Does rival51 have it, that the whole Maine thing is the end point of a plan to paddle up the east coast?
In that case there are a lot more questions.
My parents live in Blue Hill, not far from Bar Harbor. After I see them & resupply I will return to Texas. I know nothing about Kayaking, so being a mile or less off shore so I see land would be better?
I will start to learn to Roll & Self rescue in July, after the Kayak is here. I assume I will end up making wet exits at least once a week, and your right I want to learn to role and do self rescue in a safe place before I have to do it in a place I dont know.
Please ask your questions, that way I can learn more and think more.
A mile from land is far enough out you risk no one seeing you. IMO Hence too far out for you solo in any foreseeable future. That is not to say getting around the islands might be a mile out from the mainlands.
Still not getting your plans. Ate you talking about going from Maine to the Gulf paddling, or the other way around, or driving to Maine and paddling while,you visit?
A mile offshore? Stop. Just stop. Why a mile? The tidal range in midcoast is about 12 feet. That does not mean miles of mudflats at low tide at least here in Maine. A mile out in April you will be in fog most likely and April is a horrid month if that is what you mean by early spring. We have horrific storms in April ( the one on Patriots Day a few years ago left us without power for a week) and the normal lows are still below 32. Again this year on April 1 it was single digits. Snow was finally gone about the 15th though it still snowed ( and melted)
Following the shoreline is not practical. In Maine that means 5000 miles of paddling.
You do have to plan for some open water crossings ( Pen Bay is ten miles open water) where there is no shoreline and read read read about the danger areas on any part of the coast. Frankly this is not a journey for someone new to kayaking. It could be in a year or so but not now.
I have been here year round for 21 years and have kayaked here year round ( much less so in the winter) since 1989. There are some lovely winter days in the bays. Not so much open ocean
Spring to me starts mid Mayā¦ But the winds have been getting stronger and stronger every year and paddling was not happening in April and May was very windy with most days 20-30 mph. Then started to calm down but we still get windy stretches.
First, congratulations for dreaming big. Thatās close to a 4,000 mile journey you are planning. Probably more from Galveston.
Some thoughts: your kayak is a bit marginal for the trip. It is meant for day trips not expeditions. Packing for multi days out will be more than a bit of a challenge. Also, the cockpit is huge. I have trouble staying in my Arctic Tern with a much smaller cockpit when upside down. Between cockpit size, width, and depth I suspect that rolling that kayak may be a bit difficult. Unassisted re-entry may also be a challenge. Iād recommend starting with that & seeing how that goes.
Have you looked at (and/or purchased) charts for the trip. There are likely areas where you will need them. They give necessary marine information.
Good luck on your trip and remember goal #1 is to NOT show up on the evening news like āKayaker missing on $bodyof waterā
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Celia & kaymedic,
I plan to leave Galveston Texas by kayak in January and head to Maine to visit family, who all live within a mile of the Ocean. I do not plan to push myself. Only going 25-35 miles a day. That is the plan.
Would 1/2 mile off shore be better for me? I want to see the land. I plan to camp where I find places, and get water where I can about once a week.
I plan to start Kayaking in Galveston bay area in July (2020) as I just bought the kayak. I plan to start small, going around the island. I plan to go out daily and work my way around the Island. I will practice wet exits, self rescue & rolling for the first month. Hopefully I can gain the experience I need before I leave in January.
I plan to collect maps. I plan to find a Mentor to advise me. A lot of Galveston is shut down right now and I am not sure about classes and alot of the shop instructors dont answer the shop phones.
This is my plan so far. I have not yet started to flush it out on specific details. Thank you for telling me about Pen Bay. I didnt know I would have to cross that much open water.
Kayamedic are you saying wait till January 2022 and just go up and down the Gulf until then to get experience?
I would think more in terms of 1/4-1/2 mile off shore at the most. Fog is the enemy. So is a capsize with a heavily loaded boat. āOnly 25-35 miles a day.ā I think you are dreaming. Those would be long days pushing yourself hard. In the wind you may have 10 mile days or less. On a longer trip, you are going to face some terrible weather. You need layover days to stay on shore, and days to rest.
Rolling a sea kayak is not so easy, but heavily loaded with rough seas it may not be possible.
The fastest way to answer all of our questions is a 3 or 4 day paddle real soon. Reality will slap you in the face like a steep wave. Good luck.
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taking advantage of coves in an east wind means you will not want to require yourself to stay 1/2 mile offsshore.
Tides have an incredible force here and a wind and an opposing tide can wreak havoc on you. 25 days is a long day here.
You need to study charts and be able to interpret them Some rough reefs are 1/2 mile off shore so being near them can be dangerous depending on the tide. Need to get out there first. Understand sea behavior. Clapotis off points is a real danger. And everything on the Maine shoreline seems to have a point nearby.
Get a MITA membership. Opens up many islands to camping. But be aware in April there can be icy landings and snow.
I have paddled hundreds of miles on the Gulf. It is demanding in a different way. Winds and shallow water really make hard paddling in Gulf chopā¦ But you will get an understanding on salt water behavior as tides can be pretty hard in places even with a small height range. That is the area where you learn alot about wind interaction and tideā¦ Wind can actually blow all the water out and leave you a mile out stuck in mud waiting for the tide to turnā¦ And wind makes a fool out of tide time predictions.
Its not JUST the Gulf.
Thank You Ppine & Kayamedic. What is MITA? I will set that 1/4-1/2 mile thing for myself. I dont have the kayak yet but soon, thats why I said July. I really do need to learn my boat before I can make bigger plans.
Sorry, but you totally do not know what you are doing and I would be an irresponsible human being to in any way encourage you.
Your daily mileage alone is hallucinatory. 25 or 35 miles per day is anything but easy, as someone else mentioned above. As kayamedic says you are talking paddling in pea soup fog and storms that time of year up there, either of which kill a kayaker about once a year.
I share the concerns about your boat mentioned above. It is a starter touring boat, fine for its purpose but one designed for a trip like this or a paddler that is capable of doing it.
MITA is a crucial resource for paddling in Maine, Maine Island Trail Association.It would be a good resource for you to use if you DROVE to your parentsā place and paddled out of there.
But you are well more than several months of self practice away from understanding what you need for a trip like this.
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Celia you and kayamedic are right. I am a new paddling. That is what I am here for. TO LEARN. Okay 25-35 miles you say isnt really realistic, so I will not try for it right now. Right now my Goal will be Moses Lake (near the animal services) to East Galveston beach (Pleasure Pier) and back again. Does that sound like good self practice to you for the next few weeks?
KR, Glad you are beginning to see the light about getting the skills and right equipment before an epic voyage. That could also be called a death defying voyage. Your paddle is doable. However, it is a very serious paddle for an experienced paddler with lots of planning and skills preparation.
Just using Google Earth a few minutes ago, I did a quick calculation of paddling the remote area of Louisiana from Cameron LA to Gulfport MS. That is approx 310 nm or 370 nm of paddling in coastal marsh with only two or three safety bailout locations or spots to top off on water. And that is the most direct route which includes camping in restricted areas. Add about 70 nm if you go the inland route with a couple short portages but avoid the ire of wildlife officials. All these routes include several 10-15 nm open water crossings - those are not for a novice and are dangerous even for experienced paddlers.
As others have mentioned, your kayak is not realistic for your planned voyage. Can it be done? Sure, but a 17ish foot expedition oriented sea kayak (i.e. NDK Explorer or P&H Cetus) would be much more sea worthy for many reasons and will probably add almost 1 nm/hour to your paddling speed over the course of your trip. Your idea each day when you wake up should be to be safe with the dayās paddle so that you are physically and mentally able to paddle the next day. Will you push to get in a few 25 nm plus days, probably. A more realistic goal is 12-18 miles per day at most with favorable conditions that day.
Keep planning and get some training. Look up HASK (Houston Area Sea Kayakers). It is an active paddling club which has some other ACA instructors I know who are very experienced and good instructors.
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I certainly admire your ambition; I have neither the skills nor experience (or desire come to think of it) to attempt a trip of that magnitude.
But I too have serious doubts about your kayak. The Castine is a similar kayak that my wife and I use to do relatively easy paddles around the South Carolina estuaries. Iād want a BIG touring kayak with plenty of room for gear and a smaller cockpit, something like a Current Designs Nomad (18ā10" long 21.25" wide), or one of the big touring Brit boats. And Iād want a good compass, a Garmin GPS, a marine radio and a fitted electric pump.
One problem I see is the big estuaries. Across the Delaware, Cape Henlopen to Cape May is 14 miles and then thereās the Chesapeake both with lots of water flowing out into the ocean.
But, you sound like you are eager to learn, so take lessons, read up on everything you can and continue to ask as many questions you can think of to the experts here.
Good luck.
I have an 18ā boat that I have been paddling for 21 years and have done unsupported paddles of up to a week. However, I would not even consider attempting what you want to do as you envision it.
If I were to consider it, I would want to be with at least two highly experienced expedition paddlers, not solo. With a 14ā boat, you are going to quickly find that after a tent, sleeping bag, and necessary water and food, you are going to have little more room for more gear. Most seasoned paddlers with good boats consider a good day paddling to be 15-18 miles for a day trip in good conditions. And that is not in a fully loaded boat. I have done a number of 30+ mile days paddling solo with no current to assist, but not back to back in a loaded boat.
Going over some of the gear you will need that some have already mentioned, a full drysuit, compass, charts and preferably paddling guides covering the whole route, at least one DSC capable vhf radio, probably two waterproof GPSs, an EPIRB or personal locator beacon, USCG approved day and night distress signals, waterproof light, pump, paddle float, spare paddle, a way to recharge electronics, etc. Add to this the usual suitable clothing and camping gear with most of it in dry bags. There are likely many other things that I have not thought of.
You need a comprehensive plan for every segment of the trip with bailout contingencies. Weather may result in many days where it is not sate to paddle. There will be areas where you cannot paddle against the tide. Planning an expedition such as you are contemplating often involves many months of detailed planning to do it safely and successfully.
I would strongly suggest taking a one or two day course in sea kayaking as soon as possible. Kayaking can be a dangerous sport if you do not know what you are doing. A lot of the risks are not obvious to the beginner. You will learn a lot about safety such as cold water, wind, waves, tides, current, weather, hyperthermia, etc. Starting out without at least some basic training can also engender bad habits which can lead to inefficient paddling. I would then get in a year or two of experience paddling with some other experienced paddlers. This will increase your conditioning as well as letting you know your personal limitations and the limitations of your boat and equipment.
I know this is probably not what you want to hear and I do admire your enthusiasm. If I were 30 years younger it is something that I would have enjoyed attempting. However, I donāt think you are anywhere near to comprehending what you want to do in all of its complexity and risks. If you do get to attempt this I hope it will be posted so we can follow it.
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RStevens.
When I started this discussion, I asked advice. What I want to hear versus what I need to hear, dont matter, only that I learn what I need to know.
I am learning alot. And that is good. I will always ask advice. This summer I will explore the coast of Texas and and to the north and start learning thing.
I would love to take lessons but Galveston and Houston dont seem to be open yet, so I will have to wait. That is sad. I have time though and so I guess I have to be patient.
Thank you for your help
And with that get out there as soon as you can on a 2-3 day trip near home. You will self discover what you donāt know. Itās hard to know what you donāt know yet.
And we were all there at one point.
You eat an elephant one spoonful at a time. And learning is an amazing part of the journeyā¦ JUST the Gulf will show you lots.
Unfortunately Rob I am not near Texas at all. But I will Google maps and see what sorts of obstacles you can encounter.
Remember we are not the priests on the pulpit. We have all done stoopid things and learned and we want to help others avoid those stoopids.
I am not an urban paddler but a few things come to mind. The channel may have a tidal race though I note there is not much difference high and low tide heights. Boat traffic would seem to be enormous and the size of perhaps tankers too. The ideal is to stay out of shipping lanes. Only a chart will tell you where the nun and can buoys are. With your eeny size you want to not be on the path between green and redā¦ go outward of either. Remember you never assume the right of way.
You can get a GPS and download charts though I personally prefer several chart sources and carry waterproof paper charts too.
If this voyage goes well you can teach us about what you have found out about urban paddling. Some of us donāt do much of that. The Casco Bay Ferry terrifies meā¦ But the ferry route is on the chart for Portland ME
Kayakmedic,
Please elaborate on the tidal influences in the Gulf. what is the tidal range? Where are places
on the coast with inlets and islands that might create rips and high velocity flow?
I have paddled in the San Juan Islands where the tidal action is extreme. Twelve knots has been recorded at Deception Pass as an example. Reading the tide tables and anticipating the effects is a learned bunch of skills. So is navigation. The closer we look, the more work Rob has ahead of him.
Tides in the Gulf of Mexico are diurnal. We do not have the strong flows which are common on the East and West Coasts. Because of that, most Gulf paddlers ignore tides which is a mistake. My friends laugh because I always compute tides and anticipate choke point flows. Tidal ranges in the northern Gulf tend to be 1 - 3 feet over a 12 hour cycle depending on the phase of the moon.
The problem many encounter is that open bays/river mouths may have a predicted flood which ends up being a strong ebb due to recent rains as much as hundreds of miles upstream. Local knowledge is key as all experienced paddlers know.
One to three feet is very manageable except for unusual conditions. All tides are diurnal changing twice every 24 hours. The tidal range in SE Alaska is around 26 feet. The area is full of bays, channels and narrow straits. Paddling in WA tidal rips can appear out of nowhere and be over 4 feet. The tide can easily move faster than a person can paddle, over 4 knots, sometimes 8 knots or even 12 knots.
You have a whole lot to learn before you can even evaluate your readiness for a longer trip.
Bottom line, actually paddling a kayak from point A to B is only a small part of it. Between your boat being newbie-friendly and water in the Gulf not being so greatly affected by tides and cold, making a successful paddle between points down there is not complete preparation for doing something like a full coastal trip. That requires a LOT more training, and exposure to learn judgement in conditions which are unfamiliar to you. And to handle problems. If you decide to learn to roll without help and only exit the boat once a week it would be truly remarkable. Think about multiple times in an hour when you are first trying.
Check out the site of the ACA for coaches around you, or again try calling outfitters. Even if they are not fully open, you may be able to find someone who can give you private time.
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