ACK September 2019

The Editor Goes On About This And That

After many years of wishful thinking, Tammy and I planned a whirlwind visit to Scotland at the end of August. Kevin Mansell's article about kayaking the island of Jura that issue made it clear that kayaking possibilities was a subject we needed to look into.

Paddle Florida trips, Everglades entry fee changes, MITA fall cleanups, and more.

Read the latest coast guard news as it relates to kayakers and SUPers from USCG command sectors across the country.

Five Days, Five Paddles in the Adirondacks

By Tamsin Venn

Paddle the New Great Glen Canoe Trail in Scotland

By Tamsin Venn. Photos by David Eden.

One of the four locks dropping the River Oich into Loch Ness.

Paddling Canada’s Rideau Canal National Park

By Ralph Heimlich

The Frayed Atlantic Edge:
A Historian’s Journey from Shetland to the Channel

by David Gange

Review by Peter Jones

Review of the GearLab Carbon Fiber Greenland-Style Paddles

by David Eden

Find incredible deals or post your own gear for sale.

Klassified ads for personally-owned gear are free to subscribers; $0.25 per word, per issue for all others. Photos are $5 each. We will run your ad for two issues. Deadline for ad submission is the first of the month before the issue of publication. NOTE: If seller is advertising more than one item, contact info is after the LAST item.

Grimpoteuthis is a genus of pelagic umbrella octopuses known as the dumbo octopuses. The name "dumbo" originates from their resemblance to the title character of Disney's 1941 film Dumbo, having a prominent ear-like fin which extends from the mantle above each eye. There are 13 species recognized in the genus. Prey include crustaceans, bivalves, worms and copepods. The average life span of various Grimpoteuthis species is 3 to 5 years.

Most species of Grimpoteuthis live at depths of at least 3,000 to 4,000 metres (9,800 to 13,100 ft) with some living up to 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) below sea level, which is the deepest of any known octopus. They are some of the rarest of the Octopoda species though they occur worldwide including in the waters of New Zealand, Australia, Monterey Bay, Oregon, Philippines, Martha's Vineyard, Papua New Guinea, and Azores. The largest dumbo octopus ever recorded was 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) in length and weighed 5.9 kilograms (13 lb).[4] The average size for most species is 20–30 centimetres (7.9–12 in) in length. The average weight is still undetermined.