New Safety Boat!

The classic Boston Whaler that we recently acquired has new power! We've just installed a new 30 hp Honda 4 stroke on our 13' whaler. All Island Marine, in Oceanside LI did a bang up job with the installation. Here are a couple of pics after the test run on Tuesday. They left the boat hanging in the slings while Holly and I adjusted the trailer bunks.



We will christen the boat on Sunday, after the annual meeting!

Birthday Paddle

Led by Tony, five early morning paddlers including two Johns and two Michaels, left Sebago Tuesday morning around 8:00 AM, paddled through the wind past the Marine Parkway Bridge, and were back at the dock by 12:15 PM, a 9.2 mile paddle. By the way, it was Tony's birthday! Since he intends to do some sanding of his boat, Micahel prepared birthday party hats made of particle masks (photo right). I have posted a fuller trip report about this early morning paddle, with a link to more photos, on my blog.

Rainy day activity: The New York Surf Film Festival

Looking for a Rainy day Activity? Go to the New York Surf Film Festival

Where is Puerto Plata? - NY Surf Film Festival 2009 from NY Surf Film Fest on Vimeo.

TARPTASTIC! Day 1, 5 Years Around Long Island

If you are ever looking for the right people to take camping in a howling gale -- have I got your crew!

The campsite we stayed at, Hither Hills, has rules about how many tents you can have per campsite. This is a perfectly sensible rule for car camping situations, where people are bringing canvas (ok, nylon, whatever) Taj Mahals along, but when you get a bunch of kayakers, whose tents tend towards the teensy, trying to comply with the rule, things get interesting. So Steve H., our Paddling Chef, brought along a great big old old-school tent, just like the ones I remember my folks renting from MWR (Morale Welfare & Recreation for the non-military) for at least one church retreat at the camp that Aiea United Methodist Church had access to (Camp Erdman?). The non-picky folks shared it, and if we had gotten busted for a tiny tent or two too many, we had somewhere for a couple of us singletons to move.

Steve had a big square tarp for the roof of the tent, which would've been fine if it had been just raining, but we had winds gusting I think it was to 30 kts the first night, and slated to get higher before things calmed down. The square tarp had already been flapping so loudly it was a wonder people in the tent had slept - and we were a little afraid that with a strong enough blast (especially when the tent was empty), the tarp would either rip off, or worse, take the whole tent aloft and away like a kitesurfer. We weren't being paranoid either - that exact thing happened to the folks on the neighboring site. They dissapeared quite abruptly at some point. It turned out that that point was shortly after the great big tent they'd started out with decided it was actually cut out for a life on the rolling sea & bid them adieu.

So with a precedent like that, we definitely knew that something more aerodynamic was in order. We'd seen some very nice tarp arrangements on the campground, so once paddling was crossed off the list of possible activities for the day (unfortunately AFTER I'd stuffed myself with a huge storm-paddle breakfast), the very next move was a visit to the hardware store for the biggest tarp they had in stock -- then back to base camp for a little remodeling!

(click here for bigger slideshow)

Cold Water Kayaking Season !!!

Summer's end is near and cooler air is here to stay.

Looking forward to frozen digits and fire side chat. Here is a warm up video from the Northwest. See seals surf!

Dutch Leeboard Sailboats

This Weekend is the last chance to see the Dutch Festival. Go to http://www.ny400.org/
for more info. Remember, Paedergat and all our surroundings are influenced by the Dutch. A fleet of Dutch traditional leeboard vessels of all sorts-low slung skutsjes, fishing boats (Botters, Lemmeraken and Hoogaarsen) and barges (Tjalken en Ponen)-the direct descendants of the vessels that sailed the Dutch coast and around Manhattan in the 17th century, will sail into New York Harbor.

Friday's Conditions, or Why We Went Bowling.

Not the best kayaking day ever. Note the airborne sand flowing low along the beach.

Heck With Kayaking. Introducing the Sebago Bowling Team!

Hubert!

Seabreeze!


Ethel!


Coach!

Stretch!

Low Pressure!

Slinger!

Bubbles!

It was a touch on the windy side for our original plans (and we had 2 of those) for Day 1, Year 3 of the 5 Years Around Long Island paddles. As John H. put it on one of his Twitter post, we went to Plan C.

That's all I have time for now, got a bag of wet, sandy gear festering in the foyer. Glad I decided to take today off. Check out John's Twitter for a nutshell report. Don't miss the dolphins!

Gatecrasher

April 10th, 2009:

From The Old Dock, and Opening Day 2009 (New Dock Dedication)

September 5th, 2009


We lost our gate to an accident yesterday afternoon at 4:00 pm.

As I heard, when I arrived at the club at 7 for the full moon paddle, there was a car chase involved. The 2 cars sped down one of the nearby cross streets; the pursued driver went up on the sidewalk. 5 shots were fired by the pursuer. The pursued car crashed into our gate. The pursuer fled the scene. Our poor Officer of the Day was seated at the usual OOD table just inside the gate (doubtless enjoying a very nice day of what is normally one of the pleasantest ways to knock off a few hours of your work obligaation); fortunately she was unhurt & had the presence of mind to immediately call 911.

There were conflicting rumours last night as to the outcome for the driver of the car that hit our gate, but the last I'd heard, it sounds as though our gate was the only actual fatality.

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.

New NY State Lifejacket Law.

New NY State Lifejacket Law

Just In, Fresh off the AP wire, via NYCKayaker.


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> New York has become the first state to require life jackets for everyone in all small pleasure craft during the six coldest months of the year, when capsized boaters drown faster in chilly water.
>
>ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- New York has become the first state to require life jackets for everyone in all small pleasure craft during the six coldest months of the year, when capsized boaters drown faster in chilly water.
>
>Starting Nov. 1, kayakers, canoeists and all those aboard motorboats under 21 feet must wear Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices while on lakes, the ocean or other waterways.
>
>The rule remains in effect through May 1. Violators will face fines ranging from $100 to $250.
>
>Similar measures apply to canoes and kayaks in Massachusetts and to all manually propelled vessels, including rowboats, in Connecticut.
>
>Falling into cold water can trigger shock, disorientation or gasping and inhaling water. Immersion can lead to hypothermia and passing out.
>
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August 30, 2009 Long Distance Paddle

Ten padlers embarked on a long distance paddle last Sunday. Ten returned!

We had one intentional roll, one unintentional capsize, saw birds, were blasted the sounds of motorcycles and jet skis, enjoyed SOME peace and quiet, paddled through some exciting waves and wakes, and thoroughly enjoyed an afternoon of great paddling and fellowship.

It was a nearly perfect day led by Bonnie and assisted by Phil. See more photos from the trip and read more about the day at my blog.