Maine Events: Giving Berth

“OK, you go first. I’ll wait.” I give wide berth to the tall ships.

Sometimes I find this a tricky call in wide open spaces when a big boat looks far away, and I can’t judge its speed or set path.

“Can we make it?”

When paddle buddies and guides respond, “I think so . . .”, it gives me an adrenalin rush of the worst kind!
Crossing boat channels and wide open spaces when you’re the littlest guy makes me feel better when we travel in bright coloured pods.

When in doubt, we wait and take a pic instead. Notice all the pics? There's a lot of waiting and wondering what to do sometimes.

Sitting still isn't always the best option either. You're harder to see. The movement of the paddle blade is often the first thing people spot on a moving kayak in the distance.

But a barrage of fast moving lobster boats going this way and that are another story. How do you figure out this crossing now?
Look at all the lobster buoys scattered everywhere in the Deer Isle Archipelago off Stonington, Maine.

Last August while on an ocean front camping trip at Old Quarry Adventures to paddle with Maine paddle buddies, I bumped into so many lobster buoys in spots where they were unreasonably dense. They litter the water in so many places.

Sounds funny not to be able to avoid lobster buoys easily when you have good boat control and know strokes. I couldn't believe it myself. Add a little wind and waves, and you may misjudge how to dodge them too. "Geez! I hit another one!"

It doesn't cause any harm or damage if you gently bump into them with a kayak, yet I became annoyed with the exercise and the bumps. But, I noticed I got better at dodging them on my second day out. How do the big boats navigate through all that clutter?

A parked boat is a happy boat! I love it when they aren’t moving!
What’s this all about?
See the first Maine Events

Or check out the series of Maine Events in the February 2012 Archive of this blog. Find the Archive in the right column.

Happy and safe paddles!
(c) The BaffinPaddler
http://baffinpaddler.blogspot.com

Comments

  1. penbaymanMarch 10, 2012 at 5:54 AM

    Being a coastal living Mainiac..I cannot wait to get back out on the ocean..deer isle is practically my backyard!

    ReplyDelete

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