A Kayak Trolley that Works (but isn't perfect)

For the times that you're paddling solo, carts are super helpful.  This is the best kayak cart/trolley I've found for general use. It's not perfect, but it works. (See photos).

I've owned a number of kayak transport carts in the past. I had a folding kind with large inflatable wheels placed close to the center of the boat which was great for travelling over a long distance - most of the boat's weight is placed on the cart so it's nearly effortless to pull.  But over rough terrain or when going over sidewalk curbs, these foldable carts are prone to collapsing - bam, you come to a grinding halt. I've tried straps, rope, placement on either side of the cockpit to minimize the collapsing - at some point the cart will collapse no matter what you do (if someone has a magic solution I'm all ears).  Similar carts that are non-folding made of a one-piece metal frame won't collapse but are bulky and some cost over $100.  I had a very small stern-mounted cart that came with only one cross strap. I was able to hook the strap under my deck lines to minimize the risk of it slipping around but it wasn't bomb-proof. It was so small I could fit it in my day hatch, but it wasn't big enough to go over rocky terrain.  At one point I even resorted to using a modified boogie-board that I carved into a narrow "sled", which worked great, was incredibly light weight, and could be stored in the boat - until it disintegrated from being dragged across the rocks/pavement too many times.

This cart - the Quantum Engineering Stern Wheels Cart -  is available from REI (haven't seen it for sale elsewhere).  It is a stern or bow mounted cart, so the boat is a heavier carry than with some carts.  But the key (KEY!) is that it has two straps and a hook that grabs the cockpit coaming. It WILL NOT slip off while you're pulling the boat no matter what terrain you traverse and no matter what direction (pushing or pulling the boat) you're moving.  FINALLY, a cart that stays on no matter what.  It also has quick-release buckles on both straps so it is installed and removed quickly.  AND (ta da), the entire cart fits in a 10" Romany hatch if you squeeze it a bit. No folding or dismantling.

There are definitely things to improve on this cart.  It's shape is one, the rounded base appears made for the central keel of plastic, recreational sit-on-top kayaks - it doesn't fit well on the hull of a typical sea kayak. Plus the cart should only cost $40 or so, but costs $80 - way more than it should. The wheels are on a narrow axle and are small/hard so it doesn't roll efficiently - you're dragging the boat more than rolling it easily.  So long transports would be tough. But it works for shorter distances and won't come off!

Pros:

- Won't Slip Off!

- Easy to install and remove - quick release buckles
- No need to inflate tires (hard rubber).
- Fits in 10" hatch
- Few bits to rust - mostly plastic

Cons:

- pulling boat is more effort than center-mounted carts
- round shape of base does not fit sea kayak hulls nicely

- expensive for what you get
- wheels are small, narrow, and hard

Extra Thought:  These days, when paddling in a group I try to offer and ask for a hand to move boats from the cars to the launch.  After years of huffing it myself, some back issues made double-carries a wise plan and this was drilled home to me when I worked for Atlantic Kayak Tours.  We staffed many trips and hauled many boats so it was essential really to have two-people-per boat. No shame in asking for a hand.  Also, I've never owned a carbon/kevlar boat and have tended to own heavy-layup British boats that seem to be a few pounds heavier then their American counterparts. For solo paddling, I decided at some point that I'd had enough wear-and-tear on my body - so moved to using carts as often as I can.   

Bring Back the Crying Indian! – Mamaroneck River “floatables” – Saxon Woods Park

Plastic Bottles on shore of Mamaroneck River, NY - 10.5.11

I took a hike along the newly cleared floodplain of the Mamaroneck River this week – hurricane Irene and the subsequent storms really re-oriented the latticework of stream courses. Interesting to see how an urban stream can move sediment around. New piles of sand on the banks, all the invasive porcelainberry knocked back and moved out (at least until next spring). If I had a little WW kayak I’d poke around here – it’s the biggest “river” close to my home and seems to have enough flow to struggle downstream past shallow spots in a plastic boat.

But what really got me was the piles of plastic bottles everywhere – “floatables” in the parlance of stormwater engineers. I’m amazed how so many people just throw trash on the sidewalks these days, 40+ years after the first Earth Day. It all gets washed down the stormdrains and ends up on our stream shores and coastal shores. I’ve been to areas by the mouth of the Hutchinson River that have layers of plastic bottles several feet thick – the streambank stratification that forms by the accretion of sediment is now using plastic refuse to “build” the streambank! Pretty sickening.

Mamaroneck River Floodplain 10.5.11

 
 
 
 
At these times I just wonder whatever happened to the old “Keep American Beautiful” commercial that had the Crying Indian riding his horse and seeing people throw trash along the highway and paddling his canoe and looking at all the riverbank garbage. As a child, I know this had a profound affect on me and many of my peers. It enlightened us, shamed us, and stopped us from becoming litterers ourselves. In my opinion, if you show these things to kids when they’re young, it can make a real, lifelong difference in their behavior. How many thousands/millions of American kids saw that commercial and came to learn that littering is bad? Think of how much littering was prevented by the commercial in shear tons of garbage. And just think how inexpensive that ad was considering the many people it affected – probably the single most cost-effective anti-pollution measure of all time.

But they no longer show the commercial on TV and haven’t replaced it with something similar - now several generations of kids have grown up without the shame they should feel in littering. Not long ago a young man pulled up at a red light in front of me, opened his car door, placed his soda can on the ground carefully, then sped away at the green light leaving his empty can upright in the middle of the road! In the parking lot next to my apartment I witnessed another young guy dumping the contents of several fast food runs from his car onto the ground and he was within 20 feet of a garbage can!!

Bring back the Crying Indian before it’s too late – we need him again.

Surfing in the Fog - 3 Day Surf Kayak Instruction - New Hampshire, Sept. 2011

Surf was smallish but NH coast beach was very nice, gradual slope at low tide provided gradual spilling waves and  nature all around - lush beach grass on the dune with beach heather behind. We spent 3 days working on skills that were largely new to me - especially in these flat-bottomed boats.  Combination of emotions during the learning process - excitement, frustration, glimpses of realization, and occasional fear.



Blackpoll Warbler landed on us out of the fog

Kayaking Urban Islands - Western Long Island Sound's Coastal Heritage - the Pelham-New Rochelle-Bronx Islands



Fort Slocum Mortar Battery

Hart Island Prison Bldg

Old Boat Engine - Hart Island 2011

Marsh Re-growth Hart Island

Hart Island Abandoned Bldgs









I’ve been sea kayaking in the western-most end of Long Island Sound since the mid-1990's, so it occurred to me to gather some thoughts and photos of the on-water area I’m most familiar with. Not all kayaking enthusiasts are thrilled about paddling in an urban setting - places with old boats bashed up on the shore, abandoned buildings from a bygone era, and views of bridges and skyscrapers in the distance. If I had to venture a guess I'd say most people who live in this region and enjoy water-related recreation gravitate to more pristine settings: such as the southern shore of Long Island where wave action wipes clean the evidence of yesterday’s visitors or the Hudson Highlands with its unspoiled views of the hillsides Hudson himself witnessed. And that’s fine. But for me, kayaking was initially a revelation in the proximity of nature and “wild” places hidden close to home, and for much of my life my home has been the near suburbs of New York City. It is here, in the western end of Long Island Sound off New Rochelle, Pelham, and the Bronx, that a number of near-shore islands sleep like remnant carcasses from the not-to-distant past.

The secret of this region of Long Island Sound, if you can call it a “secret”, is that few paddlers get out to explore the area.  Although kayaking is getting more popular every year, I still rarely see other paddlers here. While it's true the nearby Greenwich, Norwalk and Thimble Islands further east are great places to paddle –  most of these CT islands are more actively used for private homes, for summertime beach picnics , etc. So oddly enough, if you’re seeking a feeling of island isolation, in my experience you’re more likely to find it in the western-end of Long Island Sound.  Many of these western Long Island Sound islands have been abandoned for decades and attract few visitors. 

One of the coolest things about this region is the "ghost town" feel of it, people have left and plants and animals have returned. The isolation of these places, plus the slow but steady battering by wind and waves has reduced former coastal structures to bits and pieces of living space that nature has reclaimed. Decades ago all the Pelham Islands had more active uses, described in some detail below.  But over time these uses ended and the abandoned docks, buildings, and bulkheaded shorelines have been modified by a natural "re-scaping". Shore birds seem to be the most obvious beneficiary of this. Sizable, unoccupied rocky islands appropriate for bird nesting are relatively few in number in Long Island Sound. As a result, these abandoned islands are well-used (sometimes crowded) by herons, oyster catchers, sea gulls, cormorants, “peep” sandpipers, etc.  It behooves the sea kayaker to visit this area to see the life that has re-colonized since active human use has abated.  My encounters with nature while paddling around these "Urban Islands" – bluefish charging past my bow, osprey nesting on an abandoned jetty, harbor seals hauled out on shallow rocks – have been as inspiring to me as any I’ve had in more remote areas.


Islands in Detail:

The islands grouped together off Pelham, New Rochelle, and the Bronx have a unique heritage. Each has its own story to tell. A great deal more can be gleaned from the internet – but here are a few tidbits:

Originally inhabited by the Siwanoy band of Lenape Indians, the Pelham Islands area was settled by Europeans as part of property bought from the Indians by the English nobleman Thomas Pell in 1654. Prior to that, English settlers led by Anne Hutchinson (seeking religious freedom) settled in an area nearby on the river (now known as the Hutchinson River) in 1642. These islands were once part of the town of Pelham, but are now roughly divided between the City of New Rochelle and the Bronx. The map below shows their locations:

 

City Island:

Although not a dormant island as some of the other islands in this region are, City Island is the largest in the chain and  the closest to shore. So it is a good one to describe first. Formerly part of the Town of Pelham until 1895 when the boundary was established between the Bronx and Westchester County, City Island is part of NYC and connected by bridge to the mainland. It’s now the site of many residential homes and restaurants but retains its island and historic feel. Some older, grander homes mixed in with more modest residences, a nautical museum, several churches, a public school, and a variety of eateries catering to New Yorkers who make the trek to have seafood. In the past shipbuilding was perhaps the island’s longest active industry. Many military craft were built there during the World Wars and seven America’s Cup Winning Yachts. Last but not least, City Island is home to the Touring Kayak Club (photo), founded in 1927 as a club for kayaking enthusiasts and very active to this day.

Circumnavigating City Island is fun – I typically launch from the Orchard Beach kayak launch (discussed below) but if you’re paddling solo or in a small group you can find a dead-end street on the island to launch from if you’re intrepid.  Check for the monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) on the southern part of the island by the big fast-food restaurants - the parakeets are native to South America, but now naturalized in some local populations in the NYC area where they build large structures of sticks at the top of telephone poles to keep warm next to electrical transformers.


NW shore of City Island with Radio Tower on High Island

Touring Kayak Club - City Island

Davids Island:

To me the most interesting of the “abandoned” islands in this area, and also the one I’m most
familiar with, is David’s Island. Davids Island is the site of the former Fort Slocum, which began as a military fort to house wounded prisoners of war during the American Civil War, and was developed in a configuration common to forts of the time, including the Fort that still exists on Governors Island in NYC. Officers quarters on one side, barracks and common buildings on the other, embattlements to ward off attacks on the corners - all around a central open parade ground. When its military use ended, the island was sold to the city of New Rochelle in mid-60's and for the next 40 years lay dormant and unmaintained. Normally closed to the public, I had the opportunity to visit David’s Island as part of my job doing Environmental Compliance work in the mid-90’s. We were hired by Donald Trump to conduct an environmental review and investigation and the most striking memory of this experience for me was seeing all these beautiful old buildings in brick and marble being reclaimed by nature. It was like the land that time forgot, Victorian officers quarters moth-balled since the time the Army left the island; old 1950’s era cars in a repair garage; huge embattlements dug into the earth that formerly housed massive cannons for harbor defense; a chapel, gymnasium, barracks…just amazing. The photos below were taken some years later during an Asbestos survey and give you the idea. Another interesting thing was how unafraid the wildlife population I encountered on the island was - raccoons coming down in daylight hours to wash mussels. Not surprising really, several generations of animals adapted to seeing few human visitors for 40 years.

Subsequent “landings” I’ve made to the island by kayak were usually on the adjacent rocky/sandy areas exposed at low tide. The island has a long history, too long to summarize here, but after many proposed developments (power plant; residential towers, Trump’s mansions for millionaires) it eventually came under the ownership of New Rochelle. All buildings were demolished in 2008 sadly due to the desire to make the island “safe” for recreational visitors. What is lost was an amazing heritage of historical architecture and military history – too bad really. But I have high hopes that the future use of the island as a park will be a benefit to visitors (and kayakers).



1936 Aerial of Davids Island showing Fort Layout



Water Tower on Davids Island 2002

Pediment on Davids Island Building

Nature Reclaiming the Island - Davids Island



Trees Growing inside former Army Barracks Bldg



Hart Island:

The second biggest island in the chain is a great one to circumnavigate by kayak. Derelict buildings from it’s era as a prison annex for Riker’s Island and nature reclaiming the edges by growing salt marsh are the main visual attractions. Hart Island’s “claim to fame” is perhaps its use as potter’s field for the burial of indigent or unclaimed persons beginning in 1868, a function it continues to serve to this day.  Landing on the island is offically not allowed.




Hart Island - Stack on Former Prison

Western Shore w/ Abandoned Buildings - Hart Island

Osprey Nest - Hart Island

Columbia and Pea Islands:

These two are next to each other but quite different. Columbia island looks like a concrete bunker, bulkheaded in a square shape – it seems foreboding and unwelcoming. And it is, there’s no easy way to land a kayak there at present so forget it. But it looks cool nonethess. See the photo below – like a concrete ranch house just waiting for someone to reclaim it. In 1939 the island was sold to CBS who renamed it Columbia Island (from Little Pea Island) and turned it into a "radio island", constructing a concrete foundation to support a transmitter building topped by a 410 foot (125 m) antenna tower for WCBS-AM. In 1963 it was purchased by the show-business couple Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy who broadcast a breakfast conversation show from their home there and later gave the island to the College of New Rochelle. Seems there’s some activity there of late (2011) but no major renovations – still basically abandoned.

Pea Island is my most typical lunch spot. Located east of Davids Island, it’s a good ½ way spot for a circumnavigation of the overall island chain. The island is owned by the Huguenot Yacht Club which is located on nearby Neptune Island. The island is littered with the remnants of former club structures that were destroyed during a coastal storm in the late 1990's. (Sorry don't have a photo of Pea Island).

Columbia Island taken from kayak

Huckleberry Island:

Huckleberry Island is little visited and used by waterbirds for nesting (egrets/night herons/cormorants). I’ve landed on the sand/rocky areas surrounding the island for a lunch break. It is largely undeveloped and forested. The island is owned by the Huckleberry Indians, Inc., a club within the New York Athletic Club. In the 19th century local tradition held that the island was the location of the buried treasure of Captain William Kidd, one of the most well known pirates in history.



Lunch Break - sandy/rocks exposed at low tide

Visiting/Launch Sites:

The two primary “designated” launch sites for these islands are:

1. Orchard Beach Kayak Launch – located on the bay side of Pelham Bay Park (NYC). Parking nearby is a cinch and there is no charge after Labor Day. Preferred launch spot for reaching the southern islands – City Island and Hart Island.

2. Glen Island Park Boat Launch – located in New Rochelle. My preferred launch spot and closer to the more northerly islands (Davids/Huckleberry). Again, no parking fee after Labor Day.

In addition to exploring the Pelham Islands, from this area one can paddle further out into the Sound to the Execution Rocks Lighthouse, or across to Long Island itself. I've crossed over to Sands Point and Hewlett Point when boat traffic isn't too bad - both are a very doable day-paddle from the Westchester/Bronx shores. The map above shows launch points and island locations.

Orchard Beach Kayak Launch

The End

Moriches Inlet, Long Island NY - 9/5/11 (Mitchell Blades Bombora Retro-Fit)

Panorama View of Moriches Inlet - taken 9/5/11

Jobbly water at Moriches Inlet yesterday. Flood current and incoming swell made for big clapotis throughout - the narrow eddy on the western side of the inlet was too close to riprap and fishmen so using it to help get outside would have annoyed the fishermen there. Eastern side had breaking swell. So headed up the center against the current and swell (tough going) keeping an eye on boats. Not an easy task. Managed to make it out and surf (a bit) back in. Too confused to get any real rides but adrenalin producing nonetheless. Stopped to take the Panorama View above. Beautiful day on the water.

Jobbly Water at Moriches Inlet - 9/5/11


Got a chance to try out my modified Mitchell Blades Bombora paddle that day - UK owner/manufacturer sent me some pieces to install a new connector. The old connecteor required an allen wrench and fiddling with 2 screws - difficult to assemble or adjust the paddle on the water. So Lance Mitchell developed a new connector, and sent it to me along with some carbonfiber tubing to retrofit my paddle. Cut a bit off both ends, then used West Systems Epoxy (101 Repair Pack) to glue the pieces on. Done in 2 steps on two different days - one side then the other. Photos show the end result. I reduced length by 3 cm's while I was at it. The connector is a major improvement in usability.  Thanks Lance.

Napatree Point Pre-Hurricane Irene Surfing - August 27th 2011

Drove up to Stonington CT saturday to see if any pre-Irene surf had developed. Fog ruled out going to the tidal races/overfalls east of Fisher's Island, so went to Napatree instead. Zip-tied a digital camera to my helmet to see how that would work. Managed to capture some video! Only uncertainty was knowing if/when the camera was on or off! Basically pressed the on/off button and hoped it worked.

Four (4) video links below:

Two Boats on One Wave

Various Rides at Napatree

Napatree Rock Slide

Unexpected Capsize

URI to Narrow River - ConnYak paddle 8.13.11 - "GoPro Hero" Camera "test"

Posted some photos from yesterday’s paddle from URI to Narrow River here: https://picasaweb.google.com/paddledude5/URIToNarrowRiverConnYak81311

The “experiment” with the suction-cup mounted GoPro Camera on the rear of the deck wasn’t perfect but fun to try – camera was on loan, I have to return it to my office traffic engineering department which uses it to record vehicle flow patterns, but wasn’t putting the waterproof housing to good use so I offered to “test it” for them. It was set to take just 1 photo every 60 seconds – on the paddle out it took roughly 150 photos (little over two hours) before the battery died (?) so no photos on the way back. Of these 150, only the ones on the link were marginally worth looking at. Key would be to get a taller mounting pole to get a wider view and to set it to take photos more frequently – the surf at Narrow River only had a few random shots. Ah well. Had a great time and a nice paddle back to the put-in with John.

Steinhatchee to Suwanee FLORIDA – 3 Day "Solo" Journey in March of 2008

Captivated by the less-developed gulf coast of Florida during my 2006 “scouting” trip, two years later in 2008 I decided to drive the trusty Pintail down again and do a solo camping journey along the “Big Bend”. Got a shuttle to the put-in from a nice fellow Capt. Russ McAllister who runs Suwanee Guides.  The coast was magical and desolate – bringing maps is “a must” to find the designated camping spots and keeping a sense of your paddling speed is helpful too because the coastline is so similar looking, few landmarks. Saw no other paddlers on the first leg (few motor boaters too). Reached the campsite, set up and settled in alone “in the middle of no where” with a minimum of supplies. The idea of solitary camping away from civilization, in a place where the Florida panther is known to frequent, was exciting and somewhat stress-inducing, but I was determined to be self-sufficient in this desolate and remote place, actually began to relish the challenge of solitude - when to my surprise 3 other paddlers showed up near sunset! They hadn’t reserved the site with the Fish & Wildlife Commission (as I had) but their company was welcome.  These other guests included 2 medical doctors and they had tons of extra food and wine!  So if I’d been injured and starving, I would have had no trouble finding help.



White Pelicans - FL Gulf Coast



Paddled both "Ends" in one short Weekend! (July 30th/31st, 2011)

Stayed at a friend's place this weekend in eastern Long Island. Since I usually avoid the "high season" for reasons of cost and crowds, it was a new experience for me - so decided to hit my two favorite LI paddling spots - Plum Gut and Montauk Point.  Plum Gut was supposed to be at 3+ knot ebb when I got there at 1:00 on Saturday, but no particular swell so mild conditions - a few fun rides nonetheless. Lots of jellyfish.  Then a paddle to Orient Beach State Park - great park with a kayak drop-off spot, beautiful beach, and nature trails.

Plum Gut - Southwest of Lighthouse

Montauk Point was super fogged in last time I visited, but this Sunday was totally clear.  Made the trek all the way to Ditch Plains beach and admired the many handsome properties along the bluffs - I'm told these include Stanford White "cottages" and homes owned by Andy Warhol and Dick Cavett among others. An inspiring paddle along a truly exposed coast.  Spear fishing seems on the rise in popularity as I stumbled across a few startled snorklers searching for fish.

View from the Cliffs of Camp Hero State Park

On my way to Ditch Plains (thanks for taking photos Becky)

Oyster Bay Paddling Trail - North Shore of Long Island - Fujufilm XP30 Camera

Creek Beach Kayak Racks, Millneck Bay

(Link to Kayak Trail Map Below)

I had the opportunity to merge two of my main endeavors - kayaking and my job (environmental planning) this past weekend as I offered to conduct a shoreline survey of Oyster Bay (for my job) and take photos by kayak (fun bonus). Used the new Fujifilm XP30 digital camera which puts a GPS tag on the photos (if you've got signal and the battery isn't dead).  Not the greatest photo quality but overall a decent camera. GPS takes a few moments to obtain satellite coordinates so if you take a photo quickly, it may not register its location. Video quality of the camera seems a bit better than the still photos.   For $200 a waterproof camera with GPS, not bad.

Oyster Bay has a bunch of nice tidal marshes, many launch sites - some with free parking - and food/services in close proximity to the shore (especially in Bayville and the Oyster Bay hamlet).   The Town is among a number of Long Island Towns that have issued RFP's recently with guidance/funding from NYSDOS to enact "Blueway Trails" for small boaters. Improvements to launch points, signage, and facilities are the ultimate goal.  A potential success story for paddling ACCESS - always a problematic issue for kayakers.

Cormorants off Peacock Point, Lattingtown, NY

Frost Creek, Golf Course Crossing and Baby Horseshoe Crab

In response to a request for more info on kayaking the Town of Oyster Bay's coastline (Hempstead Harbor, Oyster Bay Harbor, and Cold Spring Harbor) - I've listed launch points and sights for kayakers based on my 2011 reconnaissance of the shoreline for the Town's Blueway Trail RFP.    The locations numbered below are shown on 3 maps that I've put on Google Docs - link to maps here: Oyster Bay Kayak Launch Map. 

All of these sites are viable kayak launch and/or rest stops - but the best kayak launches (typically with free parking and easy boat access) I've starred *. Some launches require a specific Village Parking Permit, but some you may be able to park nearby. Enjoy.


Primary Launch Points – with a public boat ramp and/or kayak/canoe storage:


1. Harry Tappen Beach – Town of Oyster Bay* (fee to park, but nice ramp)

2. Garvies Point Boat Ramp – City of Glen Cove* (Best Kayak Launch in the Oyster Bay region in my opinion, no fee)

3. Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Beach – Town of Oyster Bay* (2nd Best Kayak launch in region, drive to west end, no fee in DEC lot)

4. Creek Beach – Village of Bayville* (excellent kayak friendly, but I recall a fee in season).

5. Bridge Marina – Village of Bayville

6. Sea Cliff Beach Park – Village of Sea Cliff



Secondary Launch Points – public access to shoreline and parking:

7. Crescent Beach Road – City of Glen Cove (steep carry, but no fee)

8. Welwyn Preserve – City of Glen Cove

9. Garvies Point Boating Association (Garvies Point Preserve)

10. Pryibil Beach – City of Glen Cove* (public beach, but stairs distant from bathers at west end of lot)

11. Oak Neck/Stehli Bathing Beach – Village of Bayville

12. Oyster Bay Cove Beach – Village of Oyster Bay Cove (very nice, but Village parking)

13. Centre Island Village Beach Park – Village of Bayville* (3rd Best Kayak Launch in region, no fee)



Points of Interest and Stopover Locations:

14. Frost Creek Tidal Creek and Marsh - Village of Lattingtown Wildlife Preserve

15. Welwyn Preserve and Holocaust Museum

16. Dining and Amusements along the Beachfront of Bayville

17. West Pond Marsh (accessible during high tide)

18. Rum Point Park

19. Mill Neck Preserve (tidal marsh in Mill Neck Bay)

20. Village of Laurel Hollow Beach (residents only, and they're serious)

21. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

22. Morgan Park (possibly launch, need wheels to reach beach, parking fee)

23. Commercial Center of Downtown Oyster Bay

Swells Circumnavigating Monomoy Island - Atlantic Kayak Tours Cape Cod Trips



Coming Down.

Going Up!

Took these photos just a few seconds apart - shows the big swell offshore when rounding Monomoy Island, pretty much an all-day trip considering the times I've done it we've run into shallow water on the west side due to moving sands in the area - had to walk/tow. Beautiful, remote, exhilarating trip every time.  These photos above are from 2005.

Each year AKT staff and clients head up to Cape Cod to paddle in October for the Columbus Day long weekend. Monomoy, Provincetown, Pleasant Bay, Barnstable Harbor, Wellfleet - lots of paddling options. Some add'l photos of other trips below - can be warm and sunny, or more often cold and windy. Either way, the Cape is relatively empty in October and the foliage is there to see.  These trips are among my favorite kayaking experiences - having spent the summer season staffing trips/programs but only seeing other AKT staff members occasionally when assigned to the same programs, it's nice to all get together an the end of the year and just enjoy a new, fun venue.  Awesome.



Bill walking the decks at water break time - Cape Cod 2006

Pleasant Bay, 2006



Barnstable, 2004



Barnstable Harbor 2004, 20 knot head wind

Beach Football, Cape Cod 2004



Outer Beach on way back from Provincetown tiderace, 2005