PaddleWays Adventure Log

Whenever I teach a sea kayaking class, I usually include the caution that, "the number one rule is that the weather rules."

When it came time to launch Raven this year I was reminded once again that Nature does not cater to our artificial schedules.  The week prior we had a spell of glorious weather. My schedule did not allow me to use any of that time to work on Raven. The week after the launch was warm and sunny, too, but I had made arrangements with the Shelburne Shipyard to have Raven lowered into Lake Champlain on Friday, April 7th. I reduced my flexibility even further by asking that Raven be launched at 3 PM, to accommodate my son's school schedule.

So, it wasn't perfect. As I busied myself with the last minute tasks during the two days prior to the launch, the temperatures hovered around 40, with a biting northwest wind. Then, on Friday, the forecast was for cold rain beginning in the afternoon. Fortunately I finished my work by the time the rain started at 2 pm. It was pouring while I drove to Burlington to pick Jackson up from school. (David was unable to make the launch because of an aftershool practice.) Jackson emerged from the elementary school wearing only a cotton sweatshirt. "Now I'll have hypothermia to deal with," I thought.

We didn’t have time to go dig out his coat. I bundled him up in one of my raincoats and he gained extra insulation from his PFD. We left the mooring area in the inflatable Zodiac for the 3-mile run to the shipyard at the mouth of Shelburne Bay. The fog was thick. The rain continued. The air temp was 40. The water temp was 35.

I've always been impressed by the staff and services offered at the Shelburne Shipyard. Launch day was no exception. The staff were standing by as we motored to the dock. They are very well equipped and very professional. Raven was put in the slings of the Travelift, moved out over the water, and lowered in. I fired up the diesel and we motored out into the fog, setting a course to our mooring.

Saturday dawned clear and cold. A layer of ice covered Rosie (the Zodiac inflatable). Mansfield shone white with new snow. A loon drifted slowly off our starboard side. Canada geese honked above. Not another boat on the lake. It was glorious. I busied myself making breakfast for the boys and we all remarked about how good it was to have Raven back afloat.