Friday, September 1, 2023

ORFS - Kayak, Hike, Sculptured Rocks - Newfound Lake Via Grey Rocks Conservation Area

Proud to be in Outdoor Recreation for Seniors
ORFS!

Who are the ORFS?  Join ORFS, an active 55+ year-round group to walk, hike, and kayak throughout the Lake Sunapee and Upper Valley regions.


Scheduled events take place each Tuesday beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the designated activity location.

Today's Tuesday trip takes us to Newfound Lake

Where is Newfound Lake?

Newfound Lake is located in Grafton County, New Hampshire. It is situated in the Lakes Region of central New Hampshire, in the towns of Alexandria, Bridgewater, Bristol, and Hebron.

A pristine, spring-fed lake surrounded by undeveloped land.

Reaching down 183 feet, Newfound Lake is considered to be one of the deepest lakes in New Hampshire. It’s also thought by some to be among the cleanest lakes in the world. Explore the lake’s 22 miles of shoreline, which include nature preserves, hiking, year-round events and unprecedented stargazing.

How do the ORFS get there today from New London, NH?

178 N Shore Rd
Hebron, NH
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From New London, NH follow Route 11 East, turn left on Route 4, and follow 7 miles to Danbury. Turn right on Route 104 East and follow 9 miles to Bristol. Turn left on Route 3A North and follow for 8.8 miles. Turn left on North Shore Road and follow for 1.6 miles to 178 North Shore Road, Hebron, NH.

Presenting our trip today in three videos:

First Video is the Put-in at The Grey Rocks Conservation area



The Grey Rocks Conservation area provides a gateway to Newfound Lake and the Cockermouth River. Ample free parking is available. One can paddle along the shores of Newfound Lake near Audubon property where Bald Eagles nest. You can also paddle for a couple of miles up the Cockermouth River on smooth water.



 For ORFS hikers, a system of trails winds through the heart of the Cockermouth River delta with observation platforms for views. Wander the level and well-marked trails and enjoy the serene surroundings.  Bring your chairs and lunch to enjoy near the boat launch.

Green is Start
Blue is Current Position

The second Video is Take-Out at Gray Rocks Conservation Area




Third Video is Sculptured Rocks Geologic Site

Sculptured Rocks Natural Area, which spans 272 acres, is a unique example of nature's powerful yet delicate artistry. The Cockermouth River carved a narrow canyon in bedrock on its way to Newfound Lake, beginning as the last ice age drew to a close. Nature used grains of sand suspended in the current to carve the walls of the canyon into curious shapes and create potholes in the bedrock.







References

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Friday, August 18, 2023

Lake Sunapee Rowing Club: Unique Two Days of Rowing, Coaching, Antique Boating, and Hospitality


The Lake Sunapee Rowing Club (LSRC) called a " special" session in place of their usual planned training day.

On Monday morning, at 6:am from the Georges Mills Lake Sunapee put-in beach, we did a 5-mile row to Shepard's Island (Burkhaven Cove, Lake Sunapee, Sunapee, NH), courtesy of one of our rowers. Our boats would be racked, and remain overnight on the Island.


Rowing one quad, two doubles, and two single sculls from Georges Mills Cove out on the big Lake, guided by the coach's launch, we rowed five miles in just under two hours, accepting an invitation for breakfast at Shepard’s Island at a LSRC member’s home.

After breakfast, leaving our boats racked on Shepard’s Island, we get an extra treat of a ride in a LSRC member's 1934 Hutchinson Sedan 30', Algonquin boat back to Georges Mills Cove.  Our Algonquin ride home included passing Lake Sunapee's three lighthouses (Herrick Cove, Sunapee Harbor, and Burkehaven Cove), and the Lake's weather buoy.

On Tuesday morning at 6:am in the pouring rain, we leave Georges Mills to take a car ride back to Shepard's Island, launch our boats, and row two hours back to Georges Mills. Again, in the pouring rain.


References
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"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends" S. Priest

Click this link to SUBSCRIBE to OutdoorSteve's YouTube Channel


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Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Amazon's Kindle and hardcopy at Harborside Trading Company, 81 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Wild Goose Country Store, 77 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Bookstore at Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH, and Village Sports, New London, NH.

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Monday, July 3, 2023

Four Days in Northern New Hampshire: Family, Friends Hiking, Paddling, Camping, and Moose Sighting.

 Kick up your feet, and enjoy how family and friends bond in the great north woods of New Hampshire. My 18-year-old nephew Nolan recently graduated from high school. To celebrate Nolan’s academic achievement, my wife Cathy and I planned a wilderness trip to the “Live Free or Die” outdoors of the New Hampshire Great North Woods, camping at Lake Francis State Park in Pittsburg, NH.

The Pittsburg–Chartierville Border Crossing connects the towns of Chartierville, Quebec, and Pittsburg, New Hampshire. The crossing can be reached by U.S. Route 3 on the American side and by Quebec Route 257 on the Canadian side. The last 18 miles to the Canadian border on the American side is the so-called Moose Alley because of its large moose population. The Great North Woods is located in Coos County.

In addition to Nolan and myself, our fellow trekkers included Nolan's dad (and my brother-in-law) Ron, my sons Timothy and Shaun, and our friends Dundee and Paul.

This four-day trip includes:
 (1) Tenting in Lake Francis State Park in the Connecticut Lakes area in Pittsburg, NH.

 (2) Two successful moose sightings on 18-mile Moose Alley (Route 3) 
 (3) A hike to and around the 4th Connecticut Lake, which is located on the Canada-US border and serves as the headwater of the 410-mile long Connecticut River. 

  
(4) Swimming, canoeing, and kayaking in Lake Francis. The above photo shows our camp activities including balancing two golf balls on top of each other.  
(5) Paddle East Inlet 
(6) A campsite life composed of:
    1. Setting up a tent site 
    2. Learning to start our campfire with flint and steel (yup, no matches) 

Nolan uses kindling, flint, and steel (his pocket knife), and creates a spark for our dinner campfire.

(7) Cooking breakfast and dinner over an open campfire – including cleaning up the utensils used
(8) Hidden deep within the American and Canadian archives lays the fascinating story of the Indian Stream Republic. Tim was gracious to locate a copy of a magazine article for us and he read it during an evening campsite dinner.
Map of Republic of Indian Stream (1832 -  1836)
Yielding to New Hampshire 1836
1842 Part of Pittsburg, NH

 Steve narrates a historical summary in this video from our tour of the Indian Stream Bridge, one of the sixteen distinct Indian Stream sites.  Enjoy.  

 (9) Sharing campsite games and chat. Playing Jenga is a game of physical skill created by a British board game designer. Players take turns removing one block at a time from a tower constructed of 54 blocks.
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The Moose of New Hampshire 
Nolan had never seen a moose. His older sister, despite being in the moose habitat, had never seen a moose, leading her to jest that perhaps moose were merely figments of others' imaginations. One of my goals for this trip was to find a moose for Nolan to see. Indeed, we saw a moose during our “drive slowly along a road and keep an eye open for parked cards.” Our first night in the Great North Woods, as well as the second night, showed this technique worked as documented in this video.


Moose of New Hampshire
(References for the below moose discussion are provided below)
Moose are found in the northern regions of the United States and throughout Canada, and into Alaska. Due to their large size and insulating fur, moose are limited to cold climates. Forested areas with streams and ponds are ideal moose habitats. More than half of the moose (3,000 out of 5,000) and bear (13,500 out of 25,000) populations in New Hampshire are found in Coös County..

In recent years, moose numbers have declined across New Hampshire as moose are increasingly under stress from climate change. Wildlife biologists are concerned that shorter winters are allowing winter tick numbers to increase in areas of higher moose density. Winter ticks survive on the blood of animals, particularly moose; thus ticks and climate are held accountable for New Hampshire’s decreasing moose population.

While moose tolerate cold very well, they suffer from heat. In summer, especially during fly season, moose often cool off in water for several hours each day. In fact, moose are quite at home in the water. They sometimes dive 18 feet or more for plants growing on a lake bottom. Moose have been known to swim 12 miles. A moose calf is able to follow its mother on a long swim even while very young, occasionally resting its muzzle on the cow’s back for support.

In fact, moose can swim faster than most people can paddle a canoe.

 
Unique Moose Characteristics 1 of 2 


Unique Moose Characteristics 2 of 2
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Hiking to the Fourth Connecticut Lake and Headwaters of Connecticut River

The Fourth Connecticut Lake, located up on a hill on the Canadian border is not as well known because it is not visible from the road. This little marshy pond is the true source of the Connecticut River.Directions: Route 3 North, 22 miles past Pittsburg village to the US/Canada border. Park across the road from the U.S. Customs station. The trail begins on the same side as the Customs station, about 50 yards on the right of the building. There's a small kiosk at the trailhead.

From a small trickle to a mighty river

The Fourth Connecticut Lake is a protected nature preserve located on the U.S. side of the U.S./Canadian border. The Nature Conservancy holds a conservation easement that safeguards the 78-acre preserve and the surrounding forest. The lake itself resembles a small bog, but it is more accurately a northern acidic mountain tarn — a small glacial pond. The small brook flowing from the pond is the start of the 410-mile Connecticut River. Just as you can step back and forth between Canada and the United States while climbing to the lake, you can step back and forth across the Connecticut River at its humble beginning at Fourth Lake.

A short, moderately steep climb takes you to the pond. The trailhead is located just behind the U.S. Border Guard installation. Limited parking is located immediately south of the guard station. Hikers do not have to check in with border guards before accessing the trailhead.

The trail is made up of granite boulders at certain spots, which can be wet and/or icy. It’s wise to pay attention to your footing. The hike to Fourth Lake is .6 miles. Once there, you’ll see trail markers for Loop Pond, a beautiful trail that circles Fourth Lake and brings you to the spot where the Connecticut River begins. Round trip, the hike, including the Loop Pond trail, is 1.7 miles and takes about two hours.

The forest is predominately balsam fir and delightfully fragrant. You’ll also find red spruce, paper birch, and mountain ash. The edge of the pond is made up of a floating bog of mosses, sedges, grasses and insectivorous plants like pitcher plant. Look for wildflowers at the southern end of the pond. The pond supports a small year-round fish population, river otter and beaver. Other wildlife includes moose, white-tailed deer, black bear, spruce goose, and three-toed woodpeckers.

Because this is a conservation area, no dogs are allowed and there is no hunting, trapping or fishing.

Fourth Connecticut Lake Vital Statistics

Surface Elevation

2,670 feet

Area

2.5 acres

Outflow

There are two outflows. Beaver activity determines which outflow becomes the Connecticut River

Location

22 miles north of Pittsburg off Route 3, at the U.S./Canadian border

Average depth

Between 2 and 4 feet

Maximum depth

5 feet

Did You Know?

The Connecticut River impacts four states — New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut — and feeds a series of large, cold-water lakes. It flows out to sea at Long Island Sound. The waterway has been an essential part of New England’s economy, used for transportation, log drives, a power source for mills, farming and recreation.

------------------------CloserQ--------------------------------

My son, Shaun, has a blog titled CloserQ. Here he presents his unique perspective of our NH Great North Woods adventures.   https://closerq.blogspot.com/2023/06/nolan-millett-2023-graduation-camping.html 

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References: 

 
 
3.New Hampshire Fish and Game: Moose

4. Canadian Wildlife Federation: Moose

5. Republic of Indian Stream

6. Pittsburg NH - Republic of Indian Stream - once a Country

7. TouringNH:  Pittsburg by  Laura Mahoney

8. NH Family Hikes
8. Fourth Connecticult Lake

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"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends" S. Priest

Click this link to SUBSCRIBE to OutdoorSteve's YouTube Channel


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Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Amazon's Kindle and hardcopy at Harborside Trading Company, 81 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Wild Goose Country Store, 77 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Bookstore at Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH, and Village Sports, New London, NH.

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Sunday, May 7, 2023

ORFS Search for Indian Cave

The ORFS (Outdoor Recreation for Seniors) were scheduled for their normal Tuesday 10 am hike. However, this Tuesday followed a weeklong rain, and when the group met, it was decided that drenched moss rocks and wooded hill hike would be too dangerous.  Instead, the group would hike three miles on Sunapee tarmac roads.

Outdoor Steve had been anticipating this planned Indian Cave hike, as he always had to bow out of previous Indian Cave planned Tuesdays.  He was devasted that he would not finally get to see and explore Indian Cave.

As the group was hiking, they passed where one would begin hiking to search for the cave. And the rain stopped.  And the sun came out.

Kendall had been to the cave before, and in discussion with Steve, they decided to search for Indian Cave.  The remainder of the group continued the walk, given wet leaves, mossy rocks, steep hill and upcoming signs of more rain.

Steve was glad he brought his hiking poles as the soaked leaves covered the ground’s hidden rocks, and the immediate uphill climb was made easier and safer using hiking poles for support and confidence.

 Kendall readily discovered the ledges where he remembered the Cave.


Cave Description

We located three entrances to the cave below the ledge.  We entered via the left entrance. The cave was dark and we used our flashlights and headlamps. The floor of the cave was mostly shrapnel rocks. The ceiling and walls dripped with water, most likely from the prior week’s drenching rain. The walls had some graffiti.

The below video will take you through the cave. Briefly, we squeezed into the left entrance and exited via the right entrance.  The cave was pitch dark, and thankfully we had headlamps and flashlights.

Click the below picture right bottom to get Full Screen video with narration .



Who did the etchings on the ledge outside of Indian Cave?

I researched online the etchings outside Indian Cave: “Indian Cave Excursionist Peabody, Mass Oct 4, 1878”  and located the below paragraph published by:

Sunapee Echoes Sunapee, New Hampshire Historical Society, Inc. P. O. Box 501, Sunapee, NH 03782 sunapeehistoricalsociety.org e-mail: sunapeehistory@gmail.com 603-763-9872 Winter 2020

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How did the Indian Cave get its name? As the Sunapee Echoes story goes, a young Mohawk brave who had joined the local Penacooks to hunt came down with smallpox and was set adrift on the lake. But the Penacook chief’s daughter had fallen in love with him and was determined to nurse him back to health. She slipped away from her tribe, found him, and took him to a cave high above what is now Sunapee Harbor. Unfortunately, both died there, and their bones were found by hunters many years later. The cave was reportedly named “Indian Cave” by a group of “excursionists” from Peabody, MA, who explored it in 1878.

The rock etching outside Indian Cave.  

 

“INDIANS CAVE

BY A Party OF Excursionists

From Peabody, Mass

 Oct 4, 1878”

Note: I intentionally did not identify the location of Indian Cave. As we searched for it, so shall you.

Now, I never have to say, "I wish I had explored Indian Cave."

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ORFS (Outdoor Recreation for Seniors)

https://www.coachapincenter.org/orfs/

ORFS meets every Tuesday (year-round, weather permitting) to do an outdoor activity for two plus hours. Their mantra is, “Make weekly outdoor exercise with us your joyful resolution. Join us each Tuesday at 10 am.”

In the summer Kayaking and hiking occur Tuesdays at 10 am at the same time and start area determined by the ORFS leader for this Tuesday.  When the fall and winter weather make kayaking too cold, we all will hike or snowshoe.

 Biking

And there are two biking ORFS groups that ride every Thursday. One group pedals moderately, and the other calls themselves “Slower Spokes for Older Folks.” Miles differ depending on the routes.

 Summary Outdoor Recreation for Seniors (ORFS)

The Outdoor Recreation for Seniors (ORFS) group at the COA is made up of numerous high-energy seniors whose hiking, alpine and Nordic skiing, kayaking, and snowshoeing activities would put many younger persons to shame. The ORFS are active throughout the year.

We have a schedule planned for every Tuesday throughout the year!  No more excuses, “I wish I had known about ORFS."

 “Make weekly outdoor exercise with us your joyful resolution. Join us each Tuesday at 10 am.”

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"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends" S. Priest

Click this link to SUBSCRIBE to OutdoorSteve's YouTube Channel


---------------------------------------------------

Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Amazon's Kindle and hardcopy at Harborside Trading Company, 81 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Wild Goose Country Store, 77 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Bookstore at Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH, and Village Sports, New London, NH.

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Sunday, April 30, 2023

Never say, "I wish I had tried Axe and Knife Throwing"


Two friends and I spent an afternoon undergoing an introduction to the sport of Axe and Knife throwing.



Rules & Safety

Is it safe? Yes!

You and your group will receive coaching from one of our experienced coaches. Each lane is divided by a fence to prevent axes from going anywhere but the target.

Click below and experience Ax and Knife Throwing at Beary The Hatchet


Due to the nature of our AXEperience, we have rules that must be followed:

Closed-toe shoes are a requirement. There are no AXEceptions! We have shoes and socks for those who do not have any readily available. The charge for shoe rentals and socks for you to keep is $5. Shoes provided by our awesome friends at Coastal Sole.

Due to the potential dangers of axe throwing, keep your safety and that of all those around you in mind at all times.

Do not engage in any behavior which would endanger the health, safety, or well-being of any player, staff member, or spectator.

If you land an axe on the target, you must retrieve it before throwing another. No trick shots, tossing the axe and catching it, or any other dangerous movement with the axe. We are family-friendly, so please refrain from the use of profanity or abusive language.

If you’ve never heard of axe throwing, it’s kind of like the lumberjack version of darts. If you’ve never heard of axe throwing, it’s kind of like the lumberjack version of darts.

Beary The Hatchet Axe Throwing Co. provides a fun and relaxed AXEperience in a safe and unique setting. Our inspiration for the concept comes from our love for the sport of axe throwing and is based on the rich history and culture of historic downtown New Bern. Our space presents a modern take on the age-old sport and adds unique character and charm. We offer also offer knife throwing as an add-on! 

OUR STORY

George and Kim Bessey founded the company after a fun date night of dinner and throwing axes. We loved it so much we knew at that moment that our beloved hometown badly needed its own venue! Kim is a registered nurse, and George comes from a background in food and beverage. We have three young AXEperts, Lilly, Liam. Kim grew up in Florida and New Bern, and George has lived most of his life here in Eastern North Carolina. We also have a phenomenal business partner in Shawn Stengele and his wife Audrey. Their young AXEperts are Shawn Jr, Cheyanne, and Alex!

We welcome all levels of AXEperience in a family friendly atmosphere for throwers 10 and up. We can’t wait to throw with you!

Will someone teach me how to throw an axe?

Yes! We will have an axe coach available for a brief coaching session at the beginning of your time slot. We will offer follow-up coaching, tips, and games throughout your AXEperience.

What do I wear?

Whatever is comfortable. During warmer weather comes sandal season, but but please remember closed toe shoes are REQUIRED. There are no AXEceptions! We have shoes and socks for those who do not have any readily available. The charge for shoe rentals and socks for you to keep is $5. Shoes provided by our awesome friends at Coastal Sole – CoastalSoleNC.com

What is the minimum age for hatchet throwing?

We recommend 10 and up. Sometimes if younger kids are strong enough, and more importantly, safe and well-behaved, we will make an AXEception.

Do you take walk-ins?

AXEsolutely! As long as we are not booked up! If we are full, just ask when the next available slot is. In the meantime, hangout at our beautiful 30 foot bar with draft beer, wine, ciders, and seltzers!

Are spectators allowed? AXEsolutely!

Do you have leagues?

Yes! We have leagues affiliated with the World Axe Throwing League!

Should we arrive early?

Yes, we recommend arriving 5-10 minutes early to sign your waiver and get ready. Your reservation begins promptly at the given time slot. Please call us if you will be late. We may not be able to extend your time, but will if we can. No price adjustments will be made for time lost due to being late.

When should I make a reservation?

Due to our limited space, we advise making your reservation as far in advance as possible.

Do we keep score or have official league rules?

You can keep your own score on the provided boards. We will go over games and league-style rules during your session. Just AXE if you have questions!

How much does it cost?

A regular one-hour session is $25 per person. We offer a discounted rate of $22 for current or former military members, first responders, teachers, and nurses WITH ID. We also have “Broke Axe Mondays,” when Axe Throwing is only $15 per hour.

References
----------------------------------------------------------
"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends" S. Priest

Click this link to SUBSCRIBE to OutdoorSteve's YouTube Channel


---------------------------------------------------

Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Amazon's Kindle and hardcopy at Harborside Trading Company, 81 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Wild Goose Country Store, 77 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Bookstore at Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH, and Village Sports, New London, NH.


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Monday, March 13, 2023

A Front Seat View of a Regatta Stake Boat Holder

A Stake Boat Holder at the Sarasota Invitational Regatta


What is a Regatta?

A regatta is a series of boat races. In our case, it is rowing sculls and sweeps.

What is a Stake Boat Holder?

A Stake Boat Holder holds the stern of a boat at the beginning of a race so an alignment judge can make sure the bow balls of the racing boats (sculls and sweeps in our case) are all lined up equally to start. 

 The winner of a race is the first boat with their bow crossing the finishing line.


The start is one of the most exciting parts of the race, and the Stake Boat Holder has a front-row seat! The job is simple and usually easy. But it’s also very important! Each Stake Boat Holder is responsible for holding the crews in their proper place on the start line. They will need to do it carefully, safely, and without disturbing the crews.

What a Boat Holder Does (Taken from
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The starting area has 7-8 stake boats, one in each lane. You will be assigned to one lane.

· You work with the Aligner Referee. His or her job is twofold: to bring the boats with your help into line, and to judge if anyone left early or jumped the start. The bow balls of all the boats must be in a straight line in order for the alignment to be correct. But, because boats often differ in length, some will have to be pushed out, others pulled in so that all their bow balls are on the line. Some boats may be so long that you’ll have to bring the stern alongside your position. Other times you will really have to stretch to compensate for shorter boats.

· Two Minutes Before the Start: A few minutes before race time the crew assigned to your lane will back up to your position. Sometimes it is necessary to tell a crew which lane you are in if they look lost. But please observe silence from this time on. Grab the stern of the boat. Lie down and hold the boat firmly while you wait for the Aligner to instruct you whether to push the boat out or to pull it in. The aligner will continue to give you and the other boat
holders directions until he is satisfied with the alignment. Finally, after the Aligner raises a white flag indicating correct alignment, he may continue to micro-tune the boats even after his white flag is up. Just listen carefully for your lane number and respond quickly to his
commands.

· The Actual Start: The starter may poll the crews by name, then he says “Attention,” raises his red flag, and then says “Go!” The boat will explode out of your hands on the command “Go!” Be very careful of your fingers here; sometimes the boat will lurch backwards before
taking off. Keep your fingers out of the way.
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Sculls Aligned - Stake Holders on Tummy - Attention - Go!
(Picture with Permission of Timothy J. Priest)

Last year, I joined the Sarasota County Rowing Club (SCRC) in Sarasota, Florida as a seasonal member. On February 26, 2023, I completed my first regatta, the Sarasota Invitational Regatta in Sarasota, Florida.

The SCRC is the host club for the annual nationally recognized Sarasota Invitational Regatta (SIR) held annually at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida, in February. As a member of SCRC, we are required to volunteer for at least one of the many jobs necessary to host the three-day SIR .

As I looked at the list of volunteer opportunities, the Stake Boat Holder caught my eye as it would be an opportunity for me to experience a competitive row start. I would be on the water and experiencing what my quad team would be doing my first Regatta.

Indeed I had a front-row seat.

I went to YouTube.com and searched “Stake Boat Holder.” Watching a few videos convinced me I could contribute to SIR as a Stake Boat Holder. 

My video in this blog will give you a close and upfront viewpoint of a Stake Boat Holder. In this video, you will hear Mike, the Alignment Referee, address the duties of a Stake Boat Holder. Shortly after Mike’s instructions, all holders get on a boat and are driven to their assigned lane raft – which was number 3 for my lane.

Stake Boat holders are stationed on a platform on the race course and responsible for holding the stern of the boats to start. You need to lie or knee down on the platform to hold your assigned boat. Sometimes you are on your knees, most times on your tummy. 

A towel for a pad was recommended when kneeling or on your stomach and I will suggest this be a thick towel or a yogi-type pad. You need to protect your knees and elbows from the floor of the platform – in this case an aluminum raft.

You are given walkie-talkies for one-way communication with the boat alignment referee. Our Alignment Referee Michael, was excellent with pre-race instruction and very clear with commands during the race. Another referee, the Starter Referee, communicates with the rowers to position their boats and sometimes with you if rowers need help. The Starter Referee was excellent with the rowers and boat holders. Sometimes, the rowers were very inexperienced with this part of the start, and the Starter was very patient and clear in aiding their alignment.

You need to know that the more inexperienced rowers may have an issue with their oars hitting and on the Stake Holder platform, so the Stake Boat Holder has to be aware of their surroundings at all times.

Being a Stake Boat Holder was a great experience for me, and I highly recommend it for rowers and race observers. Just be aware that you will frequently be getting up and down on the raft to your tummy and knees. You also need to reach out and grab the stern of the boat. A level of physical fitness is necessary.

Click and Enjoy Stakeboat  

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"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends" S. Priest

Click this link to SUBSCRIBE to OutdoorSteve's YouTube Channel


---------------------------------------------------

Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Amazon's Kindle and hardcopy at Harborside Trading Company, 81 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Wild Goose Country Store, 77 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Bookstore at Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH, and Village Sports, New London, NH.


  Outdoor Play has trip preparations, routes, and narratives of bucket list places to go. The book will motivate friends and family to make the outdoors a key component of their daily life. If you want 5 or more books signed, send Steve an email and we can work out the logistics. 




Additional Sources of Books at:
Hardcopy at: http://outdoorsteve.com and https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
E-book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X

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