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 40 (adjusting to open water)

1/14/2010

12 Comments

 
Don’t miss the day 39 post below. I thought it had posted last night but with the sketchy internet connection I had apparently it didn’t.

Yesterday’s run down the Intracoastal was a sort of kayaking purgatory for me. Not the river and still not quite the ocean. Today was different. A half hour after I left camp I turned a corner and was greeted by one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen. Sunrise on the Gulf of Mexico. Perhaps not the best sunrise ever, but after a month on the water it was a sight I will never ever forget.
Picture
Sunrise on the Gulf of Mexico
This first full day of open water paddling proved to be a day of adjustment for me. Without shore close to me on either side the passage of distance takes on a whole new relevance. The headland I’m aiming toward may take hours to get to and with the nearest shore over a mile away it sometimes doesn’t seem like I’m moving at all. I’ve adapted a version of my friend Duane Strosaker’s method for long channel crossings. Rather than paddle to a location… I paddle to the clock. What I mean is that my destination is the next break 45 minutes away not the point of land two and a half hours away. To keep my sanity I need the mini goals to chase even if it’s another swallow of water and mouthful of GORP. The regular breaks also mean that I do stay fed, hydrated, and stretched out. I find that if you just grind out until you get tired or thirsty you’ve started to dig yourself into a hole that’s hard to get out of. I believe on an endeavor like this you need to drink and eat before you get hungry or thirsty.

Another thing I’m adjusting to is human shore development. On yesterday’s blog I mentioned how people were a new thing that I hadn’t seen much of on the river. While it’s a delight to see folks on the water, their houses and condos lining every inch of shore line made finding a camp spot a bit challenging. Melissa from South Coast Paddling Company in Ocean Springsi called around an recommended a spot just outside of Bay of St. Louis. I arrived here very early but because the next possible camp site is a full day of paddling further down the coast I had to pull off the water a bit earlier than normal. I could have opted to take the off shore route from island to island but I want to visit Melissa and her shop tomorrow, as well as other people in the area, so I opted for the mainland route. I’m not complaining though, this spot is nice. It’s situated on a bit of land that had been occupied by a home until hurricane Katrina swept it bare. Tomorrow I’ll be heading on into Biloxi to check in with Melissa.
Picture
A nice beach side camp
Picture
Ruins where a house once stood
12 Comments
Duane Strosaker link
1/14/2010 12:52:09 pm

Feel the water caress the paddle, and enjoy every stroke.

Reply
Dave F
1/14/2010 01:14:04 pm

Jake-Like the Greeks in the Anabasis. "The sea, the sea."

Reply
Dave Diederich
1/14/2010 09:44:55 pm

Congratulations on reaching the gulf. I wish I was there too. Paddle on!

Reply
lyn stachovak
1/14/2010 10:21:27 pm

Good morning Jake. Back in good old Mississippi huh? Maybe this part of the state is better - it could hardly be worse.

Now with you on the ocean I have a whole new set of worries. Take care of yourself and, above all, have fun.

Reply
Bill Strickland
1/15/2010 01:07:42 am

Jake,

Nice campsite on Point Henderson. I should've suggested that as a stopping point, especially since I know people who own a house there. On well, maybe next time.

Also interesting to see how nice the campsite was along the Canal - something that I wouldn't have anticipated.

Reply
Stan Graves
1/15/2010 01:35:58 am

Jake, you are our breath of spring! We read your blog and wish we were with you instead of working! We look forward to your visit to the St Johns River on the other side of FL!!! Stay safe and enjoy every sunrise. Great picture.

Reply
Museman
1/15/2010 02:33:18 am

Jake, another mile stone passed buddy! Your campsite looked pretty nice too. Kinda sad that it was a ruin of sorts...John and I are following your blog day by day and it gives us somthing to talk about while on our paddling runs in SD.

Your pal,

Steve

Reply
Jan Kleck
1/15/2010 03:24:38 am

Since I am a mother, I think like other mothers - your mother for instance. What's next to worry about - at the same time we also agree - have fun! Enjoy those beautiful sunrises - and sunsets - for the rest of your life - on and off the water! Even I - a non-camper - liked those campsites! Happy days to all your blogger friends - you and they are lucky!

Reply
Mic Breedlove
1/15/2010 06:41:19 am

Jake it is good to see that you are back on salt water. I hope to hook up with you on the south side of Florida. Be safe

Reply
Dad
1/15/2010 07:59:51 am

Hi Jake,
Nice picture of the gulf. I hope the weather stays good for you now that you are approaching Florida.All is well here.
Love ya,
Dad

Reply
Steven Krause
1/15/2010 11:00:26 pm

That "sunrise on the Gulf of Mexico" photo looks suitable for one of the local TV weathermen to use on their submitted weather photos, especially if they knew a kayaker from Monroe Street took the photo.

Reply
Cousin Alice
1/16/2010 12:22:56 am

Hey Jake! This part of your trip sounds so nice..... beautiful pic of the sunrise. I'm glad you got to have a great time in New Orleans. The architecture is amazing. (So was the food if I remember correctly!)
Take care!
Alice

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    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.