Sea Kayaking
The next day
A morning sea kayaking in mid-coast Maine
Fog. It has thickened as we’ve paddled farther from the mainland. Visibility that was half a mile is down to a couple hundred feet. Our group of ten kayaks paddle along in a “pod”, hugging the shoreline of Louds Island. I don’t need to holler to stay close together. The fog has helped with that, pointing up the need to do all we can to be visible to other boats. I have our foghorn close at hand, ready to blow if it seems pertinent.
Now for the adventure. Our route to Thief Island in Muscongus Bay, Maine sends us southeast from Louds and into the milky white nothingness. Before departure, I calculated the compass heading we need to follow. If we can maintain our course and paddle steadily, we should reach Thief within 20 minutes.
The teenagers in the two lead boats seem confident. This is their first time following a compass heading and they have only had a day of training to master paddling in a straight line. Nevertheless, they paddle forward confidently. The shore of Louds fades out behind us, as does the shoreline of Indian Island, to our east.
On we paddle into the nothingness. The tension rises for me, as I understand the affect the incoming tide may be having on our course. The course is calculated to mid-island, so we have somewhat of a buffer. I think through the what ifs of missing Thief in the fog--what our game plan will be after 25 minutes of paddling.
The group keeps up the pace. I recognize the shallow area that causes a small wave off the south side of Indian. We are on course. The kids paddle onward, steadily. I glance at my watch. I search through the fog for shadows of either Killick Stone Island to the south, or Thief. Searching . . . searching . . . paddling forward. Probably no one in our group is more relieved than me when the familiar outline of Thief looms up, out of the shroud of nothingness. We’ve found our island, our first campsite of the trip.
Sue Wemyss
Comments
Re: Sea Kayaking
on Aug 4th 2006, 1:44 pm
Well written. Thank you!
Re: Sea Kayaking
on Aug 12th 2006, 10:04 am
Nice Job Sue! Sounds fun.
Great Glen Tidbits
The parent company of Great Glen Trails, the Mount Washington Summit Road Co., has been in business since 1859.
The parent company of Great Glen Trails, the Mount Washington Summit Road Co., has been in business since 1859.
