Cruising the Great South Bay

Avi, John W., Elizabeth, Walter, Beth, Pete, Phil, Tony and I (photo top right) started arriving at the Club House around 8:00 AM Saturday morning. By 9:00 AM nine kayaks were on five cars and leaving Sebago, headed for Heckscher State Park, and perhaps the last cruising trip of the season.

After the fifty mile drive we all pulled into the parking lot at Heckscher State Park, just feet away from the north shore of The Great South Bay, and by 10:45 AM we were on the water (photo second from top). The water temperature was around 48-50. At put in the air temperature was 52 but warmed up to 58 by later in the afternoon. Most of us were wearing dry suits but a few had donned wet suits.

After crossing the Great South Bay we beached on Fire Island, near Sailors Heaven Center, around 12:20 PM. With the picnic area to ourselves we enjoyed a true picnic lunch. After refueling we tied up our kayaks against any rogue waves and followed the boardwalk into the Sunken Forest where we were treated to a close encounter with a five point buck. Passing through the Sunken Forest we emerged on the southern shore of Fire Island and briefly visited the Atlantic Ocean before heading back to our boats.

Putting in from Fire Island around 2 PM we paddled back across the Great South Bay (bottom photo right) from whence we had come. With wind and tide combining to provide one to foot waves for our enjoinment, the water was just a little more rougher for our return trip than it had been earlier in the day. Every once in a while it seemed like waves were over two feet, but those were few and far between.

By 4:00 PM were back on the beach at Heckscher State Park, changing, and loading boats for the return drive. Before we pulled out we were treated to a spectacular sunset over the Great South Bay.

Back at the club we unloaded and stored boats and gear, said our goodbyes, and signed out by 6:45 PM.

I have posted a more embellished report about this Great Day on the Great South Bay on my blog, Summit to Shore, complete with a link to more photographs from the trip.

Early Morning Early October Paddle

Tony, Michael, John W. and John H. enjoyed an early morning paddle Tuesday, Octoober 6, 2009, under almost perfect conditions. Water in Jamaica Bay was around 62. Air temperature at put in was near 60 but warmed to the high 60's by trip's end. There was little wind and the water seemed unusually clear. Paddling east into Spring Creek and Hendricks Creek, they paddled 11.8 miles, averaging 3 mph over the trip. A fuller trip report, with a link to more photos, is available at Summit to Shore.

Academy for Conservation and the Environment visits Sebago

Late last Thursday afternoon and early evening, September 3, 2009, the Sebago Canoe Club, for the second year in a row, hosted rising ninth graders from our neighboring high school, the Academy for Conservation and the Environment, Michele Ashkin, Principal. It was a short paddle up Paerdegat Basin toward the school but a good paddle nonetheless. Look at the photos and see for yourself. We were on the water by about 6:00 PM and off an hour later before the sun set. Most of the students paddled sit-on-tops while faculty, staff, and Sebago volunteers paddled traditional kayaks.

July 10, 2009 Youth Paddle

One of the things I like about being a member of the Sebago Canoe Club is the expectation that the club and its members will give back to the community. One way we do this is by sponsoring youth paddles. I volunteered to help with a youth paddle last summer but the youth never showed up. After waiting around an hour or two most of us who had shown up to help went paddling on our own. Willing to give it another try, and responding to a desperate e-mail plea from Tony, I volunteered to help with the paddle last Friday, July 10, 2009.

The youth and an adult leader from the 68th Precinct (Park Slope) arrived a little late but still with plenty of time to get out on the water. Once all the youth and Sebago helpers were on the water we paddled out under the Belt Parkway Bridge, beached for a break, and then paddled back to Sebago. Back at the club we washed boats, put gear away, played volleyball, ate lots of hamburgers and hot dogs, celebrated birthdays with a cake, and said goodbye.

All in all it was a good day. The weather and the water were nearly perfect. I am glad I volunteered. I had the opportunity to paddle and catch a few rays, meet some great young people, reconnect with Sebago members, and meet a few members I had not met or paddled with before. I have posted photos from the paddle at Picasa.

Bird on a Rope

I went by the club Monday morning to mow grass. The club grounds were serene and quiet. As I was getting ready to open the garden shed, #16, to bring out the mower I saw this bird (photo right) perched on the rope of a nearby boat holder. A young robin perhaps?

Even as I was opening the shed and was bringing out the mower this feathered friend did not move. At first I thought it might be a precariously balanced decoy, a finely crafted replica meant to deceive. As I approached closer, however, I could see its chest rising and falling as it breathed. There was no eye movement. No feathers were ruffled. Just the chest rising and falling. This bird remained perched stone cold on the rope of the boat holder even as I approached as close as two feet.

If my memory serves me right, the only other wild birds I have approached closer to were injured and not able to fly.

For a few minutes in the midst of an otherwise busy Monday I was transfixed by this extraordinary encounter.

2009 Open House

I was able to be at the Open House only from noon till 2:00 PM but while I was there I took a lot of photographs which I have posted to Picasa. The weather was nearly perfect even if it did look like there was snow on the ground. We seemed to have had a lot of visitors and a good number of them joining. While Sebago offers some great sailing and kayaking, Sebago is more than water sports. Sebago is people, from those who have been members for decades or more to those who have just joined, from experienced paddlers with American Canoe Club certification to teach and coach to beginners just learning how to paddle.

This was only my second Open House so I do not have a lot to compare it to, but this year we seemed to have more of a variety of visitors: young, middle age and older from various racial-ethnic backgrounds and from three or more of the five boroughs. For awhile on Saturday, Sebago looked like a miniature New York City. There were so many kayaks, canoes and sailboats coming and going from the new dock that at times it resembled the Staten Island Ferry Terminal (photo at right). There were so many people moving about on the new dock that it felt like the BQE, Jackie Robinson, or Van Wyck during rush hour.

If our Open House is any indication of the future, it looks like we are off to a great 2009 summer season of paddling, rowing and sailing.

Water Bloggers Meet

Some of the Sebago Canoe Club's littoral literati recently met with other water bloggers at one of Manhattan’s oldest Bars, the Ear Inn, housed in the historic James Brown House, a designated Landmark of the City of New York and on the National Register of Historic Buildings of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The gathering was organized by Sebago Trip Leader Bonnie, author of the blog “frogma”. Also in attendance were Sebago Trip Leader John Huntington and provisional members John Harris and Vicki Moss.

Check out Bonnie's post about the gathering to view some of her original photographs, read her own description, and find links to other water blogs with even more posts and photos from the evening. John Huntington has also posted about the envent on his blog, and John Harris also has posted about the gatherng on Summit To Shore.

Jones Beach February 28, 2009

For the third time this year and the second Saturday in a row, members of the Sebago Canoe Club trekked to Jones Beach with the hope and expectation of seeing harbor seals. The trip was organized by Steve Heinzerlin. Tagging along were George Sullivan, Vicki Moss and John Harris.

Conditions were again windy but because the wind was blowing out of the north rather than the west (as it was the previous week) there was less fetch and so the water was not quite as choppy. Last week the trip circumnavigated the islands clockwise. On this trip we circumnavigated counter-clockwise.

Having crossed the channel and paddled into the marsh islands, as we approached an island I could see from a distance that something was on the shore. At first I thought it was sand or birds but it turned out to be seals, lots of seals. I would estimate between two and three dozen seals were sunning themselves. As we approached they started to climb into the water and disperse. Eventually the four of us found ourselves in their midst as they swam aroud us.

Afterward, trip organizer Steve Heinzerling wrote: “Today George Sullivan, John Harris, Vicki and myself went out to Jones Beach for a paddle with the seals. I was a little afraid that I may have missed them, and they'd already moved on to other waters. About twenty minutes out we spotted an island that was covered with seals. We counted at least 30 seals. We approached cautiously not to scare them in the water. After one went in most of them followed. Soon they were popping up all around us. It was a great experience and a very exhilarating paddle. When we returned to the cars I vowed that I'd come back and do this paddle every year. It's truly an awesome experience.“

For the record, we put in around 10:10 AM and took out two hours later, paddling 3 miles. Our average speed was reduced because once we encountered the seals we tended to paddle in place so that we could watch them. I have created a short slide show from the trip using original photgraphs.

Jones Beach, February 21, 2009

Six hearty paddlers from the Sebago Canoe Club paddled at Jones Beach on Saturday, February 21, 2009, in search of the elusive seal. Led by Tony and Walter, also on the trip were Dottie, Mary, Bonnie and John. The six put in around 11:30 AM and immediately encountered a strong head wind with one to two foot standing waves. After crossing the channel and paddling into the marsh area the wind subsided and a few seals were spotted, but not nearly as many as on the January 10th trip.

Because the low tide exposed so many sandbars, four of the paddlers had to portage a short distance in order to paddle around Deep Creek Meadow and Snipe Islands. Once around Snipe Island the four encountered more head winds, standing waves, and also had to paddle against the tide. In spite of the cold head wind, standing waves, and paddling against the tide, as I paddled into the Sun with sunlight reflecting off the water, there were a few moments where I entered a Zen like state of steady paddling, aware of nothing but wind, water and waves.

All paddlers were out of the water by 2:00 PM. The total distance paddled was 4.5 miles.

On the way home we detoured to the Nature Center and Mary pointed out for us a Snowy Owl amongst the dunes.

Here is a slide show featuring original photograps from the trip,plus one previous photo.

Some Photos of the Hudson River Greenland Festival

See if you can pick out the Sebago Canoe Club Members

http://www.flickr.com/photos/findkam/sets/72157600549914470/

or see as a slideshow