Good News - Paddlewise members are still alive & kicking ;-) I have a couple of Alaska questions, please. Four years ago, Natasha & I had a wonderful paddle in our K2 - from Sitka to the McBride Glacier in Glacier Bay. We much enjoyed meeting Bob for a brief dockside chat, when the good ship Columbia paused for half an hour as we ferried north. We plan to go back in July 2015 - this time with 4 friends - to do it again. This time, a less-exposed trip from Hoonah. but spending a bit more time in Glacier Bay itself. We'll use our Feathercraft again and rent doubles (in Juneau) for the other two couples and then ferry to Hoonah and also ferry back to Juneau from Gustavus - or paddle back, if that Gustavus ferry has quit again. (1) Last trip, we bought, used and were very happy with three Bear Vault 500s. In 2015, we'll need many more bear-proof canisters for 6 people. Does anyone know if the Parks Service has a rent/borrow scheme anywhere other than at Bartlett Cove ? Perhaps something allowing return by post ? (2) Three of the group do not have drysuits - blame our warm NZ waters ;-) - so we'll rent those (probably in Seattle, from KA). We are all reasonably experienced paddlers - all qualified to lead open-ocean trips in our club, so we'll be focusing on 'staying away from the top of the cliff' - rather than the 'ambulance at the bottom'. That being said, with three boats and two existing PLBs, I'm tempted to get one of Delorme's inReach devices. I do love the concept of having a 2-way beacon; firstly for the obvious improvement in comms (in an emergency) but more for the ability to test that the device is still alive. (I don't know if any of you followed Stu Truman's round-Australia jaunt - where he had 2 or 3 PLBs die on him.) Anyway. does anyone have kayaking experience with the original or the newer SE inReach ? Best Regards Paul Hayward, Auckland, New Zealand On 5/29/2014 10:37 AM, Melissa Reese wrote: > Hi Robert, > > On Thursday, May 29, 2014, at 9:45:10 AM PST, you wrote: > >> Fraud! Scam! Total BS! > Indeed. > > By the way -- how are you doing up in beautiful Alaska? Enjoying some > good paddling? :) > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
The Henry Brothers completed a 6500KM paddle from Brazil to Florida, they used the InReach devices with great success, this also allowed their parents to breathe. Check out WWW.Henrykayak.com Russ > On May 29, 2014, at 9:03 PM, "Paul Hayward" <nz7kayaker_at_gmail.com> wrote: > > Good News – Paddlewise members are still alive & kicking ;-) > > I have a couple of Alaska questions, please. > > Four years ago, Natasha & I had a wonderful paddle in our K2 – from Sitka to the McBride Glacier in Glacier Bay. > We much enjoyed meeting Bob for a brief dockside chat, when the good ship Columbia paused for half an hour as we ferried north. > > We plan to go back in July 2015 – this time with 4 friends – to do it again. This time, a less-exposed trip from Hoonah… but spending a bit more time in Glacier Bay itself. We’ll use our Feathercraft again and rent doubles (in Juneau) for the other two couples and then ferry to Hoonah and also ferry back to Juneau from Gustavus – or paddle back, if that Gustavus ferry has quit again. > > (1) Last trip, we bought, used and were very happy with three Bear Vault 500s. In 2015, we’ll need many more bear-proof canisters for 6 people. Does anyone know if the Parks Service has a rent/borrow scheme anywhere other than at Bartlett Cove ? Perhaps something allowing return by post ? > > (2) Three of the group do not have drysuits – blame our warm NZ waters ;-) – so we’ll rent those (probably in Seattle, from KA). We are all reasonably experienced paddlers – all qualified to lead open-ocean trips in our club, so we’ll be focusing on ‘staying away from the top of the cliff’ – rather than the ‘ambulance at the bottom’. That being said, with three boats and two existing PLBs, I’m tempted to get one of Delorme’s inReach devices. I do love the concept of having a 2-way beacon; firstly for the obvious improvement in comms (in an emergency) but more for the ability to test that the device is still alive. (I don’t know if any of you followed Stu Truman’s round-Australia jaunt – where he had 2 or 3 PLBs die on him.) Anyway… does anyone have kayaking experience with the original or the newer SE inReach ? > > Best Regards > Paul Hayward, Auckland, New Zealand > > On 5/29/2014 10:37 AM, Melissa Reese wrote: > > Hi Robert, > > > > On Thursday, May 29, 2014, at 9:45:10 AM PST, you wrote: > > > >> Fraud! Scam! Total BS! > > Indeed. > > > > By the way -- how are you doing up in beautiful Alaska? Enjoying some > > good paddling? :) > > > > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Just a few thoughts 2015 0r 2014? If you are coming in 2014 there are some big tide exchanges 7/10 thru 7/17 19.4 to -4.4 (23.8 feet!) Plan accordingly. "Less exposed"....Hoonah. Yes this is part of the inside waters but you have a lot of tidal current flowing through Icy Strait and if the wind is coming in from the ocean and the tide is flowing out then that piece of water can get real dicey real quick especially at the entrance to Glacier Bay. "Gustavus ferry"...always iffy Bear canisters...Last I knew Bartlett Cove was the only place to rent/borrow in Glacier Bay Communication...I still use a VHF radio ( fishing boats and sports are often your best option for a quick rescue.) I have not tried the DeLorme in Reach device so I cannot give an opinion. I still use the SPOT system and so far I have not had to test the emergency function. Hope you guys have a great trip. Bob On 5/29/2014 8:03 PM, Paul Hayward wrote: > > Good News -- Paddlewise members are still alive & kicking ;-) > > I have a couple of Alaska questions, please. > > Four years ago, Natasha & I had a wonderful paddle in our K2 -- from > Sitka to the McBride Glacier in Glacier Bay. > > We much enjoyed meeting Bob for a brief dockside chat, when the good > ship Columbia paused for half an hour as we ferried north. > > We plan to go back in July 2015 -- this time with 4 friends -- to do > it again. This time, a less-exposed trip from Hoonah... but spending a > bit more time in Glacier Bay itself. We'll use our Feathercraft again > and rent doubles (in Juneau) for the other two couples and then ferry > to Hoonah and also ferry back to Juneau from Gustavus -- or paddle > back, if that Gustavus ferry has quit again. > > (1)Last trip, we bought, used and were very happy with three Bear > Vault 500s. In 2015, we'll need many more bear-proof canisters for 6 > people. Does anyone know if the Parks Service has a rent/borrow scheme > anywhere other than at Bartlett Cove ? Perhaps something allowing > return by post ? > > (2)Three of the group do not have drysuits -- blame our warm NZ waters > ;-) -- so we'll rent those (probably in Seattle, from KA). We are all > reasonably experienced paddlers -- all qualified to lead open-ocean > trips in our club, so we'll be focusing on 'staying away from the top > of the cliff' -- rather than the 'ambulance at the bottom'. That being > said, with three boats and two existing PLBs, I'm tempted to get one > of Delorme's inReach devices. I do love the concept of having a 2-way > beacon; firstly for the obvious improvement in comms (in an emergency) > but more for the ability to test that the device is still alive. (I > don't know if any of you followed Stu Truman's round-Australia jaunt > -- where he had 2 or 3 PLBs die on him.) Anyway... does anyone have > kayaking experience with the original or the newer SE inReach ? > > Best Regards > > Paul Hayward, Auckland, New Zealand > > On 5/29/2014 10:37 AM, Melissa Reese wrote: > > Hi Robert, > > > > On Thursday, May 29, 2014, at 9:45:10 AM PST, you wrote: > > > >> Fraud! Scam! Total BS! > > Indeed. > > > > By the way -- how are you doing up in beautiful Alaska? > Enjoying some > > good paddling? :) > > > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
No personal experience with inReach systems. However, I have tracked a couple sets of paddlers who were using them. Currently there are three Canadians near the north end of Vancouver Island, intent on completing the inside passage. Their unit can send text messages, some running about 50 characters, I believe. Link to their inReach output: http://paddlingfanatics.jimdo.com/where-we-are-on-the-coast -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR*************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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