Kayaking Narragansett Bay, RI Memorial Day

[Warren]

I haven't gotten any pipe insulation yet, but I should be able to accommodate a kayak up top. If you have extra pipe insulation bring it, I'm not sure if I'll get to a hardware store.

As for clothes, I was thinking light long underwear. Uh, just how wet should one expect to get? Might there be a link handy for tide tables?

No comment on upper body tone.

 

[LauraM]

Donna:

Sounds good re: the boat. I'll keep trying to call you, hopefully we will talk wardrobe soon. Warren's idea is good, long underwear, polypro stuff that dries fast. Windproof shell, fleece. If it is warm, shorts and Tshirts. Bring a bunch of layers.

Warren, you shouldn't get too wet, your skirt will keep a lot of water out. Should be ok, but be ready to get your feet wet.

BTW, I wouldn't challege Donna to an arm wrestling match -- she is downplaying her upper body strength!

Freddy: I see you've been to Maine! I must say your Mars Hill characters are different from your Lubec characters -- potato farmers vs. lobstermen!! We will have to tell you the story of the Catskills characters, tho -- they top them all. Looking forward to meeting you this weekend, sorry you couldn't make DP.

Darren: We may kayak in your neck of the woods on Sunday, if that is ok -- thought we would take a group consensus on Sat. Now that Donna has her own boat, it doesn't matter as much, we'll only need one of your boats. Gee, that beach looks gorgeous, can't wait to be there!! I told Donna I would call her and tell her where to find us on Sunday.

Can't wait 'til the weekend!! Laura

 

[swamp]

Hey Warren,
This is the site we use at work for tide info:
http://www.maineharbors.com/

 

[TomEske]

Warren, you shouldn't get too wet, your skirt will keep a lot of water out.

Must be a long skirt.
Could somebody please get a picture of Warren in a skirt?

I know what you meant Laura, but it is early and I am still working on my first cup of coffee. That line just struck me. You can't imagine the picture that jumped into my head.
You guys have a fantastic time this weekend. I've finally secured transportation from Pediger Rd. to Spruceton for our start of the DP so I am very happy to be able to do the whole thing this weekend. I'll tell WR's 1+2 that y'all said hello.
Happy Kyaking,
Tom

 

[Jay H]

Wait til you see Warren in a pink and orange PFD, Tom!!!

Warren, I have some pipe insulation but it is all cut up. I use it on my bicycles when I ship them or bring them on planes.. But we could put them together, I don't think they will shift as long as the yak is tied down enough... I'll bring all of them anyway. Pipe insulation is cheap, if I remember, something like $3 for a 10ft stick or so....

P.S. I just checked the weather for Exeter, RI, it looks to be relatively cold... highs in the mid 60s to low 70s which means the ocean should be a bit colder. Nights might get a bit nippy.

I am bringing some gas, my Whisperlite for food, so on Friday night, I can boil water as much as you need I think for all of you that arrive later than me.

I'm also trying to bring just bread and some peanut butter&jelly to make sandwiches for lunch. Not sure what you folks plan on doing for lunch, we might be out on the seas then or if we go to Dutch island, we can eat on the island somewhere... I should have plenty of space in my drybag to store everybody's lunch and I'm sure Laura and Darren have drybags too..

I have no maps, I will bring my handheld compass. If we need some kind of nav. I guess Darren and Laura are the ones to follow. I will bring my GPS for the hell of it... it's small..

Don't forget the sunscreen too...

Jay

 

[Jay H]

Directions! Here is the directions I have gotten via a Google and mapquest.. I hope the maps work:

I'm using this website for directions:

http://www.ricampgrounds.com/Peeper_Pond.htm

I checked it out via mapquest, for Warren and Freddy coming from I-95, mapquest seems to confirm the directions, including the exit 3A off I-95North onto RT138 East.

Rt 2 appears to be also called "S County Tri" on mapquest so be on the lookout for that street as well as Rt 2 north signs...

Rt 2/S. County Tri

Then you just make a left onto Mail Rd (opposite Liberty Rd and then a right onto Liberty Church Rd:


Liberty Church Rd

Then the pond is on the road .8 miles from Mail Rd.

Jay

 

[swamp]

Just to help with the directions, once you get off 95 at exit 3A you'll come to a red light right away(at McDonald's). Continue on and at the next red light (7 or 8 miles) take a left. That's route 2. 3 or so miles up Rt 2 you'll find Mail Rd. on the left (there's a fire station at the corner). The rest is pretty straight forward.

 

[Jay H]

Not sure how accurate Weather Underground's marine forecast, but it is saying the waters are around now 51degF

http://www.weatherunderground.com/MAR/AN/236.html

However, they do say there is possibly a small craft advisory on Saturday.. 1-2 ft waves with winds at 20-25kts.

Water temp in Newport is 42deg however, that is from 4:47AM reading...

Have to see how much higher that goes...

Jay

 

[darren]

I went kayaking on the Cape with Stan and Eric yesterday and had a great time. Kayak Dan has a good point about wetsuits. I wore mine yesterday. This has been another lousy spring and the water is still very cold. It is around 50 degrees. At temps like that, you can get into trouble in a hurry if you fall in. Anyone that doesn't have a wetsuit should not go far from shore.

If there 20-25 knot winds on Sat, then we will probably have to paddle in protected water like Narrow river or somehting like that.

What time should I be at the campground on Sat AM?

Donna - my house is "out in the boonies" and you would have a easier time finding the campground, plus I'm about 45 minutes out of the way from the campground. If you dont feel like you can find the campground with the directions above, then let me know and I'll meet you near 95 or something like that.

- darren

 

[Jay H]

Saturday morning...

Thinking, perhaps 9am? I am a morning person, myself but I've heard silly little rumors that Warren isn't. By the time we eat breakfast and all that jazz, it'll probably be a wee bit before we can even get out with the kayaks and stuff. I'm not taking my kayak off my car so saturday it should be quicker to depart that way. Does that sound reasonable to others? Sound too early, too late, I'm flexible...

By the time we get to whereever we're going. I'm sure we can get a better forecast tonight to decide... We could possibly save Dutch island to Sunday, if that is feasable...

Do we have your phone number Darren, I don't think I ever got your phone number.... PM me and send it to me so if the weather changes or so, we could talk to you tonight...

Jay

 

[donna]

I'm planning on meeting everyone on Sunday AM before 8:00 at Peeper Pond Campground.

 

[Jay H]

Hey guys, just a short note to say thanks to Swamp and Darren for the local knowledge and the good time and food. I had a great time out on the water, even after getting capsized on Monday due to my own stupidity.

That's it... I am a flipbagger... Massachusetts...check!

I hope to have enough time tonight to try to download my pictures and post them somewhere..

Til next time...

Jay

 

[funkyfreddy]

It was great to meet Darren, Donna, Laura, and Swamp and join them plus Warren and Jay H on 2 interesting kayak trips - a learning experience for me for sure. 2 good days of kayaking, car camping, and meeting more VFTTer's. I really have to say a special thanks to Darren for letting me use his famous yellow sea kayak and giving me some good paddling tips.

Warren and I beat the traffic back to NYC on Monday for the most part and since then all hell has broken loose for me work wise..... oh well, I guess I can’t spend all of my days hiking or kayaking, can I? I can’t wait to see everyones pictures!

 

[Warren]

What an amazing time.

Thanks for the loan of kayak and accessories (Laura), the crash spot (Darren- sorry for leaving behind a trail of stuff) and navigator duties (Fred).

I was going to head to the NYC kayak club this weekend for a try on the Hudson, but it looks like I'm heading to the Whites this weekend.

Fred: We were very lucky. We were driving back with a cracked radiator, there was no coolant at all. That could have been fun...

 

[donna]

Had a fun time. Good meeting more VFTTers, Jay and Fred.

Darren, thanks for the kayak lessons...I learned a lot and really love it, can't wait to get back out there. And many thanks for sharing your beautiful home with us...I feel honored to have finally seen where the "brain" of VFTT resides (right smack on an awesome antique desk)...gotta love it.

Laura, thanks for the loan of the kayak.

Hope you guys post those pictures soon.

Let's kayak again real soon.

 

[LauraM]

Thanks, all, for a great time! So happy to meet Freddy and Swamp!

Yep, Jay and I are starting our flip-bagging list -- Mass. is done!

Looking forward to the next trip -- Freddy, you have to practice your rock, paper, scissors technique for our next match! Hope you and Jay have a wonderful full moon hike tonight.

Warren, great avatar!

Hope to see you all soon! Laura

 

[darren]

I had a great time everyone!!!! So glad we all got together. Sirloin kabobs, salmon, salad from the Metsky bowl, sunshine, great people, and some rescue training - couldn't be any better!

I haven't had time to post the pix or make avatars yet. I'll do it when I get back from NH. Although I might go for aquick paddle right after I get back....

- darren

 

[snowshoe]

Jay and Laura
We have to take you out on the Delaware by tri state rocks that way you can flip your boat once and you will have bagged PA, NY and NJ.

 

[Jay H]

Now, if I flip on purpose, does it count on the list????? Maybe we should contact the AMC for this, they seem to like making obscure rules.

Anyway, I made my own paddle leash two minutes ago. Bought about 2' of bungee material and took a 'biner and tied a slipknot on one end and the other end to the 'biner and voila. instant leash...

Freddy and I had a pretty good full moon hike tonight although at first it looked to be kind of partially cloudy but by midnight the moon was out. We camped off the Long Path in Harriman State Park, near an old Civil War cemetary and around 10pm we hiked up an old mine road to Lake Welch and sat on the lifeguard's tower on the beach til about midnight. It was pretty warm out. I've got a couple pictures but I hope to get my RI pictures up soon...

Fred had some studio work to do Friday so we didn't really go on a long hike then, but the full moon hike was fun.

BTW, July 2nd is the next full moon hike... Which might become a full moon kayak!

Jay

 

[LauraM]

Snowshoe:

Aren't you sweet, thinking of ways I can embarrass myself in 3 states!!

Laura