Summer 2010 - Long Island Paddlers

Blazing Paddles
S u m m e r
2 0 1 0
Newsletter of Long Island Paddlers
Disclaimer
The views expressed in this newsletter are strictly those of their respective authors.
Information offered on any topic should not be assumed to be authoritative or complete.
On all paddling issues, it is important to base one’s practices on multiple sources of information.
Little Gull Island Lighthouse
Photo by Paul
1 Caparatta
Message from the President: Busy Days
By Steve Berner
Summer is a very busy time of the year for
the Long Island Paddlers. If you had attended
June’s General Membership Meeting, you
would know what I am talking about. During
the business portion of our meeting, we
reviewed all the club’s activities for the past
month and all the activities planned for the
next month. From May 22nd to June 13th,
there were twelve paddling trips, our Spring
Picnic, a lighthouse cruise, and a special
meeting for Jake Stachovak’s visit. We also
previewed fourteen paddling trips and two
concerts that the club had scheduled for June
18th to July 17th. Meanwhile, our fellow club
members involved with Kayak For a Cause are
training every weekend for their paddle
across the Sound, either as a group or
individually. There have been many short
notice paddles, and I know friends from the
club have been getting together for regular
paddles. It’s amazing what warm water and
sunny days will do to kayakers. I hope
everyone is taking advantage of the beautiful
weather and our club activities.
at Kristin’s Bronx apartment. Friday, he woke
up with aching feet. Kristin and I met him at
the Museum of Natural History around noon.
Then we walked across Central Park to the
Metropolitan Museum of Art. After dinner,
we took him to an Off-Broadway play starring
Edie Falco. The next day, Jake had a good
time meeting new friends at our picnic.
Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, he rested and
worked on his slide show which he presented
to the club on Tuesday, June 8th at S.C.C.C.
His pictures and presentation was enjoyed
by seventy-three members of the club.
Wednesday, he went back to NYC to celebrate
his thirty-fifth birthday. Thursday, we dropped
him off at the Port Jeff Ferry to Bridgeport, Ct
where he caught a ride to Rhode Island for a
Rough Water Symposium. We picked him up
Sunday for his final night on Long Island.
Monday, at noon, I waved goodbye to him at
Pier 40 as he headed up the Hudson River. It
was a hectic two weeks, but we enjoyed every
minute of it. Jake proved to be as good a
person as he is a paddler.
Kristin and I have been busy. We were lucky
enough to host Jake while he was recharging
his batteries during his visit to New York. We
picked him up on Tuesday, June 1st at Pier 40
in Lower Manhattan around noon. I remember thinking how burnt and haggard he
looked. But he was up at 5:00 AM Wednesday
morning working on his blog and catching up
on his e-mails. By the time we woke up, he
had made pancakes and set the table. The
boy definitely likes to eat! He explained how
a can of cake frosting and a box of crackers
was one of his favorite snacks. Later that
same day, we went down to the Wooden
Boat Shop in Port Jefferson to work on our
paddles, which are still not done, and Jake
fabricated some 2 x 4’s into a new kayak rack
for us. Thursday he went into Manhattan by
train to explore the Big Apple. He went to
the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the
Empire State Building while walking ten miles
wearing his only shoes – a pair of Crocs
somebody had given him. That night he slept
The following day, I drove out to the Orient
Point Ferry to meet our next program
speaker, Eliza Ginn from the Maine Island
Trail Association. Since she was making a six
hour trip from her home base in Portland, we
had arranged to paddle around Orient Beach
State Park. It was a beautiful day, and we had
a great three hour paddle before rushing
back to the house to get ready for the
meeting. Seventy-seven of our members were
treated to a great overview of the Maine
Island Trail system. To my surprise, many of
our members in attendance that night have
paddled in Maine. I was disappointed that she
could not stay another day and paddle
around Robins Island, but she promised to
come for another visit.
While kayaking is a lot of fun, it is important
to remember that there are dangers involved
in any water sport. Unfortunately, there were
four kayaking deaths over the past three
months. In April, two young ladies were
2
Message from the President (continued)
or a dry suit is required anytime the water
kayaking in Casco Bay off the coast of
Portland, Maine in rough conditions, without temperature is below sixty degrees. Everyone
is required to wear a PFD on all trips, no
cold water gear. They fell in and died of
matter how hot it gets. You must have bow
hypothermia. A man visiting from Beijing,
and stern lights to paddle in the dark. And
China was kayaking off the coast of
Connecticut, in May, and disappeared. Almost when crossing a boat channel, it is important
to cross in a group for greater visibility to the
a week later, his boat was found in Southold
people in power boats. There are dangers in
and his body washed up on a beach in
kayaking; but with the proper precautions,
Amagansett. And then in June, a sixty three
we can greatly minimize them.
year old man was paddling in Lake George
with his wife when he was struck by a motor
I hope to see everyone at our next General
boat and killed. Our club has certain
Meeting on July 20th or on the water.
requirements for attending trips. A wet suit
Proposed By-Law Revisions
By Pat Chachkes
The Board is proposing the following changes to the Bylaws. Words in bold print, underlined,
and in italics will be added to or eliminated from the By-Laws. They were discussed at the
June General Membership Meeting and will be voted on at the July meeting. Anyone who
cannot attend the July meeting can request an absentee ballot by contacting the Board at
[email protected].
2. Club Organization
C. Committee Chairpersons are: (add) Library, Public Relations, Hospitality, Merchandise, Big
Buddy, By-Laws, Advocacy, and Conservation.
D. Admitting Members: (eliminate) 2) being approved by the Board
3. Board Operations
D. Committees: (add) Library, Public Relations, Hospitality, Merchandise, Big Buddy, By-Laws,
Advocacy, and Conservation.
5. Nominations and Elections
A. Nominations
1) Each nominee must be a club member in good standing (add) for at least one year (365
days). No nominee can be a Board member of another kayak organization since that
would constitute a conflict of interest.
6. Amending the By-laws
b. notification of a proposed change must also be posted in the club newsletter (add)
or sent to all members . . .
7. Duties of Officers
Treasurer Responsibilities
• Maintains the club checking account (add), which must be accessible by both the
Treasurer and the President, . . .
• Obtains approval of the club membership for any expenditure of (add) more than 10% of
the club’s ending balance . . . (eliminate) $500
3
Greenwich Village: An Insiders’ Tour
By Paul Caparatta
On Saturday, May 8, 2010, five club members
“paddled” through Greenwich Village under
the very capable guidance of Barry Goldblatt.
Barry is a retired police lieutenant who once
patrolled the Village, becoming intimately
familiar, not only with the touristy sites but also
with the pulse of the village that exists in the
nooks, crannies, back-alleys, whispers and
shadows, the hidden underbelly of one of the
city’s more trendy places, where the beautiful
people go to be seen.
Besides the Jane Hotel, with it’s link to the
Titanic tragedy, Barry also showed us the Brown
Building, site of the infamous Triangle
Shirtwaist Factory fire of March 25, 1911,
killing146 young women and spawning the
movement for occupational safety. Barry interspersed the sites with interesting stories of
some of society’s more nefarious types who
once lived or passed through the Village.
We stopped at the Jane Hotel, where the
Titanic’s survivors were once housed and whose
lounges still have all the 19th century opulence
we associate with the robber-barons era. It was
like stepping into a time-warp and one could
easily imagine Jay Gould, John D. Rockefeller
and Cornelious Vanderbilt sitting in the lounge,
wearing three-piece suits and cigars, carving up
industries for their personal gain.
Barry is considering a second tour for later in
the year and you would be wise to sign up. By
then, your butts and arms should be sore from
all the paddling you did and a walking tour is
an excellent break and social occasion, especially considering that you’ll get to SEE the Village,
not just look at it. Thanks again, Barry, for a
great experience.
Did you know that Washington Square Park
was once a potter’s field and also featured a
well-used hanging tree where miscreants had
While I’ve been to the Village many times,
Barry’s tour made me realize that I’ve looked at their necks wrung in public? Very convenient,
the Village without really seeing it. Barry took don’t you think? Next time you’re there, please
us past the homes of celebrities such as Hall-of- walk and speak softly so as not to disturb the
Famer, Hank Greenburg and the carriage house spirits of the dearly departed, many of whom
still rest deep in the park’s soil.
of Aaron Burr, the guy who shot Alexander
Hamilton and whose carriage house is now a
We spent about five hours touring the Village.
beautiful restaurant with 17th century charm.
We broke for lunch at "Trottaria Spaghetto"
We saw the home of poet Edna St. Vincent
located at 228 Bleeker Street. The restaurant
Millay, who lived in the narrowest home in all
was Barry’s recommendation and besides knowof New York City at a mere eight feet wide.
ing the Village, he also knows his restaurants.
Paul, Fran, Paul, Pat, Mike and Barry eating lunch at Trottaria Spaghetto
Photo by Fran Cassidy
4
Greenwich Village Tour (continued)
“One if by Land, Two if by Sea” landmark Greenwich Village carriage house
Photos by Paul Caparatta
5
Huntington to Caumsett SandHole April 18, 2010
Article and Photos by Pete Staley
down to the water. We launched promptly at
nine, I climbed in and backed out. I waited a
while for the last to launch, while the others
started paddling out across the harbor.
This was Ken Doxey's official paddle club
trip. Last year just Ken, Dennis and I went,
the usual weekend crew. This year we were
supposed to have nine, but by launch day this
had dropped to seven and the trip was
moved from Saturday to Sunday because of
the weather. Sunday's forecast wasn't too
good either; winds 10mph from the NNW.
Ken didn't have to formally assign sweep or
lead as Ken, Dennis L. and I paddle together
most weekends and we dynamically assign
responsibilities moment to moment
depending on who is where. At any moment
somebody leads and since you never leave
anybody alone at the rear of the group there
is always a sweep. We all also carry marine
radios so if an incident occurs we can alert
the guy up front.
Dennis Lauer was the only one at Goldstar
park, when I arrived but Dennis L. is always
the first to arrive. The others arrive one by
one and we all get ready, unload the boats,
pack the boats, when Dennis discovers he has
left his paddle behind. Luckily I have a selection of six paddles to choose from. He choose
the Carlisle touring blade.
Out past the lighthouse, across the mouth of
Lloyd Harbor and north to Target Rock and
the rock garden. It was a bright sunny day
Tide was low, so there was a 100 yd. walk
6
Huntington to Caumsett SandHole (continued)
wind in our face. I had one two waves over
the bow that reached the deck-bag, but none
reached me.
with fluffy white clouds. The wind was light
from the north. Since the tide was low we
had to keep an eye out for rocks just below
the surface. At first Ken and Dennis G. led
and Bruce and I brought up the rear. Once
we had caught up, with Dennis L. and the
conversation changed to the pros and cons
of Eddyline Nighthawks, I felt free to move
up and see what Dennis G. and Ken were
talking about.
We were in the same paddle order when we
reached the point. Around the point the seas
got nasty, 3 ft seas with scattered white caps.
We were exposed to the wind on our beam
so I stayed well out and plugged away; got a
few waves in the armpit.
Just as I was about to turn and run down
wind into the inlet, Ken, who was inshore
and behind me, thought I was going to pass
the entrance and yelled into the radio
“Where the hell are you going, Pete !”
I was kind of busy and ignored it. Leaning on
the paddle I swung through almost ninety
degrees then surfed downwind straight into
Ken, and Dennis G., took a more inshore
route while I took the bee line, so I was
further out. Now we are on the north facing
coast where I was worried we would have
beam seas. It was choppy but much better
than expected as the wind was from the
WNW at about 5 to 10 not NNW was the
forecast, so the seas were on the bow and
7
Huntington to Caumsett SandHole (continued)
yelled Deer ! They had crossed over to the
mainland and were working their way along
the shore line opposite us. As they crossed an
open bit, across the front of somebody’s
lawn, they broke into a gallop. I'm sure they
were aware of us.
the mouth of the inlet. The tidal current was
pouring in, so we shot through into the
sheltered waters of the inlet.
We paddled around the corner into the big
open mooring area. This place gets busy once
the boating season starts. Down to the
second creek on the right, the creek that we
always picnic at. Once in our creek there was
just enough water to get to the usual beach
on Fly Island. As I approached the landing
spot I saw some deer in the woods behind
the beach. Hurriedly I got the camera out
and took some shoots even though I couldn't
see them in the viewfinder.
We went back to finishing lunch and then
started getting ready to move out again.
We set off and I was hoping the wind hadn't
gotten any stronger, because that last half
mile before the inlet had been really rough.
We had a bit of a battle getting out of the
creek because the of the current still coming
in. Outside, the wind had died a bit so no
whitecaps but it was still very lumpy, Dennis L
was complaining he didn't like it so lumpy so
soon after lunch. Dennis G and Bruce were in
the lead, Ken was trying to catch them. I
stayed with Dennis L, feeling very leaden
armed. We proceeded around the point and
now the wind was behind us.
We sat on the big rocks at the back of the
beach and ate lunch. I had my usual cheese
and apple. If you ever wonder about the
knife some of us carry on our pfd, it's for
cutting cheese.
After we had wandered about a bit
examining the foliage in detail, somebody
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Huntington to Caumsett SandHole (continued)
Here we see all the boats, mine, a CD Infinity, Dennis L's Eddyline Nighthawk,
Dennis G’s Chatam 17, Bruce's Nighthawk, and Kens CD Storm.
Ken decided conditions were a bit dicey and
hung back in case the other's needed
assistance. Dennis G and I carried on and
waited inside the shelter of Huntington
Harbor under the osprey nest discussing paddles. He offered me his paddle to try. He had
used my model of paddle exclusively until
somebody had convinced him to try low
angle paddling. So while testing it we covered the last half mile to shore and so landed
first.
The desire for an after lunch nap had worn
off. Dennis G and I were having fun surfing
down wind and we gradually pulled away
from the others, so by the time we reached
the start of the rock garden we must have
been a mile ahead. We waited until the
group caught up a little, then paddled slowly
on. Ken caught up with us as we passed the
sandbar at the north side of the entrance of
Lloyd Harbor.
As we paddled across Lloyd Harbor mouth we
were hit by gusts of wind, at first in our face
and then from the west. The wind picked up
to about 15 mph from the west, right on our
beam. I accidentally adjusted my skeg the
wrong way and I started lee cocking like mad
until I realized what I had done and got the
skeg up.
A most enjoyable paddle. Total distance 14.5
miles with a mixture of conditions. Average
moving speed 3.7mph.
9
The Frank Answers Column
Dear Frank,
I’ve got a small leak in the rear cargo compartment of my brand new kayak. It seems to be right
where the hatch rim meets the deck. The dealer who sold me the boat tried to fix the leak by
using a marine sealant, but it did not completely stop some water from getting in. He told me
this situation is quite common and that I should “live with it.” Living with a quarter of an inch
of water in the cargo area each time I paddle is no fun. Any suggestions?
Yours truly, P.M.
Dear P.M.
Cargo compartments on our sea kayaks serve two purposes: the obvious one is to provide
relatively watertight storage space for our gear. The other purpose is actually more important
when you stop and think about it: the sealed space inside provides the vital flotation necessary
to keep your kayak afloat after a capsize. While small trace amounts of water inside a cargo
compartment after a day of paddling are not uncommon, any leak like the one you describe
should be repaired sooner rather than later.
Marine sealant has its uses, but for a leak between your hatch rim and the deck, presuming the
rim mounting hardware is not simply loose, probably needs a gasket. On hatches installed with
common hardware, I’ve used Permatex Blue RTV Silicon Gasket Maker with excellent results. It’s
available at most auto parts stores and home centers. Follow the instructions on the tube and
you should be fine. This repair requires both removal and re-installing of the hatch rim. Be sure
to mark your rim and deck so you can reinstall the rim in the exact position as you removed it.
This way you’ll know in advance that all the screw-holes will line up. When re-installing your
rim, be very careful not to over-tighten the hardware. One more thing… on a strictly personal
note… After notifying your kayak’s manufacturer directly, you might want to think about
finding a different dealer.
Best Wishes, Frank Chillemi
Hello Frank,
A friend of mine just purchased a kayak from a dealer who put a short piece of yellow rope on
the front for her. I have two questions. Does this rope have any real value and if so, what kind
of rope should I purchase for my kayak?
Yours Truly, J.C.G.
Dear J.C.G.
That piece of rope is called a bow line, and it has many uses. Tying up to a dock, having a convenient way of walking your boat along the shore and an emergency tow line are just a few. A
number of the better dealers provide one with a boat purchase. 5/16 inch diameter nylon is
probably the most popular. Many kayakers, myself included, have a line on both the bow and
the stern. 10 to 12 feet is a good length. You can purchase this line at local hardware stores and
home centers as well as your favorite kayak shop. Look for material that floats, is a bright color,
and will bend and tie easily. If you want to get really fancy, some of these lines come with
reflective material woven right into them.
Once you have your boat equipped with this important tool, it might now be a good idea to
learn at least a few of the most useful knots for kayakers and canoeists. Please keep in mind
here that knots are like Inuit Kayak Rolls… you can learn a lot of ‘em, but one or two will more
than work for you. The Bowline Knot, Half Hitch and perhaps the Truckers Hitch will be more
than enough for most situations. Simply Google “Knots” and you will find more instructions
than you will ever need.
Best Wishes, Frank Chillemi
10
Frank,
Here's a question that's been bothering me for a while. Why is there such a significant
difference in high tide times between Long Island’s North Shore and roughly the same longitude
on the South Shore. For example: if Shinnecock Inlet High Tide is at 7:43am, Mattituck Inlet High
Tide is not until 12:02pm.
Best Wishes, S.D.
Dear S.D.
Thanks for the question. In general terms, High Tide times advance from East to West, powered
by the Moon’s gravitational pull acting mostly upon the largest body of water in this area,
the Atlantic Ocean. As long as your reference points have an unobstructed flow of Atlantic
Ocean water, High Tide times between two nearby points are pretty close. For example, High
Tide at Shinnecock Inlet, west of Montauk, follows High Tide at Montauk Point by only about
28 minutes.
When there is an obstruction between one reference point and other locations, the flow of
water takes much longer to travel around that obstruction and on to subsequent points,
delaying the arrival of High Tide. In your example, the obstruction is the east end of Long Island
itself. With the tide high at Shinnecock Inlet, the water still has to flow up and around Long
Island’s Southern tip, then continue up and around Orient Point and into Long Island Sound in
order to reach Mattituck Inlet.
Best Wishes, Frank Chillemi
Paradise Village Resort, Nuevo Vallarto
February 26 - March 5, 2011
By Fran and Paul (Events coordinators)
FEBRUARY SUNSHINE!
82 Degree Temperatures
Paul Aledort and I have made our plan to
return to Paradise Village Resort, Nuevo
Vallarto (just outside of Puerto Vallarto) for our
third visit. They have studios, 1 and 2 bedroom
suites. We have chosen a standard studio which
consists of a full bathroom, kitchenette with
full size refrigerator/toaster/utensils, etc., two
beds and a living room area with a balcony
overlooking the gardens. We have not chosen
the all-inclusive menu since we have breakfast
on our balcony (with groceries purchased at the
local supermarket) and we are often away from
the resort for lunch/dinner. We take public
transportation to town and we plan
different events during the week. Of course,
everyone can plan their own events or even
have all their meals on their balcony to keep
their costs down. If you want, you can just veg
out on their beautiful beach or pool.
11
Studio 7 night web special is $916.30 including
tax... that is per studio, not per person! There
are two-bedroom facilities also available if
anyone wants to look into that. Web specials
are less expensive than group prices!
paradisevillage.com/specialoffers.html
Select "just a room" tab. All studios have
kitchen/living/bed and balcony and full bath
Pick the dates on the calendar February 26 - March 5
Click the drop down box of web special and
choose 7 night stay
Click Standard Studio
Delta Flight departs JFK 7:50 a.m.
Return flight is Saturday about 1 pm
Cost is $505/pp coach
Just send Fran and Paul an e-mail at
[email protected] once you've made your
reservations.
East End Lighthouse Tour
By Paul Caparatta
A ribbon of light piercing the misty gloom was
the fabric of nautical tales of yesteryear.
Lighthouses still maintain their lonely vigils and
are reminders of the lore and mystique of 18th
and 19th century seafaring, long before satellite navigation, Loran, depth finders, radar and
ship-to-shore radio.
Fran Cassidy and Paul Aladort organized an
East End lighthouse tour that was conducted
on June 5, 2010. At 9 AM, we boarded the
Caribbean Ferry at Orient Point, with breakfast
and hot coffee served immediately upon our
arrival. For the next seven hours, sixteen Long
Island paddlers and perhaps 100 other people
were provided with photos-ops of ten lighthouses from the north fork of Long Island to
Connecticut and Rhode Island. We also were
served a buffet lunch, local wine, bottled water
and soda.
commanding knowledge of the subject that he
either had a Rolodex in his head or his brain
had a Wi-Fi connection directly to Google and
maybe even to the ghosts said to inhabit
numerous lighthouses.
As lighthouses fell into disuse, they also fell
into disrepair and many have suffered at the
hands of vandals, budget cuts and Mother
Nature. East End Lighthouses, Inc. is a local
nonprofit, all-volunteer organization, dedicated
to the preservation and restoration of offshore
lighthouses of Southhold Township.
The Caribbean is a substantial vessel and must
therefore remain in deep water. We were able
to approach to about 100 yards of most of the
lighthouses. Consequently, a telephoto lens
proved to be a valuable asset. While kayaking
over the years, Denise and I have paddled close
to a number of lighthouses along the New
Bob Allen, our tour guide, proved quite knowl- England coast. In my opinion, it’s the highlight
edgeable regarding the history of lighthouses. of any paddle to be able to approach a strucHe’s calls himself the Lone Lighthouse Guy and ture that may have been built in the 1700s.
he is also the great grandson of a lighthouse
Many thanks to Fran and Paul for having the
keeper who worked at the Montauk Point
wisdom and foresight to provide us paddlers
lighthouse from 1912 to 1917, then served at
with a hands-on look at one aspect of the marthe Cedar Island lighthouse and finished his
itime history of the very waters we paddle.
service in 1940 at Long Beach Bar Lighthouse. I Thanks also go to “The Lone Lighthouse Guy,”
particularly enjoyed his stories of several north who transformed seemingly inanimate objects
fork lighthouses that have experienced parainto living reminders of the past.
normal activities for decades. He had such a
12
Denise and Paul
Long Beach Lighthouse
Orient Point Lighthouse
Plum Island Lighthouse
Little Gull Island Lighthouse
Race Rock Lighthouse
Plum Island Lighthouse
North Dumpling Lighthouse (Private)
Photos by Paul Caparatta
13
Survival Skills in White Water Canoeing,
Family Therapy and Other Assorted Systems
by Neil Grossman, Ph.D., ABPP
My skills had dulled and I decided to sharpen
them by taking a two-day workshop. I knew the
techniques but found myself thinking rather
than moving instinctively.
Early in my training, I learned to go with the
flow of the system - not to resist overpowering
forces and become locked into power struggles.
Then, at an opportune time, deflect the momentum so the energy redirects and takes you to a
different place in the system. Before learning
this, I would go into action like a brave warrior,
taking on all comers, only to find hopelessly
outnumbered, chewed up and spit out without
a moment's hesitation.
A slightly more complex rule involved using
moments of calm to regroup and punctuate
various segments of action. Later, I learned to
use these calm moments to change direction
before opposing forces had time to regroup and
oppose me. I occasionally became stuck.
Colleagues advised that when going with the
flow you also must have your own momentum
and be slightly ahead of the system anticipating
its movements. Then you can burst through a
trap before it grabs you or change direction to
avoid it.
The workshop was terrific - - things started to
come together. I began intuitively to make new
moves. While most involved joining, the
workshop encouraged me to focus my attention,
gather my resources, and be ready to make
bold moves. Being consistent without being
predictable gave me a different type of leverage. I was still part of the system but not bound
by its original structure and boundaries which
can be expanded and changed. Sometimes it
works best if the system is confused - - doesn't
know exactly where I am or where I am going.
It's an incredible experience to join powerful
forces, move with them, and then in quick
decisive actions, redirect them, and thus change
the system.
Less some of you become uneasy and worry
these moves might be radical, foolhardy or risky,
let me reassure you that I am basically conservative, have had years of training, and went to the
workshop to learn under controlled circum14
stances. Remember, the system is usually
stronger than you. The best approach is to
remain neutral, be respectful, join the system
and be curious about it. In the workshop, I
learned to 1) keep a sharp focus, 2) combine a
planned strategy with intuitive moves and
3) when necessary make quick, decisive moves
that momentarily oppose the flow of the
system. These moves are usually made between
periods of joining.
The weekend was wonderful. I only capsized
once, on the second day. I saw it coming; I tried
to keep right side up but couldn't. I was back
and moving along without a moment's
hesitation. I began to use this knowledge of
systems with difficult families. For example, a
father told me that his son's situation was
hopeless (the identified patient), implying that
there wasn't a need for therapy. I agreed with
him and we spoke about the hopelessness he
saw. This became the theme for the session.
Later, I spoke about the seriousness of a
hopeless situation. And then I switched again,
asking them to envision the son 10 or 15 years
from now. Slowly the family began to talk about
the hopelessness they all felt. Toward the end of
the session, I agreed with the father's idea that
the son was hopeless but I was more concerned
with the desperate state of the family. Only
after attending to that could we deal with the
hopeless situation of the son.
In another family, the identified patient (a 14
year old daughter) hadn’t been in school for
two years. In the midst of the initial session, she
stated that everyone was wrong. She didn’t
have school phobia, she had world phobia. She
was afraid of everything in the world outside of
her house. I agreed with this definition, remaining neutral, not trying to change them, but yet
being curious about this family and using questions to redirect the way they experienced themselves. The family described how guilty they felt
after physically trying to force the issue. But yet,
some moments later, they supported her staying
home and reminded her of how upset she was
when teased by the kids at school. I remember
telling myself that this was a difficult family to
Survival Skills in White Water Canoeing, Family Therapy (continued)
work with, taking a deep breath and plunging
ahead into the white water.
(Neil Grossman is a family psychologist who
practices on Long Island.)
A Pretty Cool Father’s Day Gift
By Frank Chillemi
The race went off on-time at 7:35am from
South Cove Marina, a short distance down the
Hudson River. A quick loop around the Battery
and we were on our way up the East River. The
Harlem River was next. From the top of
Manhattan we paddled back into the Hudson
River for the trip to the Start/Finish.
For the past five years Mike Matty and myself
have represented Long Island Paddlers as
escort-kayakers during the Super Bowl of open
water swim races, the Around Manhattan
Swim Marathon. A few months ago, my
daughter Julia asked if she could team-up with
me for this year’s event. Coming just one week
before June 20th, this would be a pretty cool
Father’s Day gift. Those of you with busy,
young adult children will know just how cool
this actually is.
There were a number of Police helicopters
swarming around the George Washington
Bridge as we approached. They were
searching for a man reported to have jumped
from the upper roadway. The report turned
out to be false, but I gotta’ tell ya’, the
downward wind force from their rotor blades
was very real.
Race-day preparations began at about 3:00am.
The boats needed to be unloaded and up-fitted at North Cove Marina in lower Manhattan
by 5:30am. Escort-kayakers briefing and put-in
took about and hour. We were assigned one of
the many foreign swimmers who travel from
around the world to compete in this race.
Frenchman Jullien Leneard lives and trains in
London. He won last year’s English Channel
Swim Marathon.
Leneard completed his race in good shape.
His time was just over eight hours. Julia
completed her first circumnavigation of
Manhattan Island in good shape as well.
No matter how many times you look up at it, the New York City Skyline
is still one of the most impressive sights in the world.
Photo by Frank Chillemi
15
Long Island Paddlers Go To Maine
By Mike Matty • Photos by Steve Berner
In May, Bruce Marotta, Dennis Grieser, Steve
Berner and I rented the Osborn Finch Cabin in
Waldoboro, Maine for a long weekend of
paddling. This small rustic cabin, sans electricity and running water is located within the
eleven acre Osborn Finch Wildlife Sanctuary,
owned by the Pemaquid Watershed
Association.
The first challenge was to find the cabin in
the dark. The Osborn Finch Wildlife Sanctuary
is designated by a not-so-clearly marked sign,
100 feet off the road, after which, you turn
off and follow the not so well-worn tire tracks
through a field of three feet high grass until
you hit the woods. After parking the car, you
simply follow the not-so-clearly marked trial
into the woods, taking the right fork about
two-thirds down the 1/5 of a mile trail, until
you hit the cabin or the water whichever
comes first (if you hit he water you went too
far). Once there we were rewarded by a tiny
but charming three-room cabin, perched
about twenty-feet above the Medomak River.
scenery, to a pair of interesting looking islands
about three miles out in the ocean. We
arrived at the islands, hoping to land, but
were greeted by an inhospitable rocky shoreline. No landing was possible except for the
colony of seals, sunning themselves on the
rocks. After checking out both of the islands
and concluding that this was not the lunch
spot we were looking for, we paddled back
toward Christmas Cove. On the way back, we
did manage to find a rocky beach below the
high water mark of someone’s property to
enjoy the oatmeal raisin cookies.
The next morning, we drove to the first
Once back at the put-in, we realized that it
was only 1:00. Since we had time for another
paddle, we drove to Moscongus Bay, first
stopping at Pemaquid Point Lighthouse to
walk on the rocks and take pictures.
put-in, Christmas Cove, a quintessential,
historic Maine fishing harbor, complete with
lobster boats, stacked high with colorful
lobster traps. After eating breakfast in the
coffee shop across the street from the put-in
and purchasing homemade oatmeal raisin
cookies for lunch, we started our paddle.
From Moscongus Bay, we paddled to Hog
Island, which is part of the Maine Island Trail
Association. And yes, there was a real sand
We paddled straight out of the harbor,
enjoying the perfect weather and Maine
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Long Island Paddlers Go To Maine (continued)
beach there. Hog Island allows camping so we
checked out the tent platforms for a future
camping trip. Paddling back to our cars and
packing up out equipment for the day, it was
time to head over the YMCA in Damariscotta
to shower before dinner at one of the local
restaurants.
for the lobster bake out to an island in the
middle of Casco Bay. No problem for Bob; he
just packed it into a canoe and towed it out
with his kayak. It was a wonderful way to
socialize with both clubs and learn of all of the
great work performed by the Maine Island
Trail Association.
The second day we had plans to participate in
a joint paddle with members of the Maine
Island Trail Association and the Southern Main
Sea Kayakers Association for a paddle and lobster bake. We re-connected with John Brooks
and Bob Aldredge, a couple of friends we met
while paddling in Canada last summer. We
paddled around Casco Bay, near Portland, then
pulled up to Fort Georges, a 150 year-old fort
situated on an island in the middle of Casco
Bay for the lobster bake. When we got there,
Bob had everything under control - lobsters
boiling in the pots on the barbeques with all
of the side dishes laid out. Looking around,
you had to wonder how he got all this stuff
On the trip back to the Waldoboro, we were
looking forward to the shower at the YMCA to
get the fish smell from the lobster off our
hands. But when we pulled up into the parking lot, we were aghast to find it closed! I
guess this really is like camping! Instead, we
washed up in the restroom of Moody’s Diner, a
place that has bee serving great food since
1927. Heading back to the cabin was not a
problem either. By this time, we were getting
good at finding the cabin in the dark.
Our tip to Maine was a smooth from start to
finish, and I’m looking forward to many happy
returns.
17
Long Island Paddlers Spring Picnic 2010
By Dan DiGiovanni • Photos by Alan Mindlin • Photo of Jake at slide presentation by Fred Hosage
While involved in the jovial socializing, we
noticed other members still arriving. At least
we weren’t the only ones who missed the
morning paddle.
On Saturday June 5, the Long Island Paddlers
enjoyed our annual spring picnic and paddle at
Centerport Park. Although some of our dedicated trip leaders and hardy paddlers have
donned their cold weather gear and have been
out on the water for a few months already, for
some of us warm weather paddlers, (like
myself) this picnic marked the official unofficial
start of the paddling season. Yes, I know it
sounds wimpy, but I don’t like the cold. Being
cold and wet, I like even less.
Steve Berner trying Jake’s kayak
It’s been reported that over 75 members
attended the picnic. We all gathered there to
hang with old friends, meet some new
members, make new paddling pals and
hopefully get out on the water, eventually.
I noticed we did have some new members
attend the picnic. For those of you attending
your first Long Island Paddlers picnic, I’d like to
say “welcome aboard.”
I had asked my wife Donna if she would be
terribly disappointed if we attended the picnic
but didn’t go paddling. I explained that the
kayaks were stored in the rear and sides of the
garage surrounded by lot of other stuff.
Getting the kayaks out would mean having to
move the stuff out of the way. After a few spirited discussions, she, eh, we decided that any
amount of time and effort was well worth it.
On Saturday morning I got an early start. (early
by my standards anyway). I dragged, carried
and rolled the “in the way stuff” out of the
garage and on to the front lawn. The kayaks
were finally accessible. Donna helped me carry
two of them and put them on the roof of our
SUV. We located our paddling gear and tossed
that in the back. We were not quite ready to
go though. I had to put all that stuff on the
front lawn back into the garage. Most of it
didn’t go back to where it was supposed to go,
but the door closed. Good enough. We were
finally on our way.
Of course, in keeping with traditional Long
Island Paddlers trip itinerary, the event consisted of 3 main parts. 1) Paddling 2) Eating 3)
More Paddling. That always seems to work real
well. No sense in messing with success.
There had been reports of possible thunderstorms in the weather forecast, but the park
was reserved, the food was purchased and the
soft drinks ready to flow, so the picnic was on.
It turned out to be a great weather day. No
problems with the thunderstorms.
Unfortunately, we arrived at Centerport Park
too late to make the morning paddle. We
noticed several other members standing
around, laughing and talking. We joined in.
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Spring Picnic 2010 (continued)
Jake Stachovak
following Tuesday, Jake did a slide presentaThis year we had a special guest join us, Jake
tion of his paddling project at Suffolk
Stachovak. Jake, his kayak and gear, departed
Community College. The many members in
Portage Wisconsin in early December 2009.
One account of Jake’s journey is, he carefully
attendance enjoyed the photos and details of
planned the first 3,600 miles of his 5,000 mile
Jake’s adventure. If you missed Jake, would like
paddle project so he would arrive in New York
to follow his progress, send him a message, or
in early June to paddle with the Long Island
sign his guest book, go to his blog at
Paddlers at our spring picnic. Another account
http://www.portagetoportage.com/.
(and probably closer to the truth) of Jake’s trip After lunch (where I ate way too much) many
is that it seemed like he would be arriving in
of us hit the water for the afternoon paddle.
New York in early June. Steve contacted Jake
As usual, it was a lot fun paddling with other
through Jake’s blog, invited him to our picnic
Long Island Paddlers and a special honor to
and to paddle with us. Steve and Kristin picked paddle with Jake. We went across Huntington
up Jake in NYC, gave him a tour of the city and Bay, having a good time bouncing around in
welcomed him into their home for several days. the waves generated by the light afternoon
After joining us at our picnic, on Saturday, the
breeze. As he always does, Alan took some
really great pictures.
Below, Jake at Suffolk Community College
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Spring Picnic 2010 (continued)
All signs point to a lot of fun on the way over
the next several months. As we head out on
the water, may our paddles get wet and our
kayaks remain upright.
We paddled back to Centerport Beach, loaded
up the kayaks, said our goodbyes to each other
and seemingly all too soon the day was over.
The warm weather paddling season is just
getting started though. So many more great
paddling trips are on the Long Island Paddlers
schedule with even more being added.
Wild Creatures
By Paul Caparatta
we’ve conditioned ourselves to believe that as
we mean the animals no harm, they too will
not harm us as though wild animals and
marine life can read our intentions. Nothing
could be further from the truth.
Provincetown Harbor is one of the most
picturesque paddles imaginable. It’s the gem of
Cape Cod Bay and Denise and I have paddled it
several times. You may enjoy the harbor or
paddle around Long Point, past two quaint
lighthouses and into the ocean. Aside from the
usual paddling hazards and high-speed ferries
within an easily avoidable, marked channel,
there’s little to be concerned about when
paddling the harbor. So, I was surprised to
learn that on April 21, 2010, one canoeist
perished in the harbor’s frigid waters and his
companion was injured when their canoe was
capsized by what marine experts believe was
the nearby breaching action of either a pilot
whale or dolphin. Breaching is a form of
communication and play.
Former club member, Camille Raciopio, who
now paddles Florida waters, advises that
manatees, although a docile creature, like to
rub against watercraft and can easily capsize
a kayak. She’s also especially wary in rivers
because of alligators. She said that while
alligators don’t attack kayaks, you don’t want
to be out of your kayak and in the water with
them for any reason.
Given the right circumstances, some species of
North American game may turn aggressive.
These include bears, mountain lions, moose
and coyotes, all of which have caused fatalities.
Animals may become hostile to protect their
young, their territory, their harem, if they
perceive you as easy prey or to protect a nearby kill. My wife and I personally witnessed an
aggressive elk menacing tourists with mock
charges while we were hiking in the Pacific
Northwest.
It’s good to be safety conscious. We wear our
PFDs, practice wet exits and listen to weather
reports before paddling. Wildlife can also pose
threats that we don’t even think about. At the
April meeting, Frank Chelemi reminded us
about bluefish. As kayakers, we also know to
give swans a wide margin as they can get
ornery when protecting their young. The
recent proliferation of harbor seals is another
case in point. Yes, they’re cute but they have a
nasty bite and will capsize you if they mistake
your kayak for a stationary dock or floating
debris.
To be sure, dangerous encounters with wildlife
remain a rare event and it was not my intention to present an alarmist treatise. Common
sense should prevail. Treks into true wilderness
areas by foot or kayak should include the services of a licensed guide or outfitter who is
trained and equipped to manage emergencies
likely to threaten you besides keeping you
from getting lost. A responsible guide knows
the animals in his territory and will work to
minimize any chance of a hostile encounter.
As outdoorsy types, many of us also enjoy bird
watching, hiking, nature photography, camping and cycling, in addition to kayaking. These
activities may put us in contact with wild animals we are not familiar with, especially if the
planned activity requires a commercial jet to
bring us to some exotic place. The problem is,
20
Nockamixon State Park, Pennsylvania
Fri. 05/14/2010 thru Sun. 05/16/2010
Article and Photos by Alan Mindlin
A dozen of us went to Nockamixon State park
for a paddling weekend. I really love this
1450 acre park located four miles outside of
Quakerstown. First, it is fresh water and full
of turtles, fish and semi-friendly blue herons
who line the shore. Second, there are about
four put-ins with open bathrooms. Nearby are
some nice and reasonable restaurants where
a good porterhouse steak dinner is only
$17.95. Third, you can paddle day or night
and there is no tide table.
We made up to meet at 1PM at the northeast
end of the lake for a Friday paddle. Bruce and
Dennis are early risers so they were at my
cabin at 9AM and we proceeded to paddle
the 6 1/2 miles to the other end of the lake to
meet Fran, Paul, Janet, Mary and Dana. We
grass, opened the car doors and then wam,
the skies opened. Twenty minutes later we
put our clean boats on the roofs and headed
for the cabins only about a mile from the
launch area.
On Saturday, now joined by Ed and Bonnie in
their tandem, Scott, a new member, plus Ross
we headed out on an enjoyable trip. We
stopped for lunch and after lunch Dennis was
kind enough to give us all a lesson in the
forward stroke. We paddled to an area where
I had seen the blue birds on Thursday and I
proceeded to show all interested birdwatchers the two blue birds. We then headed back
to the launch area, found a good restaurant
for dinner (we asked lots of people but they
all eat only in the place where we went
Friday night) and despite a desire for a late
Saturday night paddle we were pooped.
Sunday, everyone did there own thing and we
all had a terrific time.
proceeded to paddle under a bridge up a
pretty little creek where we spotted a blue
heron fishing. We went as far as we could
and turn back to the put-in. Since the weather report was starting to become negative the
three of us proceeded to return to the other
side of the lake while Fran and Paul lead the
other group around an island staying close to
shore and shelter in case the weather turned.
Bruce, Dennis and I paddled as quickly at the
speed of the paddler who was the slowest.
Unfortunately I could not use the excuse that
the trip leader should stay in the rear. Despite
the threat we still stopped at a great spot for
a photo shoot and then zipped back to the
launch area. We landed, put the boats on the
21
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Closed Tuesdays
Tel. (516) 889-8300
Fax: (516) 897-9366
Email: [email protected]
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22
Blazing Paddles
P.O. Box 115
West Sayville, NY 11796
First Class Mail
To learn and see more of what Long Island Paddlers is all about, visit our website www.lipaddlers.org
Tentative 2010 monthly meeting dates
Always check website.
3rd Tuesday of every month
7:30-9:30 PM
January 19 • February 16
Long Island Paddler’s Publication Dates
March 16 • April 20 • May 18
June 15 • MONDAY July 19 • August 17
September 21 • October 19
November 16
April 15 • July 15 • October 15 • January 15
Deadlines for submission are one month prior
to publication date. All copies submitted
must be typewritten. Members are encouraged to submit articles, letters to the editor
Newsworthy Notes, trip reports or future trip
information, etc. to editors. Editors reserve
the right to editorial privileges. Unless otherwise stated, the views and opinions expressed
are those of the authors and do not represent official position statements of Long
Island Paddlers Club.
LOCATION:
Brightwaters Public Library
1 South Country Road,
Brightwaters, NY 11718
Go to our website for
directions from your location.
Submit all newsletter articles,
letters and advertising to the editor
[email protected]
23