SEATTLE — The Coast Guard urges the public to be prepared when operating a paddle craft on the water as summer kicks off across the Pacific Northwest.
As stay-at-home restrictions are eased and air temperatures rise, in our rush to get outside and enjoy the beautiful Pacific Northwest, it is easy to forget that water temperatures remain dangerously cold.
However, there are some easy steps that you can take to ensure your own safety while recreating on the water. In the U.S., an estimated 130 people die annually while kayaking or canoeing; 90% of those deaths as a result of drowning.
Factors that contributed most to these fatal accidents were: failure to wear a life jacket, operator inattention or inexperience, alcohol and drug use, hazardous waters, weather conditions, and navigation rule violations. Don’t forget: life jackets are required by law to be on all vessels, including kayaks, canoes and paddleboards.
Below are steps you can take to ensure a fun time out on the water and make it home safely.
File a ‘Float Plan’ – Before you leave, create a plan and let someone staying behind know your itinerary. The plan should include the contact information for all individuals going out, the intended route, and what to do in case of emergency or non-arrival at the estimated return time.
Check the weather – The weather can change quickly and is often a leading cause of getting into trouble. Prior to departure, check the weather for current and forecasted conditions. This should include understanding how different weather conditions, tides, and currents will affect your waterway and craft.
Wear a Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device – Personal Flotation Devices save lives, if they fit and you wear them. In many incidents, life jackets were onboard but not worn; and once you are in the water it may be too late to put one on or adjust it, as cold-water shock is a deadly and ever-present threat in the Pacific Northwest. A highly visible PFD, with reflective tape, will assist mariners in seeing an individual and increases the chances of being found by a search team if the need arises. To further reduce the risk of hypothermia and cold-water shock, it is advisable to dress to the water temperature – not the air temperature – by wearing a dry suit, wet suit, or other synthetic materials (not cotton).
Label your paddle craft – A label allows responders to confirm if someone is actually in trouble and collect information to help search efforts. A simple label with a name, contact information, and alternate contact number written in waterproof ink or paint can drastically reduce search times; in addition to ensuring the return of any wayward watercraft to its owner.
Go with a friend – Two people allow one to help the other in case of emergency, and allows for that critical call for help to initiate a search and rescue response if the need arises.
Waterproof communication devices – This could be something as simple as a whistle, air horn, or cell phone in a waterproof case, to flares, a handheld VHF radio, or a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) with proper registration. These devices will allow you to alert mariners in the immediate vicinity or send an alert to the Coast Guard.
Avoid Alcohol and Drugs – Boating under the influence is ILLEGAL. This applies to all boats including kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, rowboats, and inflatable fishing rafts. The use of alcohol or drugs while operating any vessel is unsafe and impairs judgement, motor skills, situational awareness, and can hasten onset of hypothermia.
These simple steps can ensure you are prepared to enjoy the water safely and responsibly. -USCG-
Maine Island Trail challenges boaters to clean Maine’s wild islands
One of Maine’s most unique recreational assets is the Maine Island Trail. Consisting of over 240 islands and coastal properties, the Trail has grown over 32 years thanks in large part to the volunteer stewardship of its mostly privately-owned, uninhabited islands. It is this work that compels many island owners to be part of the Trail, allowing visitors for daytime recreation or overnight camping. What started as a simple, grassroots agreement between island owners and visitors willing to lend a hand has gradually become more organized. A program of Island Adopters came first, eventually followed by a corps of some 30 volunteer Monitor Skippers who bring groups of volunteers to the islands using the organization’s ubiquitous red skiffs. As a result, groups of volunteers working on the islands together has been the image of the Maine Island Trail Association (MITA) for 20 years.
In this Coronavirus season, however, group-based activities may not be possible. Instead, MITA will rely heavily on individuals to conduct stewardship work using their own boats. The organization is asking its 6,900 members, and anyone else who is so inclined, to clean up the islands and report their activities via a simple web form. They have dubbed this effort “A Call to Oars!”
“The idea is to turn this challenging situation of Coronavirus on its head,” says Program Director Brian Marcaurelle. “In response to social distancing rules, MITA will go back to our roots and empower individuals to do rewarding volunteer work on their own boats and schedules.”
The request is a simple one. Participants will download the Maine Island Trail App, visit islands where they can do so safely, carry trash off, and send a brief web-based report back to MITA at MITA.org/report.
“This is an important undertaking,” notes MITA Executive Director, Doug Welch. “Between our large-group cleanups and small-group outings, MITA logged over 2,300 hours of group-based volunteerism last year. We cannot afford for that effort to just disappear in 2020. We have islands to keep clean and owners to keep happy in order for the Trail to continue to succeed.”
The staff is cautiously optimistic that the combination of boaters’ pent-up energy with warm weather will result in smooth sailing for the program. “MITA is composed of can-do folks who love a challenge and an excuse to go boating,” Marcaurelle notes. “And we as a population are eager for safe, refreshing outdoor experiences. So we hope that whether they sail, power, or paddle, all Maine boaters will be part of A Call to Oars!”
Spanning some of the world’s greatest cruising grounds, the Maine Island Trail is a 375-mile water trail for small boaters extending from the New Hampshire border to Canada. An “only in Maine” phenomenon, the Trail is based on handshake agreements with land-owners who share a common commitment to coastal access. From an original 30 islands in 1988, the Trail has grown to include over 230 islands and mainland sites open for daytime and overnight recreational use along the entire coast of Maine.
The Maine Island Trail Association (“MITA”) is a 6,900-member organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the wild islands of Maine. Through 32 years of community-building, stewardship and education, the organization developed America’s first recreational water trail and a model of sustainable recreation. True to its grass roots, MITA combines a hands-on approach to caring for the islands with modern efforts to engage younger people. In addition to its traditional media products, and a new MITA App, it created Maine Island Trail Ale, brewed by Rising Tide Brewery in Portland. MITA members enjoy access to Trail properties for day use or overnight visits in return for observing low-impact techniques and guidelines. More information is available by contacting MITA at 207-761-8225, emailing info@mita.org or visiting www.mita.org
In the hopes of getting customers on the water sooner than later, many questions are arising about how outfitters can best operate in the COVID-19 climate. One of the most pressing questions is, “How do we increase gear cleaning measures to keep our customers safe?” Cleanliness has always been the goal, but it’s more important now than ever.
How to clean PFDs between uses is one of the most common inquiries we have received. So, we did some research, and here is our recommendation: use soap and water.
For cleaning, soap and water has proven to be both basically safe for the product and effective in killing viruses due to the amphiphiles (fats) in the soap. No need to overspend—any inexpensive non-detergent soap can stop a virus (which is why hand washing is the number one way to stop the spread). The fats in soap dissolve the protein of the virus outer layer and destroy the bond it has with the host, rendering it harmless. This is the same principle in washing clothes to remove viruses or dirt.
In addition to this information, NRS has put together a basic guide to cleaning gear to protect your customers. We wanted to share this information in hopes that it helps answer any questions you may have and get you back on the water as soon as possible.
Every year we wait for that special time in spring when the Maine Island Trail Assn. announces that it is shipping the new Trail Guidebook. That time has arrived.
Here is how Maine kayaker and ACK Contributor Peter Jones describes the pleasures of this Guidebook, a must-have for anyone who paddles the Maine coast.
“Each Spring, the Maine Island Trail Association (MITA) issues its annual updated guide to the Maine Island Trail, a 375-mile coastal waterway that spans the entire coast of Maine extending from Portsmouth Harbor in the south to Cobscook Bay on the Canadian border. Self-described as a ‘water trail created, protected, and enjoyed by people who love the coast of Maine’ and modeled loosely on land trails like the Appalachian Trail, the Trail was conceived in the late 1970s and is the pre-eminent water trail of its type. It has since has become a poster child for other water trails in the United States.”
There are over 3,000 islands off the Maine coast, as well as thousands of rocky ledges which are exposed at low tide, and the Maine Island Trail connects over 200 of these islands as well as mainland sites which are available for day visits or overnight camping. The Guide provides a comprehensive description of all the sites as well as critical information on safe and responsible boating practices. Nearly all the islands on the Maine Island Trail are wild and undeveloped.
“The Guide is very much a ‘living’ book.’ New sites are added or removed each year, conservation practices and usage guidelines can and do change, so MITA recommends that boaters refer to the most recent version of the Guide.”
The way to receive the guidebook is by joining MITA. The members-only mobile app which contains everything found in the hardcover guide and then some is available in a more limited version to the general public.
Join MITA to receive your Guidebook and start planning your Trail adventures!
Peter Jones is the owner and principle guide at Driftwood Kayak and leads trips out of Stonington, Maine. You can reach Peter at www.driftwoodkayak.com.
A month ago, most ACA members were thinking about the upcoming Spring paddling season. Now, as we all live through a major global health crisis, things are quite different. COVID-19 has dramatically impacted our lives; the extent of that impact seems to grow and change daily. Access to waterways and outdoor recreation sites has been restricted. Stay at home orders have been issued for many states. Businesses, including those in the outdoor industry, have been forced to restrict activities or close completely. Healthcare systems are being overwhelmed. Even in areas without confirmed COVID-19 patients, healthcare workers struggle to obtain personal protective equipment and to deal with interruptions in healthcare supply chains.
These impacts will undoubtedly continue to grow. While it’s easy to feel helpless, there are many things we can do to help this crisis.
First, pay attention to guidelines issued by your local health department and by healthcare programs and experts such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. These agencies provide expert, up-to-date guidance on the medical and public health aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A key aspect of current information is that COVID-19 can be transmitted by subjects who have not developed symptoms. An infected person might not realize they’re infected and could unintentionally infect others. Social distancing guidelines – maintaining at least six feet (preferably more) between people, avoiding crowds of more than 10 people, and avoiding enclosed spaces (like cars during a shuttle situation) – are all intended to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Due to the fact that not everyone infected knows they’re infected, it’s important that everyone follow these guidelines.
Secondly, remember that when we paddle, we’re often visiting wilderness or rural areas with less healthcare resources than are found in more developed cities or regions. If you choose to visit these rural areas, remember to respect them. The last thing we as paddlers want to do is to overwhelm the healthcare systems in the areas we paddle. We might visit the hospital due to COVID-19 symptoms and concerns, but we also might have to go because of a paddling related injury. Both situations stress healthcare resources in remote areas. It is critical that we play our part in easing the strain on local emergency medical services, search & rescue teams, the U.S. Coast Guard and other response teams because their resources need to be focused elsewhere.
Instead of contributing to the problems and shortages the healthcare system is facing, we want to be seen as strong supporters of not only waterways but also the communities around them. The waterways will be there when this crisis ends. We need to be sure that we, as paddlers, have done what we can to be welcomed back the communities surrounding the waterways when the time is right.
Third, remember to follow your state and local stay at home orders, including closures of outdoor access points. These orders have been put in place in many states, counties and municipalities to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Staying at home reduces the risk of transmission and infection, and helps ensure that local healthcare systems are not overwhelmed. It’s an easy way to stay healthy so you can paddle after the crisis ends.
Based on current information, the ACA has cancelled or postponed all ACA-sponsored events until at least May 15. We recommend that all paddling clubs cancel or postpone large scheduled events for a similar time frame, while recognizing that time frame may need to be extended. The logistics of paddling while following current orders and recommendations are tough. Paddlers need to travel to the water alone and meet their group while maintaining proper distance at all times. Paddlers should paddle well below their ‘highest ability’ level to reduce the risk of injury or need for rescue. They need to take all precautions, including dressing for immersion and always wearing a life jacket.
All paddlers need to recognize that if they are injured, the local health system may not be able to care for them, a rescue or injury response team will bring a dozen first responders into proximity of the patient – the person being rescued will be exposed to dozens of people who have a much greater likelihood of having prior exposure, or injured persons may be placed in the ER in the proximity of a patient with COVID-19. If the activities associated with paddling make it impossible to respect the orders and distancing guidelines concerning COVID-19, it’s smarter to stay home and stay healthy. Many paddlers are seeing the bigger picture and choosing to stay home.
We all want to paddle and we all want to stay healthy. In the current crisis, it may be hard to do both. Given the choice, stay healthy so you and your friends and loved ones can safely paddle after the COVID-19 crisis ends.
This five day event features the East Coast’s finest sea kayaking and highlights a chance to try the amazing wooden kayaks by Nick Schade in the conditions they were designed for.
Hang a left down Route 1 from Ellsworth and the crowds dissipate, but you are navigating towards some of the finest kayaking on the east coast.
On the east side of Frenchman Bay, away from the bustle of Bar Harbor, lies a largely forgotten piece of Acadia National Park, Schoodic Point. Exposed to the open swell, with rugged rocky shorelines, steep storm racked cliffs and spectacular scenery, it is hard to imagine a finer body of water to explore in a sea kayak.
Under the expert leadership of experienced sea kayaking instructors and guides, you will discover why you love kayaking all over again. Nick Schade, Gerry Polinsky assisted by Barb Todd and Joey Schott, will lead you along amazing shore lines, across beautiful harbors and around spectacular islands where you can either bask in the glory of it all, or expand your skills, while exploring fantastic rock gardens, sea caves, slots and off shore ledges. With the five-day format, all paddlers will have the opportunity to experience the renowned Sullivan Reversing Falls (aka white water for sea kayaks).
An aspect unique to this event and well received in 2018 is the non-paddling participant program. Friends and significant others are welcome and there is plenty of local adventure to keep them occupied while you are on the water including spectacular hiking, trail biking (rentable bikes), art galleries, taking a ferry over to explore Acadia Park, shop in Bar Harborand, most fun, throwing rocks at paddlers from the scenic cliffs around the Schoodic Peninsula. There will be a good number of non-paddlers so it will be easy for them to find folks to adventure with.
This year’s event is a Monday to Friday affair. Given all this spectacular area has to offer, there will be options to add day(s) at the institute before or after the event proper to allow for local exploration.
New for 2019
We’ve expanded from a three-day to a five-day format, allowing more time to build progressively and giving paddlers an opportunity to jump between groups as they wish and is appropriate.
Off Water Activities
There will be more “off water” programming aimed at both paddlers and non-paddling participants featuring a night sky tutorial by Carl Tjerandsen, an avid amateur astronomer, and a Bar Harbor formal garden tour led by knowledgeable designer Eric Hansen – both participants at Schoodic Retreat 2018. Also, a naturalist presenting on the state’s bald eagle program and a casual step-by-step, super fun, art class where adult beverages meets the DIY world of art.
Joey will be running a rolling class that’s open to new rollers and those looking to refine their skills.
Boat Swap
Nick and Gerry are most excited to hold a park-and-play day for the entire group, held in a quiet bay adjoining the reversing falls, featuring a chance for everyone to try out Nick’s Guillemot Kayaks boats. His designs are renowned for their open water performance and playful action. This is a rare and unique opportunity to experience Nick’s boats’ exceptional capacity in their intended environment.
Sea Kayaking
The Schoodic Retreat allows paddlers of various experience levels, from advanced beginner to advanced open water paddlers, and guided exploration of the fantastic surroundings and, to the degree individuals are interested, hone their rough water skills through individualized instruction. Participants will have the opportunity to paddle with “pods” of similarly experienced kayakers.
Pod 1 is geared to advanced beginners to open water paddling looking to play and explore in a fantastic setting. Skilled instructors will help you integrate your experiences into comfort on open water.
Pod 2 is for those that have more time in rough water. This is your opportunity to push your boundaries and expand your skills under the watchful eye of experienced instructors.
Pod 3 is a long leash, hard-charging, play opportunity and “top tips” style coaching appropriate to your goals and needs.
Our base of operations for the will be the Schoodic Institute. Originally created by John D. Rockefeller Jr. for the Navy so they wouldn’t ruin his vacation over in Bar Harbor, the site served as a Naval radio station and security listening post from 1933 until 2002. Surrounded by water and with easy walks to amazing ocean views and beautiful hiking trails through the woods, the Institute has a mission to advance ecosystem science and learning.
The institute features comfortable apartments and a hearty food service on site. The campus itself is beautiful with a historic brick main building, log cabin cafeteria featuring individual great rooms for dining, meandering foot paths and easy walking access to Schoodic Point. After a day on the water you will be able to get back and relax with a nice meal, and maybe a beautiful sunset before hitting a warm bed.
It is our goal to provide an enriching experience. Our hope is you return home energized by what you see, learn and do at this retreat. With coaching staff to provide a safe and instructional time on the water, a free-form journey of exploring, skills learning, and active water play will be the itinerary each day. We will provide individualized instruction as desired to improve your ability to appreciate the experience. We work to allow you to use the skills you have, and develop new skills while sea kayaking in awesome surroundings. And at the end of the day, enjoy a relaxing debrief over a nice meal and drink. There will be suitable challenges available for all levels of kayakers from simply learning to navigate across a harbor to practicing seal landings in surging rock gardens. This will be super fun and fruitful break from routine in a magnificent setting.
has been kayaking for over 40 years. He started designing and building high performance wooden sea kayaks over 30 years ago specifically to enjoy the waters and coastline of Frenchman Bay and Schoodic. Nick brings a rich knowledge of how kayaks work and how they interact with the natural environment.
Through his company Guillemot Kayaks, Nick has spread his passion for kayaking and making kayaks to thousands of boat builders worldwide. While beautiful, these kayaks are built to use. Over the years, he has found that he can make wooden kayaks that are lighter and stronger than standard production composite boats.
Nick will bring a selection of his high performance wooden kayaks for the weekend for people to test and abuse. This is a great opportunity to experience how a high performance wooden kayak handles in the exact environment they were designed for.
Nick is a largely self-taught kayaker who has been bringing paddlers of all levels out onto the water for decades. He has written articles on sea kayaking techniques for the late great Sea Kayaker Magazine. He is a registered Maine Guide because thats needed for this kind of thing, but he is doing this for the love of kayaking.
Coming from a background of winter mountaineering and guiding, Gerry embraces the high adventure potential in sea kayak coaching. He takes advantage of his local waters, frequently paddling in rocks, surf and races.
Gerry started Sea Sherpa Kayak in 2009 and has continued to focus on his own certifications which now include ACA L5 Advanced Open Water Instructor, BCU 5 Star Leader (now Advanced Sea Kayak Leader) and is a registered Maine Guide. He has completed multi day tours including the Bay Of Fundy, Baja, the entire outer coast of Vancouver Island and much of the Maine from mid coast to the Canadian border. His traveling instructional tour de force includes working on symposium and courses, all over the Northeast, Tybee Island, San Francisco, Baja and the Pacific Northwest.
Gerry prides himself on his coaching in active open water conditions, most especially, the work he has done introducing paddlers to their first taste of active paddling. He creates a drama free zone through an individualized approach and keeps the chest pounding to a minimum.
The Gerry & Nick Story:
Nick and Gerry having been frequent paddling partners in crime for the last decade: Rocks gardening, shore surf and working tide races. Their backgrounds couldn’t be more different with Nick entirely (and uniquely) self-taught while Gerry is more “classically” trained by other coaches and following a certification progression. Their approaches, to both paddling and presentation are simultaneously contradictory and complimentary.
Co-Coaches
Gerry and Nick are very excited to have recruited some very able paddlers to assist, instruct, coach and lead with us during the retreat.
Joey Schott got his start kayaking nearly twenty years ago while on vacation in Bar Harbor. He loved it so much that he started building kayaks as a hobby. In 2009 he became Sales Manager at Chesapeake Light Craft. It was Nick who introduced him to Rough Water Sea Kayaking and he has not been the same since.
In 2014 he branched out on his own by opening his shop, Turning Point Boatworks, specializing in custom builds of small boats in both wood and composite. (He is developing a composite Petrel Play!) He currently holds an ACA L4 Coastal kayaking instructor certification along with a rolling endorsement. He still considers himself a student of the sport, always learning and pushing his limits. With his experience at Chesapeake Light Craft Joey is very knowledgeable about wood kayaks. He will be bringing several kayaks from the CLC stable as well as his own work from Turning Point for participants to test paddle.
Barb Todd has been an active water paddler for over 15 years. Her kayak adventures have brought to Nova Scotia, Baja California, Wales UK and Iceland as well as many, many locations along the eastern seaboard from Florida through to the Canadian border.
As a coach, Barb has worked alongside some of the most highly accredited “water gods”. Events she has worked includes the Downeast Sea Kayak Symposium, the Mid Coast Rendezvous and the renowned Schoodic Retreat. She is a British Canoe Sea Kayak Leader, a Maine Guide – Sea Kayak and has taken discipline specific trainings in forward stroke, surf, rocks and ledges.
Barb is particularly good in leading sea kayakers in dynamic environments that they would otherwise find intimidating: Kind of a pied piper scenario. She loves paddling in active water and is happiest in current play.
Accommodations:
Schoodic Institute is located on Big Moose Island which forms the headlands of Schoodic Peninsula. This former Navy station had apartments for officers and families which now serve as comfortable accommodations for Institute guests.
The chefs at the Institute strive to cook with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Soups, dressings, sauces and baked goods are prepared from scratch daily.
Special Dietary needs: The chefs are happy to accommodate the allergies and dietary restriction of the guests.
Cost:
Paddler: Four days of paddling (or five if you are hardcore) plus room and board at the Schoodic Institute.
$1,350
Non-Paddler: Room and board at the Schoodic Institute in Acadia National Park plus access to off-the-water programming.
$800
The price includes on the water instruction and guiding by Registered Maine Guides, 5 nights and 5 days stay at Schoodic Institute, meals provided (Monday breakfast through Saturday breakfast, bag lunches during the day and hearty dinner at night with a Deluxe Dinner one night: option of lobster, steak or vegetarian). Arrive the afternoon of Sunday, September 15th to check in, on the water daily Monday through Friday and checking out Saturday the 21st. We can customize accomodations if desired, just ask.
The Coast Guard offers owners of kayaks and standup paddleboards, and other unregistered watercraft a free “If Found” sticker for their boat to help reduce the number of unnecessary search and rescues. Stickers provide room for the owner’s name and two phone numbers, written in waterproof marker.
BOSTON — First Coast Guard District response crews, from Maine to the Jersey shore, responded to 31 separate reports of unmanned and adrift paddlecraft during July 4 weekend.
Sector Northern New England crews responded to eight cases; six of the cases were suspended due to lack of information and two were resolved because the owner was found.
Sector Boston crews responded to 12 cases; seven of the cases were suspended due to lack of information and five were resolved because the owner was found.
Sector Southeastern New England crews responded to five cases; one was suspended due to lack of information and four were resolved because the owner was found.
Sector Long Island Sound crews responded to six cases and all were suspended due to lack of information.
“We search every time there is an unmanned and adrift paddlecraft found because we just don’t know if someone is missing or not,” said Brian Fleming, a search and rescue watchstander at Sector Boston. “Help us confirm your loved ones are not in distress by labeling and securing your paddlecraft.”
Approximately, $428,300 and about 450 man-hours were spent searching for unconfirmed persons in the water.
The Coast Guard reminds boaters to take precautions while on the water:
Wear your life jacket, it can save your life. Label your paddlecraft with contact information. You don’t need a sticker, just a permanent marker and some clear tape to protect the ink. Check to make sure it’s readable every time you go out. When you are done for the day, secure your paddlecraft well above the waterline in cases of high tide and strong wings. Tell someone where you are going and when you are going to return, so we have a good area to search if you go missing. Have a light for night paddling. Have a sound making device. Know your limits; paddle in safe areas under safe conditions. Planning and safe boating practices save lives, reduces responder fatigue, and minimizes the waste of tax-payer dollar on unnecessary searches. -USCG-
Each spring, the Maine Island Trail Association (MITA) issues its annual updated guide to the Maine Island Trail, a 375-mile coastal waterway that spans the entire coast of Maine extending from Portsmouth Harbor in the south to Cobscook Bay on the Canadian border. Self-described as a “water trail created, protected, and enjoyed by people who love the coast of Maine” and modeled loosely on land trails like the Appalachian Trail, the Trail was conceived in the late 1970s and is the pre-eminent water trail of its type. It has since has become a poster child for other water trails in the United States.
There are over 3,000 islands off the Maine coast, as well as thousands of rocky ledges which are exposed at low tide, and the Maine Island Trail connects over 200 of these islands as well as mainland sites which are available for day visits or overnight camping. The Guide provides a comprehensive description of all the sites as well as critical information on safe and responsible boating practices. Incidentally, nearly all the islands on the Maine Island Trail are wild and undeveloped.
The Guide is very much a “living’ book.” New sites are added or removed each year, conservation practices and usage guidelines can and do change, so MITA recommends that boaters refer to the most recent version of the Guide. The book divides the Maine coast into ten distinct geographic regions. For each region there’s an overview locator page that describes its general character, followed by one or more maps showing MITA sites and resources found within the region – for example in the Cobscook Bay region there are now eight sites. You can use the locator pages to identify where each trail site is in relation to other trail sites, launch sites, points of interest, etc. Following each locator page for that region are maps and detailed site descriptions that outline specific site usage guidelines such as where best to land a boat at low tide, where to place your tent and for how many campers, whether you might expect, for example, to see raccoons, mosquitos or a bald eagle.
At the front of the Guide are sections on Stewardship and Safety, topics which can often be dry and easily skimmed over, but a MITA publication is different. Obvious care has been taken to provide the information that you need but no more, and I for one, as a “summer kayaker” read these sections as a refresher each spring for “things you need to know” when taking small boats into coastal waters. MITA emphasizes both “low impact practices” to protect the natural integrity of the islands and also safety practices to reduce risks to boaters in a fun but high risk environment. What to do if you go overboard, how to interact with a seal you see on a rock ledge (don’t!), how to recognize plant species which are invasive in Maine – topics which are all succinctly covered here.
This year’s Guide is dedicated to the late Dave Getchell Sr., small boat captain, outdoor recreation writer, editor and cofounder of MITA and features a photo of Mr. Getchell on the front cover in the early days of the Maine Island trail. Also this year are two examples of newly added sites which illustrate the range of environments on the trail: Little Whaleboat Island in Casco Bay and Rodgers Island in Cobscook Bay. Little Whaleboat, “a cluster of islands linked by mud, sand and ledge” is owned by a Family Limited Partnership and is listed as having two camping sites for ten people in total. “Campfires permitted below high tide line…pets allowed on leash only.” About 200 miles to the northeast of Little Whaleboat, Rodgers was “bequeathed to the town of Lubec and…consists of two forested islands connected by a gravel bar. The bar is exposed at lower tides creating a single, slender island measuring roughly a half mile long. On the island one can often find songbirds and shorebirds and spot ospreys and eagles perched in the trees. Cobscook Bay has the highest density of nesting bald eagles in the northeastern United States…follow careful, low impact guidelines to minimize the potential for disturbance of birds and other wildlife. Please leave pets at home.”
MITA’s goal is to encourage conservationists and users of Maine’s coast to actively support the Trail and the Association through membership and the complete guide is therefore available to members of MITA but not to the general public in local bookstores or online. However, the members-only mobile app which contains everything found in the hardcover guide and then some is available, in a more limited version, to the general public.
The Maine Island Trail Guide is an indispensable and inspirational guidebook for all recreational paddlers, sailors, rowers and those moving under power in small boats on the Maine coast and coastal islands. And not just that – it makes for great bedside reading!
Peter Jones is the owner and principle guide at Driftwood Kayak and leads one-day and multi-day trips out of Stonington, Maine. Peter spent his childhood in Wales where he built his first kayak at his high school “canoe club.” He is a registered Maine Guide, a former American Canoe Assn. Instructor and a certified Wilderness First Responder. Peter and his wife, Christine, a children’s author, live in Gloucester, Mass., and Deer Isle, Maine. You can reach Peter at www.driftwoodkayak.com.
Many of us older kayakers are having various senior setbacks. But we all love kayaking and won’t let those stop us. We know the benefits: low impact; connect with others; get out in nature; intellectual stimulation involving navigation skills and tide charts.
Here are ten tips worth reconsidering to make kayaking easy on us.
1. Go light. Lifting a kayak on and off cars or the beach can strain your back. Light kayaks made of carbon fiberglass material can be well worth the investment. More kayak manufacturers, recognizing the needs of the older paddler, are reducing weight using various materials. Aim for a boat 35 pounds or less. Consider a wood kayak, which is light, durable, lively, and lovely to look at.
2. Invest in a good paddle for ease of swing weight. Again carbon light materials can be expensive but well worth the price, and wood is a good option. Consider a Greenland paddle. It has a longer and narrower blade that lessens the upload on your arms and shoulders.
3. Lifting your kayak on and off a car, especially as a solo paddler, can be onerous. Thule makes something called a Hullavator, a mobile rack that allows you to load the kayak at waist level on the side of the car, then lifts it onto a rack on top of the car. A strut device eases most of the kayak’s weight.
4. Most kayak accidents occur on land, on rocky shores where you may slip on seaweed. Always step in between the rocks, not on top of them.
5. A kayak cart removes the need to haul on your shoulders. You can even rig up a cart to a bike to get your boat to the water. If you ever go to the Adirondacks, where portaging from one pond to another is de rigeur, you will see seniors everywhere using kayak carts. Strap them to the back of your kayak when not in use, or stow them in the rear hatch. Nothing says portage better than kayak cart.
6. The usual kayak safety planning is even more important as you get older. File a float plan with a family member or friend. That indicates your proposed route, time of return, and a description of your kayak. Other useful (and in some cases mandatory) items: a weather radio to indicate wind force and direction; cell phone in waterproof case or hand-held VHF; a pfd (personal flotation device); whistle; and a wetsuit or drysuit if you are paddling in cold water. Hypothermia from cold water immersion is one of the kayaker’s biggest challenges.
7. Carry a tow rope, so you can tow the grandkids in their kayaks back to shore if they get tired, or so they can tow you! Towing is a remarkably easy way to assist someone back to shore.
8. In the off season, lift light weights to keep shoulders and arms strong. Or check out the spring training session in our April issue.
9. Do yoga to assist in balance and flexibility, especially key for getting in and out of your kayak.
10. It’s best to venture out in less traffic. Avoid busy summer weekends when motorboat and Jet Ski traffic is at its most frantic… and noisy. Go early in the morning, when the water is tranquil, and the world is yours.
Metrophobia is the winner of Best Sea Kayaking Film for 2019.
The Paddling Film Festival is now underway at a local kayak shop near you. It presents some of the best paddling films made throughout the world and includes rivers, lakes, oceans, risk takers, wanderers, lifestyle, wild places, adventure, from Greenland to Nepal to Alaska.
Rapid Media, a Canadian paddlesports publishing outfit based in Ontario, has presented the Festival since 2006, inspired by the Banff Festival of Mountain Films. The Film Festival committee has selected a shortlist of 26 films to be shown. Contact the retailers below for times.
Next viewing is March 19 at the Kayak Centre in Wickford, R.I. at 7 p.m. Admission is $12 online/$15 at the show, sponsored by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT). Here’s the schedule for the Atlantic Coast:
March 20: Buffalo Paddleworks, Buffalo, N.Y.
March 30: Cross Currents Sea Kayaking, Baltimore, MD
March 30: Recreation and Leisure Studies Dept. Ithaca College, N.Y.
March 31: The Villages Canoe & Kayak Club, The Villages, Fla.
April 3: Mountainman Outdoor Supply, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
April 6: Headwaters Outfitters, Brevard, N.C.
April 9: Rivanna River Co., Charlottesville, Va.
April 11: Conn. Sea Kayakers Assn. (ConnYak), Branford, Ct.
April 11: Epic Sports, Bangor, Maine hosted by NFCT
April 11: REI, Framingham, Mass., hosted by NFCT
April 13: Susquehanna Greenway Partnership, Williamsport, Penn.
April 17: Contoocook River Canoe Co., Concord, Mass. Hosted by NFTC
April 25: St. Lawrence Valley Paddlers, Canton, N.Y.
April 25: Outdoor Gear Exchange, Burlington, Vt.
April 27: Outcast Paddlers, Pittsburgh, Penn.
April 27: Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Lake Placid, N.Y.
April 28: Westbrook Supply Co./Narcisse & Assocs., Sandy Springs, Ga.
April 28: The Don CeSar, Saint Pete Beach, Fla.
April 28: Get: Outdoors Paddlesports, Greensboro, N.C.
May 1: Waynesboro Parks and Recreation, Waynesboro, Va.
May 3: TenneSEA Kids 4 Clean Water and Tennessee Valley Canoe Club, Chattanooga, Tenn.
May 31: LL Bean, Freeport, Maine
June 29: Wilderness Voyageurs with the Yough Riverkeeper, Ohiopyel, Penn.
Aug. 18: Wander North Georgia, Clayton, Ga.
Go to www.paddlingfilmfestival.com for more information.
