MA - Kayak Camping on Peddocks Island 6/14 - 6/16/2019 Trip Report

[wbJohn]

The trip out to the island was fun with a bit of a headwind but only 1 foot or less seas. We arrived on the Island and were greeted by several workers and park Rangers getting the landscaping done for the official opening next weekend. There was a memorial service scheduled for the church the next day as well.

The camping area has fresh water, a composting toilet, and yurts with outside power poles (the yurts also have power inside). My friend needs a CPAP at night so we set up my Tensa 4 stand near one of the power poles for her while I took to the trees in a nearby campsite. Being a bit tired from the paddle out, we both took a nap.

After a dinner of steak and precooked barley and lentils, along with a little red wine, we talked into the night and retired to our hammocks.

After breakfast of bacon, eggs and pita bread, we went out for a short paddle around the island and had lunch on a deserted gravel beach. Another nap followed then dinner of campfire pizza (awesome). We talked about our next camping trip together on the Connecticut River Paddlers Trail.

After a good night's sleep we broke camp, packed the boats and headed back in much calmer seas but with an occasional sprinkle of rain. We stopped at a Panera for lunch on the way home and found that the cashier was on the island for the memorial service and had seen our boats. It's a small world.

Only one of the people who signed up for this actually came and she is a good friend of mine. While I understand that plans change, it would only be courteous to let the trip organizer know if you are not going to attend an event especially when the cost comes out of the organizer's pocket. If I decide to do this again, a non-refundable deposit will be required.

[ljane]

Glad you got to do it. On the bright side you had a good amount of solitude!

The trip out to the island was fun with a bit of a headwind but only 1 foot or less seas. We arrived on the Island and were greeted by several workers and park Rangers getting the landscaping done for the official opening next weekend. There was a memorial service scheduled for the church the next day as well.

The camping area has fresh water, a composting toilet, and yurts with outside power poles (the yurts also have power inside). My friend needs a CPAP at night so we set up my Tensa 4 stand near one of the power poles for her while I took to the trees in a nearby campsite. Being a bit tired from the paddle out, we both took a nap.

After a dinner of steak and precooked barley and lentils, along with a little red wine, we talked into the night and retired to our hammocks.

After breakfast of bacon, eggs and pita bread, we went out for a short paddle around the island and had lunch on a deserted gravel beach. Another nap followed then dinner of campfire pizza (awesome). We talked about our next camping trip together on the Connecticut River Paddlers Trail.

After a good night's sleep we broke camp, packed the boats and headed back in much calmer seas but with an occasional sprinkle of rain. We stopped at a Panera for lunch on the way home and found that the cashier was on the island for the memorial service and had seen our boats. It's a small world.

Only one of the people who signed up for this actually came and she is a good friend of mine. While I understand that plans change, it would only be courteous to let the trip organizer know if you are not going to attend an event especially when the cost comes out of the organizer's pocket. If I decide to do this again, a non-refundable deposit will be required.

[wbJohn]

Glad you got to do it. On the bright side you had a good amount of solitude!

I go out to the islands to camp or just explore often. It's a great paddle and the views of Boston are wonderful while surrounded by birdsong and green.

While we were there, a couple of guys came out in a sailboat. Seeing the sign on the dock saying, "Dock closed - do not tie up" they tied up to it and left their boat there. They set their tent up in an area with a sign that said "Scenic Overlook", not a campsite. The rangers rode up on their ATV and asked us if it was our sailboat. I told them we had come by kayak and thought the guys with the sailboat were camped in the Overlook. The Rangers said they were sorry to bother us and rode over to the other guys. The rules, which the sailors obviously hadn't been familiar with, state that you can only unload and load your boat at the dock and had to anchor off shore. The dock is how the Rangers get on and off the island as well as any visitors. Closing the dock effectively closes the island unless you have a "Special Use Permit" which has the rules printed on it.

I don't think I've ever seen anyone break camp as fast as the sailors did and we found some clothing on the trail when we left.