A Taste of Things to Come

Happy Birthday, America (one day late)! We spent the weekend with family and friends, so we didn't get a chance to kayak or bike. That's okay...we're looking forward to two upcoming trips. One is on a salt marsh on the New Hampshire seacoast and the other is on the Contoocook River in Concord. I'm also hoping to take a guided riverwalk in Nashua on July 12th.
Here are a few activities on our calendar:

Salt Marsh Exploration: We signed up for a guided paddle on July 10th with the Great Bay Discovery Center, located in Greenland. We've never done any sea kayaking before, but this is listed as an easy paddle, and of course, it's in a salt marsh, not on the open ocean. This trip is booked solid, but check out the Great Bay Discovery Center for more paddling opportunities. And be sure to check back for our trip report.

Contoocook River: We're joining members of the East Hampstead Meet Up Kayaking Group for this excursion on the Contoocook River. We'll be shuttled to the put-in by the Contoocook River Canoe Company and then make our way back to our vehicles in a leisurely 5-hour paddle, including lunch and swimming. You can do the same even if you don't own a canoe or kayak, since they rent them here. Check out the website for more details.

Riverfront Walking Tour in Nashua: I'm hoping to sign up for this 1.6 mile walk on July 12th with Nashua Community Development Director Kathy Hirsch. It's sponsored by the Nashua River Watershed Association and sounds like it will offer some interesting history as well as a look at the City of Nashua's vision for the waterfront. See NRWA for more details.

After a cool, rainy spell that left us all a little stir crazy and cranky, we've now had two beautiful summer days. Let's hope it continues and I didn't just jinx us! By the way, if you've been out on the water or you're exploring New Hampshire outdoors in other ways, why don't you drop us a line and let us know what you've found?

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Why You Should Invest in a Good Kayak Paddle

"Kayaking with a good paddle versus a clunker is like jogging in lightweight running shoes versus hiking boots."
--Ray Wirth on www.touringkayaks.com
I've been putting off writing about our new paddles because I thought I had just fallen for the marketing pitch and they couldn't possibly be that wonderful. But after several excursions on the water, I'm a believer!

I wrote in Paddle Envy about some things to consider before buying a paddle and then described our Werner paddles a little in Gearing Up. Now I'm going to talk about some of the features and why they make a difference.

Old (Flaire) Paddle: Heavy Aluminum shaft
New (Werner) Paddle: Lightweight carbon shaft
Difference: We never realized to what extent heavier paddles can cause arm and shoulder fatigue. We try to paddle with our larger torso muscles, but you still have to lift your paddle hundreds of times each hour. Lightweight means you don't get tired as easily and can paddle longer.

Old: Large blade
New: Smaller tapered blade
Difference: It's about water resistance. It takes more effort to move a wide blade through the water than it does a thinner blade. One manufacturer claims that small-sized blades are gentler on your joints. Again, it just makes paddling easier.

Old: You can adjust the angle of the blades, but with only two options.
New: We have many more options for "feathering" the blades. When you feather your paddle, one blade is flat and the other is at an angle.
Difference: I think the main purpose is to improve control of your boat in certain situations. But it also allows you to paddle with one hand dominant, relegating the other hand to a supporting role. This happens to be important to Doug because he had polio as a kid and as a result, his right side is stronger. It may help you, too, if you have carpal tunnel or other conditions that limit mobility on one side.

My point for sharing all of this is that we had no clue what to look for when we bought our starter paddles. But after three years on the water, we now realize it makes perfect sense to invest in the best quality paddle you can afford -- in our case, about $250 a piece. Wish we had done it sooner! Here's an excellent article on Choosing a Paddle by Ray Wirth if you want to learn more.

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Lake Potanipo in Brookline is Busy

We paddled Lake Potanipo in Brookline this afternoon under a cloudy mist. It's only about twenty minutes from our house. Given the fact that we were short on time and the weather was "iffy" at best, we decided to stay close to home. Our philosophy? A little time on the water is better than NO time on the water.

We had never paddled Potanipo before, but we knew the lake had shoreline development and motor boat traffic. When we were there today, there were two or three water skiers and tubers. So Lake Potanipo isn't the secluded nature haven we prefer, but it was okay for a short paddle.

It's easy to get to and has an easy concrete ramp put-in. By my count, there are about 20-25 houses on this 136-acre lake, which feels more like a pond. Development is limited to one side of the lake, so evergreens still dominate the far shore; Unfortunately, that's where the power boaters were during our visit, so we couldn't paddle near the undeveloped side.

There's a small, members-only beach near the put-in and Camp Tevya (a Jewish summer camp) on the northern shore. Overall, Lake Potanipo was a pleasant enough waterway to paddle for a short time on a cool, drizzly day. But we're guessing that when the weather is nice, this place must be clogged with way too many power boats and sail boats from the camp to make it enjoyable for kayakers and canoeists.

Directions: Take Route 101W (toward Keene/Peterborough) to Rte. 13 South toward Brookline. After several miles, turn right at the blinking light onto Mason Road. The put-in is almost immediately on your right and is well-marked.

Alternate Directions: From Everett Turnpike in Nashua, take exit 6 to Rte. 130 West until you come to Brookline Center (maybe 8-10 miles?). In front of Daniels Academy in Brookline Center, stay straight on Meetinghouse Hill Road. At red blinking light, continue straight across Route 13 to Mason Road. Boat launch for Lake Potanipo is the second right, just before going over the bridge.

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There are Bears in Those Hills!

Paddling Echo Lake
So here's the final installment in our three-part series on Franconia Notch. I want to share our experience paddling Echo Lake, not to be confused with the lake of the same name in North Conway. Echo Lake in Franconia sits right off Route 93, at the base of Cannon Mountain, so you can expect quite a bit of road noise.

With Cannon Mountain's ski trails and aerial tramway nearby and a small beach at one end, this isn't a secluded paddle. There were also a few people out in small fishing boats the day we were there.

The lake is only about 28 acres, according to the NH Fish and Game. The plusses are some great views of Mount Lafayette, and of course, Cannon Mountain. The main attraction the day we were there was a black bear roaming around near the top of the ski slope. We could watch from the lake with our binoculars, so that was cool! One of the fishermen from the area told us it was common to find a bear rummaging around the back of his pickup truck. Apparently bear sightings are common any time of day.

With Echo Lake being so small, we only paddled for about an hour; In fact, a good portion of the time we weren't paddling at all, we were sitting and watching the bear.

I wouldn't consider Echo Lake a destination by itself, but rather an appetizer on the smorgasbord that is Franconia Notch State Park. There's lots to do here, including hiking, biking, camping, and swimming. Visit Franconia Notch State Park for more details.

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Some Reasons to Love New Hampshire

Interested in seeing some photos of lupine, wildlife and scenic NH vistas? Check out this slideshow from last year's Lupine Festival photo contest. You'll need to scroll down the page a bit and click on the slideshows.
Franconia Notch 2008 Lupine Photos

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