Saturday Open Paddle with Roland Lewis

Roland Lewis, the president and C.E.O. of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, recently lectured at Sebago Canoe Club on our open Paddle. Here are some photos of that paddle, and we were joined by some horses at the end ...










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The Cool-Off Paddle

The only way to cool down after 103 F heat is to paddle after sunset. So Patrico and John Zhou and myself went out Tuesday, July 6th with the excuse to cool off and maybe catch some fish. The bay was like a lake, smooth as glass and clean as it ever can be. The tide was leaving and going to be low tide by 11:30, so we should be into fish according to plan. We were hoping for striped bass, maybe some bluefish, and if we were desperate, go for some fluke. After going under the bridge, the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees, but the water still looked like glass. No splashes, no swirls of fish tails, the tell tale sign that bass are in the water feeding. No bunker jumping, but lots of blue claw crabs swimming around, being very alive and busy eating.
The silence was deafening. But it was very cool (temp wise) and quite beautiful. I recommend this Cool-off paddle to all non-fishers as well as fishers, because we got no fish. They are too smart to hang out in a hot bay, they went to the ocean to cool off.

June's Full Moon Paddle Trip Report

One of my favorite Sebago Canoe Club activities and trips during the paddling season is the monthly Full Moon Paddle. Scheduled for the Friday or Saturday evening closest to Full Moon, the paddle, usually led by Phil, heads out into Jamaica Bay before sunset and returns after the full moon rises. The full moon is not always visible because of cloud cover, so there is always an air of expection about the paddle, “Will we see the moon, or not?”

Fifteen paddlers gathered in the early evening of Saturday, June 26, for the first Full Moon Paddle of the season. Some of them are pictured in the photo at the top of this post, seen as we prepared for our paddle. Tony and Fran were the last to arrive and soon afterward, around 7:45 PM, we were on the water and headed for a small island in Jamaica Bay called Ruffled Bar, about a six mile round trip.

The fifteen lunatics included our trip leader Phil plus Dottie, Walter, me, Vicki, Dennis, Cleo, Patrick, Jen, Chris, Andrew, Eugene, Tony, Fran, and Marty, all experienced paddlers. I was able to paddle one of my favorite club boats, a seventeen foot Necky Montauk.

Lights are an essential piece of safety equipment on Full Moon Paddles. While I paddled with an ACR C-Light attached to my aft deck via a suction cup, an activated cylemine light stick hanging off the back of my PFD, and a Princeton Tec H2O headlight hanging from around my neck in case I needed it, other paddlers had their own similar but also unique lighting configurations. The key to lighting for night paddling is to light to be seen, not to see, and not to blind other paddlers. Some did better than others regarding the last criteria.

The evening presented very little wind and the surface of Jamaica Bay was alsmost as sooth as glass. There were no bugs, except near Ruffle Bar, and any daytime oppressive heat and humidity had already dissipated. In other words the paddling conditions were almost ideal.

Phil, the usual leader of Full Moon Paddles, almost always takes a package of Fig Newton’s with him on such paddles and this one was no exception. When we reached near the shore of Ruffle Bar we rafted up, Phil had someone open his day hatch and pull out the cookies, and then passed them around for all to enjoy. After our rest and snack we headed back across the bay and for the club house even though the moon had yet to be seen.

While paddling back toward Paerdegat Basin, with the skyline of Manhattan in the background, we were surprisingly treated to fireworks that appeared to be launched from two locations in the vicinity of South Street Seaport. We had no idea why there would have been a fireworks display but we were glad there was

Occasionally someone would turn around to see if the full moon was yet peeking from behind the clouds. Finally we heard a loud “howl” that would have made Allen Ginsberg proud as the one of our paddlers finally saw the disk of full moon. But as soon as it appeared it disappeared again, only to occasionally reappear, again to sounds of howling kayakers.

We were back at the clubhouse by around 10:00 PM, and with boats and gear washed and stowed, some of us broke out covered dishes featuring garden salads, fruit salads, nachos, cheese wheels, and sausage accompanied by port wine, white wine and sangria, and we enjoyed a late dinner. Sebago has a strictly enforced “No Alcohol” policy before and during trips, but after trips is another matter altogether, and a little eating and drinking with friends and paddling companions after a paddle is one of the many reasons I enjoy being a member of the Sebago Canoe Club, that and the kayaking.

By the time we finished and were leaving the grounds the Full Moon had risen well above the clouds and we enjoyed a Full Moon drive home.

This trip report is cross posted on my personal blog Summit to Shore.

Wildlife Refuge hosts trucks and cranes

By Joe Maniscalco
Monday, June 28, 2010 4:11 PM EDT

Parts of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge are being used as a staging area for Department of Transportation Belt Parkway bridge reconstructions — making it look like a containment area for a certain oil rig explosion.

Grimy sand and floating containment barriers etch the marine landscape below Paerdegat Basin bridge. But agency officials say all is smooth sailing while the DOT reconstructs seven bridges along the 71-year-old Belt Parkway, and stores its construction materials and vehicles along the banks of one of the most important urban wildlife refuges in the United States instead of on the street.

“We have periodic field inspections and monitor the water,” said Dave Avrin, chief of resources for Gateway National Recreation Area, which is managed by the federal park service. “We expect the DOT to follow the best management practices.”

One of the staging areas is located on the Canarsie Circle, near the eastbound entrance to the Belt Parkway. Another is being created in the paved area between Canarsie Road and the westbound parkway entrance service road.

Despite the extensive work, Gateway officials say that the project is well conceived, and will not impact the 9,000-acre refuge which features such diverse habitats as salt marsh, upland field and woods, an open expanse of bay and islands, and varied fresh and brackish water ponds with more migratory birds flocking to it each year than to Yellowstone and Yosemite parks, and the Grand Canyon.

As of now, there’s no need to worry about the containment barriers, which are there to prevent the spread of turbid water, which is basically dredged up debris, said Avrin.

“This is a project that has been in planning for over a decade,” he assured.

Come One, Come All to the Sebago Canoe Club All-Club Invitational

Good heavens! Is it possible? Why, yes, it's true, we're only 3 weeks out from what could possibly be the biggest event Sebago has ever had!

At least while I've been there.

July 17th, we'd like to invite pretty much anyone who has a hand-launchable small craft to join us for a day of fun in the sun (we hope, but rain won't stop us) on Jamaica Bay. Not just kayaks, nope - canoes (outrigger or non), stand-up paddlers, windsurfers, rowboats, pirogues, dinghies, curraghs, taraibune, whatever - you name it, if you can get it to our club, down our generously-sized ramp, down the basin & under the bridge (the last being the challenge for the sailcraft, if the winds aren't feeling cooperative it's a few very fast tacks to get through), we'd love to see you!

And NO, you don't actually have to be a member of a club to come! All you need a boat you know how to use & all the related gear & safety stuff.

For full information, including contact information for an RSVP (which would be appreciated so we know how much food & drink to buy), click HERE!

Sebago Kayak Instructors run class for Brooklyn Bridge Park Volunteers

Last Sunday Sebago Kayak Club instructors Tom Potter and Walter Lewandowski ran a class for Brooklyn Bridge Park volunteers at the soon to be created boathouse at Brooklyn Bridge Park. A spectacular venue on the East River.

After the class some adventurous students and Tom, Walter, and Dottie Lewandowski paddled to rendezvous with the LIC Boathouse to observe their walk up paddling operation.

A wonderful time was had by all.










Tom Potter demonstrating strokes with the Wall Street skyline in the background














Sebago Kayak Chairman Walter attempting to keep the classes attention.

Second Annual Spring Laser Regatta

We at  the Sebago Canoe Club were proud to hold our second annual Laser Regatta yesterday, in good weather and a consistent southeast breeze. We had ten sailors, two of whom drove all the way down from Saratoga, NY. We had great racing, great food, and just a plain good time on the water and on shore. Bonnie Aldinger took some great photos. For the full set go HERE.

 

Skipper's meeting before the race.

Race Committee Boat

A Clean Start.   

Good Down-wind Form. 

Hi Holly!

A Good Breeze.

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Sebago's Club Laser, "Qiwi".

Sebago's 2nd Annual Laser District 8 Regatta - Photos Up

From Sebaga Laser Regatta 5 22 2010

I had a great day being on the race committee for Sebago's 2nd annual District 8 Laser Regatta yesterday. I took tons of pictures, of course! Good weather, a nice breeze that picked up over the course of the afternoon, and wow, 10 boats & only 3 were from Sebago (and 2 were from the Saratoga Yacht Club, that's a long trip)! Good racing, good company a nice day on the water & a delicious post-race spread of roast chicken, chili, a few other sides & brownies & ice cream for dessert.

Couldn't ask for a much nicer way to spend a Saturday!

And no, no bouncy castles - which reminds me, here's the story behind that particular bit of silliness, found via a link posted by my favorite Laserblogger, Tillerman.

cross-posted at Frogma.

We Promise: No Bouncy Castle Obstructions At Sebago's Laser Regatta

I feel QUITE COMFORTABLE in promise that there will be NO such silliness at Sebago's 2nd Annual Laser Regatta on Saturday. Hope to see folks there!

Note to last year's winner: Blake, I hope you're coming back, I think we'll have planes this year!

(my pix from last year - no planes...)

Trip Leader Workshop

It had been three and a half months since I paddled on the proxigean tide. That was January 30th, when the air temperature was 15°f and the water temperature was probably in the 40’s. Last Saturday the water temperature at the Sebago dock was 58°f. Under the Belt Parkway Bridge it was 60°f. Out in Jamaica Bay it was 56°f. The air temperature was near 70°f. The sun was shining and the wind was blowing, really blowing. Had a beginner’s paddle been scheduled it would have been cancelled due to the wind. But the eleven of us that would later be out on the water were not beginners.

Earlier in the morning we started gathering in the clubhouse of the Sebago Canoe Club in Canarsie, Brooklyn. With some confusion about the schedule, we started straggling in for the Trip Leader Workshop beginning 8:30 AM, with more arriving at 9:00, 9:30, 10:00 and our final participant arriving at 10:30 AM.

A little before 10:00 AM the odd assortment of future trip leaders (or was it an assortment of future odd trip leaders) and experienced trip leaders watched segments of the Leo Hoare and Olly Sanders Sea Kayak Safety DVD as it played on Walter’s Mac Book Pro. We focused primarily on rescues and towing. Later in the morning we discussed what was required of a trip leader in general and a Sebago Canoe Club Trip Leader in particular. We also reviewed and discussed the procedures related to Sebago’s Wednesday evening and Saturday morning open paddles when most of us would be leading and assisting with trips.

During the paddling season, as conditions permit, The Sebago Canoe Club welcomes up to fifteen walk up first time paddlers for an “Open Paddle” on Paerdegat Basin and Jamaica Bay. After signing an insurance waiver and being asked for a $10 donation to cover costs, open paddle participants receive a brief introduction to paddling and paddling safety and are then taken out as a group onto the water. With a Leader/Participant ratio of 1/5 or better, Sebago needs at least one trip leader and two assistants for every open paddle.

After our classroom work we took a short break and then put on our dry suits, wet suits, and paddling jackets as we prepared to head out onto the water. Five future trip leaders and six current trip leaders and instructors paddled straightaway down Paerdegat basin and under the Belt Parkway Bridge out into Jamaica Bay.

Whether it was the wind or the tide or whatever, Walter’s boat edged up to mine from behind and before I knew it I was rolling over into Jamaica Bay, the unintentional victim for the first rescue practice of the day. Ted paddled up to my boat and following his instructions we emptied my boat of as much water as possible and I climbed back in. From my perspective the most difficult part of the rescue was playing dumb, i.e. pretending I was an inexperienced paddler who knew nothing about rescues and who needed to be talked through the procedure by the assigned trip leader.

Within the next hour or so Phil would intentionally capsize several times so that each of the future trip leaders could practice their rescue skills (top photo). Phil so dramatically portrayed paddlers panicking that most of us thought he was bucking to get out of the set shop and onto the stage. In our minds, at least, he deserved a Tony for his portrayal of the inexperienced kayaker from hell that will not listen to directions and therefore endangers others by standing up on his kayak as he is being rescued. Meanwhile, Bonnie feigned an avid bird watcher who strayed away from the group in order to test the observation skills of the assigned leaders and their ability to keep the group together.

Though I have owned and carried a tow belt since last season, Saturday’s workshop was the first time I have actually used one as Jerry acted the part of a tired paddler who needed to be towed back to dry land. Towing, even into the wind, was easier than I thought it would be, though I was glad I did not have to tow Jerry all the way back to the dock.

Back at Sebago, after rinsing and stowing our gear, we debriefed over hamburgers, hot dogs and assorted beverages prepared by our Commodore John Wright. All in all it was a good day of learning, fun, and comradeship.

While additional Sebago Instructors and Trip Leaders participated in the morning classroom segment of the training, the eleven that paddled in the afternoon practical session, in addition to myself, included Dan, Ted, Hillary, Andy, Severin, Jake, Phil, Bonnie, Jerry, and Walter.

More pictures from the day have been posted on my Picasa page.