green Island for Lunch.

We landed at exactly 12:00!  Once again we were amazed how quickly a 10 foot tide comes in.  Peter and Scott seemed to be continuously pulling the boats up to keep them from floating away.

We started our return journey by Little Calf, Calf, and Great Brewster Islands.  From there we decided to pass by the south end of Lovell and land on Georges Island to explore Fort Warren.

There were plenty of tourists on the island.  They had arrived on the frequent Boston Harbor Ferries.  But there was plenty of space and interesting architecture that was nearly 200 years old.  We walked about for another half hour. 

Back on the water we had one final channel crossing back to Windmill Point.  Again, we gathered up in a tight grouping and crossed together as a unit. 

It was a totally laid back and relaxing day.  The group dynamics were simply amazing.  We did our crossing together in an organized fashion yet we drifted apart a comfortable distance at appropriate times so we could each explore in our own ways.  It was quite unlike a typical RICKA paddle!  I think there were a number of factors.  I was typically in the lead and was paddling at a relaxed rate.  Eric acted as the sweep.  There was no wind to cause paddlers directional difficulties or to augment the “strong paddler into the wind” syndrome.  And the lack of familiarity with the surroundings and the exact destination also helped us to gather together before passing from Island to Island.   

I’d guess I paddle Boston Harbor about once a year on average.  I’ve experienced it when we’ve turned around because the waves were too large as well as days like this one where it was a mill pond.  And each time I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself.  … then again I always say that about paddling.

7/7/2012  Water 65, wind calm, air upper 70s. 12 miles (est.)  

The other Bay Campus

The other Bay Campus: Great Bay, New Hampshire

Keri and I were looking for a relaxing paddle where we wouldn't feel the need to get all dressed up in wet suits or dry suits.  We've been talking about Great Bay for a long time and the time was finally right.  We launched from Adams Point (Durham, NH) at the University of New Hampshire's Jackson Estuarine Lab.  We also drove by Chapman's Landing in Stratham NH, the opposite end of the bay.  Both sites looked like you'd never be shut out due to crowds or parking issues.  We launched and returned at about 2 hours from low tide.  I can imagine at dead low there could be some mucking required but we had no trouble. 

The area was very pretty with a surprising amount of "green" and surprisingly few ostentatious McMansions.  It is protected water... sort of.  You can do a two mile crossing if you'd like and we experienced the 3 mile fetch in 20 mph winds.  But what Great Bay is really perfect for is poking around little coves and marshes.  The water was already pretty warm.  There are significant shallows in the bay and I'm sure it would make a great warm water practice spot in the summer. 

And then there are the currents.  Great Bay empties through the Piscataqua River to the sea.  It also has 7+ foot tides.  Where we paddled is the broad open Great Bay.  We could see a tidal rip right of Adams Point but we didn't put ourselves in it.  There are definitely opportunities for excitement at the Piscataqua end.  We are saving that for another day when the water is warmer.

6/9/2010 Air temperatures low 70's, winds West 10-20,

Blown back, Blown Roll, Blown in

It was just an ordinary paddle.  Fort Wetherill, the forecast sunny, temps in the mid 60s, light winds freshening from the south west in the afternoon, waves 1 foot.

At this time of the year I hope for cooler days (like last week’s paddle from Gooseberry) because it is hard to dress for both the water and the air.  This week I chose my dry suit with just a thin layer of poly-pro under it.  I jumped in the water (55 degrees) before getting in the boat.  It was clear that I’d be OK but cold if I had to swim.  But with a bright sun I knew I’d be able to warm back up.

We (CC, RB, BH, TG, TM, JS, CM, PB, Cam) headed out into still air and very calm water.  In the open water there was the beginnings of a light breeze which make it very comfortable and the 1 foot seas were perfect for a little rock gardening along the Jamestown shore.  We all started without our helmets but quickly realized they would be prudent.  Of course the addition of a helmet only makes us more bold in the rocks that we take on.  Bob and I predictably ended up temporarily grounded but things were generally pretty calm. 

There is one little rock passage at the end of Southwest Point just before you make the turn into Mackerel Cove.  It appears as if it is well protected behind a large rock but there are guard rocks and the granite behind the rock slopes up gradually so the wash wants to run you up.  Rick and Jon seemed to be thinking about it.  Tim, the last to engage in the rock gardening, went in.  He washed up the rock a bit but maintained composure and remained in the sweet spot.  Then he attempted to cross the shallow necked down rock passage and got hung up.  The water washed out from under him and it looked like he was sitting at about a 45 degree angle pointing up.  The return of water is always a mixed blessing.  It came back in and floated him but he ended up upside down.  Somehow, I think a paddle on the rock roll, he righted himself.  With a little re-organization and a bit of a thrashing he made his way back out.  The body was fine but a think the adrenalin level was a bit high. 

We slipped into the first cove and regained our composure.  It was a bit too early for lunch in Mackerel Cove so we continued on towards Beavertail Point.  I was not as warm as I would have liked so I added my neoprene hat under my helmet.  By the time we got to Short Point, the first point as you start to head towards Beavertail, it was clear that the wind was picking up.  A command decision was made to have lunch in Hull Cove.  There were some tempting waves along this shore but they would have washed you into the rocks if you couldn’t get off them.  No one pushed their luck.  I caught a nice one by the sandy section that people were landing on.  Unfortunately it pushed me right towards the landing party.  I managed to keep from wiping them out and headed back for just one more ride. 

 Lunch was a relaxing affair and we were all comfortable in the bright sun.  After lunch we continued on to Beavertail.  The wind was now approaching 15 from the south west.  We knew we’d have an easy downwind ride home.  Back in the open water it was a bit of a slog.  We got strung out a bit.  At one point we stopped to gather up.  I checked the GPS, the wind was pushing us back at about 100 feet per minute. 

We got to within striking distance of Beavertail coast guard station and turned around.  Down wind was fun and without seeing the cresting waves we all allowed ourselves to get a little closer to the shore.  At one point a wave grabbed my stern and rotated me about 60 degrees instantly.  I started thinking about how quickly the wind was pushing us and began to prepare my tow rope in case something happened.  It was lively enough that I couldn’t manage to swing it around my waist to grab the carabineer.  I abandoned that plan so I wouldn’t be the one going over.      

There was some great down wind surfing across the mouth of Mackerel Cove.  The shore along Jamestown was exciting.  There was calopitis and waves were peaking up momentarily all over the place.  The wind was strong enough that turning back away from the shore was a challenge.  I never felt unsteady but my waist got quite a workout as the boat twisted and jerked about under me.

By this point we could even surf into the Fort Wetherill Cove!  Once in the cove Rick, Cam, Jon and I did a little rolling.  Others did well.  I blew my first.  Managed my second.  Then blew a third.  Once on shore I realized just how tired I was.  And also how windy it was.  The Newport weather station listed it as 17 gusting to 25.  The Buzzards Bay buoy had a steady 30!