PaddleWays Adventure Log

On November 21st, I reluctantly motored Raven north from my mooring on Shelburne Bay and came to a rest against the dock at Shelburne Shipyard. The crew was waiting with the marine travel lift. Within minutes the slings were placed around Raven's hull and she was hoisted from the water and placed on the steel cradle for the winter.

Various delays led me to December 14th before putting the winter covers on. On that day, I drove down Bay Road and looked out at the lake, basking under an unusually warm sun and waters that seemed to say, "You still could be sailing."

It was over 60 degrees when I finally pulled the tarps over the frame above Raven's deck. We're on track for a record warm December. Sadly, as this warming trend continues, we will be left with an expanding worldwide shoreline to explore in coming years . . .

Posted by Kevin Rose at 04:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Years ago, I couldn’t help but notice an ad on the back of a Maine newspaper. It was promoting the catamaran ferry that runs between Bar Harbor and Nova Scotia. The picture was of an enormous boat, skimming across the water at high speed on its state of the art hydrofoiling hulls. In addition to noting the gambling and gift shops aboard, the ad tried to lure the traveler with the prospect of “all this while watching the scenery speed by at 55 miles per hour.”

What the . . . ?

Last week, I heard an ad on the radio for a local shopping mall. The marketers appealed to the desire to control our environment with the claim, “where the temperature is always 72 degrees.”

Hmmm. If the marketers are on to something here, I suppose that sailing is not for everyone. When schedules must be kept, the notion of languishing on windless waters can really make a mess of the timetable displayed in digital precision on a PDA. When the leading edge of a squall turns the weather cool, foul weather gear may be in order rather than peering out from a climate controlled interior.

Those of us who enjoy sailing are typically searching for more intimate connections with natural rhythms rather than fooling ourselves about any notion of dominion. We accept that much of life is out of our control. Rather than fight it, we let nature dictate the pace. We are humbled by the storms. We slow down when the winds stop blowing. We dip in the water when it’s hot or put on a sweater and “foulies” when it’s cold.

Last weekend’s promise for 10-20 knots of wind went unfulfilled. On Sunday, my friend Marion and I took ten hours to cover 4.5 miles. Three consecutive log entries placed our position “just south of Diamond Island.” To the west, the 1000 foot-high Snake Mountain ridge rose sharply from the water. A flock of perhaps 50 Canada geese drifted along noisily to the east. Sunny skies and 85 degree air warmed our bodies after weeks of seemingly endless rain. Much of the time we just sat in silence - watching, listening, feeling. No hurry. Nature’s pace. It was good.

Posted by Kevin Rose at 08:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I sit at my desk aboard Raven, snugged up to a mooring in Burlington harbor. There is a bronze oval portlight above the desk, framing the view of the city immediately to the east of me. The sounds of the urban world filter in – the hammering of new construction along Battery Street, automobiles darting about, sirens in the distance, children playing in the park.

Another portlight frames the view to the west. Juniper Island floats on a watery foreground. The Adirondacks rise from Lake Champlain’s western shores. A squall has wrapped the peaks in cold, wet clouds that have now descended to the lake. They are moving quickly eastward toward Vermont.

     “Talk of mysteries-Think of our life in
     nature-daily to be shown matter, to come
     in contact with it-rocks, trees, wind on
     our cheeks! the solid earth! the actual world!
     the common sense! Contact! Contact!
     Who are we? where are we?”

Ever since first reading Thoreau’s essay, “The Maine Woods”, I’ve thought long about his words.

     “Contact! Contact!”

The modern world lies to the east of me, the approaching storm and wildness to the west.

     “Who are we? Where are we?”

I’ll climb the steps of the companionway. In the cockpit of my floating home, the views that I now see separately through two bronze windows will combine as one.

     "Contact! Contact!"

Posted by Kevin Rose at 07:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Kevin Rose at 07:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Introducing Lake Champlain Sailing Adventues

Explore Lake Champlain aboard Raven, our Pacific Seacraft Crealock 34.

Beginning with the Summer, 2006 season, PaddleWays will offer half-day and full-day sailing charters departing from Burlington, Vermont.

Details coming soon!

Posted by Kevin Rose at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)