On the Water Again

What a wonderful week it was, good paddling, good food, good friends. Thanks Paul for keeping the blog updated. I'll post a slide show later in the week if my pics come out.

I’m hoping some of the other paddlers I was with will write up trip reports. We were a varied group in many ways, and I’d love to hear their perspective’s regarding the trip. I suspect they will vary from terribly hard with head winds and long distances, to a wonderfully fun and exciting trip with the usual coastal challenges. It’s all relative based on each of our own kayaks, skills, strengths, and endurance.  Good forward stroke technique ruled on this trip. Though forecasts were often for NE 20-25 knots, we left early each morning, and based on the Beaufort Wind Scale, we were primarily paddling in Force 3 with an occasional hour or two of Force 4. Always fairly relaxed, and always below a 3 mph moving average.   My next paddling purchase will be a good wind meter, this to keep it all real.

Home only for a quick stop, and to clean gear. Paul and I are off to the lake for the long holiday weekend with our Core Sound 20 sailboat “Dawn Patrol”. This is to be sort of a dry run for a trip we’re planning in a few weeks along with Steve and Bruce in Steve’s beautiful home built John Welsford Pathfinder named “Spartina”.

Steve keeps a blog “The Log of Spartina” that Paul and I have followed for a few years. The name has changed over the years as previously it's corresponded to specific sailing trips. Steve (in Virginia) and Bruce (in California) are very old friends who get together yearly for a long sailing trip. Both contribute to the blog, which is full of detailed descriptions of both the planning and preparing of their trips, to the actual trip reports. Steve is also a professional photographer, his photos published on his blog are just beautiful.  We seem to have become a fan of each other.

Anyway, Steve has written a nice piece about us, and about our upcoming trip on his blog called “June Cruise – the Tag Team Match”.

This will be Paul's and my first real expedition cruise in "Dawn Patrol".  With only a few weeks to go, we are furiously getting cruise ready.  I've ordered some no-seeum netting and sunbrella fabric, and am planning to make a little screened in porch in front of the cabin behind the mizzen mast, as well as a shade bimini that will go over the stern of the cockpit, these all using simple bungied tent poles so they can be easily put up during the relaxed down times and camping.   We'll see how time and creativity actually pan out.  As I found out this past week,  the sun is hot, and the mosquitoes and no-seeums are out in force.

I did get home to a bit of a surprise.  Paul had put the picture below on my laptop home page.  Seems Alan has gotten a BIG tattoo in the Marquesas Islands.   He talks about his tattoo on the EYE website here.

Ocracoke -- Roanoke: A Look at the 80 Miles Covered

SPOT Track: Ocracoke to Roanoke

SPOT Track

Overview

Ocracoke -- Roanoke: Thursday from Oregon Inlet to Manteo

Arrival !    Thursday afternoon the seven kayakers crossed Roanoke Sound and reached the Manteo Waterfront on Shallowbag Bay.  

They took their kayaks out of the water at the shop of Kitty Hawk Kites in time for some relaxation on Roanoke Island.

On schedule for the afternoon and evening:  a visit to Pam Malec's new kayak shop, "The Outdoor Outfitters",  dinner on the waterfront,  and overnight at Wanchese Inn Bed and Breakfast.  

Kayakers and Boats out of the water at Kitty Hawk Kites

Spot Track:  Thursday from Oregon Inlet to Manteo

SPOT Track:   Speed and Distance

Ocracoke -- Roanoke: Wednesday from Rodanthe to Oregon Inlet

Headwinds were a challenge on Wednesday, but the kayakers reached the Oregon Inlet, crossed to the north side, and arrived at the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.  Nearby is a Coast Guard station and the Oregon Inlet NPS Campground.  

Oregon Inlet:  Been There, Done That,  Where's the T-shirt?

SPOT Track:  Wednesday from Rodanthe to Oregon Inlet

(SandyBottom did not turn on the SPOT Messenger until a rest stop at about 11am)

SPOT Track:  Speed and Distance

(some data missing)

Negotiating Oregon Inlet

Arrival at the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center

Ocracoke -- Roanoke: Tuesday from Avon to Rodanthe

Another day of good weather for Outer Banks cruising.  SandyBottom said the moderate headwinds were refreshing.

SPOT Track:  Tuesday from Avon to Rodanthe

SPOT Track:  Speed and Distance

Camped in Rodanthe, Planning for Tides in Oregon Inlet

Google Earth:  Looking north at Oregon Inlet and Manteo beyond

Ocracoke -- Roanoke: Monday from Hatteras to Avon

On Monday the seven kayakers paddled for 3 hours in a pouring rain and then 4 hours under clearing skies and clear blue skies.  Midway, the kayakers chose to go a bit offshore past duck blind platforms. 

At the end of the day, dinner at the Coastal Blue Restaurant in Avon ....

 

White chocolate raspberry keylime pie !

Now that is the hallmark of a well-planned kayaking cruise.

SandyBottom walking on the beach (Atlantic side): 

Avon, NC

Monday:  SPOT track from Hatteras to Avon

Monday:  Speed and Distance

SPOT track in Google Maps Satellite View

Camping and dinner at Coastal Blue Restaurant in Avon on Pamlico Sound

SandyBottom on the beach (Atlantic side):

Avon, NC

Ocracoke -- Roanoke: Sunday from Ocracoke to Hatteras

Sunday:  Dinner on Hatteras

Sunday:  SPOT track 

Sunday:  Distance and Speed

Sunday:  Overview of SPOT track

Ocracoke -- Roanoke: Ferry from Swanquarter to Ocracoke

Saturday's Agenda

Step 1:   Pack the kayaks onto the Swanquarter-to-Ocracoke Ferry.  Enjoy the ride.

Step 2:  Arrive at Ocracoke, paddle to campsite,  set up tents,  dinner in Ocracoke.

On the Ferry

On the Ferry:  Speed and Distance

Another Great Adventure: Ocracoke -- Roanoke

Our son Alan is visiting paradise, the beautiful island of Takaroa in the Tuamotus archipelago, his latest report was amazing.

I on the other hand am off for a week’s vacation to a more local yet coastal paradise on the NC Coast with a few friends, kayaks, and tents.  We’ll ferry over from Swan Quarter to Oacracoke, then spend the week paddling the Pamlico Sound shores past Hatteras and over to Manteo.

SPOT tracking during my trip is here.   Will turn on my SPOT messenger Saturday afternoon when we leave Swanquarter on the NC Ferry over to Ocracoke.