First: Be sure to check here on the message board either Saturday or early Sunday morning for cancellations! Right now the weather forecast is not looking good, and this trip is difficult enough without also having to deal with wind and rain.
IF WE GO: This is NOT a trip for beginners, nor is it suitable for long boats over 15 feet long (unless you have exceptional paddling skill in a longer boat). While the whole trip (approximately 8 miles) is a flatwater trip, we will likely be dealing with multiple beaver dams, narrow and sharply meandering river channels, fallen trees across the channel, open lake crossings with waves, rampant poison ivy that may not be easily seen, and possibly territorial mute swans. The chances for at least one out-of-boat experience into very cold water are very good. Hence, you must be wearing either a dry suit or wet suit to participate in this paddle. Since we may have to climb out of boats onto trees or over muddy ground, proper footwear is a must…no flip-flops or bare feet.
The reward for all this challenge is one of the wildest, most remote paddles in the State, through the Great Swamp management area down the Chipuxet River, across the largest natural body of water in RI (Wordens Pond), and down the headwaters of the Pawcatuck River.
Unless we cancel, meeting time will be at the Taylor Landing access on the Chipuxet River at 9:30 am for a 10:00 shuttle. See the Flatwater Calendar entry for detailed directions. Pack a lunch or a snack and plenty of water. We will take a break on the Impound within Great Swamp Management area and potentially earlier also at a spot on Wordens Pond.
Contact either me (chorbert13@gmail.com; 401-418-2838) or Frank Cortesa (frankcortesa@charter.net) with questions.
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