couldn't get to the beach due to a deep swale filled with heavy brush. We ate an early supper of rice, pasta, clams, four Oreos, an orange and a pear with a little of Bob's Burgundy.
KAYAK ASSATEAGUE BAY
October 20-23, 2003
October 20, 2003 Monday Drive to Chincoteague, VA
I spent the morning hurriedly packing and running around picking up a few food items I needed for my kayak trip. I didn't make a list and consequently I forgot many things including my air mattress resulting in a couple of nights on the hard ground.
I took off at 12:30 and headed to Bob Benhoff's house arriving late. Loaded his Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC) Chesapeake 17LT on the roof and gear in my car. We were off on the 182 mile drive to Chincoteague, VA.
We arrived at the Seahawk Motel at 37o 56.086 N by 75o 22.049 W and checked into room 16 for $48.84 about 4:15. We were late meeting Ron Cully and Dick Whiteford and they arrived shortly from a walk around town. Dick with his wife Sue's Wilderness Systems kevlar 17' Cape Horn kayak drove to Ferry Landing in Assateague National Seashore. He picked up Ron, his CLC West River 164 and gear. Ron left his Toyota van at the landing to shuttle us back to our cars at the end of the trip.
I stopped at the Island Creamery for a banana split $4.99 of home made ice cream which was fantastic. Walked to the Dollar Store to buy an 18 function knife $1 and a roll of clear packing tape $1 to seal the plastic map holders. Based on a recommendation we drove to Bill's Restaurant on Main Street for supper. I had a Beck's Dark, hot bread and butter, salad, clam chowder, baked potato, vegetable medley, oysters, mussels, shrimp, scallops, fish and crab imperial for $27 including tip. Our waitress was an engaging young lady born and raised in Chincoteague and three years out of high school. She was an excellent waitress.
October 21, 2003 Tuesday Kayak Chincoteague to Pope Bay
Got up at 6:00 and drove to a restaurant on Chicken City Road for breakfast. I had their special of 3 eggs, 3 sausage, home fries and toast $3.33 plus orange juice $1.45 and milk $.79. We were told the park visitors center opened at 8:00 but when we arrived we found it didn't open until 9:00. We returned to the city slip unloading our four kayaks and gear. We somehow got everything packed into our kayaks. Dick and I drove a cars to Pine Grove Campground a few hundred yards away. I talked to Don Thornton and he agreed to allow us to park our cars there a few days. I drove Dick back to the visitors center to get our back country permit for $5 for all four of us for two nights. The ranger mentioned a small craft advisory but gave us our permits and sent us on. We stopped at Maria's and Dick bought a sub for lunch. We dropped my car at the campground and walked to the slip.
We pushed off to our left heading north down a narrow channel at 10:30 with a 25-30 mph south wind at our backs. As soon as we entered the open water of Assateague Bay there were large rollers with white caps. We moved quickly sometimes surfing the rollers but it was hard work to keep the kayak from turning sideways in the wind. I was leading with Ron behind me , then Dick and Bob. Near the north end of Chincoteague Island I heard a shout above the howling wind and saw that Bob had capsized. It took a long time for me to turn and fight my way back 50 or so yards against the strong wind. Ron helped bail the water out of Bob's kayak and I arrived just in time to give a little assistance getting Bob back in his kayak in the wind and waves.
We managed to beach on the barrier island for a snack and to drain the water from Bob's front and rear storage compartments. His gear was all wet. We had to stop several times during the day to clear the water from Bob's kayak. We concluded that his hatch covers were not sealed properly allowing water in the compartments when waves broke over the front or back decks. It is warm about 75o and the water feels warm.
We beached at 12:00 for lunch of tortillas with cheddar cheese and salsa, four Oreos and a nectarine. We struggled into Pope's Bay canoe camp at 38o 2.871 N by 75o 14.054 E with the aid of our GPS to locate it at 3:30. It was a relief being sheltered from the wind. We paddled 12.5 difficult miles in 5 hours.
We set up our tents and unloaded the kayaks. Ron and I drank a McQueen's Scottish Ale. Ron, Dick and I took a walk but
couldn't get to the beach due to a deep swale filled with heavy brush. We ate an early supper of rice, pasta, clams, four Oreos, an orange and a pear with a little of Bob's Burgundy.
Stowed all food in a compartment in our kayaks. Ron built a fire which was relaxing and soothing. The stars came out very bright and we had a screech owl near that screeched many times. We put the fire out and were in our tents by 8:15. I wrote, studied tomorrow's route and read until almost 10:00.
October 22, 2003 Wednesday Kayak Pope Bay to Pine Tree
We were up at 6:30 in the dim gray light. I boiled water while drinking some orange juice, eating a banana and then two packets of instant blueberry oatmeal. A park service truck pulled up to camp driven by the operator of the bush hog we saw parked not too far from camp. Packed up our gear and took down our tents loading everything in our kayaks. We duct taped both of Bob's hatch covers which kept the water out.
We paddled from camp at 8:30 and headed into a strong northwest wind of 20 to 25 mph. We were constantly being sprayed by waves washing over our decks. It was hard work but we made progress north. It was easier going directly into the wind than across it which we often had to do. At 10:30 we stopped for a snack on Scott's Lodge peninsula opposite the Pirate Islands. The temperature is in the low 60s and there are neat small puffy clouds suspended at a certain level everywhere.
At 11:45 we stopped at Sugar Point for a lunch like yesterday's lunch. From 12:08 until 1:12 we paddled to Pine Tree camp at 38o 8.520 N by 75o 11.262 W again using the GPS to locate it but the signs were more obvious than yesterday. We paddled 8 tough miles against the wind.
There are two young men and a young woman from the University of Toledo doing geological work for the USGS. They are taking earth core samples and seismic readings over the entire area.
Dick and Ron set up their tents by the water while Bob and I set our's up on a ridge about
100 yards away next to the picnic
table and fire ring. I drank another Scottish Ale and later some of Ron's Zinfandel wine with some snacks. Ron, Dick and I took a walk to the beach and gathered fire wood on the way back. The dunes are gone and the beach is a wide expanse of white sand.
We again ate about 5:15. I had a freeze dried Thai shrimp meal and the four of us drank a 750 ml bottle of McQueen's Australian Shiraz. Ron built a fire again. The winds would pick up to a fierce rate then die down again to almost a calm. It would cloud over then clear then cloud up again giving us a little sprinkle each time. We heard the occasional call of a hoot owl nearby. Again I watched the fire until about 8:00 before dowsing it and heading to my tent for reading, writing and tomorrow's route study.
October 23, 2003 Thursday Kayak Pine Tree to Ferry Landing
The stars were brilliant and then we had a short rain. About 3:00 the wind was howling and I was concerned for my tent but it held up. Without an air mattress the ground is very hard and I wake up with an aching hip, shoulder or ribs but I shift positions and am back asleep shortly. The temperature dropped significantly over night and continued throughout the day. The wind kept rising and falling about every 15 minutes.
Got up at 6:56 and started packing up. Because the wind was up and down so often we were a little undecided about setting off and were discussing our options. Ate breakfast of orange juice, banana and two packs of instant peach oatmeal. It is cold so I don't have to worry about hydration today. We took down our tents and loaded our kayaks. For the first time I wore socks with my sandals, long pants, gloves, hat and my Gore-Tex jacket for cold, wind and water protection.
Without really making any decision we slid our kayaks into the water at 8:45 and headed out into the 20-25 mph head wind. We think the wind was a little less than yesterday but it was still very fierce and rough crossing the mouths of bays in the open water with some white caps and rounding peninsula points. We fought the wind in open water for about 2 miles before we slipped behind some islands that afforded us a little protection before entering open water again for another 2 miles. I stuck close to Bob making sure he was okay and he stopped twice briefly making some equipment adjustments.
Bob and I beached our kayaks at Ferry Landing at 38o 12.034 N by 75o 9.752 E at 11:04. Dick and Ron who had taken a little detour came in a couple of minutes later. We kayaked 5 miles into a strong wind in 3 hours 19 minutes.
It was getting colder by the minute as Ron unpacked his kayak into his van and loaded his kayak on the roof. Ron shuttled Dick and I 55 miles to Chincoteague while Bob stayed with our kayaks and gear. After a brief stop at the Island Creamery for a vanilla milk shake for $2.64 Dick and I returned in our cars to Ferry Landing after about 2 ¼ hours. A half frozen Bob and I quickly unloaded our kayaks into my car and then strapped both kayaks on the roof.
We drove off at 2:26 for the 160 mile trip home. I dropped Bob off and arrived home after 6:00. I had to hoist the kayak up into my carport roof and unload the car. Then unpack everything and put it away. After eating and showering it was well past 8:00.
SUMMARY
The four of us had an exciting, interesting and safe trip. I am pleased that we did it as I completed something I planned to do for a long time. The area is very pretty and remote. I learned something about kayak camping, how well my kayak handles in rough water and the quality of my construction job (my kayak didn't break up or leak).
Although my kayak handled well and I never was personally threatened by the rough water and wind, it was ill advised to have started. I would not have gone if given the decision to make again. The park service strongly discourages people starting during a small craft advisory. None of us are experienced kayakers. We had never paddled a loaded kayak before. We were ill equipped. None of us had a spare paddle, only one had a paddle strap, only one consistently used a spray skirt, we had no cell phone and none had floatation bladders in their kayak. We did not account for a strong gust of wind, a rogue wave, a personal injury, loss of paddle, damage to a kayak or any other unforeseen mishap.
We were fortunate that some of the other interested kayakers less strong or with less stable kayaks did not come. We were fortunate this time but I wouldn't want to take the risks again.
COSTS
| Hotel | ($48.84/2) | $24.42 |
| Bay Bridge | $2.50 | |
| Gas | $10.00 | |
| Food | $12.50 | |
| Restaurants | $41.63 | |
| Back country permit | ($5/4) | $1.25 |
| Total | $92.30 |
ROSTER
| Bob Benhoff | 75 | Ellicott City, MD |
| Ron Cully | 69 | Riva, MD |
| Dan McQueen | 64 | Columbia, MD |
| Dick Whiteford | 68 | Annapolis, MD |
PACKING LIST
| Kayak | Food | Cooking | Clothes |
| Paddle | Rice a Roni chicken | MSR Whisperlite stove | Gore-Tex anorak |
| PFD | Clams | Fuel bottle with gas (liter) | Gore-Tex jacket |
| Hatch cover | Thai chicken dinner | Pan with lid (2 quart) | T-shirt-cotton |
| Spray skirt | Cheddar cheese | Pan with lid (quart) | T-shirts-wicking (2) |
| Dry bags (2) | Tortillas (4) | Knife, fork & spoon | Sweat socks (2) |
| GPS | Salsa | Water bag (1.5 gallon) | Underwear (2) |
| Maps | Gorp (2) | Water jug (gallon) | Pants-zip leg (2) |
| Granola bars (4) | Tin cup (16 oz) | Shirt | |
| Personal | Apples (2) | Swiss Army knife | Tennis shoes |
| Log | Pears (2) | Bathing suits (2) | |
| Pen | Bananas (3) | Cleaning | Sandals |
| Calculator | Peach oatmeal (2) | Scour pad | |
| Camera | Blueberry oatmeal (2) | Soap | Health |
| Wallet | Nectarines (2) | Tooth brush,paste & picks | Band-aids |
| Bible | Australian Shiraz 750ml | Ibuprofen | |
| Scottish Ale (4 12 oz) | Super glue | ||
| Sleeping | Imodium | ||
| Tent | First aid kit | ||
| Sleeping bag | |||
| Bag liner (silk) | |||
| Pillow-inflatable | |||
| Clothes line |