So I ignore warnings from friends, who have a view of the Hudson river about "a lot of ice" in the river and head down to the boathouse on the lower Hudson to do a little paddling on Saturday morning. I figure I can steer around a little lose snow that the DOT has dumped in the river. I get to the boathouse its SOLID ice. Wearing my drysuit I walked all the way to the end of the pier on the bumpy ice. It seemed rock solid most of the way. About 50 yards out it got slushy and I could see and feel the waves going under it. I could see no easy way to get into the water. Even with a sit on top it looked like it would be very difficult to get into the boat because of slow transition from solid ice, to slush with floating 10 foot ice paddies, to the river. Not to mention the fact that there were huge 10+ foot square hunks of ice and slow coming down the river at 2 or 3 knots with the strong ebb tide. Does anyone have any techniques for launching in such a situation? I realize the first rule is not to attempt it by yourself during a strong current. Does anyone in New York want to give it a try before it melts? -- +------------------------------------------------+ | Tim Gamble (212) 385-0200 v | | Syllog Inc. (212) 385-8027 fax | | 111 Broadway 6th Floor tgamble_at_syllog.com | | New York, NY 10006 http://www.syllog.com | +------------------------------------------------+ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Tim wrote, "Even with a sit on top it looked like it would be very difficult to get into the boat because of slow transition from solid ice, to slush with floating 10 foot ice paddies, to the river. Not to mention the fact that there were huge 10+ foot square hunks of ice and slow coming down the river at 2 or 3 knots with the strong ebb tide." "Does anyone have any techniques for launching in such a situation? I realize the first rule is not to attempt it by yourself during a strong current." Just wondering if you'd had a plan of how you were going to get *out* if you ever got in? (Just finished "Endurance" --- the story of Shackleton's adventures in Antarctica, who had vaguely similar problems, although of a much larger scale. You might consider reading that before attacking the Hudson.) That's always been my concern when doing crazy stuff like that. Jack Martin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com wrote: > Just wondering if you'd had a plan of how you were going to get *out* if you ever got in? (Just finished "Endurance" --- the story of Shackleton's adventures in Antarctica, who had vaguely similar problems, although of a much larger scale. You might consider reading that before attacking the Hudson.) That's always been my concern when doing crazy stuff like that. > Gail Ferris had some good advise on both getting in and getting out. She used a single Klepper year round to get out to an island she was babysitting. To reduce wear and tear of sliding along jagged icem to get to water, Gail had one of those roll up plastic sheet sleds. And she carried a garden hoe with a shortened handle. She used this in various ways: as an ice axe/cane when walking on slippery iced over boat ramps. When paddling she would use the sharpened hoe end for pulling her boat along between sheet ice that would not allow her to paddle stroke. And on approaching a landing, the hoe came out again to help pull her up on to icy landing spots. The other advice to my fellow Downtown Boathouse gang member Tim in confronting icy takeouts is to bring plenty of food. The ice should melt off by March. :-) ralph -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Jack, I also read Endurance, and visited the exhibit at the museum where they had their skiff, thats what gave me the idea to go out in the first place. They made many many launches in their small skiff in damp, fur coats when it was -20. And yes I was also worried about getting back out again... JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com wrote: > Just wondering if you'd had a plan of how you were going to get *out* if you ever got in? (Just finished "Endurance" --- the story of Shackleton's adventures in Antarctica, who had vaguely similar problems, although of a much larger scale. You might consider reading that before attacking the Hudson.) That's always been my concern when doing crazy stuff like that. > > Jack Martin -- +------------------------------------------------+ | Tim Gamble (212) 385-0200 v | | Syllog Inc. (212) 385-8027 fax | | 111 Broadway 6th Floor tgamble_at_syllog.com | | New York, NY 10006 http://www.syllog.com | +------------------------------------------------+ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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