When I as a mere lad, I used to sit right back and hear a tale of a charter boat that ran aground on an uncharted desert isle. If not for the courage of the fearless crew, the lives of a millionaire, his wife, a movie star, a professor and Mary Ann would have all been lost.
But it always puzzled me that despite the conditions and lack of supplies, this intrepid band could generate electricity to recharge their transistor radio, bake coconut cream pies, stage Broadway musicals, keep their clothes from falling apart, and build a pedal car out of bamboo (plus a myriad of other things) they could never repair their tour boat, or figure out some way to get off their island. The world may never know. (I also want to know how the population of the island never increased!)
So, grab your kayak or canoe, a coconut creme pie and join us for the Sixth Annual Sailing of the RI Armada and get wrecked!
Itinerary:
Gather at the Launch Point: 9am-10am.
We'll meet & mingle and get ready for the paddle down the Pawcatuck River. Any last minute instructions and cautions will be provided.
Anyone who is paddling will drop their vessel off at the launch point (L1), and then drive their car down to the designated Take Out (T1). We'll be sure some one stays behind to watch the vessels. We will shuttle the drivers back to the launch point. If you plan on paddling, please state so in your "Will Attend" log, so we can make sure we have sufficient shuttle space. The last shuttle vehicle will leave the Take Out parking at 9:30am sharp!
Paddle down the Pawcatuck River, Approximately 10am-12pm
We'll put in on the down river side of the dam, and paddle down the Wood River/Pawcatuck River.
The Event - Party by the Huts: 12pm until 2pm
There is a spot along the river inside the boundaries of Burlingame WMA that is a canoe camp. We will put ashore there, and enjoy a leisurely lunch. We will set up a charcoal fire and grill, where people can grill their own lunch of hot dogs or burgers or whatever else you feel like bringing. MaryAnn won't be mixing up cocount drinks so you are also responsible for your own ice and non-alcoholic beverages. We will eat, relax, and have a few laughs. There is a rope swing, so maybe some swimming will be in order. Feel free to stick around as long as you want!
You need to be at the Event Location at some point point during actual Event (12-2pm) to claim the "Attended" log (whether you paddled or hiked in).
There will be enough time spent here, that you should be able to explore the WMA a little bit, and maybe grab some of the caches here. We will make sure there is always someone around to watch the vessels.
If you do not wish to stay for the entire lunch, you are free to continue on down the river to the Take Out spot. Just be sure your car is left there.
This spot is accessible via trails in the WMA, so if you don't want to paddle, you can still meet up with us and enjoy the festivities. For those that will hike in to the event, here is a map of the trails from parking. It is just under two miles from parking to the event location.
Once again there will a Cookie Toss Challenge - exact details will remain a closely guarded secret until the day of the event - complete with prizes.
The Rest of the Journey: Approximately ?pm-?pm
After lunch, we will continue paddling the Pawcatuck until we reach the take out location, T1. We’ll make sure that anyone who has left their vehicle at the launch point will get a ride back to it. Again, feel free to leave the event at any time, just make sure your car is left at the take out location.
Additional Information:
This is a nice stretch of river to paddle (see map here), and we should not have too many issues with blow downs or jams. There is one tricky spot (Waypoint C2 below). We will all rally there, and do this one vessel at a time. We will have experienced paddlers just downstream for any contingencies.
L1 is the launch location, and T1 is the takeout location. Total paddle distance is approximately 6 miles , and should take about 4 hours to complete (not including any time spent at the event). All paddlers are responsible for their own equipment, including a PFD and water cannons!
Especially the watercannons!
If you have a vehicle that can handle a few people and don’t mind playing shuttle driver, please state so in your “Will Attend” log.
Additional details will be provided as we get closer, and plans may change slightly, so please "Watch Listing" for any updates. The rain date will be TBD.
Note: The Terrain rating is if your are boating. If you hike in, the Terrain is about a 2.5.
(And for the record....Mary Ann)