For offshore paddling & long distance coastal paddling, I too wear a drysuit when the water is less than 65F which means mid Nov-Mar in the northern Gulf - usually I am paddling solo on these trips or maybe with one or two other less experienced paddlers.
For day paddles nearshore during those months, I often opt for something like 1.5mm hydroskin and/or splash jacket when I know I am very nearshore and weather conditions are stable.
To your original question about water, I would also recommend investing in a MSR 10 liter heavy duty dromedary bag, and you can supplement with a few more of your 2 liter bottles. The 10 liters will get you 2.5 gallons, which with a few soda bottles, is enough for about 3 days. You should plan on 1 gallon per day for drinking and cooking. If youâre going to be out longer or donât want to deal with refilling water as often, maybe think about adding another 10 liter dromedary. If you find the screw on tops are leaking on either the droms or soda bottles, cut a small square out of a sandwich bag and screw the lid over it and between the threads on the bottle. Should seal it up pretty well.
https://www.msrgear.com/water-treatment/storage-bags/dromedary-bags/dromedary-bags.html
For packing your gear to keep it dry, trash compactor bags work really well and are cheap. Use them in conjunction with regular stuff sacks, by using them as liners in the stuff bags, pack into them, squeeze the excess air out, then twist the extra compactor bag material about 5-7 times to make a tail, then tuck the tail down between the stuff sack and body of the compactor bag. For something requiring extra protection (like a sleeping bag) double up on the compactor bags. Try and pack many small bags, about the size of a loaf of bread, easier to pack than a few large bags.
Since you are new to the kayaking game and are going to be developing skills on the fly, youâll need to be conservative with conditions and need to use your judgment to avoid rougher conditions. Donât be afraid to get off the water (assuming you can 
) or just sit out weather on shore and wait for better conditions. It could take a day to blow by, or maybe longer. Listening to the weather radio every night would be a good part of your routine. Also making observations every half an hour while youâre out on the water regarding conditions is essential. If the weather report calls for clear conditions all day, but there is a huge bank of black clouds closing in on you, be sure you get off the water asap.
When were you planning on arrival in Maine? Water temp is barely into the 50âs and its almost July. It wonât warm up much further as the Labrador Current is the driving force. You will need a drysuit. We wear them year round in Maine. You could get by with a wetsuit but it is no fun to get one on every day if you are camping. It will have sand in it and be highly stinkily toxic. It will be wet all the time.
We came back from Monhegan in a motor boat and the winds werenât bad but still breaking swells from 3 -6 feet. Completely different than Gulf chop. Fortunately you will have learned the differences before you get here.
Whatever solution you come to with water, donât have it all in one container. Bottles of bags cam leak or fail. You donât want to be totally out of water in the middle of nowhere. Flexible containers are easier to pack, donât shift as easily, and their size decreases as you use the water up. Plan on carrying more water if paddling hard or in hotter weather.
Yesterday, Thursday 6/25 I got the kayak. Today 6/26 I ordered a Spray Skirt, Proper Kayak PFD & a Trolley. I am so happy. I also had my first unplanned wet exit today, while practicing dock side entrance in my landladys pool & accidently soaked my phone by accident. I have a vibe paddle & while in the Pool I also tried to stay in the center but it was hard. I also tried angles on my paddle but didnât like it.
On Friday 7/3 I will get a paddle float, bilge pump, extra paddle, compass and a short rain coat as its been raining alot here in the Galveston Area. I plan to start making trips to Galveston starting around the 7/10.
As for water I will have 10 2-Liter bottles I can fill with water. I am thinking of getting more as I want to have 7-days worth of water. I will look into a 10 liter dromedary after I have all my other needed gear. I fear it leaking though. I have a tent, sleeping bag, camp stove. I will get dry bags also.
Do you know about Freya Hoffmeister?
Freya is the only person in the world to have circumnavigated 2 continents in a kayak. She is right now doing her third continent: North America. She paddles a Point65 Freya kayak. As you may have guessed from the name, that kayak model was designed especially for her, mainly from a desire of raw speed and efficient paddling. She is a former skydiver, bodybuilder and elite gymnast, and she is still in scarily good shape. Even though I am a male, I am envious of her muscle build.
And why do I tell you about Freya? Because her day trip length is roughly equal to what you plan to do. I guess that sort of puts your plans into perspective.
Allan,
I was reading about her. I am not sure I can do 20 miles a day yet. Right now am just happy that I have my first boat and can at least dream.
I know it sounds crazy but its my first boat that I own. I am trying to figure out a name for her. So far I have thought SeaQuest (a TV show I liked) Serenity (another tv show I liked) or TriR (three R, name for my 2 brothers and I who all have a name that began with R. Our grandfather built a dingy with that name).
I think the rest will come together but konw I have had my âballoonâ idea deflated some.
Freya is an amazing woman and paddler. FWIW, she pulled out of her North American circumnavigation on March 25, 2020, because of Covid and the concern about all international flights being canceled, thus stranding her in Mexico for months. She is uncertain if she can continue later this year.
Same Freya that is the daughter of the founder of Pygmy Boats?
No, that is a different and younger Freya, Freya Fennwood. Sheâs an adventure photographer and expert kayaker in her own right. Her dad named a Greenland style kayak model that is specific for rolling (a skill in which Freya Fennwood has won awards) after his daughter,
I followed Freya Hoffmeister during the year that she solo circumnavigated Australia (only the second person to do so). I traced her progress on a map on the wall of my work cubicle and read her blog every day. It was a great way to learn more about the coast of that continent and she posted a lot of great photos and interesting and often funny tales of her experiences along the way. I was less attentive to her circumnavigation of South America since I was retired by then and traveling more myself, but that had some great reporting as well. Sheâs an interesting person, for sure, and a hell of an athlete. She actually started kayaking (after a career as a competitive gymnast) using a Feathercraft Kahuna folding kayak, just like my first boat.
your balloon may be deflated but is not popped⌠Or pooped! Start slow and start incrementally increasing the miles.
Oh the name will come. Donât force it. I can imagine that depending on the day the name will change.
Somedays Pretty Boat⌠Others Tirdy Boat
I admire your dream, and you should hold on to it. Dreams are the fuel for our plans*.
However, dreams and plans should not be confused with each other. An out-of-reach dream can slowly grow into a plan as one acquires the experience and knowledge needed to get the dream into reach. You canât shortcut that process and start with the plan, even if you get help from others with knowledge and experience.
What I am trying to say is that you should not forget your dream, even though a lot of us have sounded very discouraging. But you should not let that dream guide you in your decisions and actions for now.
If you get someone to help you making a long checklist of knowledge, skills, experience and equipment you will need to possess before you do the trip, and you then start acquiring every piece on that list, your project will probably die. It will be insanely overwhelming, and you will hit plateaus where it will seem that you will never be able to sufficiently develop a required skill. You will probably also discover that you had checked something on that list because you thought you had it covered, but as your experience grows, you realize that you donât really have it covered, so you have to wipe out that check mark.
So what to do instead?
I will claim that you can get the development you need, just by continuing settings targets, which are slightly out of reach. For now, it can be basic stuff like self-rescues, an overnight camping trip where you bring everything in the kayak, learning to brace, etc. Later, it will be more advanced stuff like rolls, paddling in waves, adding some navigation challenges, etc. Later yet, you may want to learn to surf, do long crossings, etc.
And one day you will realize that you now understand the challenges of your Maine trip and are ready to take that challenge. You will probably still come up with a checklist of stuff you need to hone a bit before you are fully ready, but this time it will be your own checklist, built on your own experience.
My guess is that this day will be at least 5 years from now, probably 10 or more. But you will enjoy all those years immensely because you keep discovering new stuff to learn or practise.
(*: I just made that one up, but it is rather catchy, isnât it?)
I just want to chime in here and say I really admire KayakRob. Why? So often on the internet people claim to want education and but instead want validation. Rob honestly wants education. This is pretty cool.
I think thinking about what you all have said. I am thinking for now just waiting for my trolley and the other equipment I ordered. Then going to Galveston and back and then someone said I should try for port Arthur there is some nice state parks along the way.
Port Arthur is about 125 miles rounded off from me by water. Any ideas about that?
Start small.
and build incrementally.
Looks like a week long trip depending on conditions. Are you taking the Intercoastal or offshore? If the Intercoastal how easy is it to land? What are the banks like? The Intercoastal will be safer, less weather dependent, and easier to navigate, but will likely be less scenic with more boat and barge traffic.
If offshore, you will want to practice a surf landing, especially with a loaded boat. Many people recommend a helmet for surf landings. Launching in heavy surf can be quite a challenge as well. A strong south wind may leave you stranded for a period due to large dumping waves. Carry a spare paddle.
There are long stretches with few bailout points. Also a lot of that stretch is wildlife sanctuary. Is camping permitted? I would highly recommend area charts and a compass, VHF radio, and GPS. Learn how to use all of them. These would be critical if going off shore. Do not depend on cell phone coverage.
I am not familiar with that area although I have paddled coastal waters in Florida and Alabama. I would want to talk to a local outfitter or park rangers to get more information.
I think you are not ready for a 125 mile trip. More like 10 miles and swimming distance to shore. Especially since it appears you have rejected all advice to practice and learn basic self rescue and weather before taking off on a major trip.
Celia
I am not going on 125 trip. I am not ready for that length nor do I even have the right gear. I just really want to do the 4th in Galveston. Right now I am still dreaming. But I am not doing any trip till I have more experience and all the gear, and have been to Galvestson and back a few times. I will goto Galveston without VHF as its all protected from here to there. But until I have the right gear and not just practical gear I will stick to near home.
I am also in the pool daily till I get a trolley and can portage to Moses lake about 2 football fields away.
Even in the pool I have flipped on purpose and then got back in many times. All I know at this point is I want to get a pump and a skirt as it is hard to tread water and drain the water out. I am listening. I dont want to be out in the middle of the ocean and flip by accident yet without the edge of the pool to be near by if I cant lift the kayak enough or cowboy scramble back into the kayak.
I am learning and for someone to learn they have to dream. You all are my teachers, and you say I am not ready so will take your word for it and wait.
Review the videos on paddle float rescues, for when you get the pump. At no point should you be pumping water out of the cockpit until you are back in the cockpit yourself.
FWIW worth I cannot do that big lift to get the bow out of the water some videos show. I donât have the size. But I can get the boat flipped facing up by going to the bow, where it is skinniest and I have the greatest purchase. If you get back into the cockpit on the first try there is not going to be a dreadful amount of water in there.
The cowboy scramble requires that you learn a lot of balance on top of the boat. You should expect to flip a lot until you get it. Using a support like the side of a pool will not help with that, it just takes a lot of getting wet again. Staying near the edge could increase the likelihood that you hit your head. Just stand at the shallow end so you can stand up and dump the water out more easily.