Paddling Planet

Lake Superior

2008-07-24T16:00:46+00:00

BARRY AT SPRAY FALLS, PICTURED ROCKS
SARAH AT DEVILS ISLAND, APOSTLES
DAMON AT DEVILS ISLAND, APOSTLES

I've just got home to Wales after a fun week on Lake Superior. Barry and I were guests at the Grand Marais symposium, organised by Riverside Kayak Connection, which was a lot of fun. We spent a day before the event kayaking alongside the amazing Pictured Rocks - steep sandstone cliffs with a few fun caves to paddle into, through and under, with amazing multi-coloured stripes on the rocks where the different minerals have leached through. We paddled about 10 miles along the cliffs and then back. At the furthest point was Spray Falls, an amazing waterfall which cascaded off a sheer 40foot overhang, which we paddled under to get a powershower. Thanks to Sarah & Damon Smith and Danny Mungo for taking us, and to Kelly Blades for lending us some kayaks.
ME AND BARRY AT THE APOSTLES
DEVILS ISLAND CLIFFS
BARRY IN THE CAVERNS AT DEVIL'S ISLAND

We met lots of fun people at the symposium and gave a talk about our New Zealand trip on the Sat night. Then Tiffany and Pat from Riverside Kayak Connection drove us west to Lake Superiors Apostle islands for a couple of days paddling which we really enjoyed. Lake Superior is an amazing feature - it's easy to forget you aren't on the sea as its the worlds largest lake and it seems to go on forever - you certainly can't see any land on the horizon. It was a nice change to paddle in freshwater without salt getting everywhere! The Apostle islands are a group of 21 sandstone islands in Wisconsin which is a great paddling destination with many options depending on the weather and time period. We headed out to Sand island and Devils island because they have fantastic sandstone caves, arches and caverns. There are loads of tiny little gaps that we could just squeeze through, and tunnels that we had to lean right back to travel through. We were grateful for a calm day so we could get in close. We camped overnight on Bear Island with Sarah, Damon and John before heading back via a couple of shipwrecks to Gail Green's Living Adventures near Bayfield on the mainland. Gail and her husband Grant run seakayaking tours of the Apostle islands from here. It's an impressive operation and thanks to them for putting us up for a night.

So now it's back home and straight into editing 'This is the Sea 4'. Well, OK, maybe I need to get a bit of sleep first but tomorrow I'll be working hard to get the DVD finished by mid October. I'll be updating the website soon with details of what you can look forward to seeing - and also writing a blog or two about the DVD in the next couple of weeks.

DOUG VAN DOREN HAS BEEN WORKING OUT FOR THE SYMPOSIUM
THE APOSTLE ISLANDS
ME FILMING A BALD EAGLE IN THE TREE TOP, APOSTLES

Test de publication par email

2008-07-24T14:09:10+00:00

nose

2008-07-24T13:06:25+00:00

There are a lot of ways to see the world. One way is to lie on your belly facing the incoming surf and watching the water roll right up to your nose and then recede again. From this angle every pebble is an outcrop, every wave is surf wave, every set has its own [...]

movin’ on

2008-07-24T13:01:28+00:00

N49 33.55 W54 14.95 Western Indian Island (near Fogo). 50K. Beautiful warm sunny day (very hot in drysuit). Change Islands & Fogo area curious.

Blogging off the Beach!

2008-07-24T12:29:04+00:00

One of the delights about travel is making sudden and unexpected discoveries. At the last minute I changed directions, turned off the east bound highway I was on and headed south to visit Nova Scotia's Fundy shore. In a few moments I was in Springhill, the home town of Anne Murray . a well known Canadian singer. Not long afterwards I was looking across the Minas Basin. Here the narrow entrance creates interesting tidal currents not intended for the faint of heart, with streams running over 12 knots at times.

I turned westward towards Cape Chignecto, a potential paddling venue in the coming few days. The Cape and Bay area offer cliffs, currents, stacks and sea caves, everything to make a paddle along the coast interesting and exciting - provided the weather cooperates. We'll see what the days ahead will allow...

For now, I'm camped at The Old Shipyard Beach Campground in Spencer's Island. The ghost ship 'Marie Celeste' was actually built here on the beach years ago. She was christened 'The Amazon' at her launching, but later became more famously known as the 'Marie Celeste' when she was found drifting at sea, abandoned by all aboard.

Music on the water; fish in the water

2008-07-24T11:32:41+00:00

My nine days on and around Lake Superior have left me in a peaceful zen-like state for th e most part. A lack of traffic, electronic devices, noise, and people in general has me in a fine state of mind. Yesterday, technology malfunction and the accompanying effort to rectify it almost catapulted me right back into the normal mildly aggravated state of urban angst. Cell phone failure had me at the local Verizon office, featuring an ambiance much like the bar scene in the original Star Wars movie, and I could feel the aggravation rising in me like the thermometer on a sweltering summer day. What kept me calm (actually calmer, I guess) was the fact that I would be on the water by 6:00pm that evening.

The Voice of Reason and her sisters are huge fans of MIchael Monroe, a folk singer from Grand Marais, MN. Last summer I was abandoned, blissfully rolling the Aquanaut in the middle of Grand Marais harbor, while the VOR and TheMayor raced across the water after hearing Mr. Monroe’s dulcet tones from a beach near town. GalwayGuy on the other hand, rolls his eyes when Michael’s name is even mentioned. I personally claim neutrality, my own little Monroe Doctrine as it were, although one more rendition of Cat Steven’s…ah,sorry… Yusef Islam’s… Moonshadow might drive me into the GG camp. In any event, Michael Monroe was playing at Talley’s, a bar and grill on White Bear Lake and we could not miss him. We rounded up a half dozen folks and paddled over to watch and listen from the relative comfort of our kayaks.

There are far worse ways to spend a summer evening. The protocol on these musical kayak events at Talley’s is to bring adult beverages and some hors’ de ouvres to share. The boats are tethered together in a commandeered slip, the goodies are produced, and we settle in for the music. Paddle floats and bilge pumps are replaced by corkscrews, cheese knives, and olive jars. The stray wine or beer bottle may be seen peeking out of the day hatches. Spray skirts are popped and goodies are passed from boat to boat. Inevitably something hits the water and when it does the fish are ready.

The Olympus 790 is a nice little point and shoot digital camera that’s waterproof and shockproof, two features that make it perfect for kayakers. When the water’s too rough or the weather’s too wet to pull out the Nikon SLR this little guy works well. Last night as the panfish began taking crumbs off the surface, I just stuck the camera in the water and got some nice images of bluegills and pumpkinseed sunfish flitting around just below the surface with the Valley and Capella boats in the background.

It was the perfect summer evening for lounging on the water. The once more laboriously replaced cell phone lured a couple more friends and their dog down to the docks. More importantly, the rejuvenating power of the water kept my head in the spot that my trip around the big lake had put it into. And I shall work diligently to keep it there!

Grounded in Denmark

2008-07-24T09:00:18+00:00

Our original flight wednesday evening was cancelled due to fog on the Faroe Islands, we have been scheduled to fly on saturday instead.

A rather tough start, and it hit us just where we had no alternative plan. We're hoping for better weather on saturday!

We're now on the way to the danish sea kayakers summer gathering to spend the waiting time with-you guessed it-on the water.

2008-07-24T09:32:58+00:00

Making Choices at

The Candy Store

When I was a ham radio operator, we referred to the store that sold all the neat radio stuff as the candy store. For kayakers, one of our candy stores is the weekend symposium, and one of the "problems" with kayak symposiums is the overwhelming array of choices they offer for the new paddler to sort out. When we don't know what we don't know and don't know what we need to know next, it can be hard to make a schedule from the menu of classes and trips. Unfortunately, not all get all that can be gotten from the weekend. (Derrick Mayoleth

famous blogger and paddler)

Take this young man, for example. He cannot decide if he needs lessons from a traditional paddler or a wardrobe consultant.

(Derrick's son, Gryphon)

Other, more competent and sophisticated paddlers, have to choose between advanced rescue and rolling classes. The important thing is to use the weekend and do all you can and be all you can be. You'll know you've done this when you feel the pleasant feeling of exhaustion that comes with having used the weekend to the fullest.

Paddle safe...

2008-07-24T09:26:31+00:00

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

Attend a symposium around here and you're likely to come upon a scene like the one above. Surfers? No, those are kayaks upon which they sit. On a break? Well, kind of...and what are they looking at? They are looking at Kelly Blades, also a fixture around our get togethers.

(please no crude comments here)

A strong paddler with a dynamic presence, this guy is a clown. No, seriously, he once attended clown school, and he knows how to have fun with a boat and how to get others into it. His getting to know your boat sessions are always filled with laughing paddlers who seem to never find their way into their cockpits. So, if you come upon a sight like this...

look to see if Kelly isn't in the group before you call the coast guard.

Paddle safe...
DS

Tassie will be another weekender…

2008-07-24T08:00:35+00:00

Hi to all people out there in Tasmania! I have to apologize that I won't include Tasmania in my upcoming circumnavigation of the Australian mainland. I've got already response from Tassie people on my previous entry - thanks to Geoff and Andreas!! - and I'm sure that one day this will be a ...

Visitors

2008-07-24T08:39:41+00:00

It was exercise night last night and visitors were everywhere. Now that the school holidays have begun our every movement will be watched eagerly by expectant crowds such as these. We also had a group of staff from HQ in Poole over for a visit. Andy White (oe of our old inspectors now running the 'Train One Save Many' campaign) had brought them over so that they could get a flavour of what goes

Fresh Fish at Sea: Rods and Reels vs. Handlines

2008-07-24T08:28:59+00:00

To fish from a sea kayak you'll need a couple of basic pieces of gear, first of which is a rod and reel or a simple handline. If your paddling plans are more ambitious and involve an overnight trips or exploring and fishing remote areas such as Baja or the more isolated stretches of the Pacific Northwest, a handline is probably a better choice. There are

Fresh Fish at Sea: Catching Fish from Your Sea Kayak

2008-07-24T08:28:11+00:00

Photo: Jason Kates and Mark Stephens arrive at Block Island, Rhode Island after making the crossing from Port Judith during New England's bluefish and striped bass migration. Note coldwater gear and fishing rods strapped to the foredeck of Mark's kayak to the right. Click on the photo to enlarge. Two concerns of paddlers who haven't fished from a sea kayak before are how to land a fish and

Fresh Fish at Sea: Sea Kayaks vs. Sit-on-Tops

2008-07-24T08:24:52+00:00

Above: Leon Granowitz, in a narrow and fast 18' Falcon, shows off a striped bass he caught while trolling the waters of Gloucester, Massacuschusetts. Fishing from a sea kayak is an easy way to bring fresh seafood home on a daytrip or fresh fillets to the stove during an overnight or extended multi-day trip. Fishing from a sea kayak is also far different, and simpler, than the present style of

Social Karma

2008-07-24T00:25:00+00:00

Big skies above Proaig Bay, Islay

2008-07-23T22:47:34+00:00

Rounding McArthur's head we were sheltered from the northerly winds as we entered the broad sweep of Proaig Bay. Shadows of clouds chased one another across the empty landscape of the east coast of Islay. In the distance we cot sight of the abandoned cottages of Proaig. We made landfall on this delightful little spit of land. The main cottage and its byre have recently been re-roofed and

Massachusetts proposed bill to promote litigation in kayaking

2008-07-23T20:39:22+00:00

James Moss over at the Recreation Law Blog has posted another great article about the proposed bill currently in front of the Massachusetts legislatures...

...nackspärr

2008-07-23T20:26:47+00:00

Min provopaddling av en kajak stoppades bryskt av en grym nackspärr. Fy f-n vad det kan göra ont. För hård kudde, för mycket knackande på hemsidan och för lite stretch efter klättringen är säkert några av orsakerna. Jag tror nog Claus & Paddling klarar sig bra utan mitt "expert" ;-) utlåtande. Hemsidan är för övrigt snart klar att öppnas. Det känns spännande att se om det blir något gensvar.

Jag hoppas dock att spärren släpper helt till på lördag då vi tänkte paddla i Näshultasjön. Vill bland annat testa uppsättning av den nyinköpta Tarpan. Bad, mat, dryck & mys, inte att förglömma. Sedan avslutas det med lite topprepsklättring vid Svalboviken. Kan det bli bättre?

Kayakers next high Surf Forecast and storm warnings

2008-07-23T20:01:43+00:00

Friday 25.07.08 seas 1.60 mtr
Saterday 26.07.08 seas 1.30 mtr
No storm warnings

Park Bear Warning Sign

2008-07-23T19:59:32+00:00

Thanks to Michael for passing this along.

Click on the image to view full size.

Jackson Kayak Forges Partnership with Immersion Research and Astral

2008-07-23T19:29:52+00:00

A little bit of business news on this fine summer afternoon.

Jackson kayak has announced that they have formed partnerships with clothing company, Immersion Research and PFD manufacture, Astral Buoyancy Company...

Returning from Elba

2008-07-23T18:28:21+00:00

Our visit on Elba is over, and we’re on our way home to Venice now. I went for a short paddle yesterday, at Cavoli on the south coast of Elba, in the largest of my new kayaks for Venice Kayak. I just went a few kilometres down the rocky coast, explored a small marine cave, passed [...]

Canoe Instructor killed in bicyclist hot-and-run accident

2008-07-23T17:57:11+00:00

Canoe and Kayak instructor, Patrick Sawyer of South Bend, Indiana succumbed to his injuries Monday night from a hit-an-run accident while out cycling...

Olympic kayakers robbed of memorabilia

2008-07-23T15:57:30+00:00

Still on the topic of Olympic kayakers, Australian kayaker, Clint Robinson had some valuable memorabilia stolen from his Queensland hotel room while he was training for his sixth Olympic Games...

Randonnée kayak en finistère-côte d’armor : Préparation du matériel

2008-07-23T15:21:33+00:00

Un minimum de préparation du matériel est importante pour ne pas être ennuyé pendant la rando. Je me suis fait un inventaire pour ne rien oublier.

Programme
Préparation physique
Préparation du matériel
Préparation du parcours - Navigation
Avitaillement

Le kayak
Comme je ne possède que mon kayak est-groelandais pas du tout adapté à la randonnée, je vais utiliser le Kitiwec de chez Plasmor que me prête à long terme mon ami Olivier R. C’est un Kitiwec première génération, quillé, sans dérive avec deux trappes rondes 18 cm et une pompe à main intégrée derrière le cockpit.
Il est plutôt considéré comme un kayak à la journée mais en rangeant bien mes petites affaires, tout devrait tenir. Je sais que certains l’utilisent pour des randonnées assez longues.
Il n’y a pas grande préparation à faire sur le kayak en lui même, hormis une vérification générale et l’ajout de d’élastiques munis de boules de bois percées pour pouvoir y passer la pagaie ou une voile éventuelle. (more…)

Sculptures of Humans and Animals made from manual Typewriters

2008-07-23T14:37:19+00:00

Artist Jeremy Mayer makes sculpture from Typewriters

In the vein of the typewriter erotica, this artist has taken some of the manual typewriters hitting the scrap heap to make some very interesting sculptures. Some are human, some are animal. While it is sad that this beautiful machine has receded into the analog vestiges of the past, it is also exciting to see how the linear forms of metal are shaped to make something new.

The provocative and sublime nature of doing a nude made from manual typewriters gives me a sense of the functional and the forbidden. The animals the artist created are both animated and necrotic in a way that makes me want to reach for my wallet and buy one! In this way, I hope to some day see a gallery of sculptures completely made from used computer parts. I am sure it is out there, but it lacks the steampunk aesthetic of the typewriter.

William Gibson, I am sure will now wax prosaically on his blog about how he and Bruce Sterling saw an exhibit of these sculptures in 1988 prior to writing the Difference Engine, in addition to touring Bletchley Park.

Make Sure to Visit Jeremy’s Site to view the rest of his work and the Typewriter sculptures.

PS: Now Josh can’t say I never post about Gibson or Typewriters.

crossings

2008-07-23T14:01:27+00:00

Greg - N49 41.04 W54 48.36 Sleepy Cove, Batrix Island. 77K open water crossing in 12hrs. Scores of whales, some leaping out of water. Saw at least 100 blow spouts. Picture perfect camp on ridge overlooking natural harbor.

90K

2008-07-23T14:01:27+00:00

N49 57.8 W55 36.17 La Scie Harbour. 90K. Open water crossing from Bell island to Baie Verte Peninsula. Crossing took 15 hours plus an extra hour to find a place to land. Glassy sea until afternoon then slugged it out with strong headwind.

Canadian kayaker Van Koeverden named Canada's flag bearer

2008-07-23T13:45:45+00:00

I was very excited to read in the papers this morning that Adam van Koeverden, the reigning Olympic and world champion in the 500-metre kayak singles, was chosen Wednesday as Canada's flag bearer for the Beijing Olympics...

ironies of paddling, part three

2008-07-23T14:24:16+00:00

Paddling along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

When students sign up for day trips during kayak symposium, they typically are given a choice of beginner or intermediate trips. Those who plan and lead the trips take a few things into consideration in determining the skill level of a trip: distance, length and number of crossings*, and overall potential for conditions**.
Students who sign up for trips are supposed to take only one thing into consideration: their own paddling proficiency.
But how are they supposed to know whether they are beginner or intermediate paddlers? Those are vast and highly subjective categories. Is a beginner a complete novice? Someone who has paddled only occasionally? Someone who can't break three knots without a tail wind? Someone who hasn't paddled that distance before? Or someone who's just terribly insecure or paddles with too many people with greater skills and experience?
I (Sharon) regarded myself as a beginner well into my third year of kayaking. Yeah, I had a reliable roll and could paddle pretty hard and pretty far, but I was paddling with some fairly spectacular kayakers, like Bonnie Perry and Andrea Knepper (and Alec, who is slightly embarrassed that I've mentioned him here), and by comparison I felt like a novice.
A few days ago, I helped lead a 12-mile trip along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. It was billed as an intermediate trip, and 17 students signed up. By the standards I set for myself, none of them were true intermediates, and the trip was challenging and exhausting for many of them. But they all made it and they all had a good time. This trip was a serious stretch for many of them, but by taking it on, they improved their skills and their confidence.
So were they intermediate paddlers after all? Probably not, and they certainly had no business attempting that trip on their own. But with five instructors to guide them and handle the issues that arose (which included issuing a "securite"*** to motor boats we couldn't see through the fog, executing a rescue close to the cliffs, and towing one paddler for five miles), they were intermediate enough for this trip.
In any case, I'm glad they didn't ask me before signing up. So here's the irony: Even though they had less experience and training than me, they improved my understanding of what a beginner or intermediate trip truly is.

* crossings are non-coastal portions of trips when paddlers are more exposed and less able to take refuge at shore.
** conditions refers to wind, waves, fog and weather.
*** "securite" is a notice to mariners over channel 16 (the emergency channel).

the paddle test

2008-07-23T13:20:46+00:00

Tiny lightnin’ / In the storm Tiny blankets / Gonna keep you warm Tiny pillows / Tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny sheets Talkin’ bout the tiny cookies / That the peoples eats - frank zappa So it was Gryphon’s turn to test gear. At 7 years old he’s been growing in sudden, sharp stints. While his Episea is actually fitting [...]

Canal 7 Calderona

2008-07-23T13:54:27+00:00

Para los que no veis Tele 7, para los que estáis lejos, para los que teníais sueño anoche, para los que no os apetecía verlo anoche, para los que preferíais a Patricia Arquette en la cuatro (que es más guapa que yo), para los que no lo sabíais y para los que estéis aburridos y acabéis viéndolo un día por descarte de posibilidades, ahí os envío el link al video del programa que grabamos y emitieron ayer en tele 7 Calderona sobre el tema de las piragüitas y todo este rollo.

Si no te parece interesante espero al menos que te rías.

Ya sé que no iba peinado. En esta tele no peinan.

Ya sé que no iba maquillado. En esta tele no maquillan.

Ya sé que parece que estaba gordo. Esta tele, como todas, engorda. (ji ji ji)

Y sí, podía haber escogido una camisa mejor. Y tenía que haber ido en pantalón corto.

Lo de delante era un centro de mesa de ... flores. Me anticipo a tus preguntas.

Y sí. hacía mucho calor.

Espero que te guste.

Y sí. La palabra "raza" es poco adecuada hoy en día. Hubiera sido más correcta "etnia". Creo. Igual alguien nos puede asesorar.

Un saludo.

K

http://video.google.es/videoplay?docid=-3540286733356493319

p.d.: Gracias Carlos, por grabarlo, encogerlo y subirlo. :)

Monday Morning Wave

2008-07-23T12:44:50+00:00

Photographer: Ben Margot

A surfer rides a wave churned by a winter storm underneath the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge Friday, Jan. 4, 2008, in the San Francisco Bay. A fierce arctic storm pounded California on Friday, threatening to soak mudslide-prone canyons already charred by wildfires and to paralyze the mountains with deep snow

McArthur's Head lighthouse and the mouth of the Sound of Islay

2008-07-23T12:33:26+00:00

We launched again into the Sound of Islay. This is the view back to the north from whence we had come. The distinctive mounds of the Paps of Jura are lost in the evening clouds above Jura on the right. We were now paddling SE below the cliffs of Beinn na Caillich towards the distant McArthur's Head lighthouse. Looking back up the Sound of Islay, past Mair and Billy, to distant Port Askaig.

Sponsor update

2008-07-23T10:26:43+00:00

Without our sponsors, this project would not have been as easy (or economically realistic) as it has turned out to be.

A few words on the sponsorships, before we set out:
RelaxShoe and Sparekassen Thy provided financial support for gear and for use during the expedition. Smyril Line kindly offered to ship kayaks, gear and food to Torshavn and back again.
Brødrene Vestergaard in Thisted has been our main provider of high quality kayaking equipment (Tomas even took home a lot of gear that wasn't in stock) at very reasonable prices. The shop is likely to be of particular interest to kayakers from the Faroe Islands - situated in Thisted, only 20 km south of Hanstholm, and close to the "test driving ranges" Limfjorden and Klitmøller).
PureKayaking sponsored safety equipment - a McMurdo FastFind MAX PLB (Personal Locator Beacon), as well as handheld and parachute flares that we'll carry for emergency use.
Friluftsland sponsored all the freeze-dried food that will be our main evening dish during the trip, and offered discounts on outdoor gear, most importantly the Hilleberg Nammatj 3 tent we're going to use.

A big "Thank You" to all our sponsors - we look forward to tell you more about the trip when we're home again!

TV Spot

2008-07-23T10:23:29+00:00

Thursday 17 july, TV Midt/Vest, a local tv-station, asked for an interview, and it was broadcast in the news today, at 22.20. Check it out here!

First Pictures:

2008-07-23T05:12:08+00:00

Paddle to the Bay: Saint Clement’s Island

2008-07-23T01:16:44+00:00

Paddle to the Bay: Day 4
Lower Cedar Point to Saint Clements Island
Thursday, June 5, 2008

Thankfully, the heavy wind and rain let up sometime after 2 AM. I say thankfully because we were scheduled to rise at 3:30 AM to catch the falling tide at 5. We would also avoid paddling in the worst heat of the day. Everyone turned out at the appointed hour and quietly began to pack up wet tents and sleeping gear. Around the campsite you could see shafts of light from many LED headlamps bobbing back and forth, and up and down, while the sounds of tent pegs and poles being tossed in strategic locations was the only sound that registered in the early morning darkness. Each paddler quietly packed up their gear and carried it to their boat, stowing gear carefully to be sure nothing was left behind.
We would stop for breakfast after sun-up. I managed to eat a granola bar and drink some still warm coffee from my thermos before we took to our boats. John, however, decided not to eat. He really didn’t like the granola bars I had brought and said he wasn’t hungry anyway.
We were all in our boats and underway before 5 AM. It was still dark. Two of us had deck lights for navigation that we rigged and illuminated. I haven’t really paddled much in the dark. It was kind of spooky, but still and quiet as we expectantly awaited the sunrise. The day was much more benign and pleasant than yesterday had been. We had light winds and a clearing sky. Perhaps we’d have a day without wind, rain and thunderstorms.
The sunrise was spectacular. It is the first time I can remember being on the water at sunrise. First, the sky over the Maryland shore began to lighten, turning the clouds along the horizon a deep steel blue tinged with pink, and then gold. The scene kept changing as the sun rose still below the horizon, until it burst over, spilling morning across the breadth of the river. It was glorious. I held back, watching, snapping picture after picture, trying to capture every moment of this wonderful event. Finally, I just sat quietly. I sensed that the moment was special. I would never be at this exact spot, at this precise time watching this particular sunrise again. I wanted to capture it and hold on to it and own it so that my memory of it would never fade. But of course, the day unfolded as all days do. My photos are at best a poor representation of the experience, yet, I will hold those moments in my mind’s eye, possibly forever.
At about seven o’clock, we stopped on a sandbar for breakfast. The sun was up, the air was light – everyone was feeling good. Several folks made a full-fledged meal. My stove and food were packed away under other gear, so I ate another granola bar and had some water, then I finished my coffee. John again ate nothing. After a half hour or so, we packed up and got back to paddling.
The day was hot with a light wind. I was glad I had only worn my lightweight long sleeved shirt. With the spray deck and PFD on, my core is always warm. But the lightness of the wicking shirt and the ability to pull the sleeves up or down as sun and wind conditions dictate made it a good choice today. I thought that John had over dressed for the conditions, but he seemed to be doing all right.
Saint Clements Island is a beautiful place. As you approach from the north, you can see the top of a lighthouse on the south side of the island. Osprey nests are everywhere. Every post seems to have a platform for an Osprey nest. Every navigation marker sports a nest as well. And many trees on the island have a nest hidden near the top. It’s hard to believe that the area can support so many of these predators.
Rounding the tip of the island, we pulled parallel to the lighthouse. It is quite impressive. It dominates the island. The Saint Clements lighthouse is a reproduction of the original lighthouse that was destroyed by a combination of neglect, weather and Navy artillery practice.
We pulled ashore adjacent to the lighthouse, just west of the large fixed and floating dock that served the power boats that often visit the island. No power boats here today though. With the exception of the two men working on the lighthouse, we had the island to ourselves.
The camping area is a pretty good hike from the dock area. Fortunately, I had brought two lightweight ripstop nylon bags to carry gear in. Tonight was the night John and I would cook, so I had stoves and food bags along with my other gear to transport. I selected a spot in the shade near the water, by an Osprey nest (they were hard to avoid!) for my tent. John set up in the same shade a few feet away. He was moving slowly and complaining that he was not feeling well. It was after noon and we had not stopped for lunch.
There was little wind, and given the heat and humidity, the mosquitoes were having a feast. I found my bug stuff and applied it liberally. I set my tent up without the fly, spreading the fly across a picnic table, and left them both to dry. (Yes, there were picnic tables… and a bathroom – isn’t that civilized?) Then I pulled out my sleeping bag, unzipped it and spread it across the top of my tent so that the sun and heat could un-do the effects of yesterday’s rain.
John was lying on top of a picnic table in the shade, looking not too well. I found the bag of lunch food and got out a variety of fruits, cheese, meats, peanut butter and jelly, and soft tortillas, a kayaker’s smorgasbord! I made up a lemon drink, then convinced John that he was probably feeling the effect of too little food and too much heat. He would feel better if he ate something, hydrated and continued to rest for a while. In an hour or so, he was feeling better.
We were looking forward to a leisurely summer afternoon with little on the agenda other than relaxing, catching up on our rest and preparing the evening meal. A light breeze came up, changing the atmosphere from hot and heavy to light and pleasant. We sat for a while by the water, just watching the river. Then I inflated my Big Agnes pad, threw my now dry bag on top and crawled in my tent for a delicious nap.
After waking, I decided I wanted a sea bath. I say sea bath rather than river bath because the water had become progressively more salty as we paddled south. We were not too far from the Chesapeake. The water was definitely brackish.
John and I took our CampSuds and towels down to the dock area. We swam for a while to cool off, then lathered up, washing our hair and bodies, and even giving our shirts a good wash and rinse. I can’t stand a beard in hot weather and I had several days growth, so I lathered up and shaved as well. Back at the tent, I changed into lightweight long pants, a long sleeved sun shirt and I put on socks. This was my strategy for avoiding more mosquito attacks, though I think the increasing breeze did just as much.
Dinner was to be at 6 PM, a target that no one had hit so far. I started to prepare my stoves, gear and cooking area about 3:30. There was a large open pavilion on the property, so I set up there. The meal was to be three-cheese tortellini with bacon pieces, roasted red peppers, garlic and onions, served with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. There were to be fresh baked brownies for desert. I had made this dish several times before, but never for eight people (I “borrowed” the recipe from Scott Locorini). Preparing enough for eight with my small camp pots and stoves would be a challenge.
The first task was to make the brownies. I had opened a boxed mix at home and split it in two. I knew from experimenting that half a mix just fit into the pan of my camp stove. One half of the mix was plain, the other had walnuts – my favorite. Each half required an egg, some oil and some water.
Twenty minutes and lots of fussing later I had a pan of delicious smelling brownies cooling on the table. The second pan was prepared and set to bake. Impatient, I turned up the heat just a bit. The second pan was charred around the edges. Still there was enough for everyone to have some.
I used ten bags of dry tortellini, split six bags to the bigger pot, four bags in the smaller pot. Both pots were seriously short on water for the amount tortellini in them. Still, everything came out fine. Lee lent me his big, deep frying pan to use as a serving dish. Dinner was ready by 5:55 – right on time!
Meanwhile the wind had continued to rise. Gabe, Marge and Foster had paddled to a museum on the shore earlier in the day. Gabe and Marge came back in the late afternoon, but Foster wanted to stay till the museum closed at 5:30. He was paddling back alone and was expected by 6 o’clock. At six, he was nowhere to be seen. The wind continued to build as we all sat down for dinner. Time passed. Seconds were distributed. About the time somebody suggested we prepare a plate for Foster, a lone kayaker rounded the east end of the island. Soon Foster joined us for a slightly less than warm dinner, late but safe.
John and I cleaned up as the wind built to a gale. With everything packed up, I carried gear to my boat and stowed it. The boats were thankfully in the lea of the wind. Still, I pulled boats further up the beach and double-checked the lines John and I had secured our boats with. Walking back into camp, I faced the wind full on. Pairs of people were lifting tents and trying to carry them out of the wind. Tents were flailing wildly as these pairs danced drunkenly across the open field to an area behind some trees and brush. I helped John move his tent, then we did the same with mine. The view was not as grand here, but the tents would survive.
I hadn’t called Lisa in two days because of the evening storms, so I grabbed my cell phone and headed for the dock area to call her out of the wind. On the way, I noticed three girls in a gazebo by the dock, huddled under a blanket. It was getting dark. I asked if they were OK. They said they were in not too convincing voices. They had come here with their boyfriends who had dropped them off and gone fishing. The guys were nowhere to be seen and the girls looked concerned. I told them that there were eight of us camped beyond the trees. If they needed help, they should come wake someone up. They never came to the campsite and they were gone in the morning, so I guess they got picked up sometime. Frankly, I think they need to find new boyfriends.
Lisa and I had a long conversation. Then I signed off and headed to bed. Out of the wind, the night was mild. I went to sleep with the vestibule open.
Landing at St. Clement’s Island

*Some pictures, including the one above, courtesy of John Resch

A Bitch of a Tide-Race

2008-07-23T01:46:38+00:00

Summer has not really arrived in most of Europe. Karien and I spent a week in St. Davids in Pembrokeshire. With the daily strong wind warnings we were limited in our paddling options. We had an early morning start being on the water at 07:00 in Whitesands Bay, heading for the famous Bitches tide-race. The last time when I was here in May 2000 when the race was running, it was neaps, now it is

anything for education. . .

2008-07-22T22:11:09+00:00

Would someone tell Andrew to PLEASE stop teasing the sharks!

Turn your old Leatherman into a key ring

2008-07-22T20:36:48+00:00

If you have an old Leatherman Micra that you are no longer using any more, why not get creative and turn it into a trusty holder for your house keys?