AMC Flatwater/Coastal Paddling Social
The Fairfield "Paddlers' Network has morphed into the Appalachian Mountain Club Flatwater/Coastal paddling group, still chaired by Jean Trapani and Diane Worden. They have organized a social for Tuesday, November 12 at 7:30 pm at the Wooden Boat Workshop, 11 Day Street in Norwalk. Refreshments will be served. There will be no formal agenda, but everyone is encouraged to bring info on their favorite warm water paddling destinations.

The Wooden Boat Workshop, just opened in the historic SONO district, teaches old-world craftsmanship with state-of-the-art woodworking machinery and dust control equipment. They build kayaks, skiffs and paddles. For more info on the meeting, call Jean Trapani at 203 221-7439 or 914 448-4112 (day). To get to Day Street head for the Small Boat Shop and turn left onto Hanford Place from Water Street. Day Street is one block down.

Two Kayakers Drown on Martha's Vineyard October 14
A fishing trip on Sengekontacket Pond turned tragic when two men from Oak Bluffs drowned accidentally several hours after paddling a one-person kayak out to a sandbar and casting their lines. Their bodies were found the next morning in about twelve feet of water. From a conversation with the state police officer in charge of the investigation, the following facts came to light.

The two men, aged 24 and 27, were excellent swimmers. Although Massachusetts regulations require life vests be worn from September 15, neither man had a pfd with them. They were paddling together on a 15', one-man recreational kayak with no bulkheads or flotation. The water temperature was 63 degrees. The winds were 20 to 30 knots. There was no sign they had been drinking.

A likely scenario is that they were standing on the sandbar, the tide came in, the kayak drifted away in the high winds and they tried to swim after it. They were expected back between 4 and 5 pm, but police were not alerted until midnight. The yellow kayak was located, partially submerged, on the southwest side of the pond at 3:30 am and the bodies to the east of the sandbar, at daybreak.

This is the third kayak death in two years on the Vineyard. Two years ago a police officer died on Tisbury Great Pond. He had been paddling on a rough day, using a recreational kayak and had no life vest.

If you own a recreational kayak, please do not use it without flotation. The police officer suggested using several empty large detergent bottles with caps securely screwed on and held in place with netting or silicone sealer or tied in place. Another option is to fit dry cell foam, available at building supply stores, into both ends of the kayak and secure with waterproof glue.

Cold Water Clinics at Fairfield County Kayak Shops
The Small Boat Shop Cold Water Workshop is November 2. The $20 fee is refundable with a purchase of $135 or more. Call 854-5223 in Norwalk for details. November 9 is the date for OSC's cold water paddling information session. They will have a Kokatat rep there to help you choose a drysuit or paddling jacket. Call 762-8324  in Wilton for details.

Kayak Print Reference Choices
These are our favorite kayak authors:
Shelley Johnson, Sea Kayaking, A Woman's Guide, 1998. For everyone, the best single source.
Shelley Johnson, The Complete Sea Kayaker's Handbook. 2002. Well-reviewed.
Derek Hutchinson, Complete Book of Sea Kayaking, 1994. British, macho approach, but great.
Shriner & Schumann, Sea Kayak Rescue. The bible on rescue techniques.

Kayak Video Choices
There are not many excellent kayak videos. These are good:
First Roll. Jay Babina's sensible approach. A must before you start to learn eskimo rolling.
Forward Stroke Clinic. Brent Reitz's technique is fast & ergonomically sound.
In the Surf. Kent Ford has produced a solid intro to surf kayaking. Fun to watch.
The Kayak Roll. A new video to learn, improve or teach eskimo rolling. Excellent.
Beyond the Cockpit. Reviewers love Derek Hutchinson's new video.

Web Resources - Regional Paddling Clubs
Our Connecticut club, Connyak, has a bulletin board section on its website that is a great place to ask a question, start a debate or find used kayaks and equipment.   The club sponsors weekend trips, which we recommend for intermediate paddlers. Guest speakers are featured at meetings in the winter. Find them at: www.connyak.org

RICKA, the Rhode Island Canoe & Kayak Club, has a well-designed website that has links to weather, tides, instructor referrals, charts and directions for paddling destinations, a daily photo update and more!  Worth checking out at: www.ricka.org

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