The Paddlers’ Etiquette Guide
July 21st, 2008 by KimDrive down any major route in New Hampshire and you’ll pass a dozen cars with kayak racks on top of them. It’s just a small indication of how popular kayaking is. And why wouldn’t it be? It’s relatively easy to learn from a recreational perspective, there are dozens of places to paddle, it’s peaceful and relaxing and brings one ever-closer to nature.
It’s great to see the growing popularity of the sport, but with increasing frequency I am beginning to see a lack of “paddlers’ etiquette” at some of the more popular paddling destinations. A couple of weeks ago I witnessed a guy paddle up to a Loon and exclaim “Hey, look this Loon is trying to scare me!” to his buddy as the Loon began to furiously flap it’s wings. If I had been closer I would have wacked the guy with my paddle. Obviously the loon had babies and wanted everyone to stay away. The sad part was this guy was clearly not trying to be macho, he genuinely had no idea what the loon was doing.
This brings me to the Paddlers’ Etiquette Guide. These may be obvious points, but I’ll bet everyone knows at least one person they could share this with.
#1: If your boat was big enough to bring it in, it’s big enough to carry it out.
No one wants to see your trash left behind when they are out enjoying the pristine surroundings. And no one wants to clean up after you. Make sure you put your trash back in the boat before you leave. Throw it away in a garbage can–or better yet, take it home and throw it in your own trash.
#2: You are a guest in someone else’s home. Be respectful of the wildlife that live where you paddle.
You probably don’t like it when you have loud guests in your own home who pick up and move everything in your house, or put their dirty shoes on your couch (or any number of rude behaviors). So don’t do it in someone else’s home. The local wildlife may not be able to tell you directly how they feel about you, but with some common sense you can enjoy your surroundings and they can feel safe in their homes. On the occasions that the local wildlife does communicate (birds buzzing your head, beavers slapping the water with their tails) pay attention and be respectful. Give them the space they need to feel secure.
#3: Homeowners don’t want to see you on their property or hear your conversations.
Much of the time you are paddling very close to someone else’s property or paddling very close to their home which sits on the edge of the shore. Think about how you might feel if your house were on the shore. You probably wouldn’t want people getting out of their boat onto your property (or launching their boat from your property). And you would probably appreciate people not floating in front of your house shouting to one another. Extend the same courtesy to homeowners which you would expect yourself.
#4: Unless you are drowning, there is no reason to shout.
If you have something to say to your paddling companion, try actually paddling up to them and speaking in normal tones. Don’t shout across the water to one another. It’s disruptive to the wildlife and other paddlers around you. Better yet, try enjoying your environment and being quiet for a few minutes or few hours. You would be surprised how much you will notice and enjoy about your environment if you are quiet and use your other senses.
#5: Be aware and respectful of other paddler’s around you.
We’re all paddling together. Be respectful of other paddlers on the water–let them enjoy their experience without invading their paddling space, shouting or paddling too close or directly in front of them. If you see a group headed in a direction you were planning on paddling, you may want to consider taking another route so you can all enjoy the pristine beauty around you. Especially when you are launching your boat, be considerate–don’t block the entire launch point; be observant of other boats arriving or leaving and share the space.
Do you have other tips or gripes? Share them by posting a comment.
Blackwater River
June 25th, 2008 by Kim
If you have a copy of the AMC Quiet Water New Hampshire/Vermont Guide (p.72) then you have probably breezed past the page devoted to the Blackwater River. Personally, I’ve read the entry several times and made a mental note that I’d have to paddle there. I wish I had done it sooner!
The boat launch starts you at the quiet end of the wide body of water. Head to the left from the launch and you’ll pass some marshy sections full of wildlife. During my initial paddle last weekend, and in the early morning, I was greeted by two deer, heron, songbirds, and a great number of (really large) turtles. Paddle in this direction, the shoreline narrows to a river. After about a mile the river narrows more. It appears there are some small rapids here, I didn’t have time to paddle further in this direction so I’m not sure if this section is passable.
Head back to the boat launch and continue past to the larger part of the paddle area. One or two houses dot the shore at this end. Again the water narrows to a river meandering off through the woods. While the way appeared partly blocked by a beaver dam, it still appears that there is ample room to paddle around the dam and continue on.
This initial exploration took only about an hour and was perfect for a quick paddle (which is all I had time for). This Friday I’ll be back to explore both ends of the river to see how far one can paddle before being turned back. AMC’s guide indicates end to end is about 5 miles.
How to get there: Traveling east on Route 4, look for Bay Road on your right about two miles past the junction of Route 4 and 11. A sign for the “Green Crow” will be on your right. Traveling west on Route 4, look for Bay Road on your left after driving through Salisbury Center. Head down Bay Rd about .7 mile. The launch area is on your right, a bit hidden and easy to miss.
The boat launch: Easy, dirt, shallow.
Pooch Paddle Rating: Sadie only gives this paddle 1 paw. As you can see from the few pictures I took, she was more than bored. “No ball playing? No getting out for a jaunt through the woods? Why bother? You humans are weird.” is her official line on this outing. When we have more time, Sadie will join me again and I’m hopeful she’ll score the Blackwater River higher on the scale!