spider solo
New member
Crow Island Casco Bay, Maine
..and the telling of the tale...
I had signed on with some others for a winter camping trip for March 23,24. As fate would have it big winds were forecast for launch day and a small craft warning put that prospect to rest.
I realized if I were patient I would get my "window of opportunity" if I waited a day and waited for the winds to modify a bit.
Sunday turned out to be a beautiful day, I have a picture or two I hope to post showing the
set up for the trip.
I made a kit of a pair of snowshoes and a hikers snow shovel and lashed the kit to the boat.
In a moment of inspiration I remembered to also bring the plastic sled I use for hauling wood to the house.
Snow is our friend.
At the launch I unloaded the kayak put it on the snow and walked it down to the water with a leash.
It worked great..next I took out the sled loaded all my gear onto it and slid that also down to the water.
I loved it... wish it was always that easy !!
Sundays paddle was fine the wind was picking up just as I launched but it was moderate and the seas were friendly for the most part. The water was a bit "jittery" passing Chebeague Point but nothing to traumatic.
Crow Island
Ever friendly, I could tell winter was rough on it, looked like I had been the 1st in a while, patches of snow but not enough for the snowshoes, which was fine, I pitched the tent on a nice grassy spot under the Oak trees.
Spent a leisurely day soaking up the sun and staying out of the wind.
It's almost a full moon. I love moonlight in the winter. The moon rose just as the sun set filling the evening with soft moonlight shadows and light. Gorgeous sunset and moonrise, I was a spoiled puppy indeed.
Monday morn and I was awake at 4 am procrastinated till 5 am. Up and at it.. I shoved off at 6:30 am.
Headed down to Little Chebeague, which I had only seen as a sand bar a few years back. Only made a brief visit saving my time and energy for the rest of the paddle.
All and all an excellent outing !!
here are a couple of pictures of getting the kit ready
https://picasaweb.google.com/102620...Prep?feat=email#slideshow/5859434571771871474
and here is the SPOT message from there. it is the same message if I travel solo or not unless I change it at home before the trip
http://www.findmespot.com/mylocation/?id=BVIZy/43.72987N/70.10336W
if this gets moved to trip reports that's ok, but figure it's mostly of interest for those of us who paddle...
..and the telling of the tale...
I had signed on with some others for a winter camping trip for March 23,24. As fate would have it big winds were forecast for launch day and a small craft warning put that prospect to rest.
I realized if I were patient I would get my "window of opportunity" if I waited a day and waited for the winds to modify a bit.
Sunday turned out to be a beautiful day, I have a picture or two I hope to post showing the
set up for the trip.
I made a kit of a pair of snowshoes and a hikers snow shovel and lashed the kit to the boat.
In a moment of inspiration I remembered to also bring the plastic sled I use for hauling wood to the house.
Snow is our friend.
At the launch I unloaded the kayak put it on the snow and walked it down to the water with a leash.
It worked great..next I took out the sled loaded all my gear onto it and slid that also down to the water.
I loved it... wish it was always that easy !!
Sundays paddle was fine the wind was picking up just as I launched but it was moderate and the seas were friendly for the most part. The water was a bit "jittery" passing Chebeague Point but nothing to traumatic.
Crow Island
Ever friendly, I could tell winter was rough on it, looked like I had been the 1st in a while, patches of snow but not enough for the snowshoes, which was fine, I pitched the tent on a nice grassy spot under the Oak trees.
Spent a leisurely day soaking up the sun and staying out of the wind.
It's almost a full moon. I love moonlight in the winter. The moon rose just as the sun set filling the evening with soft moonlight shadows and light. Gorgeous sunset and moonrise, I was a spoiled puppy indeed.
Monday morn and I was awake at 4 am procrastinated till 5 am. Up and at it.. I shoved off at 6:30 am.
Headed down to Little Chebeague, which I had only seen as a sand bar a few years back. Only made a brief visit saving my time and energy for the rest of the paddle.
All and all an excellent outing !!
here are a couple of pictures of getting the kit ready
https://picasaweb.google.com/102620...Prep?feat=email#slideshow/5859434571771871474
and here is the SPOT message from there. it is the same message if I travel solo or not unless I change it at home before the trip
http://www.findmespot.com/mylocation/?id=BVIZy/43.72987N/70.10336W
if this gets moved to trip reports that's ok, but figure it's mostly of interest for those of us who paddle...
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