RICKA Family Picnic and Sea Kayak Paddle – September 25, 2022

Heading out

I did my first sea kayak trip with RICKA Sea Kayak group at the RICKA Family Picnic. We went from the North Kingstown Town Beach to the Plum Beach Light and back – about 8 miles. The trip started with a safety talk and a review of the gear to be carried in the boat – pump and paddle float behind the seat, first aid kit, change of clothes and snack in the day hatch, and radio in the PFD.

We put in at the beach and headed south past Fox Island and down to Plum Beach Light. The wind was light, but we were mid-way through the tide change with the tide going out. The current was more noticeable at the lighthouse where the channel narrows between Jamestown and Narraganset near the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge.

Plum Beach Light

After snapping a few pictures at the light, we headed west to Plum Beach and then north to Rome Point. We stopped for a snack at the Narrows, and talked about group dynamics and leadership – CLAP – Communication, Line of Sight, Attention, Position of Maximum Effectiveness.

We arrived back at the beach in time for lunch and the RICKA award Ceremony. In recognition of the RICKA 45th Anniversary, I did a short club history and gave the Founder’s Award to founding members Barbara and Henry.

2022 RICKA History and Awards from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

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RICKA History and Awards Video

Paddling in the Wind - September 18, 2022

A family party and work around the house kept me busy for most of the weekend, but I did get out with my kayak to practice paddling in the wind at Lincoln Woods. I was interesting to see how the boat responded - with no momentum the boat turned sideways and with momentum the boat turned into the wind. I practiced outside turns into the wind, inside turns downwind, and paddling sideways in the wind with and without the skeg.  

The Mighty Fife - September 11, 2022

I had a lot of options for paddling this weekend. Bob was trying to arrange a poling trip on the Blackstone (don’t know if it happened), the Pcat release was Saturday (early due to repairs on the dam), the RICKA Sea Kayak group was doing a trip from the Bay Campus (big swells from Hurricane Earl offshore - maybe not for my first trip), and CTAMC was doing a run on Fife Brook. I decided to get back in my whitewater canoe for a run on the Mighty Fife - Fife for Life as John Kaz says.  Appropriate since it is the run I have done more than any other over the years.

We had 14 boats with 4 beginners and couple of other less experienced paddlers. Release was 800 cfs. We had swims everywhere – even I got involved in a couple of rescues. I made it through Zoar Gap with no problem – eddied out at the top and went right. No pictures of me other than the group shot - I should have given Paul D. my camera as I ran the Gap. My Gap record now stands at 17 attempts with 9 successful, 6 swims and 2 walks.

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Fife Brook Dam Gage from Safe Waters

Charlemont Gage

River Description from American Whitewater

River Description from Zoar Outdoors

Fife Brook Release Schedule

Charles - Needham to Wellesley - September 3, 2022

In the "new to me" Capella

I had put a RICKA flatwater trip on the calendar in the spring, and my original plan was to do a shuttle trip on the Medfield to Natick section of the Charles. When I got an email from Steve saying that the river was choked with weeds above the Farm Road/Bridge Street bridge I had to change my plans. I decided to do an up-and-back trip in the “Bays Region” from Needham to Wellesley.

Under the Centre Street Bridge

We met at 10:00 to launch our boats at the Charles River Peninsula (87 Fisher Street, Needham, MA). In this section, the river is relatively undeveloped except for some large houses as the river flows through Dover/Sherborn. The river starts off as marshland, but turns to woodlands as you get above the Dover Street Bridge. After a break for lunch at the Elm Bank Reservation (900 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA) we headed back downstream – 11 easy miles in my new Capella.

Skye, Cheryl and Erik - the three Capellas

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Charles River Peninsula

Elm Bank Reservation