[Paddlewise] TR: A Fine Morning with The Queen

Up at 5 am, so as to catch the scheduled 8am arrival of the Queen 
Elizabeth II in Portland.  At 7:15, it’s bright and sunny on the beach 
at East End, with a clear blue sky.  Windy, 35 degrees, water 54 
degrees.  Thinking, it’s a good thing I’m here nice and early.  The 
city of Portland garbage trucks are here; now I know why the city 
has a dock at East End, and what Peaks Island does with its garbage.  
Standing there debating – do I need gloves?  I look up and see 
something black and white and big, just turning into the mouth of 
the shipping channel.  Early!  Throw myself into the kayak and 
paddle like mad the mile to Fort Gorges, an island at the head of the 
channel, to watch her come up.  It’s a bit choppy, but fine.  I recall, 
now, seeing the red letters “Small Craft Advisory” on the NDBC 
NWS forecast page.   

Pull up on the bar in front of Fort Gorges, take lots of pictures of 
the QE2, half a mile away.  She’s a mighty ship, black and white, 
taller than everything else around including all of Portland.  A red 
tugboat (fireboat?) accompanies her, spraying high plumes of water. 
 Festive.  Or perhaps that is a not-merely-decorative function?  The 
QE2 anchors off Spring Point Ledge Light.  I scan the way back.  
The wind is increasing steadily from the west, and now whitecaps 
are everywhere, not just here and there.  My original plan, to kayak 
up to the big boat and say hello, has to be abandoned.  I need to go 
back while I still can.

I paddle back into a stiff breeze.  The tide is with me, the wind 
against me.  I keep my eyes on the lobster buoys in front of me, and 
am pleasantly surprised to find my progress is good, though it’s 
hard work into the 20 mph gusts.  It’s a wet ride back – spray 
everywhere, waves smacking into the boat, washing over it.   A little 
bit more exercise than I had in mind, but a great morning!  (Then to 
work.)

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