1

Blazing PaddlesNNNNeeeewwwwssss lllleeeetttt tttteeeerrrr ooooffff LLLLoooonnnngggg IIII ssss llllaaaannnndddd PPPPaaaaddddddddlllleeeerrrrssss

Little Gull Island Lighthouse Photo by Paul Caparatta

S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

DisclaimerThe views expressed in this newsletter are strictly those of their respective authors.

Information offered on any topic should not be assumed to be authoritative or complete. On all paddling issues, it is important to base one’s practices on multiple sources of information.

2

Message from the President: Busy DaysBy Steve Berner

Summer is a very busy time of the year forthe Long Island Paddlers. If you had attendedJune’s General Membership Meeting, youwould know what I am talking about. Duringthe business portion of our meeting, wereviewed all the club’s activities for the pastmonth and all the activities planned for thenext month. From May 22nd to June 13th,there were twelve paddling trips, our SpringPicnic, a lighthouse cruise, and a special meeting for Jake Stachovak’s visit. We alsopreviewed fourteen paddling trips and twoconcerts that the club had scheduled for June18th to July 17th. Meanwhile, our fellow clubmembers involved with Kayak For a Cause aretraining every weekend for their paddleacross the Sound, either as a group or individually. There have been many shortnotice paddles, and I know friends from theclub have been getting together for regularpaddles. It’s amazing what warm water andsunny days will do to kayakers. I hope everyone is taking advantage of the beautifulweather and our club activities.

Kristin and I have been busy. We were luckyenough to host Jake while he was recharginghis batteries during his visit to New York. Wepicked him up on Tuesday, June 1st at Pier 40in Lower Manhattan around noon. I remem-ber thinking how burnt and haggard helooked. But he was up at 5:00 AM Wednesday morning working on his blog and catching upon his e-mails. By the time we woke up, hehad made pancakes and set the table. Theboy definitely likes to eat! He explained howa can of cake frosting and a box of crackerswas one of his favorite snacks. Later thatsame day, we went down to the WoodenBoat Shop in Port Jefferson to work on ourpaddles, which are still not done, and Jakefabricated some 2 x 4’s into a new kayak rackfor us. Thursday he went into Manhattan bytrain to explore the Big Apple. He went tothe Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and theEmpire State Building while walking ten mileswearing his only shoes – a pair of Crocs somebody had given him. That night he slept

at Kristin’s Bronx apartment. Friday, he wokeup with aching feet. Kristin and I met him atthe Museum of Natural History around noon.Then we walked across Central Park to theMetropolitan Museum of Art. After dinner,we took him to an Off-Broadway play starringEdie Falco. The next day, Jake had a goodtime meeting new friends at our picnic.Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, he rested andworked on his slide show which he presentedto the club on Tuesday, June 8th at S.C.C.C.His pictures and presentation was enjoyed by seventy-three members of the club.Wednesday, he went back to NYC to celebratehis thirty-fifth birthday. Thursday, we droppedhim off at the Port Jeff Ferry to Bridgeport, Ctwhere he caught a ride to Rhode Island for aRough Water Symposium. We picked him upSunday for his final night on Long Island.Monday, at noon, I waved goodbye to him atPier 40 as he headed up the Hudson River. Itwas a hectic two weeks, but we enjoyed everyminute of it. Jake proved to be as good a person as he is a paddler.

The following day, I drove out to the OrientPoint Ferry to meet our next program speaker, Eliza Ginn from the Maine IslandTrail Association. Since she was making a sixhour trip from her home base in Portland, wehad arranged to paddle around Orient BeachState Park. It was a beautiful day, and we hada great three hour paddle before rushingback to the house to get ready for the meeting. Seventy-seven of our members weretreated to a great overview of the MaineIsland Trail system. To my surprise, many ofour members in attendance that night havepaddled in Maine. I was disappointed that shecould not stay another day and paddlearound Robins Island, but she promised tocome for another visit.

While kayaking is a lot of fun, it is importantto remember that there are dangers involvedin any water sport. Unfortunately, there werefour kayaking deaths over the past threemonths. In April, two young ladies were

3

kayaking in Casco Bay off the coast ofPortland, Maine in rough conditions, withoutcold water gear. They fell in and died ofhypothermia. A man visiting from Beijing,China was kayaking off the coast ofConnecticut, in May, and disappeared. Almosta week later, his boat was found in Southoldand his body washed up on a beach inAmagansett. And then in June, a sixty threeyear old man was paddling in Lake Georgewith his wife when he was struck by a motorboat and killed. Our club has certain requirements for attending trips. A wet suit

or a dry suit is required anytime the watertemperature is below sixty degrees. Everyoneis required to wear a PFD on all trips, no matter how hot it gets. You must have bowand stern lights to paddle in the dark. Andwhen crossing a boat channel, it is importantto cross in a group for greater visibility to thepeople in power boats. There are dangers inkayaking; but with the proper precautions,we can greatly minimize them.

I hope to see everyone at our next GeneralMeeting on July 20th or on the water.

Message from the President (continued)

Proposed By-Law RevisionsBy Pat Chachkes

The Board is proposing the following changes to the Bylaws. Words in bold print, underlined,and in italics will be added to or eliminated from the By-Laws. They were discussed at theJune General Membership Meeting and will be voted on at the July meeting. Anyone whocannot attend the July meeting can request an absentee ballot by contacting the Board at

bylaws@lipaddler.org.

2. Club Organization

C. Committee Chairpersons are: (add) Library, Public Relations, Hospitality, Merchandise, Big Buddy, By-Laws, Advocacy, and Conservation.

D.Admitting Members: (eliminate) 2) being approved by the Board

3. Board Operations

D.Committees: (add) Library, Public Relations, Hospitality, Merchandise, Big Buddy, By-Laws, Advocacy, and Conservation.

5. Nominations and Elections

A.Nominations

1) Each nominee must be a club member in good standing (add) for at least one year (365 days). No nominee can be a Board member of another kayak organization since that would constitute a conflict of interest.

6. Amending the By-laws

b. notification of a proposed change must also be posted in the club newsletter (add) or sent to all members . . .

7. Duties of OfficersTreasurer Responsibilities

• Maintains the club checking account (add), which must be accessible by both the Treasurer and the President, . . .

• Obtains approval of the club membership for any expenditure of (add) more than 10% of the club’s ending balance . . . (eliminate) $500

4

Greenwich Village: An Insiders’ TourBy Paul Caparatta

On Saturday, May 8, 2010, five club members“paddled” through Greenwich Village underthe very capable guidance of Barry Goldblatt.Barry is a retired police lieutenant who oncepatrolled the Village, becoming intimatelyfamiliar, not only with the touristy sites but alsowith the pulse of the village that exists in thenooks, crannies, back-alleys, whispers and shadows, the hidden underbelly of one of thecity’s more trendy places, where the beautifulpeople go to be seen.

While I’ve been to the Village many times,Barry’s tour made me realize that I’ve looked atthe Village without really seeing it. Barry tookus past the homes of celebrities such as Hall-of-Famer, Hank Greenburg and the carriage houseof Aaron Burr, the guy who shot AlexanderHamilton and whose carriage house is now abeautiful restaurant with 17th century charm.We saw the home of poet Edna St. VincentMillay, who lived in the narrowest home in allof New York City at a mere eight feet wide.

We stopped at the Jane Hotel, where theTitanic’s survivors were once housed and whoselounges still have all the 19th century opulencewe associate with the robber-barons era. It waslike stepping into a time-warp and one couldeasily imagine Jay Gould, John D. Rockefellerand Cornelious Vanderbilt sitting in the lounge,wearing three-piece suits and cigars, carving upindustries for their personal gain.

Besides the Jane Hotel, with it’s link to theTitanic tragedy, Barry also showed us the BrownBuilding, site of the infamous TriangleShirtwaist Factory fire of March 25, 1911,killing146 young women and spawning themovement for occupational safety. Barry inter-spersed the sites with interesting stories ofsome of society’s more nefarious types whoonce lived or passed through the Village.

Did you know that Washington Square Parkwas once a potter’s field and also featured awell-used hanging tree where miscreants hadtheir necks wrung in public? Very convenient,don’t you think? Next time you’re there, pleasewalk and speak softly so as not to disturb thespirits of the dearly departed, many of whomstill rest deep in the park’s soil.

We spent about five hours touring the Village.We broke for lunch at "Trottaria Spaghetto"located at 228 Bleeker Street. The restaurantwas Barry’s recommendation and besides know-ing the Village, he also knows his restaurants.

Barry is considering a second tour for later inthe year and you would be wise to sign up. Bythen, your butts and arms should be sore fromall the paddling you did and a walking tour isan excellent break and social occasion, especial-ly considering that you’ll get to SEE the Village,not just look at it. Thanks again, Barry, for agreat experience.

Paul, Fran, Paul, Pat, Mike and Barry eating lunch at Trottaria SpaghettoPhoto by Fran Cassidy

5

Greenwich Village Tour (continued)

“One if by Land, Two if by Sea” landmark Greenwich Village carriage housePhotos by Paul Caparatta

6

Huntington to Caumsett SandHole April 18, 2010Article and Photos by Pete Staley

This was Ken Doxey's official paddle clubtrip. Last year just Ken, Dennis and I went,the usual weekend crew. This year we were supposed to have nine, but by launch day thishad dropped to seven and the trip wasmoved from Saturday to Sunday because ofthe weather. Sunday's forecast wasn't toogood either; winds 10mph from the NNW.

Dennis Lauer was the only one at Goldstar park, when I arrived but Dennis L. is alwaysthe first to arrive. The others arrive one byone and we all get ready, unload the boats,pack the boats, when Dennis discovers he hasleft his paddle behind. Luckily I have a selec-tion of six paddles to choose from. He choosethe Carlisle touring blade.

Tide was low, so there was a 100 yd. walk

down to the water. We launched promptly atnine, I climbed in and backed out. I waited awhile for the last to launch, while the othersstarted paddling out across the harbor.

Ken didn't have to formally assign sweep orlead as Ken, Dennis L. and I paddle togethermost weekends and we dynamically assignresponsibilities moment to moment depending on who is where. At any moment somebody leads and since you never leaveanybody alone at the rear of the group thereis always a sweep. We all also carry marineradios so if an incident occurs we can alertthe guy up front.

Out past the lighthouse, across the mouth ofLloyd Harbor and north to Target Rock andthe rock garden. It was a bright sunny day

7

with fluffy white clouds. The wind was lightfrom the north. Since the tide was low wehad to keep an eye out for rocks just belowthe surface. At first Ken and Dennis G. ledand Bruce and I brought up the rear. Oncewe had caught up, with Dennis L. and theconversation changed to the pros and cons of Eddyline Nighthawks, I felt free to moveup and see what Dennis G. and Ken weretalking about.

Ken, and Dennis G., took a more inshoreroute while I took the bee line, so I was further out. Now we are on the north facingcoast where I was worried we would havebeam seas. It was choppy but much betterthan expected as the wind was from theWNW at about 5 to 10 not NNW was theforecast, so the seas were on the bow and

wind in our face. I had one two waves overthe bow that reached the deck-bag, but nonereached me.

We were in the same paddle order when wereached the point. Around the point the seasgot nasty, 3 ft seas with scattered white caps.We were exposed to the wind on our beamso I stayed well out and plugged away; got afew waves in the armpit.

Just as I was about to turn and run downwind into the inlet, Ken, who was inshoreand behind me, thought I was going to passthe entrance and yelled into the radio“Where the hell are you going, Pete !”

I was kind of busy and ignored it. Leaning onthe paddle I swung through almost ninetydegrees then surfed downwind straight into

Huntington to Caumsett SandHole (continued)

8

Huntington to Caumsett SandHole (continued)

the mouth of the inlet. The tidal current waspouring in, so we shot through into the sheltered waters of the inlet.

We paddled around the corner into the bigopen mooring area. This place gets busy oncethe boating season starts. Down to the second creek on the right, the creek that wealways picnic at. Once in our creek there wasjust enough water to get to the usual beachon Fly Island. As I approached the landingspot I saw some deer in the woods behindthe beach. Hurriedly I got the camera outand took some shoots even though I couldn'tsee them in the viewfinder.

We sat on the big rocks at the back of thebeach and ate lunch. I had my usual cheeseand apple. If you ever wonder about theknife some of us carry on our pfd, it's for cutting cheese.

After we had wandered about a bit examining the foliage in detail, somebody

yelled Deer ! They had crossed over to themainland and were working their way alongthe shore line opposite us. As they crossed anopen bit, across the front of somebody’slawn, they broke into a gallop. I'm sure theywere aware of us.

We went back to finishing lunch and then started getting ready to move out again.

We set off and I was hoping the wind hadn'tgotten any stronger, because that last halfmile before the inlet had been really rough.We had a bit of a battle getting out of thecreek because the of the current still comingin. Outside, the wind had died a bit so no whitecaps but it was still very lumpy, Dennis Lwas complaining he didn't like it so lumpy sosoon after lunch. Dennis G and Bruce were inthe lead, Ken was trying to catch them. Istayed with Dennis L, feeling very leadenarmed. We proceeded around the point andnow the wind was behind us.

9

Huntington to Caumsett SandHole (continued)

The desire for an after lunch nap had wornoff. Dennis G and I were having fun surfingdown wind and we gradually pulled awayfrom the others, so by the time we reachedthe start of the rock garden we must havebeen a mile ahead. We waited until thegroup caught up a little, then paddled slowlyon. Ken caught up with us as we passed thesandbar at the north side of the entrance ofLloyd Harbor.

As we paddled across Lloyd Harbor mouth wewere hit by gusts of wind, at first in our faceand then from the west. The wind picked upto about 15 mph from the west, right on ourbeam. I accidentally adjusted my skeg thewrong way and I started lee cocking like maduntil I realized what I had done and got theskeg up.

Ken decided conditions were a bit dicey andhung back in case the other's needed assistance. Dennis G and I carried on and waited inside the shelter of HuntingtonHarbor under the osprey nest discussing pad-dles. He offered me his paddle to try. He hadused my model of paddle exclusively untilsomebody had convinced him to try lowangle paddling. So while testing it we cov-ered the last half mile to shore and so landedfirst.

A most enjoyable paddle. Total distance 14.5miles with a mixture of conditions. Averagemoving speed 3.7mph.

Here we see all the boats, mine, a CD Infinity, Dennis L's Eddyline Nighthawk, Dennis G’s Chatam 17, Bruce's Nighthawk, and Kens CD Storm.

10

The Frank Answers ColumnDear Frank,I’ve got a small leak in the rear cargo compartment of my brand new kayak. It seems to be rightwhere the hatch rim meets the deck. The dealer who sold me the boat tried to fix the leak byusing a marine sealant, but it did not completely stop some water from getting in. He told methis situation is quite common and that I should “live with it.” Living with a quarter of an inchof water in the cargo area each time I paddle is no fun. Any suggestions?Yours truly, P.M.

Dear P.M.Cargo compartments on our sea kayaks serve two purposes: the obvious one is to provide relatively watertight storage space for our gear. The other purpose is actually more importantwhen you stop and think about it: the sealed space inside provides the vital flotation necessaryto keep your kayak afloat after a capsize. While small trace amounts of water inside a cargocompartment after a day of paddling are not uncommon, any leak like the one you describeshould be repaired sooner rather than later.Marine sealant has its uses, but for a leak between your hatch rim and the deck, presuming therim mounting hardware is not simply loose, probably needs a gasket. On hatches installed withcommon hardware, I’ve used Permatex Blue RTV Silicon Gasket Maker with excellent results. It’savailable at most auto parts stores and home centers. Follow the instructions on the tube andyou should be fine. This repair requires both removal and re-installing of the hatch rim. Be sureto mark your rim and deck so you can reinstall the rim in the exact position as you removed it.This way you’ll know in advance that all the screw-holes will line up. When re-installing yourrim, be very careful not to over-tighten the hardware. One more thing… on a strictly personalnote… After notifying your kayak’s manufacturer directly, you might want to think about finding a different dealer. Best Wishes, Frank Chillemi

Hello Frank,A friend of mine just purchased a kayak from a dealer who put a short piece of yellow rope onthe front for her. I have two questions. Does this rope have any real value and if so, what kindof rope should I purchase for my kayak?Yours Truly, J.C.G.

Dear J.C.G.That piece of rope is called a bow line, and it has many uses. Tying up to a dock, having a con-venient way of walking your boat along the shore and an emergency tow line are just a few. Anumber of the better dealers provide one with a boat purchase. 5/16 inch diameter nylon isprobably the most popular. Many kayakers, myself included, have a line on both the bow andthe stern. 10 to 12 feet is a good length. You can purchase this line at local hardware stores andhome centers as well as your favorite kayak shop. Look for material that floats, is a bright color,and will bend and tie easily. If you want to get really fancy, some of these lines come with reflective material woven right into them.Once you have your boat equipped with this important tool, it might now be a good idea tolearn at least a few of the most useful knots for kayakers and canoeists. Please keep in mindhere that knots are like Inuit Kayak Rolls… you can learn a lot of ‘em, but one or two will more than work for you. The Bowline Knot, Half Hitch and perhaps the Truckers Hitch will be morethan enough for most situations. Simply Google “Knots” and you will find more instructionsthan you will ever need. Best Wishes, Frank Chillemi

11

Frank,

Here's a question that's been bothering me for a while. Why is there such a significant difference in high tide times between Long Island’s North Shore and roughly the same longitudeon the South Shore. For example: if Shinnecock Inlet High Tide is at 7:43am, Mattituck Inlet HighTide is not until 12:02pm.

Best Wishes, S.D.

Dear S.D.

Thanks for the question. In general terms, High Tide times advance from East to West, poweredby the Moon’s gravitational pull acting mostly upon the largest body of water in this area, the Atlantic Ocean. As long as your reference points have an unobstructed flow of AtlanticOcean water, High Tide times between two nearby points are pretty close. For example, HighTide at Shinnecock Inlet, west of Montauk, follows High Tide at Montauk Point by only about 28 minutes.

When there is an obstruction between one reference point and other locations, the flow ofwater takes much longer to travel around that obstruction and on to subsequent points, delaying the arrival of High Tide. In your example, the obstruction is the east end of Long Islanditself. With the tide high at Shinnecock Inlet, the water still has to flow up and around LongIsland’s Southern tip, then continue up and around Orient Point and into Long Island Sound inorder to reach Mattituck Inlet.

Best Wishes, Frank Chillemi

Paradise Village Resort, Nuevo VallartoFebruary 26 - March 5, 2011

By Fran and Paul (Events coordinators)

FEBRUARY SUNSHINE! 82 Degree Temperatures

Paul Aledort and I have made our plan toreturn to Paradise Village Resort, NuevoVallarto (just outside of Puerto Vallarto) for ourthird visit. They have studios, 1 and 2 bedroomsuites. We have chosen a standard studio which consists of a full bathroom, kitchenette withfull size refrigerator/toaster/utensils, etc., twobeds and a living room area with a balconyoverlooking the gardens. We have not chosenthe all-inclusive menu since we have breakfaston our balcony (with groceries purchased at thelocal supermarket) and we are often away from the resort for lunch/dinner. We take publictransportation to town and we plan different events during the week. Of course,everyone can plan their own events or evenhave all their meals on their balcony to keeptheir costs down. If you want, you can just vegout on their beautiful beach or pool.

Studio 7 night web special is $916.30 includingtax... that is per studio, not per person! Thereare two-bedroom facilities also available if anyone wants to look into that. Web specialsare less expensive than group prices! paradisevillage.com/specialoffers.htmlSelect "just a room" tab. All studios havekitchen/living/bed and balcony and full bathPick the dates on the calendar - February 26 - March 5Click the drop down box of web special andchoose 7 night stayClick Standard Studio

Delta Flight departs JFK 7:50 a.m.Return flight is Saturday about 1 pmCost is $505/pp coach

Just send Fran and Paul an e-mail atevents@lipaddlers.org once you've made yourreservations.

12

East End Lighthouse Tour By Paul Caparatta

A ribbon of light piercing the misty gloom wasthe fabric of nautical tales of yesteryear.Lighthouses still maintain their lonely vigils andare reminders of the lore and mystique of 18thand 19th century seafaring, long before satel-lite navigation, Loran, depth finders, radar andship-to-shore radio.

Fran Cassidy and Paul Aladort organized anEast End lighthouse tour that was conductedon June 5, 2010. At 9 AM, we boarded theCaribbean Ferry at Orient Point, with breakfastand hot coffee served immediately upon ourarrival. For the next seven hours, sixteen LongIsland paddlers and perhaps 100 other peoplewere provided with photos-ops of ten light-houses from the north fork of Long Island toConnecticut and Rhode Island. We also wereserved a buffet lunch, local wine, bottled waterand soda.

Bob Allen, our tour guide, proved quite knowl-edgeable regarding the history of lighthouses.He’s calls himself the Lone Lighthouse Guy andhe is also the great grandson of a lighthousekeeper who worked at the Montauk Pointlighthouse from 1912 to 1917, then served atthe Cedar Island lighthouse and finished hisservice in 1940 at Long Beach Bar Lighthouse. Iparticularly enjoyed his stories of several northfork lighthouses that have experienced para-normal activities for decades. He had such a

commanding knowledge of the subject that heeither had a Rolodex in his head or his brainhad a Wi-Fi connection directly to Google andmaybe even to the ghosts said to inhabitnumerous lighthouses.

As lighthouses fell into disuse, they also fellinto disrepair and many have suffered at thehands of vandals, budget cuts and MotherNature. East End Lighthouses, Inc. is a localnonprofit, all-volunteer organization, dedicatedto the preservation and restoration of offshorelighthouses of Southhold Township.

The Caribbean is a substantial vessel and musttherefore remain in deep water. We were ableto approach to about 100 yards of most of thelighthouses. Consequently, a telephoto lensproved to be a valuable asset. While kayakingover the years, Denise and I have paddled closeto a number of lighthouses along the NewEngland coast. In my opinion, it’s the highlightof any paddle to be able to approach a struc-ture that may have been built in the 1700s.

Many thanks to Fran and Paul for having thewisdom and foresight to provide us paddlerswith a hands-on look at one aspect of the mar-itime history of the very waters we paddle.Thanks also go to “The Lone Lighthouse Guy,”who transformed seemingly inanimate objectsinto living reminders of the past.

13

Photos by Paul Caparatta

Denise and Paul Long Beach Lighthouse

Orient Point Lighthouse Plum Island Lighthouse

Little Gull Island Lighthouse Race Rock Lighthouse

Plum Island Lighthouse North Dumpling Lighthouse (Private)

14

Survival Skills in White Water Canoeing,Family Therapy and Other Assorted Systems

by Neil Grossman, Ph.D., ABPP

My skills had dulled and I decided to sharpenthem by taking a two-day workshop. I knew thetechniques but found myself thinking ratherthan moving instinctively.

Early in my training, I learned to go with theflow of the system - not to resist overpoweringforces and become locked into power struggles.Then, at an opportune time, deflect the momen-tum so the energy redirects and takes you to adifferent place in the system. Before learningthis, I would go into action like a brave warrior,taking on all comers, only to find hopelessly outnumbered, chewed up and spit out withouta moment's hesitation.

A slightly more complex rule involved usingmoments of calm to regroup and punctuate various segments of action. Later, I learned touse these calm moments to change directionbefore opposing forces had time to regroup andoppose me. I occasionally became stuck.Colleagues advised that when going with theflow you also must have your own momentumand be slightly ahead of the system anticipatingits movements. Then you can burst through atrap before it grabs you or change direction toavoid it.

The workshop was terrific - - things started tocome together. I began intuitively to make newmoves. While most involved joining, the workshop encouraged me to focus my attention,gather my resources, and be ready to make bold moves. Being consistent without being predictable gave me a different type of lever-age. I was still part of the system but not boundby its original structure and boundaries whichcan be expanded and changed. Sometimes itworks best if the system is confused - - doesn'tknow exactly where I am or where I am going.It's an incredible experience to join powerfulforces, move with them, and then in quick decisive actions, redirect them, and thus changethe system.

Less some of you become uneasy and worrythese moves might be radical, foolhardy or risky,let me reassure you that I am basically conserva-tive, have had years of training, and went to theworkshop to learn under controlled circum-

stances. Remember, the system is usuallystronger than you. The best approach is toremain neutral, be respectful, join the systemand be curious about it. In the workshop, Ilearned to 1) keep a sharp focus, 2) combine aplanned strategy with intuitive moves and 3) when necessary make quick, decisive movesthat momentarily oppose the flow of the system. These moves are usually made betweenperiods of joining.

The weekend was wonderful. I only capsizedonce, on the second day. I saw it coming; I triedto keep right side up but couldn't. I was backand moving along without a moment's hesitation. I began to use this knowledge of systems with difficult families. For example, afather told me that his son's situation was hopeless (the identified patient), implying thatthere wasn't a need for therapy. I agreed withhim and we spoke about the hopelessness hesaw. This became the theme for the session.Later, I spoke about the seriousness of a hopeless situation. And then I switched again,asking them to envision the son 10 or 15 yearsfrom now. Slowly the family began to talk aboutthe hopelessness they all felt. Toward the end ofthe session, I agreed with the father's idea thatthe son was hopeless but I was more concernedwith the desperate state of the family. Onlyafter attending to that could we deal with thehopeless situation of the son.

In another family, the identified patient (a 14year old daughter) hadn’t been in school fortwo years. In the midst of the initial session, shestated that everyone was wrong. She didn’thave school phobia, she had world phobia. Shewas afraid of everything in the world outside ofher house. I agreed with this definition, remain-ing neutral, not trying to change them, but yetbeing curious about this family and using ques-tions to redirect the way they experienced them-selves. The family described how guilty they feltafter physically trying to force the issue. But yet,some moments later, they supported her stayinghome and reminded her of how upset she waswhen teased by the kids at school. I remembertelling myself that this was a difficult family to

15

A Pretty Cool Father’s Day Gift By Frank Chillemi

For the past five years Mike Matty and myselfhave represented Long Island Paddlers asescort-kayakers during the Super Bowl of openwater swim races, the Around ManhattanSwim Marathon. A few months ago, my daughter Julia asked if she could team-up withme for this year’s event. Coming just one weekbefore June 20th, this would be a pretty coolFather’s Day gift. Those of you with busy,young adult children will know just how coolthis actually is.

Race-day preparations began at about 3:00am.The boats needed to be unloaded and up-fit-ted at North Cove Marina in lower Manhattanby 5:30am. Escort-kayakers briefing and put-intook about and hour. We were assigned one ofthe many foreign swimmers who travel fromaround the world to compete in this race.Frenchman Jullien Leneard lives and trains inLondon. He won last year’s English ChannelSwim Marathon.

The race went off on-time at 7:35am fromSouth Cove Marina, a short distance down theHudson River. A quick loop around the Batteryand we were on our way up the East River. TheHarlem River was next. From the top ofManhattan we paddled back into the HudsonRiver for the trip to the Start/Finish.

There were a number of Police helicoptersswarming around the George WashingtonBridge as we approached. They were searching for a man reported to have jumpedfrom the upper roadway. The report turnedout to be false, but I gotta’ tell ya’, the downward wind force from their rotor bladeswas very real.

Leneard completed his race in good shape. His time was just over eight hours. Julia completed her first circumnavigation ofManhattan Island in good shape as well.

No matter how many times you look up at it, the New York City Skylineis still one of the most impressive sights in the world.

Photo by Frank Chillemi

work with, taking a deep breath and plungingahead into the white water.

(Neil Grossman is a family psychologist who practices on Long Island.)

Survival Skills in White Water Canoeing, Family Therapy (continued)

16

Long Island Paddlers Go To Maine By Mike Matty • Photos by Steve Berner

In May, Bruce Marotta, Dennis Grieser, SteveBerner and I rented the Osborn Finch Cabin inWaldoboro, Maine for a long weekend of paddling. This small rustic cabin, sans electrici-ty and running water is located within the eleven acre Osborn Finch Wildlife Sanctuary,owned by the Pemaquid WatershedAssociation.

The first challenge was to find the cabin inthe dark. The Osborn Finch Wildlife Sanctuaryis designated by a not-so-clearly marked sign,100 feet off the road, after which, you turnoff and follow the not so well-worn tire tracksthrough a field of three feet high grass untilyou hit the woods. After parking the car, yousimply follow the not-so-clearly marked trialinto the woods, taking the right fork abouttwo-thirds down the 1/5 of a mile trail, untilyou hit the cabin or the water whichevercomes first (if you hit he water you went toofar). Once there we were rewarded by a tinybut charming three-room cabin, perchedabout twenty-feet above the Medomak River.

The next morning, we drove to the first

put-in, Christmas Cove, a quintessential, historic Maine fishing harbor, complete withlobster boats, stacked high with colorful lobster traps. After eating breakfast in thecoffee shop across the street from the put-inand purchasing homemade oatmeal raisincookies for lunch, we started our paddle.

We paddled straight out of the harbor, enjoying the perfect weather and Maine

scenery, to a pair of interesting looking islandsabout three miles out in the ocean. Wearrived at the islands, hoping to land, butwere greeted by an inhospitable rocky shore-line. No landing was possible except for thecolony of seals, sunning themselves on therocks. After checking out both of the islandsand concluding that this was not the lunchspot we were looking for, we paddled backtoward Christmas Cove. On the way back, wedid manage to find a rocky beach below thehigh water mark of someone’s property toenjoy the oatmeal raisin cookies.

Once back at the put-in, we realized that itwas only 1:00. Since we had time for anotherpaddle, we drove to Moscongus Bay, first stopping at Pemaquid Point Lighthouse towalk on the rocks and take pictures.

From Moscongus Bay, we paddled to HogIsland, which is part of the Maine Island TrailAssociation. And yes, there was a real sand

17

beach there. Hog Island allows camping so wechecked out the tent platforms for a futurecamping trip. Paddling back to our cars andpacking up out equipment for the day, it wastime to head over the YMCA in Damariscottato shower before dinner at one of the localrestaurants.

The second day we had plans to participate ina joint paddle with members of the MaineIsland Trail Association and the Southern MainSea Kayakers Association for a paddle and lob-ster bake. We re-connected with John Brooksand Bob Aldredge, a couple of friends we metwhile paddling in Canada last summer. Wepaddled around Casco Bay, near Portland, thenpulled up to Fort Georges, a 150 year-old fortsituated on an island in the middle of CascoBay for the lobster bake. When we got there,Bob had everything under control - lobstersboiling in the pots on the barbeques with allof the side dishes laid out. Looking around,you had to wonder how he got all this stuff

for the lobster bake out to an island in themiddle of Casco Bay. No problem for Bob; hejust packed it into a canoe and towed it outwith his kayak. It was a wonderful way tosocialize with both clubs and learn of all of thegreat work performed by the Maine IslandTrail Association.

On the trip back to the Waldoboro, we werelooking forward to the shower at the YMCA toget the fish smell from the lobster off ourhands. But when we pulled up into the park-ing lot, we were aghast to find it closed! Iguess this really is like camping! Instead, wewashed up in the restroom of Moody’s Diner, aplace that has bee serving great food since1927. Heading back to the cabin was not aproblem either. By this time, we were gettinggood at finding the cabin in the dark.

Our tip to Maine was a smooth from start tofinish, and I’m looking forward to many happyreturns.

Long Island Paddlers Go To Maine (continued)

18

Long Island Paddlers Spring Picnic 2010 By Dan DiGiovanni • Photos by Alan Mindlin • Photo of Jake at slide presentation by Fred Hosage

On Saturday June 5, the Long Island Paddlersenjoyed our annual spring picnic and paddle atCenterport Park. Although some of our dedi-cated trip leaders and hardy paddlers havedonned their cold weather gear and have beenout on the water for a few months already, forsome of us warm weather paddlers, (likemyself) this picnic marked the official unofficialstart of the paddling season. Yes, I know itsounds wimpy, but I don’t like the cold. Beingcold and wet, I like even less.

I had asked my wife Donna if she would be terribly disappointed if we attended the picnicbut didn’t go paddling. I explained that thekayaks were stored in the rear and sides of thegarage surrounded by lot of other stuff.Getting the kayaks out would mean having tomove the stuff out of the way. After a few spir-ited discussions, she, eh, we decided that anyamount of time and effort was well worth it.On Saturday morning I got an early start. (earlyby my standards anyway). I dragged, carriedand rolled the “in the way stuff” out of thegarage and on to the front lawn. The kayakswere finally accessible. Donna helped me carrytwo of them and put them on the roof of ourSUV. We located our paddling gear and tossedthat in the back. We were not quite ready togo though. I had to put all that stuff on thefront lawn back into the garage. Most of itdidn’t go back to where it was supposed to go,but the door closed. Good enough. We werefinally on our way.

Unfortunately, we arrived at Centerport Parktoo late to make the morning paddle. Wenoticed several other members standingaround, laughing and talking. We joined in.

While involved in the jovial socializing, wenoticed other members still arriving. At leastwe weren’t the only ones who missed themorning paddle.

It’s been reported that over 75 membersattended the picnic. We all gathered there tohang with old friends, meet some new members, make new paddling pals and hopefully get out on the water, eventually. I noticed we did have some new membersattend the picnic. For those of you attendingyour first Long Island Paddlers picnic, I’d like tosay “welcome aboard.”

Of course, in keeping with traditional LongIsland Paddlers trip itinerary, the event consist-ed of 3 main parts. 1) Paddling 2) Eating 3)More Paddling. That always seems to work realwell. No sense in messing with success.

There had been reports of possible thunder-storms in the weather forecast, but the parkwas reserved, the food was purchased and thesoft drinks ready to flow, so the picnic was on.It turned out to be a great weather day. Noproblems with the thunderstorms.

Steve Berner trying Jake’s kayak

19

This year we had a special guest join us, JakeStachovak. Jake, his kayak and gear, departedPortage Wisconsin in early December 2009.One account of Jake’s journey is, he carefullyplanned the first 3,600 miles of his 5,000 milepaddle project so he would arrive in New Yorkin early June to paddle with the Long IslandPaddlers at our spring picnic. Another account(and probably closer to the truth) of Jake’s tripis that it seemed like he would be arriving inNew York in early June. Steve contacted Jakethrough Jake’s blog, invited him to our picnicand to paddle with us. Steve and Kristin pickedup Jake in NYC, gave him a tour of the city andwelcomed him into their home for several days.

After joining us at our picnic, on Saturday, the

following Tuesday, Jake did a slide presenta-tion of his paddling project at SuffolkCommunity College. The many members inattendance enjoyed the photos and details ofJake’s adventure. If you missed Jake, would liketo follow his progress, send him a message, orsign his guest book, go to his blog athttp://www.portagetoportage.com/.

After lunch (where I ate way too much) manyof us hit the water for the afternoon paddle.As usual, it was a lot fun paddling with otherLong Island Paddlers and a special honor topaddle with Jake. We went across HuntingtonBay, having a good time bouncing around inthe waves generated by the light afternoonbreeze. As he always does, Alan took somereally great pictures.

Spring Picnic 2010 (continued)

Jake Stachovak

Below, Jake at Suffolk Community College

20

Wild Creatures By Paul Caparatta

Provincetown Harbor is one of the most picturesque paddles imaginable. It’s the gem ofCape Cod Bay and Denise and I have paddled itseveral times. You may enjoy the harbor orpaddle around Long Point, past two quaintlighthouses and into the ocean. Aside from theusual paddling hazards and high-speed ferrieswithin an easily avoidable, marked channel,there’s little to be concerned about when paddling the harbor. So, I was surprised tolearn that on April 21, 2010, one canoeist perished in the harbor’s frigid waters and hiscompanion was injured when their canoe wascapsized by what marine experts believe wasthe nearby breaching action of either a pilotwhale or dolphin. Breaching is a form of communication and play.

It’s good to be safety conscious. We wear ourPFDs, practice wet exits and listen to weatherreports before paddling. Wildlife can also posethreats that we don’t even think about. At theApril meeting, Frank Chelemi reminded usabout bluefish. As kayakers, we also know togive swans a wide margin as they can getornery when protecting their young. Therecent proliferation of harbor seals is anothercase in point. Yes, they’re cute but they have anasty bite and will capsize you if they mistakeyour kayak for a stationary dock or floatingdebris.

As outdoorsy types, many of us also enjoy birdwatching, hiking, nature photography, camp-ing and cycling, in addition to kayaking. Theseactivities may put us in contact with wild ani-mals we are not familiar with, especially if theplanned activity requires a commercial jet tobring us to some exotic place. The problem is,

we’ve conditioned ourselves to believe that aswe mean the animals no harm, they too willnot harm us as though wild animals andmarine life can read our intentions. Nothingcould be further from the truth.

Former club member, Camille Raciopio, whonow paddles Florida waters, advises that manatees, although a docile creature, like torub against watercraft and can easily capsize a kayak. She’s also especially wary in riversbecause of alligators. She said that while alligators don’t attack kayaks, you don’t wantto be out of your kayak and in the water withthem for any reason.

Given the right circumstances, some species ofNorth American game may turn aggressive.These include bears, mountain lions, mooseand coyotes, all of which have caused fatalities.Animals may become hostile to protect theiryoung, their territory, their harem, if they perceive you as easy prey or to protect a near-by kill. My wife and I personally witnessed anaggressive elk menacing tourists with mockcharges while we were hiking in the PacificNorthwest.

To be sure, dangerous encounters with wildliferemain a rare event and it was not my inten-tion to present an alarmist treatise. Commonsense should prevail. Treks into true wildernessareas by foot or kayak should include the serv-ices of a licensed guide or outfitter who istrained and equipped to manage emergencieslikely to threaten you besides keeping youfrom getting lost. A responsible guide knowsthe animals in his territory and will work tominimize any chance of a hostile encounter.

We paddled back to Centerport Beach, loadedup the kayaks, said our goodbyes to each otherand seemingly all too soon the day was over.The warm weather paddling season is just getting started though. So many more greatpaddling trips are on the Long Island Paddlersschedule with even more being added.

All signs point to a lot of fun on the way overthe next several months. As we head out onthe water, may our paddles get wet and ourkayaks remain upright.

Spring Picnic 2010 (continued)

21

Nockamixon State Park, PennsylvaniaFri. 05/14/2010 thru Sun. 05/16/2010

Article and Photos by Alan Mindlin

A dozen of us went to Nockamixon State parkfor a paddling weekend. I really love this1450 acre park located four miles outside ofQuakerstown. First, it is fresh water and fullof turtles, fish and semi-friendly blue heronswho line the shore. Second, there are aboutfour put-ins with open bathrooms. Nearby aresome nice and reasonable restaurants wherea good porterhouse steak dinner is only$17.95. Third, you can paddle day or nightand there is no tide table.

We made up to meet at 1PM at the northeastend of the lake for a Friday paddle. Bruce andDennis are early risers so they were at mycabin at 9AM and we proceeded to paddlethe 6 1/2 miles to the other end of the lake tomeet Fran, Paul, Janet, Mary and Dana. We

proceeded to paddle under a bridge up apretty little creek where we spotted a blueheron fishing. We went as far as we couldand turn back to the put-in. Since the weath-er report was starting to become negative thethree of us proceeded to return to the otherside of the lake while Fran and Paul lead theother group around an island staying close toshore and shelter in case the weather turned.Bruce, Dennis and I paddled as quickly at thespeed of the paddler who was the slowest.Unfortunately I could not use the excuse thatthe trip leader should stay in the rear. Despitethe threat we still stopped at a great spot fora photo shoot and then zipped back to thelaunch area. We landed, put the boats on the

grass, opened the car doors and then wam,the skies opened. Twenty minutes later weput our clean boats on the roofs and headedfor the cabins only about a mile from thelaunch area.

On Saturday, now joined by Ed and Bonnie intheir tandem, Scott, a new member, plus Rosswe headed out on an enjoyable trip. Westopped for lunch and after lunch Dennis waskind enough to give us all a lesson in the forward stroke. We paddled to an area whereI had seen the blue birds on Thursday and Iproceeded to show all interested birdwatch-ers the two blue birds. We then headed backto the launch area, found a good restaurantfor dinner (we asked lots of people but theyall eat only in the place where we wentFriday night) and despite a desire for a lateSaturday night paddle we were pooped.Sunday, everyone did there own thing and weall had a terrific time.

MEET OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS

22

Michael Fehling Sales • RentalsGabrielle Fehling Tours • Instruction

“COME PADDLE WITH US”www.empirekayaks.com

4 Empire Blvd. Tel. (516) 889-8300Island Park, NY 11558 Fax: (516) 897-9366Closed Tuesdays Email: Empirekyks@aol.com

631-264-0005334 South Bayview AveAmityville ,New York 11701Dinghy Shop.com

Rack Attack, online Thule Rack and Yakima Rack specialists since 1995. Rack Attack offers a wide selection

of racks for your car, truck, SUV, van, and home for all types of gear.

1.888.399.RACK (7225) • rackattack.com

89 Peconic Avenue Riverhead NY

631-727-9895

"In Business Since 1966"

jim@peconicpaddler.com

23

BBBBllllaaaazzzziiiinnnngggg PPPPaaaaddddddddlllleeeessssP.O. Box 115West Sayville, NY 11796

First Class Mail

Tentative 2010 monthly meeting datesAlways check website.

3rd Tuesday of every month 7:30-9:30 PM

January 19 • February 16

March 16 • April 20 • May 18

June 15 • MONDAY July 19 • August 17

September 21 • October 19

November 16

LOCATION:Brightwaters Public Library

1 South Country Road,Brightwaters, NY 11718

Go to our website fordirections from your location.

Long Island Paddler’s Publication DatesApril 15 • July 15 • October 15 • January 15

Deadlines for submission are one month priorto publication date. All copies submittedmust be typewritten. Members are encour-aged to submit articles, letters to the editorNewsworthy Notes, trip reports or future tripinformation, etc. to editors. Editors reservethe right to editorial privileges. Unless other-wise stated, the views and opinions expressedare those of the authors and do not repre-sent official position statements of LongIsland Paddlers Club.

Submit all newsletter articles, letters and advertising to the editor

news@lipaddlers.org

To learn and see more of what Long Island Paddlers is all about, visit our website www.lipaddlers.org