Portage to Portage Paddling Project
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
  • Where to from here?
  • Equipment List
  • Who's Following Jake?
  • Trip Log and Location
  • Where I'm going
  • Calendar
  • Links
  • Photos
  • Extras
  • Best of the Blog

Day 177 (saved from the storm)

5/31/2010

7 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 4:45 AM - Manasaquan, NJ
Finish: 12:00 Noon - Sandy Hook, NJ
Time: 7:15
Daily dist: 27 miles
Total dist: 3500+ miles
Companions: None
Weather: Beautiful 80 deg, sunny skies, SW tail wind 5-10 mph
Notes: My last full day on the Atlantic leg of the trip.
Picture
Me with Kurt, Kris, and Kirsten
Picture
Me with Ron who pulled me in from the rain.
Throughout this trip I’ve benefited from the kindness and generosity of hundreds of people such that I can only hope to enjoy a full lifetime of paying it all forward to others.  Today, my last full day on the Atlantic leg of my journey, I once again was dealt a fortunate hand of pure luck by way of four great people that made my night much more enjoyable than it would have been. 

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been setting up a visit with Ron Rauffer and his kids Kris, Kurt, and Kirsten in Atlantic Heights one of the last towns before crossing over to New York.  It is a long story (that I will more fully explain later) but because of tides, weather, and other logistics I had decided to not stay with the family.  Instead, they were going to come out to the end of Sandy Hook to visit me where I was going to camp (a little illegally) in order to get a jump on the crossing to NYC tomorrow.   That was until a series of large thunderstorms lined up to the west and started a stately march toward the coast. 

At five in the evening, after a long day of baking in the blazing hot sun, I heard thunder and crawled out from under the sun shade I’d built to see the tall thunder clouds on their way in. I secured everything in the Ikkuma and pulled it way up onto the dunes then walked two miles around the point to get to some sort of shelter to avoid the brunt of the storm.  My plan was to wait it out then go back and set up camp in what I hoped was the calm after the storm.  At that same time Ron and the kids were on their way out to visit me.  However, before they came, Ron called and asked what they could bring me from Burger King and ask if I wouldn’t still take them up on their offer to stay with them considering the weather.  I wasn’t too thrilled with the prospect of leaving my boat unguarded (but at least well hidden) on the beach but they did manage to talk me into at least going into town to have dinner with them while the storm passed. 

The storm did pass but a quick check of the weather revealed a couple more storms as well as off and on showers in store for the rest of the night.  So, believing that no sane person would be playing around in the dunes, in the rain, and after park hours, it was decided that I’d spend the night on Ron’s comfy and cozy couch rather than in the rain alone on the sand dune.  Tomorrow right when it opens at 5:00 AM Ron is going to give me a ride back out to the park where I will hop in my kayak and hopefully catch a three hour window in the weather to cross the bay and finally arrive in New York City!  

Picture
The sun shelter I built on the beach.
7 Comments

Day 176

5/30/2010

7 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 7:00 AM - Barnegat Light, NJ (Teare’s house)
Finish: 2:45 PM - Manasquan Inlet, NJ (Treasure Island)
Time: 7:45
Daily dist: 22 miles
Total dist: 3500+ miles
Companions: Patrick and John from the Jersey Shore Sea Kayak Association
Weather: NW wind 10-15 mph 80 degrees mostly clear
Notes: My last day on the Intracoastal Waterway it’s all outside to New York now.
Meeting people along the way was one of the goals of this trip and today I got plenty of that. Being a beautiful Sunday of Memorial Day weekend the waterway was jamb packed with boats of all sizes. It was a zoo out there to say the least. But beyond saying hello to dozens of people enjoying a day of fishing I managed to cross paths with a few different families during the day.

After starting the day with an awesome French Toast breakfast with Bernice and Paul Teare, I got on the water by 7:00 AM a little later than normal. That would have been welcome news to Patrick and John from the Jersey Shore Sea Kayak Association. Those two guys got up extra early and were on the water looking for me by 6:00 AM. Patrick is an avid kayaker who lives in Seaside Park which is one of the Jersey Shore towns I was to paddle by today. He convinced his friend John who’s visiting from out of town to get up and try to find me in the morning. They had looked at the blog to learn where I spent the night and looked at my last several launch times to try to figure out when and where they might be able to catch me coming by. Little did they know that a half dozen slices of French Toast would get me on the water a little later than normal and a wind out of the NW would have me paddling toward the far shore to get out of the wind. Somehow the trip magic prevailed and they managed to find the preverbal “needle in a haystack” and caught up with me by about 10:00 AM.

Picture
John and Patrick who joined me on the water for a couple hours today
I was paddling along listening to my head phones when I thought I heard my name come through the left ear bud. After tapping my ear to figure out what I was hearing I realized that it had come from behind me so I turned and there was a huge Seda Tango tandem kayak sprinting to catch up with me. I stopped to let them catch up and they asked if I was indeed the Jake they were looking for. After a couple quick handshakes and a bit of a break we continued on to the north back to where they had started earlier in the morning. When we arrived back at their put in it didn’t take much arm twisting to get me to take a bit of a break and walk a half block off the bay to Pat’s house where an ice cold Coke was to be found in the fridge. After a nice break and a good visit I walked back to the beach and continued on in the now even busier holiday boat traffic.

Picture
John and Patrick signing the Ikkuma
Yesterday, while we toured the town, Paul and I caught rumor that the Point Pleasant Canal at the top of the bay may not be open to kayakers. We contacted the Coast Guard and asked if kayaks were allowed to which they answered a simple and short…yes. Well apparently the Coast Guard doesn’t talk to the State Police around here. When I came cruising down the canal on a fast moving ebb tide enjoying a bouncy ride on the many boat wakes crashing off the sea walls that line the canal, a state trooper stopped me and asked where I came from. I answered quite simply and quiet honestly…Saint Louis Missouri. He shot me a look that can only come from someone that has worked a busy shift on a long hot day. He then said “You know kayaks aren’t allowed on this canal.” Now trying to slow myself by back paddling into the rushing water I tried to explain that I’d called the Coast Guard last night and they said it was OK. Not wanting to fuss and knowing that I was only a few hundred yards from the end of the canal he told me to just get going. Another brush with the law…

Picture
Not exactly the remote and empty islands I enjoyed in Florida in January
Once I hit the end of the canal I dodged heavy boat traffic and made my way to “Treasure Island”. I’d learned about the island from Pat who had called a friend to verify that I may be able to camp on it for the night. Camping isn’t necessarily allowed but that rule is apparently overlooked. The island is very popular with boaters and when I arrived it was crawling with people and almost surrounded by anchored out boats. If this was to be home for the night I had a few hours to kill before everyone left and I could set up my tent without attracting too much attention. So I set about on a walk around the small island to see what was there (ie. Check out the girls in the bikinis). Along the way I saw a guy roasting hot dogs using a technique I had never seen before. I asked if I could take a picture of his operation and the next thing I knew I was feasting on hot dogs and being led on a tour of the island by his son.

Picture
Liam showing off his dad's interesting hot dog cooking technique
Seven year old Liam showed me his favorite spots which included the clay beach where they find clay to make stuff, the climbing wall (old concrete shore protection), the mote (a tidal pond), and the trees (an area of several trees that have fallen onto the beach due to erosion of the island. Liam couldn’t decide which was his very favorite spot he says he pretty much likes the whole island. Apparently his family comes here almost every weekend in the summer months. It is certainly a heaven for kids to play on. After eating still more hot dogs and a few roasted marshmallows it was time for the family to go. I bid farewell but before they left Liam presented me with a hand formed piece of pottery that he had made.

Picture
Liam's good luck gift
Now I’m just getting caught up on the blog while I wait for the sun to set before I set up the tent and call it a night. Tomorrow (Monday) will bring a 24 mile run up the outside to and around Sandy Hook which is the northern tip of the Jersey Shore. From there it’s on to New York Tuesday morning.

7 Comments

Day 175

5/29/2010

2 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 6:30 AM- Beach Haven, NJ
Finish: 11:00 AM - Barnegat, NJ
Time: 4:30
Daily dist: 20 miles
Total dist: 3550 miles
Companions: None
Weather: Rain and east wind 5-10+ but partly sunny by noon
Notes: A short day of paddling followed by a tour of the town and wonderful visit with fantastic people. Paul and Bernice Teare
Picture
The Barnegat Lighthouse
This morning at about 2:00 AM I woke to the sound of rain falling on my tent. It’s a great tent and very dry in the rain so I just snuggled back in to enjoy a couple more hours of sleep. When I woke again at 5:00 and it was still raining I knew I’d probably have to break camp between showers which was the case and is always an interesting process. It rained on and off until about 10:00 yet holiday weekend boaters were already out in droves. The traffic was no worry as I was able to cruise close to the shore and enjoy watching docks and weekend homes pass by. Along the way I saw several sleepy eyed kids pulling up their crab traps, first thing in the morning, to see what may have crawled in overnight.

By 11:00 twenty short miles after I got started I paddled right up to the vacation home of Paul and Bernice Teare in Barnegat, NJ. Paul and Bernice are the parents of Brian who is a co-worker of my friend Neil down in Miami. You gotta love how connections through friends can help you find a nice place to stay and wonderful people to visit on a trip like this.
Picture
Paul and Bernice Teare
After finally meeting the people who so graciously offered up hospitality to a person they didn’t even know, I was directed toward the first hot shower I’d seen in ten days. It was terrific. Afterward we had lunch and then Paul showed me around the island (at least the quieter north end of it). We visited the light house which, from the top of the 217 steps that wound up the inside, offered a great view of the bays and marshes I’d been paddling through that morning.

From the lighthouse we went to the old one room school that’s been converted to a historical museum to see the original Fresnel lens that used to be in the lighthouse. When the folks there learned about my trip they were quite impressed and put my name in the daily log as a “celebrity” visitor. One of the museum guides suggested we stop by a gentleman’s house on the way home to see the wooden kayak he had built. We indeed did stop and met Merrill Thin who showed us the beautiful cedar wood strip kayak he’d built over the fall and winter.

We ended our tour back at the house where we enjoyed great conversation and a wonderful pork loin dinner prepared by Bernice.

Picture
The Teares Jersey Shore vacation home
Picture
Looking south from the lighthouse over the bay and marshes I've been paddling.
2 Comments

Day 174

5/28/2010

2 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 6:00 AM - Ocean City, NJ
Finish: 1:00 PM - near Beach Haven, NJ
Time: 7:00 hours
Daily dist: 23 miles
Total dist: 3500+ miles
Companions: None
Weather: Pleasant, partly cloudy - 70 deg. - east wind 5-10+
Notes: A shorter than normal day that almost became a longer than normal day.
Picture
The small 'KAYAKS' sign that directed me out of the wind and into Bay Cats kayak rentals yesterday.
Today was the first of five, shorter than average, days that are to come between Ocean City, NJ and New York. By the number and location of available places to camp or stay and the nature of the route I‘ve chosen, my normal eight hour thirty miles per day routine won’t work in this area. After grinding out several longer than normal days over the last week I can’t say I mind taking it easy a bit. When I got on the water this morning and bid the Bay Cats’ dock farewell I was happy to only have 22 miles and about six hours of paddling to do before I could sit back and relax a bit.

Along the way today I thoroughly enjoyed paddling the ICW. The route alternated between winding through miles and miles of bright green marsh grass and along residential areas built up with homes and boat docks. At one point the route ran through a narrow canal in the town of Ventnor City with houses on both sides built on stilts right at the water’s edge. It was in that canal that I came across three members of the Viking Rowing Club based out of Ventnor City. Shari was in a single and Barry and Jim where in a double. They had passed me but stopped to chat a bit and to suggest that I stop by their boat house and consider taking up rowing. As nice as that sounded, I explained that I was just passing through on my way north. Of course an explanation of my trip followed and the three were as impressed with my travels as I was with their boat house when I turned the corner a mile further and saw the beautiful wood shingled building. Barry actually owns a home right on the canal and keeps a dragon boat tied up there. It belongs to an organization that is using it as a re-habilitation activity (physical and mental) for breast cancer survivors. Barry joked that the thing that convinced him to house the boat was the prospect of having 80 women coming by all the time to use it.

Picture
L to R - Shari, Barry, and Jim from the Viking Rowing Club in Ventnor, NJ
Past Ventnor the ICW route ran right behind Atlantic City and from the water I could see all of the famous casinos including the Trump Plaza, The Tropicana, the Hilton and others. It was an imposing skyline (the biggest I’d seen since Fort Lauderdale) which surprisingly contained a half dozen giant electric windmills.

Picture
Giant windmills added to the Atlantic City skyline
The day was going well and I was feeling great and having fun seeing all the sights. You can only imagine my dismay when I arrived at my destination at 11:30 this morning and found the entire beach and dune area posted with dozens of signs of all shapes and sizes all saying “keep out” in a variety of ways. It’s bird nesting season and the state is doing what it can to keep people off the beaches to not disturb the birds while they do what it is that they do. Unfortunately for me all of the other high and dry land along the New Jersey shore has a house or road on it.

Picture
One of dozens of signs barring me from the beach. I can't wait to go duck hunting with my brother Aaron next fall.
Not being able to camp where I’d planned I paddled on a mile further to the next beach only to find more of the same type of signs. A quick study of my maps revealed no promising places to camp between those beaches and my next contact’s house twenty miles to the north. Which was supposed to be tomorrow’s stop. That house belongs to the parents of the friend of my friend Neil down in Ft. Lauderdale. [Thank heaven for friends like Neil and all the other family and friends back home that are working their contacts to find me help when I need it.] I tried to call Neil to see if he could get word to my hosts that I was on my way up tonight rather than tomorrow afternoon. Of course Neil was away from his phone so I was a little stuck. I really didn’t want to grind out another five hours of paddling to surprise a pair of folks that are really still strangers to me. With not a lot of options, other than waiting eight hours till sunset and setting up camp in the dark I figured I’d start paddling north and see if I could catch Neil and get the word out as I went.

The twenty miles I had to cover really isn’t that far, only 4-5 hours of paddling at my normal pace. However, after doing 22 already and paddling into a strong ebb (outgoing) tidal flow I knew I was in for a long, long afternoon. Just as I was about to hunker down and just grind it out I looked across the river and there in the distance the yellow glimmer of sand caught my eye amongst miles of green marsh grass. With nothing to loose I paddled over and to my delight I discovered a tiny spit of high and dry sand just big enough for me, my tent, and my boat. Best of all there was no sign on it saying I couldn’t be there and no nesting birds besides. I quickly landed and left a message with Neil that I was going to stick with Plan A and camp down here for the night.
 

2 Comments

Day 173

5/27/2010

6 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 6:30 AM - Avalon, NJ
Finish: 11:30 AM - Ocean City, NJ
Time: 5:00
Daily dist: 16 miles
Total dist: 3500+ miles
Companions: None
Weather: Big head winds out of the NE, cloudy and chilly in the AM but nice later Notes: Got a lucky break and a great place to camp
My early starts lately (typ. 5:30 AM launch times) are designed to help me try to get as many miles in as I can before the wind builds. This morning at 4:00 AM I woke to the sound of my tent snapping in the wind. I’d already lost the race with the wind so I rolled back over and got another hour of sleep. My plan for the day was to put in about 32 miles to try to reach some spoil islands behind Atlantic City. The wind and tides had other plans for me.

Thankful that I was on the inside (rather than the more windy open coast) and still able to make some headway against the wind I slogged along for four and a half hours. Just as I came under the bridge in Ocean City I was faced with a long open bay with the channel markers leading me straight into the building wind along very choppy waves being pushed up by the opposing forces of the ebb tide and wind. At least at this moment I did have the tide at my back, but the thought in the back of my mind was that once I passed the inlet four sloppy miles ahead I’d be paddling upstream and into the wind along the river channel on the other side. At that point I was soaked from getting splashed by numerous waves breaking on my bow so I pulled into a small private slipway to pull on my jacket and check my maps. While I was there I drew the attention of a woman that was staying in one of the nearby houses and she asked if she could help me with anything. I said no, then jokingly said I did need to know where a camp spot was about four hours ahead. She suggested that I talk to the gentleman that runs the kayak outfit just down the way. I thanked her and paddled on into the wind thinking that if I did find the kayak place I may just stop in and see if the people there did know of any camp sites.

Picture
Bay Cats kayak and sail rental store from the water
Sure enough a half mile away I came upon a sign hand painted on the side of a dock in four inch white letters “Kayaks” and an arrow pointing right. There to the right was a perfect low floating dock set up for kayaks and a small kayak shop above on the dock. Figuring it would be a good idea to get some local knowledge I tide my kayak to the dock grabbed my maps and walked up to the store. Adorned in my full splash soaked paddling getup, I approached the owner with map case in hand. He said “can I help you?” and I simply said yes a woman down the way said you’d be a good person to talk to about camp spots in New Jersey. He simply said, “Sure you can put your tent on the dock… there is no hot shower but the hose is there and the bathrooms are over there. My name is Don.” That was it, no questions about who I was or anything else, he simply just offered up a place to stay. At that point I was still tired from the day before and the previous six days of paddling, I simply said “My name is Jake and I‘m paddling around the Eastern United States… thank you very much.” Sometimes you just don’t need to say much I guess.

After getting cleaned up I chatted with Don a bit and walked into town to check things out. Just like Ocean City, MD Ocean City, NJ is set up to cater to beach going tourists. In Ocean City you will find a giant octopus strangling a small shed at the mini gulf Corse along side numerous junk food shops and stores selling “I (heart) Ocean City“ T shirts.

Picture
Icecream cone on the boardwalk
When I'd had enough carnival type food to feed an army.  I returned to Don’s shop in time to visit a bit more before he left for the day. Aside from a few years spent in Wyoming, Ron has been selling and sailing Hobie catamarans from this location since 1974. He got started in kayaks quite a while ago as well and now runs tours on the bay in addition to rentals from his dock.

Picture
My North Face Minibus tent staked out with buckets of water
Now knowing how challenging camping can be in this region I took the time to get the next five days all planned out, including places to stay, tides, weather, etc. It’s a rare moment that I have than much planned out and I’m going to enjoy not having to do that kind of work every evening.

6 Comments

Day 172

5/26/2010

9 Comments

 
It was a great day that ran much longer than I expected.  I'm already dozing off so I'm going to make this post quick then get to bed for some much needed rest.  I'll fill in the gaps tomorrow. 
Picture
The ferry that would eventually take Rick and Hank back across the bay. Mid crossing in stil mirror smooth water
I got a very early start and paddled down the beach a couple miles to catch up with Rick and Hank who drove down from the Baltimore area to do the crossing of the Delaware Bay with me.  The weather was good as you could imagine and we made it nearly all the way across the bay on almost mirror smooth water.  We arrived on the New Jersey side by about 10:00 then paddled another five miles up the East shore and came in the Cape May inlet.  From there Rick and Hank paddled south down a canal to catch a ferry back across the bay.  Meanwhile I turned and paddled north in search of high ground on which to camp and to put a few more miles in.  The least I can say is that the search for high camp-able land was a bit of a challenge but came out good in the end.
9 Comments

Day 172 (full report)

5/26/2010

0 Comments

 
0 Comments

Day 172 (full report)

5/26/2010

1 Comment

 
Daily stats
Start: 5:30 AM - Lewes, DE
Finish: 6:00 PM - Avalon, NJ
Time: 12:30
Daily dist: 40 miles
Total dist: 3500 miles
Companions: Rick and Hank for the Delaware Bay crossing
Weather: Flat calm and beautiful most of the day
Notes: Finding camp spots proved to be challenging on the inside ICW
Today started out as well as I could have ever hoped then ended up becoming quite a long day. Sticking to an early morning routine I was up and on the water by 5:30 AM. From my camp site I paddled two miles east along the shore to where two friends (Rick and Hank) were planning on meeting me. They had driven down from the Baltimore area last night and stayed in a motel room. Having missed the message Rick left on my cell phone Monday night about their plan, I missed the chance to stay with them rather than in my tent. The camp spot I found was so beautiful I’d be crazy to say I was disappointed though.

Picture
Sunrise viewed from camp smooth water
Even though they live on the east coast, I know Rick and Hank from San Diego. They were out there a couple years ago with another gentleman named Joel to do a month long trip on the Sea of Cortez. I gave them, three kayaks, and all their gear a ride from Aqua Adventures across the border to San Filepe where they started their trip south along the eastern edge of Baja. Interestingly I ran into Joel when I paddled into Key Largo way back in February. Today, about 1500 miles of paddling later, I met the other two of the “Three Amigos” in Delaware.

Picture
Hank taking a break mid crossing
The big plan (that we finally sorted out last night) was for me to catch up with the guys in the morning and do the Delaware Bay crossing with them. They would then catch the ferry back across the bay to their car and return home while I continued on. Right on schedule I spotted the guys carrying their kayaks to the water and a few minutes later we all launched into the glassy smooth water of the Delaware Bay. We enjoyed the great weather and smooth water as we paddled toward the lighthouse on the New Jersey side of the bay. I’ve crossed quite a few state lines on this trip but somehow my arrival in New Jersey was special. I think it’s because it was the first state that was separated by a significant boundary (15 miles of open water) so it truly seemed like I was arriving at a different place. The rest of the day proved that was true in more ways than one.

We reached the Jersey Shore by about 10:30 then continued up the outer coast to the Cape May inlet. There we came inside and after getting chased off a marked beach by the police, we parted ways. They paddled south down a canal to the other side of the island to catch the ferry back to Delaware and (after filling my water bags at a fuel dock/bait shop) I paddled north on the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway (NJICW) in search of a place to camp about twelve miles ahead.

Picture
Rick in the marina where we parted ways
Upon finding the beach I had highlighted on my map as a potential camp spot I also found dozens of signs that read “Keep out bird nesting area”. Not wanting to ruffle any feathers (ha ha) I pressed on toward another suspicious looking island indicated on my map that I had also highlighted. Along the way I came upon a spoil island that I hadn’t noticed on the map which would have made a decent camp. Being a bit greedy, and not adhering to my rule about not passing up good camps, I pressed on. I truly thought that if I was finding high ground that wasn’t shown on my map then the high ground that was must be even better. Boy was I wrong. An hour or so later I came upon the spot I thought would work only to find a tiny grass and bird covered lump in the marsh grass that I wasn’t quite desperate enough to make work. So I pressed on a little further still to the last spot I had circled on my map the night before. Thankfully, after 12 hours of paddling, I found high ground. The island was full of several birds but I managed to find a high spot big enough for my boat and tent that kept me far enough from the birds to not disturb them too much. The island was barely above high water and when large boats would pass their wake would come uncomfortably close to my tent. By then I was so tired that I didn’t mind and the spot proved to be quite comfortable.

The day’s adventure taught me a valuable lesson about the spoil islands and topography of New Jersey. While it’s actually a more scenic place to paddle than I expected, it’s going to require more planning than I’ve had to do in the past months. It’s due to the fact that the spoil islands are either overgrown with vegetation or are posted bird sanctuaries where I can’t legally land. The wing it and figure it out as you go approach just won’t work around here. Lesson learned.

1 Comment

Day 171 (Happy First Birthday Jonas!)

5/25/2010

5 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 5:30 AM- Ocean City, MD
Finish: 3:00 PM - Lewes, DE
Time: 9:30 Hours
Daily dist: 32 miles
Total dist: 3000+ miles
Companions: None
Weather: NE wind 10 mph high in mid 70’s mostly clear (nice)
Notes: Made much better time on the inside today than I did on the outside yesterday. Nice to be able to hide from the wind.
Today I got smart and ran up the sheltered inside bays and canals rather than spend another long day beating against the wind and waves. Consequently my mileage went way up over yesterday and I had a great time putting in the miles. One very important link in my route today was the Assawoman canal just north of Ocean City. On my charts it shows that it was only a foot and a half deep in 1977 (old charts I guess). Being that shallow I wasn’t sure the canal would be passable. Thankfully I was able to call my brother Luke the other day and he checked into it for me and learned that it is presently being dredged. He also read some blog posts from people that said they’d run the four mile canal on jet skis and in shallow draft pontoon boats. With that info I was feeling good about giving it a try. When I got to the jet ski rental place yesterday I asked them about the canal and they said it was indeed passable for something like a kayak.

Picture
Calm water through a tunnel of trees on the Assawoman Canal
I got a very early start in order to catch the strong incoming tide flow and made good time despite the NE headwind that hadn’t stopped blowing since Sunday. A few hours into the day I crossed the state line and added Delaware to the rapidly growing list of states I’ve paddled in. An hour or so later I found the entrance to the Assawoman canal and started a four mile long run through what turned out to be one of the prettiest bits of water I’ve seen over the last several days. The mixed pine and hardwood trees touched over head creating a tunnel of green. The air smelled like pine mixed with very fragrant flowers and animals of all sorts darted in and out of the woods. Paddling the very narrow canal was like being encapsulated in nature along a man made ditch. The dredging operation Luke had read about on line was indeed going on and the dredge had to actually stop and loosen one of it’s control cables to let me pass, the canal was that narrow.

Picture
The dredge had to stop to let me pass.
From the Assawoman canal I continued north across a couple more open bays then finished the day out by running the eight mile long Lewes and Rehoboth canal. By sheer luck of timing I ended up with a nice outgoing tide pushing me all the way out the inlet in Lewes to a beach on the southern edge of the Delaware Bay. As I sat in my tent watching the car ferries come and go across the bay I remembered that this was the first place I ever saw the ocean. It was on a family trip to Washington DC over 22 years ago. We had driven up to New Jersey to see one of my dad’s old Vietnam buddies and took the scenic route back across the Delaware on a ferry and on to Rehoboth Beach. I don’t remember much about the experience except trying to body surf the large jelly fish filled waves that were coming in that day. My brothers and I would get a short ride then get wiped out and rolled in to the beach in the dumping surf. We’d be stung up from the jelly fish and had sand forced into places it doesn’t belong but we were so excited to be “swimming” in salty water we’d just shake out the sand tough out the sings and go right back out for more.

Picture
I played 'Leap Frog' with this boat on the ICW all the way across North Carolina. Today i passed it up for the last time in it's home port of Lewes, DE
5 Comments

Day 170 (remering what its all about)

5/24/2010

3 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 6:00 AM- State line on Assateague Island, MD
Finish: 2:00 PM - Ocean City, MD
Time: 8:00 Hours
Daily dist: 20 miles
Total dist: 3200+ miles
Companions: None
Weather: 10+ mph head wind, fog sun then fog then less fog then more fog…
Notes: A long day for not much mileage. I normally do 20miles in five hours
Today was challenging from the start. At 4:30 AM my internal alarm clock went off and I woke to the walls of my tent already shaking in the wind. Apparently the 5-10 mph winds that had been predicted had grown and got an early start. After loading the boat and strapping or tying down anything that could be swept off the boat I launched through the surf and paddled swiftly out past the breakers. I then turned the Ikkuma 90 degrees left and paddled north into the fog.

Picture
Sky water and fog...didn't I use this picture yesterday... If you look closely you can see a whale doing a back flip
Fog and persistent head winds were the name of the game. Eighteen miles of sloppy water and wind separated me from the Ocean City inlet where I had planned to spend the second half of the day paddling on the inside. If I’d been able to maintain my normal pace there would have been hopes of crossing into Delaware before the day was done. This would have set a new (one state in one day) record for the trip. However, Mother Nature had other plans. The 10 mph head wind I started out with built throughout the morning to a 10-15 mph head wind and worked against me like I couldn’t believe. My normal pace would have put me to Ocean city by 11:00 AM when that time came I fired up my GPS (seems how I couldn’t see land to tell where I was) and realized that I still had at least two hours to go. Quickly I had to start coming up with an alternative plan for where to spend the night, because at that rate I’d never make it to where I’d planned.

Thankfully after coming into the dicy Ocean City inlet against a monster outgoing tide I spotted very camp-able sand shore on the south side of the inlet. With that matter taken care of I decided that I’d paddled far enough for the day. Especially considering the very long days of paddling I had over the last two days. Seems how camping was figured out I decided to land in town and see if I could check things out. Luck was with me and the jet ski rental place just inside the inlet had a nice sand beach that they let me land on and leave the Ikkuma while I walked into town. They were also nice enough to let me hang up my tent and rain fly to dry while I was playing around.

Picture
Jet skis are normally a kayaer's enemy but these guys were great
It was a bit of a culture shock to say the least going from quiet sandy islands shrouded in fog to full on carnival boardwalk blitz. But that’s what Ocean City, MD is all about. A wide boardwalk (with actual boards) lined on both sides with T-shirt shops, candy stores, funnel cake stands, and even a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not complete with a giant animatronic shark jutting from the wall. I tracked down the caramel corn stand that the guys from the jet ski place recommended
Picture
Yes, I have seen sharks on this trip...huge ones.
While I munched on the carmel corn I went in search of something more substantial for lunch and when I saw a sign for Calzones I figured that'd be perfect.  So I wandered into Caruso Pizza and Subs ordered my calzone and sat down at a table next to an outlet so I could charge up my computer. The owner of the store, Scott Bruning, noticed the “Aqua Adventures” sticker on my computer which was spread out on the table in front of me and asked me about it. I told him about the store and about this trip. The next thing I knew I became a ten minute celebrity in the store. Scott introduced just about everyone that came in, as well as all the staff, to the kayak guy who’s paddling around the country. I was happy that the trip made an impression on Scott and many of the others in the store. Before I could leave Scott hooked me up with two sandwiches for the road as well as a Caruso Pizza T-shirt and bumper stickers for my boat.

Picture
Me with the crew at Caruso - left to right Rob, Vance,Shannon, Mathew, and Scott Bruning
Back at the jet ski place the guys working on the docks had become increasingly interested in what I was up to and had several questions for me when I returned. They all signed the boat and posed for a quick snap shot before I shoved off to paddle across the channel to tonight’s camp. It was a frustrating day to start but I’m glad I got slowed down and took the opportunity to see a place I would have normally just passed by.

3 Comments

Day 169 Phone Update

5/23/2010

3 Comments

 
Jake phoned in another update due to a bad internet connection.  He had another long day paddling but was happy to report his back is feeling better.  He's spending the night on Assateague Island across from the Maryland/Virginia border.

5/24 JAKE IS CAUGHT UP ON THE BLOG SEE THE D POST BELOW
3 Comments

Day 169

5/23/2010

1 Comment

 
Daily stats
Start: 5:45 AM- Pine Island, VA
Finish: 5:15 PM - State line on Assateague Island, MD
Time: 11:30 Hours
Daily dist: 35 miles
Total dist: 3200+ miles
Companions: None
Weather: 5-10 mph head wind, fog then rain then fog then sun then fog
Notes: A hard day but I had to push across the state line to where camping is allowed. I also get a kick out of crossing state lines.
I made the call this morning to commit to two days of paddling on the outside of Assateague Island. The weather predictions showed tolerable winds out of the NE for the next several days so I went for it rather than deal with navigating the twisty marsh grass and shallows on the inside. I also figured that camping would be a lot simpler on the outside as well. There are few high and dry spots on the inside in this area.

Picture
sky water and fog for most of the day - I think you can almost see the shore in this photo
True to prediction the wind was in my face all day but was not bad to deal with. It also rained for about two hours which was also not bad. What made the day a bit challenging was the thick fog that drifted in and out throughout the day. It would go from bright and sunny at one moment to completely socked in with 200 yard visibility the next. To find my way along the coast I kept a careful eye on my compass and at the same time ran just close enough to where I could see the waves stacking up before they broke on the beach. It was actually fun for a while but did become mentally taxing as the day wore on. Because of the fog I really can’t say that I know what the outside of Assateague Island looks like. I could make out the boxy shadows of trucks driving on the beach and occasionally when the fog did thin I could see sand dunes stretching as far as the eye can see up the beach. I had hoped to see one or tow of the ponies that the island is famous for but the fog was not helping.

Picture
Somewhat dumpy surf but manageable
The state line was my goal for the day for two reasons. The first is because no camping is allowed on the VA end of the island. The second is because I get a kick out of crossing state lines, they’re sort of mini destinations in my much longer route. Of course making it as far as the border meant putting in a longer than normal day and with the head wind slowing me a bit it turned into a longer day still. It was worth it in the end as I ended up in a very pleasant camp spot with horse tracks right on the beach.

Picture
Horse tracks right on the beach - I spared you the picture of horse apples on the beach
1 Comment

Day 169

5/23/2010

0 Comments

 
0 Comments

Day 168 - An "off day" for Jake

5/22/2010

5 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 6:30 AM- Oyster, VA
Finish: 4:00 PM - South end of Cedar Island
Time: 9:30 hours
Daily dist: 30 miles
Total dist: 3000+ miles
Companions: Vic paddled with me for the first hour
Weather: Mostly cloudy and warm w/ ESE wind at 5-10mph
Notes: An off day for me for some reason

Everyone is entitled to have an off day now and then and for me today was one of those days. The day started out great with an on time launch at the Oyster boat ramp accompanied by Vic who paddled with me for the first hour toward the open coast. After we parted ways things seemed to go downhill for me and the day turned out to be more of a struggle than it needed to be.

Picture
Vic says farewell one last time
The weather was nice for running up the outside (open ocean) of the barrier islands. After a day of winding through the grass flats on the inside bays yesterday I was happy to be on the outside for a change. The 1-2’ wind waves that were out there shouldn’t have been a problem but for the first time in this trip my lower back was a bit sore and stiff. The constant side to side rock of the boat seemed to make my back stiffen up even more to the point where it became enough of a distraction that for the first time in weeks I didn’t notice how sore my rear end was.

With a sore back and waves constantly slopping over my boat I took advantage of a quick route back inside and ran the back side of the islands for the second half of the day. I had hoped to find my way along a secondary (unmarked) channel that would have cut a corner and shortened my inside route. Unfortunately, the featureless grass flats hid the route and I ended up running a couple miles west to get back onto the marked channel. My back felt some relief from being out of the constant motion of the bouncy ocean and I made good time heading north until I was slowed by the incoming tide. By the time I made it to the first unrestricted spot on the south end of Cedar Island I was very ready to pull in and set up camp. However, the beach there was crawling with people. I didn’t know if they had boated over and were going to leave or if they were staying in the nearby stilt houses on the remote island just that there was at least a dozen people hanging out on the beach.

Picture
sit right back and you'll hear a tale...
  Not wanting to rub elbows with herds of people I paddled back onto the open ocean (which was now mysteriously calm) and headed up the coast another mile and a half. There I found an empty beach, (empty but for the stranded trawler and dilapidated stilt houses that were there anyway) and finally called it a day.


Picture
Knowing Jake he got his tools out and fixed this place up!
Of course the work was not done yet, as I pulled by boat up and started to empty it out I discovered that with all the sloppy waves that washed over my deck in the morning a cup or so of water had managed to find it’s way into my front hatch. So once again I spread all my gear out to dry and dug the sealant out of my repair kit to try to seal up every possible port of entry I could find in the front half of my boat. With luck this time I got the leak fixed and it won’t be a problem again.

There is rain in the forecast tomorrow but the winds are predicted to be calm so I’m hoping to make good time toward Assateague Island.

5 Comments

Day 167

5/21/2010

1 Comment

 
Daily stats
Start: 7:00 AM- Fort Monroe, VA
Finish: 4:30 PM - Oyster, VA
Time: 9:30
Daily dist: 32 miles
Total dist: 3000+ miles
Companions: Vic Sorensen for the first hour and a visit with Kayak Kevin at noon
Weather: Absolutely perfect weather warm and glassy smooth
Notes: 20 mile crossing of entrance of Chesapeake

This morning Vic gave me a ride back to the Fort Monroe boat ramp where we pulled out last Sunday. Both of us launched again and Vic accompanied me for the first few miles of the day. After we parted ways I set a course of 60 degrees and paddled toward a flat watery horizon in search of land on the other side of the bay.

A few hours later after enjoying perfect weather and very smooth water I arrived at the eastern end of the Chesapeake bridge tunnel. There waiting for me on the other side, on his way out fishing, was Kayak Kevin whom I mentioned I met the other day when he stopped by to go over the local navigation charts with me. Kevin and I chatted for a few minutes then I continued north once again toward the tiny town of Oyster Virginia.

Oyster isn’t much more than a boat ramp, a few houses, and a seafood receiving center. I pulled out there and got comfortable while I waited for Vic to arrive in his truck. Our plan was for Vic to drive up after work and for us to stay in a motel then he would launch with me in the morning and paddle with me again for a couple hours. While I waited for Vic I struck up a conversation with a local Oyster resident named Larry who lives in a tiny boat tied up on one of the docks near the town boat ramp. Larry is a colorful character, a bit rough around the edges, but interesting enough to talk to. He shared some of the iced tea he had but wasn’t interested in the cookies I offered him because they wouldn’t go with beer.

Picture
Vic joined me in the mornig
Picture
Kayak Kevin was waiting for me on the other side.
1 Comment

Day 165 - 166

5/20/2010

6 Comments

 
The highlight of the last two days came via a batch of pictures and videos my sister-in-law Amy sent of my nephew Noah riding a bike without training wheels. He’s due to turn five in just a few weeks and seeing those images of him tooling around on two wheels reminded me of how much I’m looking forward to being back with my family back in Wisconsin. I can’t wait to be Uncle Jake full time not just on holiday visits.

Picture
My nephew enjoying one of his first two wheeled rides
Most of what I did do over the last two days was clean and maintain gear. Yesterday I spent the day shopping for food and charts to see me through the next couple of weeks. In addition I spent a few hours soaping and rinsing all of my camping gear and dry bags. They’d all become a bit salty over the last few months and consequently were prone to absorbing the slightest bit of moisture out of the air. Today I sanded out a fresh layer of “Marine Tex” epoxy I had added to the keel strip on the Ikkuma (my kayak) to extend the life of it and my hull. After a close inspection of the hull I was pleased to see how well it’s holding up after more than 3000 miles of hard use. I feel confidant that it will see me through the next 2000 miles back home. When the boat was finished I organized my gear and re-packed all of the freshly cleaned dry bags.

At the end of the day Vic and Tracy treated me to a giant meal at a local Italian place for my last night in town. They figured that a big serving of pasta would go a long way toward keeping me going strong during my crossing of the mouth of the Chesapeake tomorrow. The weather looks great for the crossing with only light winds in the forecast so it should be a great day to get back out there.

6 Comments

Day 164 (slideshows and planning)

5/18/2010

5 Comments

 
The highlight of today was the slideshow I did for a group of folks that gathered at the Appomattox River Company kayak store. With very short notice an intimate group of local paddlers rallied at about 7:00 to hear some of the stories and see more of the pictures of the trip. With a growing bank of stories and pictures I love to share, the slide show is in need of some streamlining before I run the risk of talking all night long, which I almost did last night. Everyone was very supportive and excited about the trip and I had a great time sharing the adventure.
Picture
A great group gathered to hear about the trip.
Because it rained almost all day and I couldn‘t spread out my gear to get it cleaned up, the rest of the day was spent catching up on administrative duties and planning my route for the weeks ahead. As far as planning goes I’ve been faced with a decision regarding which route I could take to get to New Jersey. The most direct route up the “Eastern Shore” of Virginia would take me along a fractured shore line much like Georgia. An alternative route would be to paddle up the Chesapeake then across over to the Deleware via the Chesapeake and Delaware (C&D) canal and back down the Deleware to the coast. The inside route would have added four days of travel but would have allowed me to see more of the area.

The decision was made easy today when I was tipped off in an e-mail from Jim, whom I paddled with the other day. He had heard rumor that kayaks are not allowed in the fifteen mile long C&D canal. I dialed the phone number that he gave me for the canal operator and learned that Jim was indeed right. No non motorized boat is allowed to travel the canal. Even sail boats must have a motor to go across. The ironic thing is that I’m actually faster than a lot of sailboats that commonly have underpowered motors that aren’t really expected to do much more than push the sailboat from a dock to open water. For a moment I considered trying to coordinate a ride on the back of a motor boat or something like that but in the end decided it just wasn’t worth the trouble. The Chesapeake is just another area is being added to my ever growing list of places I intend to visit again in the future.

Picture
Me with local kayaking legend 'Kayak Kevin'
For now my sights are set on the eastern shore of Virginia into coastal Maryland across the mouth of the Deleware into New Jersey and on into New York City. To help sort out some of the details of actual route selection and camp spots, I had the rare pleasure of talking, in person, to someone who has been there before. After the slide show Kayak Kevin, a local kayak fishing celebrity and accomplished kayak tripper sat down and poured over the maps of the area with me. Kevin has done several extended kayaking trips all the way around Florida up the Chesapeake and along the Eastern Shore. 

Kevin's much slower pace (fishing all the way on a sit on top kayak) has given him an incredibly intimate knowledge of the places he has paddled through. Kevin is a literal warehouse of information for the waters he’s paddled and it was a treat to be able to get that kind of information first hand. As we talked it was funny to see how we both had developed the same selection criteria for what makes a good camp spot and how we’d shared many of the same experiences in our travels. Some of his experiences I’m happy to have not had such as a very real shark attack and when an alligator sounded it’s displeasure with his camp site selection in the middle of the night. It’s worth taking a look at Kevin’s web site he has had some amazing travels in his kayak.

5 Comments

Day 163

5/17/2010

5 Comments

 
Picture
Calm rainless start - Photo by vic Sorensen
So, what does an expedition sea kayaker
do on a day off?

Go canoeing of course.
That was the story for me today as I joined Vic and his friend Cliff in solo canoes on the Blackwater River near Franklin Virginia. Cliff is a paddle-sport product rep who was in the area for a kayak demo day so he decided to stay an extra day to get a little water time for himself. He and Vic had been planning this outing for a while and I was lucky to have made it here in time to join them.

Picture
Paddling through the trees - photo by Vic Sorensen
We woke to the sound of sprinkling rain and ended up donning our rain coats as we loaded the canoes on Vic’s truck after breakfast. As we drove to the boat ramp in Franklin, VA the skies opened and it started to pour. The rain paused long enough for us to get on the water with thoughts that we may not need our rain coats but minutes later a steady rain began that lasted throughout the day.

Picture
A bit of rain - Photo by Vic Sorensen
I wouldn’t say the rain really bothered any of us, more so it added to the mystique of paddling the twisty tannic brown river through and around enormous cypress trees who’s branches created a tunnel of green overhead. It had been quite some time since I was in a canoe and I felt a bit clumsy at first, but after an hour or so I was getting the hang of it again. We paddled on for several hours, each of us with the curious desire to see what was around the next bend. Frequently what was around the next bend was interesting wildlife ranging from Muskrats to Blue Herons and even, at one of our break spots, a small Snapping Turtle, we think that was digging a nest.

Picture
This turtle was the only bit of wildlife slow enough for us to get a picture of
Wanting to try out each of the three different canoes we had along, we paused a couple times to take a break, swap boats, and empty the accumulated rainwater. The fun couldn’t last all day so we finally did have to turn around and enjoy the scenery all the way back to the boat ramp near the paper mill in Franklin. Amazingly, after a full day of steady rain it paused long enough for us to load up and change out of our damp clothes before it began again. Hungry and cold we all ordered a hot beverage and warm meal at Fred’s restaurant in Franklin then continued on toward home. It was a great day of paddling with great company.

5 Comments

Day 162

5/16/2010

3 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 7:15 AM - Great Bridge Locks (near Oak Grove, VA)
Finish: 3:15 PM - Fort Monroe (Hampton, VA)
Time: 8:00
Daily dist: 23 miles
Total dist: 3000+ miles
Companions: Lots! (the biggest group to join me yet) 
Weather: Storms early in the morning but for us - Partly cloudy, highs in the 70’s, NE wind 10-15 mph
Notes: I paddled with the group for the first eight miles then with Vic to the take out at Fort Monroe.
So much happened today I can hardly keep it all straight. The day started with a loud clap of thunder as a very active storm rolled through the area. As I listened to the storm rage outside at 4:00 AM I was very grateful to Bill for arranging for me to be in a snug little cabin at the North Bay Shore campground for the night instead of out on a buggy spoil island where I had planned on camping. As big as it was, the storm didn’t last that long and by 6:30 when we were pulling our boats off of the cars the skies had started to clear revealing the beautiful day that was in store for us.

Picture
Because the locks were not working yesterday, and because they don’t operate the locks for only kayaks, we couldn’t lock through to the north side of the lock. So this morning we did the next best thing and put in at a boat ramp on the other side. To make the loop as official as possible I paddled a hundred yards upstream to the bottom gate of the lock and took a picture. From there our group of four kayaks continued north up the last miles of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway on toward the Elizabeth River and Norfolk Virginia. Along the way the scenery quickly changed from thickly wooded bottom lands to a very very industrial corridor.

Picture
We're not in Kansas any more
The plan was for our group to paddle together for the first eight miles to the Jordan Bridge Park. There the morning crew would catch a shuttle back to their vehicles at the put in and I’d meet up with my friend Vic. Vic would then accompany me through the rest of the very busy Norfolk industrial and Navy harbor to where his truck was waiting at Fort Monroe. Amazingly, it all went off like clock work.

Picture
Warm welcome from my friend Vic
After arriving a bit late due to the morning’s storm and an incoming tide flow we found a small crowd waiting for us at the mid point. After fueling up on the snacks that Vic brought, telling a few stories, signing my boat, and taking a few pictures, Vic and I re-launched and continued north. From there the waters went from a busy industrial corridor to an outright HUGE commercial and Navy port. We did what we could to maintain the buffer zone from the Navy fleet while at the same time not getting run over in the middle of the channel where that mandated distance put us. At one point a Coast Guard Patrol boat came by and asked us to please move out of the middle of the shipping lane. Honestly there was no place else we wanted to be less… but the Navy guys have bigger guns. Just the same (with a “the Coast Guard told us to” up our sleeve) we gladly moved to the edge of the shipping lane closer (legally too close) to the Navy fleet. Thankfully the Navy patrol boat that was running up and down the line didn’t give us any trouble and we continued on in peace.

Picture
The Wisconsin now a museum in Norfo
Vic and I made great time and by about 3:00 we had bounced across the windy Hampton Roads and on into a boat ramp near Fort Monroe. We quickly loaded up the boats and took a half hour tour of Fort Monroe itself. From there we made a couple stops on our way back to Vic and Tracy’s house where we feasted on a dinner of hamburgers, corn on the cob, and beans followed by a double helping of ice cream. Having thru hiked the Application Trail a few years ago, Vic knows what my body is going through and has made it his mission to try to fatten me up while I’m here.

3 Comments

Day 161

5/15/2010

6 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 5:45 AM- Piney Island on ICW two miles north of Coinjock, NC
Finish: 4:00 PM - Great Bridge, VA (at the only lock on the main ICW)
Time: 10:15
Daily dist: 29 miles
Total dist: 3000+ miles
Companions: Bill Sauer
Weather: Sunny w/ high of 80 and NW then N wind 10+
Notes: I paddled solo the first 14 miles then with Bill to the take out. It was great to have company on the water.
At about 6:00 AM morning I was treated to the last sunrise I’ll see in North Carolina as two and a half hours later I crossed the state line into Virginia.

Picture
My last sunrise in North Carolina - notice the wind has already blown up a chop on the water
About an hour later still I pulled off at the Pungo Ferry Road Bridge and met up with local kayaker Bill Sauer. Bill had e-mailed a week or so ago wanting to paddle with me while I was passing through the area. However, at the time it looked like I was going to be past before he got back from an out of town training. As it turned out the day I was held up in Cedar Point last weekend allowed Bill time enough to catch up with me. Having been without cell contact (or internet contact) for the better part of the week I didn’t receive many of the e-mails that had been sent until last night. One of those e-mails was from Bill saying that he was back in town and still wanted to paddle so if I was interested give him a call. It was last minute but to me much of this adventure is about sharing it with others so I gave him a call. Amazingly he convinced his wife and daughter to drive shuttle for him and plans were quickly hatched for him to meet me at the half way point and paddle to the day’s finish line with me. From there he had made arrangements for me to stay in a cabin, if I so chose, at the “North Bay Shore Campground".  Bill actually keeps his camper and kayak there all year and stays frequently enjoying direct access to miles and miles of kayaking in the local waters.  Of course it’d be un-polite (and crazy) to turn down an invite like that so that’s where I am tonight.
Picture
Bill waiting for me at the half way point.
At a quarter to ten this morning (a half hour behind schedule because of the wind) I found Bill, a stranger but for our shared love of kayaking, waiting for me with his wife at the kayak launch spot at the foot of the Pungo Bridge. We said our hellos and after I gave my sore rear end a break from constant sitting we were on our way.

We paddled together enjoying several hours of excellent weather and pleasant conversation where I learned about Bills Navy days and current work as a maintenance technician for a local school bus fleet. At the end of the day we arrived at the Great Bridge Lock, which is the only lock on the main Intracoastal Waterway, and which I didn‘t even know existed until Bill told me about it last night. Bill’s Jeep was waiting for us on the other side (the lower - at low tide - Chesapeake Bay side) of the lock. I was excited to pass through only the fourth lock of the trip so far but it was not to be as the gate was jammed by debris and wouldn’t close rendering the lock inoperable. So we crawled out of the water on the nearby sea wall and called it a day.
Picture
The one and only lock on the main Atlantic ICW - and it was jammed open and not operable
As I unloaded the gear from my boat a gentleman approached me and asked if I was Jake. It turns out that it was James Fields from up north who has been following my blog for a while. He was literally on his way to do some paddling on the Outer Banks and figured he’d take a chance and see if he could catch me as I passed through the locks. It was like finding a moving needle in a haystack but the trip karma prevailed once again and he found me. After a quick snap shot and the obligatory signing of the boat I bid him farewell and good paddling as he got in his car and continued south. With luck we’ll be able to re-connect when I pass his neck of the woods in a couple weeks.

Picture
I can't believe James was able to find me.
Tomorrow the plan is to meet up with a couple other local paddlers and get back on the water on the other side of the lock then continue on toward Norfolk. My friend Vic will be waiting for me at about the half way point and will accompany me past the very busy Navy and commercial shipping docks.

6 Comments

Day 160 (THE SPOT IS WORKING)

5/14/2010

5 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 5:00 AM - Durant Island on ICW
Finish: 2:30 PM - Piney Island on ICW near Barco, NC
Time: 9:30 (1:30 for lunch and water stop)
Daily dist: 31 miles
Total dist: 3000+ miles
Companions: None
Weather: Clear and beautiful with a 10-15+ SW wind
Notes: I beat the wind and had a great crossing.
As you know a couple days ago my second new SPOT quit working after just two days of use.  Apparently it just needed a day of rest because last night, on a whim, decided to give it a try and what do you know, it was working again.  The folks at SPOT are actually being really good about helping me out.  Right now I'm a little spooked out with the luck I've had with these things lately and don't completely trust this new one yet.  We'll see how it goes over the next few days.  I won't be in as remote an area so my cell phone can cover if it should konk out again. 
It’s interesting how tuned in one gets when he spends enough time outdoors. I’m normally a pretty sound sleeper but lately subtle changes in the weather and my surroundings at night have woken me up. It isn’t enough to keep me up I simply wake interpret what I’m hearing then dose off again. For instance the sound of the waves lapping against the beach can change as the tide rises and falls. If I’m camped exceptionally close to the water I tend to take note of the change even in my subconscious. Two nights ago a sudden gust of wind from out of nowhere in the middle of the night signaled a rain shower that started moments later.

Last night I went to bed with flat calm water in the southwest facing leeward side of the island on which I was camped. The wind was supposed to swing to the southwest and, sure enough, at 11:00 PM I was wakened by the sound of little waves sounding against the coarse sand beach. I dosed back off with a smile of my face knowing that the predicted southwest tail wind had arrived but a bit concerned that it was already blowing and could build to something bigger than I really wanted by early morning.

With a desire to beat the wind to work I woke at 4:00 AM, grubbed down two Pop-Tarts and an apple, broke camp and was in my boat by 5:00. Oyster bars steered me two miles west of the island before I was able to turn north and begin the crossing. I’ve done longer crossings before, much longer (even on this trip), but the winds have been up for the last five days and these sounds are famous for getting rough, so I was leaving nothing to chance. All decked out in my Kokatat paddling jacket and ready for anything I started across the sound with little waves already beginning to form in the SW breeze. Thankfully the wind held for the three hours I needed to make it safely across and I made it without any fuss except for the incredulous looks of yachtsmen passing by in their giant boats.

Picture
Hauling out at a marina can be tricky thankfully I was able to slide the boat up onto their lawn at the end of the docks
Picture
Coinjock marina and restaurant - to me it says Burger Fries and Cold Coke!
Around noon I finally passed into the first accessible civilization I’d seen in three days at the “town” of Coinjock, NC. There I pulled out at the Coinjock marina and had a burger and fries for lunch and topped off my water bags. With a full belly and full water bags (the best two things in life) I got back in my kayak and paddled on one more hour to today’s camp. I had spied sand on the map on the west side of the river but a first hand view of the south side revealed an established “rustic” camp site cut out of the Live Oak forest on the top of Piney Island. Complete with a table and park bench this beautiful shady spot, I’m sure, is somebody’s private place. As with any place I camp I intend to only borrow it for a night leaving nothing more than footprints and a groove in the sand where I dragged my boat back into the water.

Picture
Looking North - Sizing up tomorrow's paddle
5 Comments

Day 159

5/13/2010

1 Comment

 
Daily stats
Start: 6:15 AM - Under Hwy 94 Bridge on ICW
Finish: 3:15 PM - Durant Island (very beautiful camp spot)
Time: 9:00
Daily dist: 30 miles
Total dist: 3000+ miles
Companions: None
Weather: Rain for the first three hours then NE wind 15mph (crossing head wind)
Notes: I had to break camp in the rain. Then follow shore on Alligator river to stay out of the wind as much as possible.
After spending the last three nights on a spoil island, concrete dike, and under a bridge I thought I was in for another marginal camp spot on wind swept shell beach. You can only imagine how my heart sang after a long day of hiding from the wind when I laid eyes on this place.

Picture
A beautiful sight when yo thought you'd be sleeping on a pile of shells
I’ve camped in dozens and dozens of spots on this trip and few were as peaceful and beautiful as this one. Perhaps it was the fact that I had anticipated much worse or because I had woken up and broken camp in the rain. But this beach on this island will be worth re-visiting some day. It’s that nice.
Today was all about strategy. No matter how long it took I needed to get myself to the top of the Alligator River in order to be positioned for a 15 mile crossing of the Ablemarle Sound tomorrow. There wasn’t much (if anything) for camping further south but it didn’t matter, I needed to be here to be sure I could get across the sound before the winds blew up tomorrow morning. Murphy’s law dictates that when you absolutely must be somewhere in your kayak the winds will try to work against you. Sure enough the wind was out of the NE at 10-15 mph all day as I paddled straight north on the three mile wide Alligator River. Thankfully the shallow draft of my kayak allowed me to literally weave between stumps along the East shore of the river to stay out of the wind as much as possible. The armada of sailboats I’d been leap-frogging the last few days were stuck at the south end of the river waiting for a more favorable wind… suckers.

Picture
I was 'stump bumpin' all day to stay out of the wind.
Near the top (north end) of the river I passed under what was probably the longest bridge I’ve gone under on this trip. From my position on the far east side I couldn’t see the other end over three miles away. Without the shelter of land on my right past the bridge I had to work hard the last hour to reach Durant Island where Google Earth had shown what I thought could be shell/oyster beaches on the north side of the island. As I came up behind the isalnd, seeking shelter from the wind, I caught a glimpse of sand amongst the trees on shore. Instead of beating another two miles around to the other side of the island I paddled in to investigate and that is when I discovered this beach. Boy I’m glad I did.

Picture
This scenery and a squeeky sand beach - it doesn't get much better.
Still overcast and humid it wasn’t exactly drying weather but I laid out my rain soaked tent and gear to dry and drank in the sight of the placid water in the lee of the island framed by cypress trees and pines right at the waters edge. Friday’s crossing of the sound was still the major order of business so I made dinner and repacked everything I could in the boat so I could make a hasty departure in the morning

1 Comment

Day 158

5/12/2010

0 Comments

 
0 Comments

Day 158

5/12/2010

1 Comment

 
Daily stats
Start: 6:00 AM - Hobucken, NC
Finish: 2:00 PM - Under HWY 94 Bridge
Time: 8:00
Daily dist: 34 miles
Total dist: 3000+ miles
Companions: None
Weather: Sunny with wind from SW at 15-20 mph (great tail wind)
Notes: Not much camping available on canal portion of ICW in this area
Over the course of this trip I’ve established a few rules to take some of the guess work out of decision making. One of those rules is that within an about an hour of the planned end of the day, no amount of forward progress is worth passing up a good camp spot. On this day that rule saved my rear.

It was 2:00 and the end of my normal eight hour day so I started scanning for a place to camp. I had made great time with an amazing tail wind all day and was very tempted to stay on the water and put in a few more miles. However, in the canal portion of the ICW I was traveling I hadn’t seen a single piece of high campable land in almost 12 miles. The map showed similar topography for the next 12 miles or more which meant I could end up paddling another three hours before I saw high ground which was more than I really wanted to do. At this point I was on a concentrated search for something other than cypress knees and swamp grass on which to land my kayak for the night. As I passed under the Hwy 94 bridge (a tall flyover causeway like so many that have replaced draw bridges along the ICW) I spotted the remnants of the concrete embankment of the old draw bridge that once carried cars over the water at this spot. There was a sandy gap in the rocks at the waters edge where I could land my kayak and the land on top (in the old road bed) looked flat and grassy. So without many other options I decided to land and check things out and sure enough it would do.

Picture
It's not pretty but at least it's not swamp
It’s ironic how I spent most of my day paddling solo in remote water passing by numerous beautiful sand beaches along the shore only to end up under a highway bridge camped out on an old road bed. I may have been under a huge concrete chunk of civilization but I was still cut off from the world by a half mile of impenetrable swamp in both directions and 60 vertical feet to the infrequently traveled highway bridge above.

Picture
Not much else to camp on in the area.
It may not have been the best camp spot in the world but it was high, dry, and bug free. The next morning I realized how fortunate I was to have chosen that spot when I did indeed paddle another two hours before I came upon the next piece of dry land barely big enough for a tent. Sometimes you just have to call good enough - good enough.

Picture
Old guard rails make gook drying racks - who knew
1 Comment

Day 157

5/11/2010

8 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 5:50 AM - Core Creek, NC
Finish: 2:30 PM - Hobucken, NC
Time: 8:40
Daily dist: 32 miles
Total dist: 3000+ miles
Companions: None
Weather: Partly cloudy with wind from the ESE at 10-15mph
Notes: Calm start and finish with some fun water in between

Well after a day of paddling like today there is no reason to have doubts or regrets for deciding to take the ICW rather than the Outer Banks. Thomas the shrimper had told me that this area is beautiful and he was right. As I paddled early this morning the pine trees along the shore reflected in the flat calm water which was disrupted by only my boat and paddle and an occasional dolphin surfacing for a breath. All the while the sound of owls calling their last hoot of the day could be heard echoing in the distance.

This tranquil calm start to the day was not a clue to what was to come once I left the confines of the narrow river channel I started out in. After about two hours of calm paddling I entered the Neuse River on which a building East wind was blowing against an out going tide. The combined forces working against one another stacked the water up into steep two foot waves. For an hour and a half I bounced across these waves with several washing completely over my deck and soaking me from my head down. I had considered putting my paddling jacket on earlier but unfortunately had decided not to. By the time I reached the far shore of the river I was plenty wet and a bit cold so I landed in order to re-group before starting a ten mile run into the even more open Pamlico Sound. During the break on shore I donned my TecTour paddling jacket and instantly felt warmer and ready to take on whatever was to come. Because I was out of the tidal flow of the Neuse River, the next three hours of open water were not as bad and I made great time toward the sheltered water of Gale Creek near the town of Hobucken.

Picture
To say that this area is fairly remote is a bit of an understatement. When I reviewed my maps last night I realized that there are going to be very few chances to get water until Friday. For that reason when I passed a Coast Guard station this afternoon I figured it couldn’t hurt to see if I could top off my water bags there. I landed on the concrete boat launch at the facility grabbed my water bags and started walking up to the building that looked most likely to have a hose or sink where I could have filled up. As I neared the building I was met by a man with a “what are you doing here?” look on his face accompanied by two very large German Shepards wearing the same expression. I quickly explained who I was and what I was doing and all three of them let down their guard. Apparently it’s smart to radio or phone in to a station before just wandering in off the water. The Coast Guardsman showed me to the kitchen where I filled my two bags while telling him all about my trip. As we walked back to the water he warned me about bears and water moccasins both of which are found in great numbers in this area. After grabbing a quick snap shot I was on my way with enough water to make it to the next water stop three days away.


Picture
As far as kayak camping goes the shores south of Hobucken offer numerous campable beaches. In fact I was rarely out of sight of a potential camp spot all morning. Things changed, however, when I reached the narrow ICW canal at Hobucken. Here the nice sand beaches I had seen all morning gave way to marsh grass and pines with dense undergrowth right to the water’s edge. It was by shear luck that I noticed a gap in the foliage and discovered the concrete reinforced dike that I’m camped on tonight. It’s not the same as a nice sand beach surrounded by pine trees but it’s actually pretty nice. The concrete bank actually made a nice warm surface on which to dry my gear. The drying of gear was necessary because a small leak around a screw on my front hatch rim had allowed a few cups of water into my front hatch. Undoubtedly the water got in there when my bow was repeatedly awash in the rough water this morning. Because everything I have is in dry bags having a bit of water get into a hatch is not the end of the world. Even so my map cases did get a little wet as well as my sleeping mat. As soon as I reach Norfolk I’ll be replacing a couple of those dry bags.

Picture
8 Comments
<<Previous

    Best of the Blog
    Freezing temps, theives, pepper spray, manatees,  gators, & tornados.
    Get up to date by reading blog highlights from the trip so far.

    Picture
    Photo by Michael Franklin

    Author

    Jake Stachovak
    The Portage to Portage Paddling Project guy
    .

    SPONSORS

    Aqua Adventures
     
    Seda Kayak

    Kokatat

    Werner

    North Face

    Snap Dragon

    Nigel Foster Designs

    Seal Line

    MSR

    .

    Need help with the lingo?  Click here to go to the Portage to Portage blog vocabulary site.

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    May 2012
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.