The start of an interesting thread.  I envy those of you who have sailboat cruising plans.  

My immediate nautical plans involve paddling rather than sailing.  In mid-April I will be joining some friends for an extended weekend of swamp canoeing on the Black River in North Carolina, including a visit to the Three Sisters Swamp, which is part of that river.  The Three Sisters section includes the oldest trees in the Eastern U.S., bald cypresses that have been dated back to at least 605 B.C.E., the time of the Babylonian empire.  

Our group has been exploring various blackwater rivers in the Carolinas since 1980, although we’ve also made forays into the Quetico Provincial Park in Canada, the Okefenokee Swamp in south Georgia, and even a river in Sweden (sadly, I missed that trip).  We’re mostly in our mid-seventies now, and for the last few trips we’ve elected to establish a fixed base camp in a nearby state park or some private property (with permission) and make day trips, rather than hauling all our gear in our canoes and looking in the afternoon for dry ground, as we’ve mostly done in the past.  The variety of ailments that afflict many men of our age have made unburdened canoes the better choice. 

But I am looking forward to getting my Rhodes back in the water at Lake Keowee, once new sails are installed in a couple of weeks.

Frank

Frank Goldsmith
s/v Mary Bess (1985/2001 Rhodes)
Asheville, NC and
Lake Keowee, SC

> On Mar 28, 2021, at 10:49 AM, ROGER PIHLAJA <Roger_Pihlaja at msn.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> So, here we are on Palm Sunday, 2021.  What are everyone’s plans for a summer cruise?
> 
> My plan for a Great Circle Loop High Adventure Sailing/Sea Kayaking Tour Of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore continues to move forward.  Last week, I was able to reserve a special campsite at Little Sand Bay Campground on the tip of the Bayfield Peninsula for the beginning put-in and ending take-out.  After consultation with the campground manager, it turns out campsite #40 has an unused grassy area next to the campsite where we can park S/V Dynamic Equilibrium fully rigged on its trailer.  Not only can we use the boat as a pop top camper; but, site #40 has unobstructed access to/from the launch ramp.  So, we don’t have to rig/unrig the boat at the launch ramp.  Little Sand Bay Campground will also let us park 2 vehicles + the empty boat trailer in their parking lot while we’re out on the water.
> 
> The National Park Service only reserves backcountry campsites out in the Apostle Islands 1 month in advance.  I will have to set my alarm clock early on June 22-24, 2021 to make sure I get on-line and reserve the campsites I want.
> 
> I have the design for the kayak towing harness finished and I’ve started accumulating pieces/parts.  After doing some research and modeling, I think a towing harness that lines the 4 boats up side-by-side will tow the best, be the most seaworthy configuration, and the easiest to deal with around the marina and on the beach.  But, I plan to do some tow testing with S/V Dynamic Equilibrium in late May or early June in Ross Lake, about 12 miles from my house.  I have finished the 4 cockpit covers with their around the hull retaining straps and verified fit/security on each of the kayaks.  Losing a cockpit cover and filling the cockpit with water on Lake Superior might be the start of a bad day on the water!
> 
> But, my biggest potential show stopper issue is me.  As many of you know, I am 67 years old with A-Fib and 2 arthritic knees.  I have a pacemaker and last month, I had my 2nd Cardiac Ablation procedure.  For those of you not familiar with a Cardiac Ablation, it involves making an incision in your groin, snaking a catheter-like probe up the big vein in your leg back into the heart, and then selectively electrocuting the biological pacemaker cells that are causing the A-Fib.  It stops the A-Fib; but, you are left with electrical burns and scar tissue inside the heart.  6 weeks after the Cardiac Ablation procedure, I still tire easily and have very poor aerobic stamina.  I have a lot of rehab work to do in order to be ready for the High Adventure Trip in July.
> 
> So, what cruise trips are everyone else planning?
> 
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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>