[Rhodes22-list] Summer 2021 Cruise Plans?

[Tom Van Heule]

Maybe he's talking about growing his beard!
I jest peter, one big bearded sailor to another.

On Sun, Mar 28, 2021, 6:06 PM ROGER PIHLAJA <roger_pihlaja at msn.com> wrote:

> Frank,
>
> In 2008, our family High Adventure Trip was called the Three Rivers Trip.
> We put-in on the Kickapoo River at the Plum Creek Canoe Landing, paddled to
> the Wisconsin River, and then followed the Wisconsin River to the
> Mississippi River.  Along the way, we backcountry camped on sandbars.  We
> took-out at Wyalusing Recreation Area Boat Landing on the Mississippi
> River.  On the last day of the trip, we attempted to find our way thru the
> Wood Yard Slough, a backwater swampy area off the Mississippi River.
> Despite having the latest chart issued by Wyalusing State Park and the
> highest resolution Garmin GPS maps available, we got thoroughly turned
> around and eventually ended up leaving at the same place as we entered the
> slough.  Exploring a backwater Mississippi River slough by canoe had always
> been on my bucket list.  After this experience, I can say I’m glad I went
> once.  But, I got it out my system!
>
> I’ve made multiple paddling trips into the Boundary Waters and Voyageur’s
> National Park, both of which border Quetico Provincial Park.  The
> international border is poorly marked (if at all!) up there and I’m certain
> we briefly crossed over into Quetico a couple of times.  Did you know
> there’s a place called Kettle Falls in Voyageur’s National Park where you
> can stand in the United States and look south into Canada?
>
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>
> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
> Windows 10
>
> From: Frank Goldsmith<mailto:goldsmith.cf at gmail.com>
> Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2021 6:28 PM
> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Summer 2021 Cruise Plans?
>
> The start of an interesting thread.  I envy those of you who have sailboat
> cruising plans.
>
> My immediate nautical plans involve paddling rather than sailing.  In
> mid-April I will be joining some friends for an extended weekend of swamp
> canoeing on the Black River in North Carolina, including a visit to the
> Three Sisters Swamp, which is part of that river.  The Three Sisters
> section includes the oldest trees in the Eastern U.S., bald cypresses that
> have been dated back to at least 605 B.C.E., the time of the Babylonian
> empire.
>
> Our group has been exploring various blackwater rivers in the Carolinas
> since 1980, although we’ve also made forays into the Quetico Provincial
> Park in Canada, the Okefenokee Swamp in south Georgia, and even a river in
> Sweden (sadly, I missed that trip).  We’re mostly in our mid-seventies now,
> and for the last few trips we’ve elected to establish a fixed base camp in
> a nearby state park or some private property (with permission) and make day
> trips, rather than hauling all our gear in our canoes and looking in the
> afternoon for dry ground, as we’ve mostly done in the past.  The variety of
> ailments that afflict many men of our age have made unburdened canoes the
> better choice.
>
> But I am looking forward to getting my Rhodes back in the water at Lake
> Keowee, once new sails are installed in a couple of weeks.
>
> Frank
>
> Frank Goldsmith
> s/v Mary Bess (1985/2001 Rhodes)
> Asheville, NC and
> Lake Keowee, SC
>
>
> > On Mar 28, 2021, at 10:49 AM, ROGER PIHLAJA <Roger_Pihlaja at msn.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > So, here we are on Palm Sunday, 2021.  What are everyone’s plans for a
> summer cruise?
> >
> > My plan for a Great Circle Loop High Adventure Sailing/Sea Kayaking Tour
> Of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore continues to move forward.  Last
> week, I was able to reserve a special campsite at Little Sand Bay
> Campground on the tip of the Bayfield Peninsula for the beginning put-in
> and ending take-out.  After consultation with the campground manager, it
> turns out campsite #40 has an unused grassy area next to the campsite where
> we can park S/V Dynamic Equilibrium fully rigged on its trailer.  Not only
> can we use the boat as a pop top camper; but, site #40 has unobstructed
> access to/from the launch ramp.  So, we don’t have to rig/unrig the boat at
> the launch ramp.  Little Sand Bay Campground will also let us park 2
> vehicles + the empty boat trailer in their parking lot while we’re out on
> the water.
> >
> > The National Park Service only reserves backcountry campsites out in the
> Apostle Islands 1 month in advance.  I will have to set my alarm clock
> early on June 22-24, 2021 to make sure I get on-line and reserve the
> campsites I want.
> >
> > I have the design for the kayak towing harness finished and I’ve started
> accumulating pieces/parts.  After doing some research and modeling, I think
> a towing harness that lines the 4 boats up side-by-side will tow the best,
> be the most seaworthy configuration, and the easiest to deal with around
> the marina and on the beach.  But, I plan to do some tow testing with S/V
> Dynamic Equilibrium in late May or early June in Ross Lake, about 12 miles
> from my house.  I have finished the 4 cockpit covers with their around the
> hull retaining straps and verified fit/security on each of the kayaks.
> Losing a cockpit cover and filling the cockpit with water on Lake Superior
> might be the start of a bad day on the water!
> >
> > But, my biggest potential show stopper issue is me.  As many of you
> know, I am 67 years old with A-Fib and 2 arthritic knees.  I have a
> pacemaker and last month, I had my 2nd Cardiac Ablation procedure.  For
> those of you not familiar with a Cardiac Ablation, it involves making an
> incision in your groin, snaking a catheter-like probe up the big vein in
> your leg back into the heart, and then selectively electrocuting the
> biological pacemaker cells that are causing the A-Fib.  It stops the A-Fib;
> but, you are left with electrical burns and scar tissue inside the heart.
> 6 weeks after the Cardiac Ablation procedure, I still tire easily and have
> very poor aerobic stamina.  I have a lot of rehab work to do in order to be
> ready for the High Adventure Trip in July.
> >
> > So, what cruise trips are everyone else planning?
> >
> > Roger Pihlaja
> > S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
> Windows 10
> >
>
>