Love Affairs on the River

In the early autumn of 2019, a friend and fellow SCUL pilot of mine invited me to try out stand-up paddleboarding with him. He recently moved close enough to a lake so that we could walk with a couple of boards and paddles to the water from his place. He referred to it as ‘the tallbike of personal watercraft’, as your view is higher than that of a kayak. We set out about an hour before sunset.

Like Surfing – but not at all like Surfing

When I was in my early twenties, I spent a day surfing with my brother in Florida – it took the whole day just to ride one wave, which was less than a foot. In that one moment, I could see the appeal, but I knew it would take a lot more practice and a hunt for bigger waves to truly experience what surfing has to offer. I learned to have more admiration for a surfer’s balance. I also learned that the Florida sun is not be trifled with – use lots of sunblock people!

When I first heard stand-up paddleboarding described to me, I imagined it to be the extreme balancing act required for surf, combined with heavy-duty exercise, since there was no wave to propel you. In fact, paddleboarding can be extremely calm and relaxing. As long as you keep your feet spread out and perpendicular to the board, it’s very easy to maintain balance. If you are on a lake or a river with a gentle current and not too much wind, it’s easy to get around – especially if you aren’t in any hurry.

 

My friend had the brilliant idea of adding a strip of LEDs under the boards so he could see underwater at night – and of course look good doing it. We stayed out after dark and enjoyed a peaceful evening. It’s quiet on the lake, and even though it’s surrounded by dense population, it can feel like no one’s around. I had made up my mind that this was something I wanted in my life and before we were back on shore I was asking all the questions I could think of so I’d be informed enough to get my very own paddleboard.

The Muddy Rudder

My friend raved about the place where he got his boards: Charles River Canoe and Kayak. I did some additional online research through eBay and Craigslist and decided it would be best to follow in my friend’s footsteps. For some reason I thought the best time to buy a paddle board was in January, hence the snow tires in the above photo. Jonathan (pictured) was an absolute pleasure to buy a board from, and didn’t seem to think I was crazy for getting a board in the middle of winter.

I decided to get a Bic Tough-Tec Performer 11’6″. This is a good all-purpose board that’s built like a tank, which was an excellent choice for me as I tend to be a bit rough on equipment – although I think I’m getting better about it as I get older and wiser. Of course I had to give my new craft a name – I dubbed it The Muddy Rudder, after a restaurant in Maine that I’ve never been to, but often saw out the window of my dad’s car as we drove to and from the boatyard where he kept his cabin cruiser. The name seemed appropriate as I planned on getting my fin stuck in the mud on a regular basis. Besides, it’s fun to say ‘muddy-rudda’ in my best Mainer accent.

The Board is Only the Beginning

They say a boat is a hole in the water you put money into. I was spared the expenses that came with the desire to own a cabin cruiser like my dad: after curiously poking around eBay to get a sense of what my father must have spent, I realize the two of us have completely different tax brackets. But even scaled-down to personal watercraft levels, this hobby isn’t exactly cheap. I got a used low-end board at a very fair price. However, you can’t paddleboard without a paddle. And the law requires you wear a PFD. You need a waterproof bag or two to stash your gear. You’ll also need a way to get the board to the water, and unless you happen to live close to a drop-in point, you will need an automobile. Having a roof rack is very helpful. You’ll need straps. It’s important to have a sun-proof hat too. And some good clothes for dealing with unpredictable weather. True cost adds up fast – I estimate my total cost for the initial setup was about $800, car not included. My plan was to get the dollars-per-hour number as low as possible – by spending a lot of time on the water.

Storing the Paddleboard

‘Oh, I’ll find a spot for it’ was all the thought I put into the storage solution to my new paddleboard. The Muddy Rudder is eleven and a half feet long, and over thirty inches wide – this can take up a lot of space and block a lot of access to other things you store in your basement. Fortunately I had enough two-by-four scraps around to make a ceiling rack that I could stow it out of the way. It’s a bit of a pain to get the board up and down, but a second person makes the job a lot easier. If I had a garage with a tall ceiling, I would rig up a pulley system, and be sure to have the space underneath the board easily cleared.

The Maiden Voyage of the Muddy Rudder

Fast Forward to spring. I waited until after Memorial Day to try the Muddy Rudder out, and thanks to a lot of road bike exploration in the early spring, I had already picked the spot where I was to start my adventures: there’s a small boat launch at Sherman Bridge Road in Sudbury that looked particularly inviting to me. I even saw another paddleboarder the first time I discovered it. But the best thing about the launch was the fact I could hear red-winged blackbirds – my favorite species of wild bird. I’m convinced that the computer sounds in Star Trek the Next Generation were inspired by the song of the red-winged blackbird.

Red-Winged Blackbird call, courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Star Trek: the Next Generation computer sound effect

Coincidence? Close but not close enough? I’ll let you decide.

Into the Wild Blue-and-Green Yonder

It’s just about impossible to get lost on the Sudbury River – there are almost no tributaries, so navigation is simply a matter of which direction you decide to go, and how far to go until you decide to turn around. For my maiden voyage I decided it would be wise to travel upstream, so that the return leg would be less effort. I didn’t have a sense of how much of an effect a current had on my travel.

I knew right away I was going to love this river. About five minutes into my journey I met an elder couple heading back to the landing – they were excited to say that they had been out for three hours and that I was the only person they saw on the entire trip. ‘Three hours!’, I said to myself: ‘I wonder how long I’ll be out?’ Is that long for a trip on the water?

I was out for exactly eight hours – and loved every second of it.

Within ten minutes I had paddled far enough from the road to feel quite alone in nature – I could see the occasional house on the river bank if I looked for them, but they were easy to overlook. Within the hour I was so isolated there was no sign of civilization other than what I brought with me.

Not only did I see dozens of red-winged blackbirds, I saw great blue herons, beavers, muskrats, cormorants, swans, solitary sandpipers, chimney swifts, kingfishers, and for a very short spell, a plane doing barrel rolls and stunts in the distance.

 

Hours after seeing the stunt plane, I realized I could put my phone camera up to my binoculars and ‘zoom’ a lot more. While this method won’t be winning any photography awards, it can be helpful for bird identification.

Temptation at Every Turn

I felt an overwhelming urge to explore each next bend of the river, but at the same time, I felt like there was no place I’d rather be than right where I was. I certainly didn’t want it to end! So even though I understood that the moment I turned around marked the halfway point of my adventure – the farther I traveled, the more difficult it was for me to head back. I needed a landmark or a highlight of the trip to punctuate the farthest point of the maiden voyage of the Muddy Rudder. I managed to make it all the way to Heard Pond, which felt like a great place to turn around for home.

I didn’t put enough sunblock on my feet so you can see the flip-flop lines. First lesson learned.

 

Where I was to where I got to – but getting there means being halfway to being back.

 

Since I traveled with the current on the way home, I lollygagged a lot more, which means taking more pictures. I also discovered that I could lie down on the board and snooze as the current gently took me back – something you can’t do in a kayak as far as I can conceive.

Scroll around a bit to get a sense of the solitude.

 

As I’m usually in favor of taking the path less traveled, I couldn’t resist exploring a little tributary near a golf course where the trees sit in the water. This may be a great place to sling a hammock and take a nap someday.

I found that Google Maps and Open Street Maps give different opinions on where the edges of the water lie, so I while I was given the impression that this would reconnect back to the main part of the river, it turned out that this was a dead end. I had to turn around, which meant I was going to be in the dark when I got back to Sherman’s Bridge Landing. Another lesson learned on the water – bring a flashlight even if you start your trip at two o’clock in the afternoon.

 

I’m not sure if there’s any rational explanation for what I feel to be true, but the water became calm each time I was out at dusk: this first time was no exception. Now that I’m more experienced, I see calming waters as a reminder to head back.

 

 

On my way home I encountered a swan: I didn’t want to disturb it, however there was only one way home, so I had to approach. Like all my videos, this fails to convey the majesty of the moment.

Secrets in the Darkness

By the time I got back to the starting point it was completely dark out. As I was traveling home I pondered the dangers of paddling at night. While I had no lights, I wasn’t too worried – It was unlikely I would run into anyone else on the water, and even I had, they wouldn’t be in anything bigger than a canoe. Besides, there wasn’t any way to get lost. I was also confident that I would have the boat launch to myself.

To my surprise I was wrong: there was another explorer that had just returned from a trip on the Sudbury. In the darkness we struck up a conversation, and after exchanging our stories about how much we both loved the water, she tells me of another nearby jewel to explore, described to me in just one word – Oxbow. I think it’s interesting to have a meaningful conversation with a voice in the dark, which makes the recommendation all the more intriguing.

When I got back home I searched this other recommended place. As far as I can tell she was referring to the Oxbow Wildlife Refuge on the Nashua River. After a few more local exploration missions, I decided to check it out. It’s about a 45 drive from my home base, which is about as far as I’d like to travel to relax on the water. There’s a boat launch named Petapawag. As you can see by the map, the Nashua River is a lot more complex, with a lot more dead ends – so I had to be cautious when navigating.

The Best Was Yet to Come

By the time I made it to the Nashua I had explored much of the Sudbury and Concord. At no point had I ever run into any kind of obstacle that caused me to have to stop and turn around, but just north of the winding section of the Nashua River is the Pepperill Dam. I searched on my phone maps for a way around, but I didn’t see a way I could carry my board to the next part of the river. I turned around sooner than I hoped and headed back to Petapawag.

 

On the way back I spotted a nest the size of a washing machine. I’m not sure how I missed it the first time. After looking around some more I spotted the bird that most likely built the nest – a bald eagle.

 

I used my technique of putting the binoculars in front of the phone camera.

 

Boy does that beak look sharp.

Insatiable Curiosity For the Win

When I got back to the boat ramp, I had a few hours of daylight left, so I decided not to waste them and do some more exploring, continuing past the boat launch and farther down stream. I’m glad I did, because I discovered my favorite place to be on the water. There was a short stretch of ubiquitous river, followed by a nice patch of pristine land and water patrolled by a lone kingfisher. Then I came across something I didn’t expect to enjoy – some people having a lot of fun.

 

There’s something about kids doing crazy dives into the river off a bridge that makes me thrilled to be alive. I’ve never worked up the nerve to do anything like this myself, but that doesn’t keep me from appreciating it. Of course there was a huge sign that said NO DIVING. They joked that I would make a good target after they let me take some pictures.

 

As I continued up the Nashua, I came across these friendly folk. The one in the center told me that he made this boat himself, years ago. They were enjoying the late summer and seemed to have a talent for enjoying what this beautiful river has to offer. I realized that I needed to get myself a small anchor, which would allow me to lollygag more.

I continued onwards until I felt like I was running out of daylight. As usual, I found it very difficult to bring myself to stop exploring, so I went as far as I could before running out of time. On the way home I was told by a very fast canoe pilot that my paddle was backwards. I bet he had the same feeling when I see cyclists with their helmet on backwards – I don’t want to embarrass them but I know they’ll be better off doing it right. I kept forgetting which way was the right way but now I know the tip of the paddle points forward. My return trip was the fastest leg I’ve done on a SUP so far.

How do I know this? I’m a data hoarder and I keep track of my adventures.

It’s Nice to Have Data

Every time I set out on the water, turn around, and get back to base, I take a screenshot of the map, and the current weather conditions. Later it all goes into into a spreadsheet called ‘Water Log’, which tracks distance, speed, weather, and other events. It’s fun for me to track this so I know how much exploring I’ve done, and how much time to allow myself.

Customizing Graphics

Much as I like the board, I wasn’t into seeing PERFORMER TOUGH-TEC 11(6) every time I looked down, so I peeled off the decal and added my own vinyl plotted Muddy Rudder Graphics.

I added the dark gray stripe as well. I think it’s nice and subtle. I like a lot of letter spacing on capital letters, to give it a sci-fi vibe. By the way, ‘class one probe’ is the slang lingo for a paddleboard in SCUL. A ‘class two probe’ is a kayak, and a ‘class three probe’ is a canoe. Yes, I made it up.

A Season of Exploration

While I enjoy trying new areas of the local rivers, I found the Sudbury and the Concord River to be my go-to places. The Nashua is for special days since it’s so far away, and the Assabet is too shallow where it meets the Concord and the Sudbury. Lakes are nice, but I find them to be a bit boring unless they are big. Once I went to the mouth of the Merrimac, which was fun – I swam under Route 95. My anchor rope wasn’t long enough so I had to hold onto the Muddy Rudder so it didn’t get away from me.

One thing that I really like about the river is that it changes with the time of day, the weather, and the season.

A few attempts were made to get to the river before first light, but pre-dawn light is a close as it came. This was a very cold morning and my feet were numb, but the reward was a beautiful fog to navigate through. There was a stillness that made the water look like glass.

Notable Moments That I Failed to Take Pictures of

• A turtle laying eggs in the sand: I thought it was an army helmet at first.
• A bobcat on the river’s edge. It was hauntingly still as it stared at me as I passed.
• In the darkness on the Nashua, there were large splashes that would happen in the water. Since I didn’t see any beaver dams, my best guess was that they were fish – but they must have been big creatures, as sometimes it sounded like a cannonball. They weren’t near the shore.
• A great blue heron standing right next to a fawn and it’s mother, as if they were all part of the same family.

 

River Sandwiches

Food tastes better if it’s in the proper context. For me the most enjoyable food is the special treats you take with you on adventures where you are physically worked. So for me the ‘River Sandwich’ is a very delicious sandwich – more so than if you enjoyed the same sandwich at home.

The Brother of the Muddy Rudder

After 50 miles and 75 hours of traveling on the water, I had enough experience to know what I wanted out of a paddleboard. The Muddy Rudder excels at being a tough all-rounder board. My average distance per day was 7.4 miles and an average trip of five and a half hours per trip. My data backed up my feelings that I am a long-distance explorer of gentle rivers that wind though wilderness. Once I knew what I was into, it was time to get a board that was better suited for exploration.

I did some research and discovered that a touring SUP may be the better choice for me. I like the durability of the Muddy Rudder, but it was a bit too zig-zaggy when trying to race the sun home, even with the fin all the way back (moving a fin forward increases maneuverability). I was looking for something with a bit more speed, to be used mostly for all-day touring: something with a displacement hull. To save money I was looking for a used board.

There’s a saying in the bike industry: ‘strong, light, and cheap – pick two‘: I chose strong and cheap. I contacted Paddle Boston again to see if they had anything that may suit my desire – it just so happened they had a thoroughly used Bic Wing Ace-Tec touring board. I found images and statistics online and made comparisons.

Board	Bic Performer	Bic Wing Ace-Tec
Hull Type	Planing	Displacement
Materials	Fiberglass/EPS foam	Fiberglass/EPS foam
Length	11.5 ft	12.5 ft
Width	31.5″	30.0″
Weight	35 lbs	34 lbs
Volume	215 L	285 L
Weight Capacity	260	308

I was excited to check it out and made an appointment to come and visit. They had a couple to choose from and I picked the white one.

Chris from Paddle Boston was exceptionally kind and went over the board very carefully, to make sure any cracks in the outer shell were patched. He offered to let me stay as he repaired a small crack on the rail of the board, and I happily accepted. He said that it was the kind of thing I could do on my own if I liked. Here are the steps he used to make the repair.

• Use an orbital sander to smooth out the area
• acetone the area
• Use Two Part Epoxy from West Machine, specifically West System 105 Epoxy Resin and 205 Hardener. He recommended getting a pump for each can so the mixing ratio is easy. Stir together for a full minute.
• Apply fiberglass tape for larger holes
• Optionally, if you’d like it to look nice and pro, once the TPE has set, cover with a non-laminating gel coat

I may try this on my own someday when the need arises, but I may just have Paddle Boston do it, as they are great to work with and do a great job.

Chris asked me if I was willing to wait a couple of days for a proper repair , and while I was eager to take it out on the water, I’m wise enough to know that it’s better to wait and have the job done right than to cave into instant gratification.

Not only did Chris patch up the cracks on the shell, he went through the extra effort to reinforce the stern and the nose of the board. It’s great when folks go above and beyond your expectations – Paddle Boston has made me a very happy advocate for their business.

Transformation

This board felt like my board after the test flight demo. But as an artist, I needed to make some custom changes to make it mine and one-of-a-kind. I liked the subtlety of the Muddy Rudder, but I wanted to go in a bolder direction with this project, and utilize some of my graphic design skills to see if I could make this board look a little faster than it actually is.

The white board showed its age and mileage, and needed a serious scrubbing, which is great since I’m more than willing to put some time and effort into cleaning something of value that I will enjoy for years to come. Chris recommended Goof-Off cleaner. It worked very well, and I used an entire bottle on the first cleaning of the board. The results were dramatic.

I used a heat gun on the low setting to soften the decals enough to peel them off, and scrubbed as much of the grime off as I could. If you do this yourself, be careful not to get the board too hot, as the surface tends to bubble up. I have a few spots where this happened but I’m okay with it since a little risk is part of the adventure and learning process.

 

I took the bare board out and had a great time. This board seemed to glide more effectively and tended to not zig-zag as much. I like the way it parts the water – it’s different than the Muddy Rudder for sure.

Gypsy Eyes

Muddy Rudder and I have a history now, but I needed a name for this new-to-me board. I had a special name set aside for my ultimate board – my foreverboard. Was this one the ‘one’? I pondered this for a while.

I could keep spending money on this hobby, but I decided that I didn’t need to. Why? Paddleboards can cost upwards of $3,500 and can get very light and very fancy, but I decided that if I was into going faster I should have bought a speedboat – or even a decent kayak, which is definitely faster. That’s not what it’s about for me. For me, it’s about being in a place of peace, to travel slowly through paradise and take the time to enjoy it. Besides, if I bought a high-end board, it would have clear coat over the paint and decals, and it would be very difficult to make my graphic customization. I want to have the freedom to have fun with the board without worrying about hitting a rock and wrecking something delicate and expensive. While I realize this board isn’t the best board for everyone, it’s the best board for me. This board was to be my ‘Gypsy Eyes’ – a Jimi Hendrix song off the Album ‘Electric Ladyland’. It’s a great song, and I think it’s a great name for a board.

Side note: I love checking out the names of fancy boats, and sometimes they can get very silly. I decided that if I ever get to name a big pretentious yacht, I would name it “Yeah, Bouy!”

I found images of my board model online, scrubbed the graphics off using Photoshop, and then scaled it up to full-size in Illustrator to use as a template. This allowed me to design some graphics at full scale. I used a vinyl plotter to cut some graphics, and hand cut the deck foam using a template. I played around with a few designs, and settled on the lower iteration, as it was a cleaner look. I like the racing stripes with a functional wider spot where my feet are planted. The design was a little riskier to implement as the foam pads I was using didn’t come in long enough lengths so I had to piece them together.

 

Gypsy Eyes is a very used board, so it has a lot of imperfections on the surface. I did a reasonable amount of scrubbing to get it as smooth and clean as could, then used Isopropyl Alcohol to clean it over and over until there was no dirt on the rag.

 

The vinyl pieces I was putting down were huge, and from my experience I knew it would have bubbles and bumps when applied to a less than smooth surface. If I decided that it wasn’t acceptable I could peel the pieces off and make some more subtle design for the board, but I though I’d give it a try.

 

The graphics fit nicely on the board and it seemed to transform to something new before my eyes.

 

I was able to hand cut around the tie-downs and make it look purposeful and professional.

 

Gypsy Eyes is not a fast board, but it looks fast now!

 

I also replaced the worn out black elastic paracord with fresh matching blue paracord.

The Tenacity of Adhesives

As a welder, adhesives and I do not get along. I feel like every time I use adhesives to get things to stick together, something goes awry and it fails. On the flip side of the coin, every time I want adhesives to fail they work all too well.

It’s impressive how stubbornly cemented this foam was. I tried chemicals, heat, and a variety of tools and it took several painstaking hours to get the stuff to separate from the board. My thumbnails hurt just looking at this picture!

 

It took a few long sessions over a few days to get the foam to come off. I wish I could say that I learned as I went, but the only thing I learned was patience and determination wins even if there’s a lack of ingenuity.

 

To make matters worse there was a tape layer under the foam that needed removal, which I slowly peeled off with very sore and raw thumbs. My hands hurt for a couple of days afterwards.

 

 

Furthermore the handle had a big flange around it that I wasn’t aware of. Fortunately my design covered this up.

 

For the foam, I tile printed templates and taped them together.

 

I cut the foam with a rule and a blade, and rounded the corners with scissors.

 

I thought the foam looked unprofessional with a hard edge, so I used emery paper to sand a radius around all the edges. This is how Smurfs are born.

 

The foam came in rectangular sheets, so I needed to connect a couple of pieces and match the pattern. If you look carefully in the above photo, you will notice that there’s a grain to this foam. This seam shows the grain in opposite directions, so the bottom piece is darker than the top piece. I needed to be careful when matching patterns.

 

If you get the grain and the pattern just so, it’s hard to see the seam.

 

I was extra careful when I applied the foam, as I knew it would be very difficult to undo if I wasn’t satisfied with the results.

 

I poked a hole in the foam where the handle was, then cut around it and filed it so that it met with the handle. Up close it looks a little shoddy, but on the water I’m sure it won’t be very notciable.

 

Success feels good! If you look carefully near the tie-downs you can see that my vinyl is off center, which doesn’t bother me too much. I can’t really see the breaks on the foam pad pieces. There are lots of tiny bubbles under the vinyl but I was able to get them to settle with a sharp pin and a squeegee. All in all, I’m satisfied – and that’s what counts, since I’m the ‘customer’. Needless to say I was excited to get Gypsy Eyes on the river in her new state!

 

I’m happy to say that any imperfections are covered up by water droplets. I’m usually paying more attention to the scenery than the board anyway. While it’s very nice to ride on a board that you had a hand in making your very own, it can never be better than the reasons I love paddleboarding – the connection with pristine nature, and the serenity that comes with it.

Lessons Learned on the River

(Most) Paddleboards are Not Surfboards

My neighbors presume I’m a surfer when they see the board on the roof rack. Muddy Rudder can actually be used as a surfboard, as it has slots for two more fins. I doubt I’ll ever try it but it’s nice to know I have the option. Gypsy Eyes is a different hull design and isn’t traditionally used to surf, but of course some people are doing it anyway.

Balancing on a Paddleboarding is Easy

If you are reasonably careful, you won’t fall off a paddleboard. This may be untrue if you are in rough waters, but on the gentle rivers I travel on there’s not a lot to throw you off balance. Be cautious when in shallow waters as the fin may catch and the board may suddenly stop. If a power boat leaves a wake, point the nose at a perpendicular angle to the wave and be mindful when it hits the nose of the board. At the time of this posting I have yet to have fallen off the board once – although I did come close when my fin hit an unexpected submerged tree branch.

Paddleboarding is Not Hard-core Exercise – Unless You’d Like It to Be

Many people ask me on the river “is that hard?” My answer is ‘depends on how fast you want to go’. In my experience I am slowest craft on the water – kayaks and canoes would pass me all day long. The only people I passed were stationary fishing boats. But why be in a hurry when you are in paradise?

Drop-in Points Determine the Adventure More Than The River Itself

My range is limited to about five miles. What this means is that the drop-in point determines the areas that I can explore. I spend a lot of times searching online maps for starting points.

Personal Watercraft are Almost Silent

I see folks go by on powerboats and think about what kind of experience that would be. I’d be able to travel a lot farther, but I’d be missing out on hearing and seeing a lot of wildlife. Believe me, the great blue herons, deer, and cormorants don’t stick around when they hear a motorboat coming: and we hear it long before arrival, and long after passing – sound really carries on the water. By the way, if you go out on the water with friends, be mindful that your personal conversations carry far on the water. In fact I hear a lot of conversations folks have that none of us want me to hear.

It Can be Therapeutic to be Alone with Your Thoughts

When you are on the river for a good long stretch with no place you need to be, your mind is free to wander wherever it chooses. A few times I would catch myself getting worked up about something about my life, or politics, or what have you – and then I would laugh at myself and think of Yoda and Luke Skywalker.

Yoda: “That place – is strong with the dark side of the Force.”
Luke: “What’s in there?”
Yoda: “Only what you take with you.”

On the river, you are alone with your thoughts. Learn to ‘check your baggage at the door‘ and live in the moment. Life’s burdens can wait – taking a break from them to get some perspective and some personal strength will help you cope, when the time and place is right.

What to Bring on a Stand-Up Paddleboard

I don’t always bring all of these items on the water, but I like to read from this list and decide if I want to pack them. Item’s marked with an asterisk are standard issue necessities for me. Double asterisks are seasonally standard issue.

• Anchor and rope for stationary lollygagging, and for using the board as a raft for swimming around. It’s like a tiny private island. And if the area starts to get crowded, just pull anchor.
• 360 Camera
• Band-Aids
• Binoculars* I like to use small field binoculars so I can keep them in the front pouch of my PFD.
  
• Camp Towel
• Cloth to wipe glasses* This one is more important than you may think until you need it.
  
• Energy Bar(s)
• Flip flops* for going to shore
• Glasses*
• Hat* for protection from the sun – most of the time there is no shade, and clouds do not shield you from ultraviolet radiation.
• Headlamp* even if you plan on being back before dark, you may not be back before dark. Massachusetts law requires you have one between sunset and sunrise. A water resistant one is a very wise idea.
  
• Ibuprofin*
• Insect Repellent**
• Pocket Knife*
• Keel*
• Keel Key*
• Keys* Be sure to have these in a very secure place. The water won’t give them back to you if you drop them in the water.
  
• Long Pants**
• Long Sleeved Shirt**
• Personal Flotation Device (AKA Life Jacket)* Massachusetts Law Requires a Type I, II, or III PFD be worn at all times between September 15 and May 15. Between May 16 and September 14, the PDF must be readily accessible, but you don’t have to wear it. I keep mine on at all times, except when I use it as a pillow for napping on the board.
  
• Paddle*
• Pen and Paper*
• Phone – charged or with external battery*
• R2-D-Tour (my GPS computer)
• Shorts
• Sunscreen**
• Sunglasses
• Thermal Layer(s)**
• Thermos of coffee
• TP* Weighs almost nothing, and is worth a lot when you need it. For obvious reasons, keep it in a doubled up sealed plastic bag.
  
• Wallet* Like your keys, make sure this isn’t ‘the one that got away’.
  
• Water bottles* I typically take three 20 oz. bottles during summer months. Two bottle minimum.
  
• Whistle* Massachusetts Law require you to have a sound producing device capable of being heard for a least one-half mile. Keep it on you at all times.
  

2020 Season Stats

Total Days Out	20
Days Out Solo	11
Total Hours on Water	106.6
Total Miles Traveled	166.9
Average Speed	0.75
Average Upstream Speed	0.65
Average Downstream Speed	0.87
Average Pond Speed	0.44
Average Enjoyment Rating	7.6
Average Hours per Day	5.33
Average Miles per Day	8.35
Fastest Speed on a Leg	1.70

Next Season’s Goals

I’m happy to say that there’s a great deal more sections of local rivers for me to explore. The biggest challenge to exploration isn’t the river itself, but rather the points on the river where you can drop in. From there it’s a matter of time and energy spent to get farther than you’ve been before. I’m excited to push some boundaries.

I haven’t successfully been on the water before first light, which I plan to do sometime in August when it’s warmest.

Once we get a handle on controlling the pandemic, I’d love to bring my board to a campsite by the water, combining my love of campfires, hammocks, and paddleboarding in one happy excursion.

In the meantime, I’ll be spending the winter months doing research with online maps, searching for drop points to start new adventures to come.