A message from the Messalonskee lake Accoc.
Dear Messalonskee Lake Association Member,
The summer is off and running and the Lake Association has been
active on several fronts:
Milfoil Management Plan - The Lake Association has drafted a milfoil
management plan that documents our plans for Educating, Monitoring
and helping to Mitigate the spread of milfoil on the lake. This will
be emailed to you in the next few weeks once it is complete for your
review. In addition to this work we are continuing to monitor the
Milfoil in the lake. In early June the Lake Association in
conjunction with the State of Maine placed seven additional Milfoil
Buoys in the lake. Two of these are on the Northern (Oakland) end
and Five were in the Southern end (Belgrade) end. We also continue
to support the Courtesy Boat Inspections being conducted at the
Oakland and Sidney public boat landings.
Milfoil and Safety Zone information packet - The Lake Association has
prepared 200 information packets to be given out to boaters on the
lake this summer. The packet consists of a map pf the Milfoil and
Safety Zones mentioned above, along with other boat, navigation and
fishing information. You can see a copy of the map that has been
included by going to the website and looking at the NEWS items, or by
clicking on this link -
http://www.snowpond.org/Milfoil_Safety_Zones.pdf
Summer Lake Patrol - We have been working all winter with the Town of
Oakland to plan an early start to the Lake Safety Patrol. This year
the Lake Patrol will cover every good weather weekend between June
14th and September 1st, including some additional coverage over the
busy 4th of July week. The Oakland Police Department will be
manning the boat during these Safety Patrols.
REMINDER - If you have not paid your dues yet for 2008, please go to
the website and renew online or send your dues ($15.00 Individual,
$25.00 Family, or other special amount) to SP/MLA Post Office Box 532,
Oakland, Me 04963
We hope you will continue to support the Messalonskee Lake
Association and that you will have a very wonderful Summer on the
lake
Mike Willey
President, Messalonskee Lake Association
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
MaineToday.com | News Update: Coast Guard warning boaters
BE CAREFUL OUT THERE
The United States Coast Guard is warning boaters and paddlers to use common sense and refrain from drinking alcohol during the upcoming holiday weekend.
Al Johnson, a Coast Guard recreational boating specialist, said 38 people have died on July 4 over the last decade, making it the deadliest boating holiday in the Northeast region, which includes all the New England states, plus sections of New York and New Jersey.
Alcohol has been involved in 16 of those fatalities, Johnson"said.
The United States Coast Guard is warning boaters and paddlers to use common sense and refrain from drinking alcohol during the upcoming holiday weekend.
Al Johnson, a Coast Guard recreational boating specialist, said 38 people have died on July 4 over the last decade, making it the deadliest boating holiday in the Northeast region, which includes all the New England states, plus sections of New York and New Jersey.
Alcohol has been involved in 16 of those fatalities, Johnson"said.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Kennebec River: Waterville to Augusta
From time to time I find an article that I have to post(Hey its my blog,I can post what ever I want).This may or may not relate to the lake.
This is one of those times.
I love the Kennebec river,paddle it or fish it,always a great time.
Sunday, May 18, 2003
Kennebec River: Waterville to Augusta
By Michael Perry
Paddle name: Kennebec River: Waterville to Augusta
Nearest town: Waterville
Region: Kennebec
Water type: River
Difficulty: Intermediate
Length: 8-17 miles, depending on take-out
Put-in: Waterville boat launch facility just upriver of the Donald V. Carter Memorial Bridge on river right. Refer to the Delorme Maine Atlas and Gazetteer maps No. 21, No. 13, and No. 12 for help in getting to the launch site and down to Augusta.
Take-out: Augusta boat launch facility on river left a few yards below Old Fort Western. For a shorter trip take out at the Sydney boat launch facility on river right, eight miles south of Waterville.
Other: The trip can be shortened by taking out at the Sydney boat launch facility on river right, eight miles south of Waterville.
Maps:
Get driving directions from MapQuest.
View a topo map from Maptech MapServer.
Paddle with the flow of history, past and present, down the Kennebec River from Waterville to Augusta and enjoy great wildlife viewing all along the way. As the swift current carries you south to Augusta, imagine Benedict Arnold's ill-fated march to Quebec in 1775 against the flow to Norridgewock, and think of a river tamed by the Edwards Dam from 1837 to its precedent-setting removal in July 1999. You are now paddling a river running free and wild once again from Waterville to the sea.
It is a 17-mile paddle from the Waterville boat launch facility on river right just upriver of the Donald V. Carter Memorial Bridge to the Augusta boat launch facility on river left a few yards below Old Fort Western. The trip can be shortened by taking out at the Sydney boat launch facility on river right, eight miles south of Waterville. Spot a vehicle on either end or be creative. We turned our excursion into a two-sport exploratory by leaving our bikes at a helpful local citizen's house in Augusta and biking back to Waterville via Route 201. Refer to the Delorme Maine Atlas and Gazetteer maps No. 21, No. 13, and No. 12 for help in getting to the launch site and down to Augusta.
Plan your outing with an eye on the weather and wind direction. If you have the flexibility, wait until there is a north-northwesterly wind. Coupled with the swift springtime flow of river, you will fly along. We paddled on a recent Saturday morning with a 20-knot tailwind that had us in Augusta after only three hours of paddling at a relaxed pace. A stiff southerly wind would have extended our paddling time and exertion levels considerably.
Hundreds of swallows darted over the water in pursuit of recently hatched insects as we headed out into the river. Their white underparts flashed brilliantly in the mid-morning sun. The paddling was effortless and as we passed by the Carter bridge abutments we were astounded how fast we were moving.
A bald eagle circled overhead, white head and tail feathers brilliant against the clear blue sky. The removal of Edwards Dam was justified in part by the prospects of migratory fish returning to their historical spawning grounds in the freshwater streams north of Augusta. More fish will bring more fishermen and more dollars, and also more birds to feed on those growing populations of fish.
Two more eagles appeared a few miles downriver, and we wondered if the day would soon be here that eagles in Maine would be as common as eagles are today in Alaska. Osprey, hawks, and turkey vultures took turns entertaining us as the miles flew by. We spent as much time looking skyward as we did down river.
South of Sydney a number of logging piers dot the edge of the river, tilting downriver and slowly decaying from their decades of use in corralling and directing logs down the river. The last log drive on the Kennebec took place in 1976. Since then the river has undergone a true reincarnation, slowly returning to a cleaner and wilder state.
Seven-Mile Island is the only island you will pass by on the Waterville-Augusta portion of the Kennebec. Located just north of the Augusta city line in the town of Vassalboro, it sits like a chockstone in the middle of the river with rushing waters flushing by on both sides. North of the island 14 large, 20-foot by 20-foot piers extend up the river. They are massive and look like a line of large, roofless log cabins filled with rocks. We were awestruck watching the water sweep around them, creating powerful eddies and current lines. Unless you eddy out behind one you will be by them in a flash.
The island and pier works, with their boom chains attached, provided one last spot to harness, control and delay logs on their last few miles of journey to the Augusta mills. "The Seven-Mile Island piers are the last impressive set of piers you'll see on the whole Kennebec," forester and historian Marc Johnson says. We were impressed.
A few miles north of Augusta we caught the first glimpses of civilization. Up to that point we had enjoyed an uninterrupted corridor of riverside trees just starting to display their fresh spring leaves, with no homes and development anywhere to be seen, except railroad tracks paralleling river left.
The dramatic outline of church steeples and the state Capitol building filled the horizon. Feeling as free and exhilarated as the river, we hurtled down through the waters cascading through what once was the site of Edwards Dam. We were suddenly overcome with a feeling of deep gratitude for the state and federal agencies and members of the Kennebec Coalition whose foresight and hard work helped bring about the reality of a free-flowing Kennebec south of Waterville. From put-in to take-out it had been a privilege to have paddled a free river once more, and to see firsthand how this grand river has responded to the removal of Edwards Dam. Come see and feel it for yourself this spring.
Canoeists and kayakers exploring this stretch of river should be proficient paddlers. In the summertime, at normal water levels, there are a few short Class I-II stretches. An 1824 War Department survey listed five miles of rapids in this stretch of river: Petty's Rapids, Six-Mile Falls, Bacon's Rapids, Babcock's Rapids and Coon's Rapids.
Michael Perry is the former director of the L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools and founder of Dreams Unlimited, specializing in inspiring outdoor slide programs for businesses, schools, and civic groups.
This is one of those times.
I love the Kennebec river,paddle it or fish it,always a great time.
Sunday, May 18, 2003
Kennebec River: Waterville to Augusta
By Michael Perry
Paddle name: Kennebec River: Waterville to Augusta
Nearest town: Waterville
Region: Kennebec
Water type: River
Difficulty: Intermediate
Length: 8-17 miles, depending on take-out
Put-in: Waterville boat launch facility just upriver of the Donald V. Carter Memorial Bridge on river right. Refer to the Delorme Maine Atlas and Gazetteer maps No. 21, No. 13, and No. 12 for help in getting to the launch site and down to Augusta.
Take-out: Augusta boat launch facility on river left a few yards below Old Fort Western. For a shorter trip take out at the Sydney boat launch facility on river right, eight miles south of Waterville.
Other: The trip can be shortened by taking out at the Sydney boat launch facility on river right, eight miles south of Waterville.
Maps:
Get driving directions from MapQuest.
View a topo map from Maptech MapServer.
Paddle with the flow of history, past and present, down the Kennebec River from Waterville to Augusta and enjoy great wildlife viewing all along the way. As the swift current carries you south to Augusta, imagine Benedict Arnold's ill-fated march to Quebec in 1775 against the flow to Norridgewock, and think of a river tamed by the Edwards Dam from 1837 to its precedent-setting removal in July 1999. You are now paddling a river running free and wild once again from Waterville to the sea.
It is a 17-mile paddle from the Waterville boat launch facility on river right just upriver of the Donald V. Carter Memorial Bridge to the Augusta boat launch facility on river left a few yards below Old Fort Western. The trip can be shortened by taking out at the Sydney boat launch facility on river right, eight miles south of Waterville. Spot a vehicle on either end or be creative. We turned our excursion into a two-sport exploratory by leaving our bikes at a helpful local citizen's house in Augusta and biking back to Waterville via Route 201. Refer to the Delorme Maine Atlas and Gazetteer maps No. 21, No. 13, and No. 12 for help in getting to the launch site and down to Augusta.
Plan your outing with an eye on the weather and wind direction. If you have the flexibility, wait until there is a north-northwesterly wind. Coupled with the swift springtime flow of river, you will fly along. We paddled on a recent Saturday morning with a 20-knot tailwind that had us in Augusta after only three hours of paddling at a relaxed pace. A stiff southerly wind would have extended our paddling time and exertion levels considerably.
Hundreds of swallows darted over the water in pursuit of recently hatched insects as we headed out into the river. Their white underparts flashed brilliantly in the mid-morning sun. The paddling was effortless and as we passed by the Carter bridge abutments we were astounded how fast we were moving.
A bald eagle circled overhead, white head and tail feathers brilliant against the clear blue sky. The removal of Edwards Dam was justified in part by the prospects of migratory fish returning to their historical spawning grounds in the freshwater streams north of Augusta. More fish will bring more fishermen and more dollars, and also more birds to feed on those growing populations of fish.
Two more eagles appeared a few miles downriver, and we wondered if the day would soon be here that eagles in Maine would be as common as eagles are today in Alaska. Osprey, hawks, and turkey vultures took turns entertaining us as the miles flew by. We spent as much time looking skyward as we did down river.
South of Sydney a number of logging piers dot the edge of the river, tilting downriver and slowly decaying from their decades of use in corralling and directing logs down the river. The last log drive on the Kennebec took place in 1976. Since then the river has undergone a true reincarnation, slowly returning to a cleaner and wilder state.
Seven-Mile Island is the only island you will pass by on the Waterville-Augusta portion of the Kennebec. Located just north of the Augusta city line in the town of Vassalboro, it sits like a chockstone in the middle of the river with rushing waters flushing by on both sides. North of the island 14 large, 20-foot by 20-foot piers extend up the river. They are massive and look like a line of large, roofless log cabins filled with rocks. We were awestruck watching the water sweep around them, creating powerful eddies and current lines. Unless you eddy out behind one you will be by them in a flash.
The island and pier works, with their boom chains attached, provided one last spot to harness, control and delay logs on their last few miles of journey to the Augusta mills. "The Seven-Mile Island piers are the last impressive set of piers you'll see on the whole Kennebec," forester and historian Marc Johnson says. We were impressed.
A few miles north of Augusta we caught the first glimpses of civilization. Up to that point we had enjoyed an uninterrupted corridor of riverside trees just starting to display their fresh spring leaves, with no homes and development anywhere to be seen, except railroad tracks paralleling river left.
The dramatic outline of church steeples and the state Capitol building filled the horizon. Feeling as free and exhilarated as the river, we hurtled down through the waters cascading through what once was the site of Edwards Dam. We were suddenly overcome with a feeling of deep gratitude for the state and federal agencies and members of the Kennebec Coalition whose foresight and hard work helped bring about the reality of a free-flowing Kennebec south of Waterville. From put-in to take-out it had been a privilege to have paddled a free river once more, and to see firsthand how this grand river has responded to the removal of Edwards Dam. Come see and feel it for yourself this spring.
Canoeists and kayakers exploring this stretch of river should be proficient paddlers. In the summertime, at normal water levels, there are a few short Class I-II stretches. An 1824 War Department survey listed five miles of rapids in this stretch of river: Petty's Rapids, Six-Mile Falls, Bacon's Rapids, Babcock's Rapids and Coon's Rapids.
Michael Perry is the former director of the L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools and founder of Dreams Unlimited, specializing in inspiring outdoor slide programs for businesses, schools, and civic groups.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
kayaking safely
SAFETY TIPS
Coast Guard officials and boating safety experts recommend that anyone who uses a kayak take a boating safety course before going out on the water. Among the safety tips:
• Wear a life jacket.
• Learn how to right a capsized kayak.
• Paddle in pairs.
• Dress appropriately and learn about the dangers of cold water.
• Check the tides and weather forecast.
• Bring a phone or radio.
• Tell someone where you're going and when you expect to return.
• Learn who has the right of way in busy harbors and waterways.
Source: U.S. Coast Guard's Paddle Smart course
Kayakers keep rescue crews busy
Brandon Andrusic and Tim Gutmann were experienced kayakers planning a quick paddle around Wood Island off the coast of Biddeford Pool, Maine.
A mile offshore, they ran into much rougher surf than they expected. They struggled against the swells. Andrusic eventually lost sight of his friend and capsized, but he made it to Wood Island.
A large rescue effort found Guttman's body the next day. Nearly a year later, not a day goes by "without me running through things I wish I could change about that day," says Andrusic, an admissions officer at the University of New England. "We were too casual about going out. It was getting late; we were overconfident."
Popularity of sport growing
An explosion in the number of kayakers along the nation's waterways, on lakes and at sea is making harrowing stories such as Andrusic's all-too common. At the same time, it's putting a strain on Coast Guard and other marine search-and-rescue crews and prompting calls for new laws requiring kayakers to take boating safety courses.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Philadelphia | Seattle | Oregon | Sam | Club | Costco | Delaware River | University of New England | Anthony Turner | Outdoor Industry Association | Coast Guard Auxiliary
"Paddling represents our greatest risk in the recreational boating community," says John Fetterman, a member of the Maine Marine Patrol and president of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. For rescue teams, it's become "a huge drain."
In the Coast Guard, the number of kayak rescues — many of which involve multiple boats and helicopters — is escalating. "It does take us away from other high-priority missions, like maritime security," says spokesman Brendan McPherson. The Coast Guard is tasked with protecting the nation's ports and harbors against terrorists.
No government agency tracks the number of kayak-related rescues nationally each year. This is because they are conducted by so many different agencies, including local and state police, marine patrol units and Coast Guard crews. The American Canoe Association (ACA) says kayaking is growing faster than any other outdoor activity on land or water; maritime officials say rescues have skyrocketed as a result.
The Coast Guard does track boating fatalities. In 2006, the most recent year for which numbers are available, 27 people died kayaking. That's still a small percentage of the 710 people who died in boating accidents. Most died in motorboat accidents, when speed is often a factor. Statistics show 72 people died in canoe accidents during that year.
Kayaking has become popular partly because the boats are relatively inexpensive and can be hauled and used with ease. Unfortunately, that's also contributed to the accident rate, experts say.
People go to "big-box stores like Costco and Sam's Club, buy a kayak, and, boom, off they go," says John Malatak of the Coast Guard's Boating Safety Division. "They don't take a boating course, they go into an area that's remote, they don't know the No. 1 thing to do, which is wear a life jacket, they turn over and there's no one nearby to assist them."
Hypothermia can set in
Even experienced kayakers can run into trouble. "Things can go south in a heartbeat," Andrusic says.
Capsized kayakers suffering from hypothermia have been rescued by the Coast Guard from Seattle to Philadelphia.
Such accidents and the rescue efforts involved are prompting calls for more boating education.
Fetterman says he supports legislation to require kayakers to take courses that would teach people the basics: wear a life jacket, bring a phone or radio, tell someone on land where you're going and when you expect to be back, how to handle it if your boat capsizes, how quickly cold water can be incapacitating and who has the right of way in busy harbors.
Jeremy Oyen, director of safety and education at the ACA, says 48 states have laws requiring motorboat operators to take boating education courses but none require similar courses for paddlers.
Just in 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, about 12.6 million people went kayaking — nearly a 25% increase over the year before, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. "Unfortunately, there has also been a rise in the number of paddle craft accidents," says Anthony Turner, spokesman for the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Already this year, there have been several accidents.
In Cape Arago, Ore., on April 13, a Coast Guard helicopter and boat were dispatched after a 30-year-old man's kayak overturned. He was taken to the hospital with hypothermia. In Philadelphia on the same day, a Coast Guard cutter, a tug boat crew and an environmental group's boat crew rescued two kayakers after they capsized in the Delaware River. Those men also were treated for early signs of hypothermia.
Maritime experts say cold water often is the culprit in deadly accidents. Most people, they say, have no idea that frigid water can send someone into shock within seconds.
Some maritime organizations, including the American Canoe Association (ACA), oppose mandatory education for paddlers. The groups say it would be akin to requiring everyone who rides a bike to take a class first. Experts say many people underestimate how easy it is to flip a kayak because the boats seem so simple and easy to use. But "it's not just a sports activity, it's a maritime activity, and people lose sight of what happens when you get out on the water and it's cold," says Christopher Cunningham, editor of the bi-monthly Sea Kayaker magazine.
Andrusic says his and Gutmann's biggest mistakes were not taking a phone or radio and not telling anyone where they were going.
"As kayaking gets more popular, people might be a little cavalier," he says. "Going out on the water should never be taken lightly."
Coast Guard officials and boating safety experts recommend that anyone who uses a kayak take a boating safety course before going out on the water. Among the safety tips:
• Wear a life jacket.
• Learn how to right a capsized kayak.
• Paddle in pairs.
• Dress appropriately and learn about the dangers of cold water.
• Check the tides and weather forecast.
• Bring a phone or radio.
• Tell someone where you're going and when you expect to return.
• Learn who has the right of way in busy harbors and waterways.
Source: U.S. Coast Guard's Paddle Smart course
Kayakers keep rescue crews busy
Brandon Andrusic and Tim Gutmann were experienced kayakers planning a quick paddle around Wood Island off the coast of Biddeford Pool, Maine.
A mile offshore, they ran into much rougher surf than they expected. They struggled against the swells. Andrusic eventually lost sight of his friend and capsized, but he made it to Wood Island.
A large rescue effort found Guttman's body the next day. Nearly a year later, not a day goes by "without me running through things I wish I could change about that day," says Andrusic, an admissions officer at the University of New England. "We were too casual about going out. It was getting late; we were overconfident."
Popularity of sport growing
An explosion in the number of kayakers along the nation's waterways, on lakes and at sea is making harrowing stories such as Andrusic's all-too common. At the same time, it's putting a strain on Coast Guard and other marine search-and-rescue crews and prompting calls for new laws requiring kayakers to take boating safety courses.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Philadelphia | Seattle | Oregon | Sam | Club | Costco | Delaware River | University of New England | Anthony Turner | Outdoor Industry Association | Coast Guard Auxiliary
"Paddling represents our greatest risk in the recreational boating community," says John Fetterman, a member of the Maine Marine Patrol and president of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. For rescue teams, it's become "a huge drain."
In the Coast Guard, the number of kayak rescues — many of which involve multiple boats and helicopters — is escalating. "It does take us away from other high-priority missions, like maritime security," says spokesman Brendan McPherson. The Coast Guard is tasked with protecting the nation's ports and harbors against terrorists.
No government agency tracks the number of kayak-related rescues nationally each year. This is because they are conducted by so many different agencies, including local and state police, marine patrol units and Coast Guard crews. The American Canoe Association (ACA) says kayaking is growing faster than any other outdoor activity on land or water; maritime officials say rescues have skyrocketed as a result.
The Coast Guard does track boating fatalities. In 2006, the most recent year for which numbers are available, 27 people died kayaking. That's still a small percentage of the 710 people who died in boating accidents. Most died in motorboat accidents, when speed is often a factor. Statistics show 72 people died in canoe accidents during that year.
Kayaking has become popular partly because the boats are relatively inexpensive and can be hauled and used with ease. Unfortunately, that's also contributed to the accident rate, experts say.
People go to "big-box stores like Costco and Sam's Club, buy a kayak, and, boom, off they go," says John Malatak of the Coast Guard's Boating Safety Division. "They don't take a boating course, they go into an area that's remote, they don't know the No. 1 thing to do, which is wear a life jacket, they turn over and there's no one nearby to assist them."
Hypothermia can set in
Even experienced kayakers can run into trouble. "Things can go south in a heartbeat," Andrusic says.
Capsized kayakers suffering from hypothermia have been rescued by the Coast Guard from Seattle to Philadelphia.
Such accidents and the rescue efforts involved are prompting calls for more boating education.
Fetterman says he supports legislation to require kayakers to take courses that would teach people the basics: wear a life jacket, bring a phone or radio, tell someone on land where you're going and when you expect to be back, how to handle it if your boat capsizes, how quickly cold water can be incapacitating and who has the right of way in busy harbors.
Jeremy Oyen, director of safety and education at the ACA, says 48 states have laws requiring motorboat operators to take boating education courses but none require similar courses for paddlers.
Just in 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, about 12.6 million people went kayaking — nearly a 25% increase over the year before, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. "Unfortunately, there has also been a rise in the number of paddle craft accidents," says Anthony Turner, spokesman for the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Already this year, there have been several accidents.
In Cape Arago, Ore., on April 13, a Coast Guard helicopter and boat were dispatched after a 30-year-old man's kayak overturned. He was taken to the hospital with hypothermia. In Philadelphia on the same day, a Coast Guard cutter, a tug boat crew and an environmental group's boat crew rescued two kayakers after they capsized in the Delaware River. Those men also were treated for early signs of hypothermia.
Maritime experts say cold water often is the culprit in deadly accidents. Most people, they say, have no idea that frigid water can send someone into shock within seconds.
Some maritime organizations, including the American Canoe Association (ACA), oppose mandatory education for paddlers. The groups say it would be akin to requiring everyone who rides a bike to take a class first. Experts say many people underestimate how easy it is to flip a kayak because the boats seem so simple and easy to use. But "it's not just a sports activity, it's a maritime activity, and people lose sight of what happens when you get out on the water and it's cold," says Christopher Cunningham, editor of the bi-monthly Sea Kayaker magazine.
Andrusic says his and Gutmann's biggest mistakes were not taking a phone or radio and not telling anyone where they were going.
"As kayaking gets more popular, people might be a little cavalier," he says. "Going out on the water should never be taken lightly."
Thursday, April 24, 2008
summer temps /cold water
It may feel like summer, but the Coast Guard and New Hampshire's Marine Patrol want boaters to know that the water in the Northeast is dangerously cold.
"Plain and simple: Cold water shocks, incapacitates and kills," said Al Johnson, a Coast Guard recreational boating specialist.
At least three people have died in near-freezing waters in the Northeast this spring, including a canoeist in Mattituck, N.Y., a kayaker in Jamaica, Vt., and a man who tried to save a youngster who was struggling in 38-degree water in Lancaster, N.H.
The Coast Guard issued a cold water safety advisory Wednesday for anyone hoping to take advantage of the warm weather by doing some boating. Johnson says water temperatures in lakes and ponds remain close the freezing point and are not even remotely tolerable.
David Barrett, head of New Hampshire's Safety Services Division, says low water temperatures are a special hazard for small craft.
"Anyone who capsizes or falls overboard can only survive for a few minutes because of the stress that cold water places on the body," Barrett said. "It rapidly saps the strength of even a strong swimmer."
He said water temperatures of 60 degrees or below are considered cold, and temperatures are around 40 degrees in most New Hampshire waterways.
Safety tips for early season boaters include wearing life jackets and insisting that passengers or paddling partners wear them as well.
"Plain and simple: Cold water shocks, incapacitates and kills," said Al Johnson, a Coast Guard recreational boating specialist.
At least three people have died in near-freezing waters in the Northeast this spring, including a canoeist in Mattituck, N.Y., a kayaker in Jamaica, Vt., and a man who tried to save a youngster who was struggling in 38-degree water in Lancaster, N.H.
The Coast Guard issued a cold water safety advisory Wednesday for anyone hoping to take advantage of the warm weather by doing some boating. Johnson says water temperatures in lakes and ponds remain close the freezing point and are not even remotely tolerable.
David Barrett, head of New Hampshire's Safety Services Division, says low water temperatures are a special hazard for small craft.
"Anyone who capsizes or falls overboard can only survive for a few minutes because of the stress that cold water places on the body," Barrett said. "It rapidly saps the strength of even a strong swimmer."
He said water temperatures of 60 degrees or below are considered cold, and temperatures are around 40 degrees in most New Hampshire waterways.
Safety tips for early season boaters include wearing life jackets and insisting that passengers or paddling partners wear them as well.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
A Vermont Game Warden /former Mainer
Tough competition would not deter this game warden
April 6, 2008
By DENNIS JENSEN
She carries a pistol, is on the lookout for bad guys and, by her own definition, gets paid for doing what she loves to do.
While Morgan Jones goes about her job just like another other law enforcement officer, she is certainly unique. Jones is the only female Vermont game warden out of a force of 41 — out patrolling the woods and waters of the Green Mountain State.
The 27-year-old Jones talked about her career during a recent hour-long interview. She said she enjoys her work, particularly because it keeps her in the outdoors.
"I pick up dead things. I lift heavy things. It's amazing," she said with a smile. "I drag dead deer all the time and you have to be physically able to do that."
Despite being physically capable of performing the multiple tasks of a full-time warden, Jones said that, at times, men assume she is in need of assistance because she is a woman.
"I still have people who say, 'Do you want me to carry that for you?" I say, "'No, this is what I do.'"
But Jones is savvy enough not to be offended by such talk. She understands that folks are just trying to be helpful.
After working as a deputy game warden starting in 2003, Jones attained full-time warden status in October 2005.
Like other wardens around the state, Jones has a big chunk of territory to cover. Working out of Rutland, she is responsible for the towns of Rutland, West Rutland, Ira, Proctor, Pittsford, Pittsfield, Mendon, Killington and Chittenden.
Jones said that, while there are many rewarding aspects of her work, it was difficult to pinpoint anything in particular. But she said that "catching the bad guys" is near the top of the list.
"It's very, very exciting to take a case from the beginning to the end," she said.
Giving aid and comfort to people when it's needed, like the time she picked up several lost snowboarders who wondered off a trail at Killington, is another rewarding part of her job.
"We get plenty of opportunities to help people," Jones said. "Game wardens do a lot of search and rescue. Anything that has a positive impact is rewarding."
Moose rescue
While over the past year there have been two sad stories involving people-friendly moose that have been "put down" by game wardens — as is the policy of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department — Jones had a moose encounter with a happy ending.
Last year, Jones was called about "an injured moose laying down in a creek" on the Chittenden Dam Road in Chittenden.
"It was early spring, last year's calf. She was laying there and she wasn't getting out of the creek," Jones said.
So Jones started to shout at the moose and it responded — "a good sign," she said.
Efforts to get the moose up were fruitless, Jones said, and then it dawned on her: The young moose was stuck in deep mud and couldn't move its back legs.
"I was very concerned that she was injured," she said. "Most of the time, when an animal is injured, we put them down."
Realizing it was both too dangerous and impractical to try to physically move the moose, Jones backed her truck up and, using the winch wardens utilize to haul dead moose onto the bed, she pulled the cable out, took a length of rope and tied the rope around the moose's neck.
"She looked very, very scared," Jones said.
Another warden arrived and, after a few tries, they managed to pull the moose free.
"After she stood up, she gave me this look that said, 'I'm having the worst day.' Then she moved herself out to the sunshine and began nibbling on a tree," Jones said. "It looked like she was going to be fine."
Jones grew up in Connecticut, Maine and Virginia. She graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., with a major in biology and a minor in oceanography.
Collecting badly mangled deer off the side of roads is part of the job, but it can sometimes be stomach-churning, Jones said.
"We do plenty of stuff that is gross," she said.
Last fall, it went way beyond gross.
"I picked up so many deer in this one area. Where I was dumping the deer, I had so many that I had to step on deer carcasses that were in the way. When I stopped on one, it squished and a bunch of maggots came out of the deer carcass," she said.
Kayak patrol
Col. Robert Rooks, the director of law enforcement for Fish & Wildlife, described Jones as "a real asset" to the warden force.
"She's doing very well," her top superior said. "She's doing a great job in the Rutland area. We're really happy with her."
Rooks said that Jones set her goal to become a game warden and didn't let go it.
"I have a lot of respect for her because of her determination," he said. "She worked a couple of years to meet the fitness standards."
Rooks said that, because the job has become so desirable, Fish & Wildlife had the luxury of increasing the standards for getting into the warden force.
"We've had as many as 600 people apply for one position," he said. "We've still getting 150 applicants per opening, so that gives you an idea of the kind of competition you're up against if you want to become a game warden."
Jones's degree in biology has helped her enormously in the field, Rooks said.
"She is very knowledgeable," he said. "She brings experience and knowledge in wildlife, which is certainly an asset to being a state game warden."
Jones said the real perks of her job include the flexibility, in terms of the hours she must work, and the fact that she spends so much time outdoors.
"We get to do all sorts of stuff that other people pay to do, recreationally. I get to drive a boat, a snowmobile, have access to an ATV and I have a kayak. I love my kayak," she said.
"I was out patrolling in my kayak on the Chittenden Reservoir and it was an absolutely beautiful day," Jones said. "I paddled into a cove, called my mom (who was stuck in an office) and said, 'Guess what I'm getting paid to do today?'"
Her family has been very supportive of her career choice, Jones said.
"They think it's great. They're very, very proud of me, particularly my father. They are big animal lovers. He loves the fact that I'm protecting critters from being taken when they shouldn't be," she said.
And what about that gender thing?
"The other game wardens are great about it," Jones said. "They treat me just like anyone else."
The public, however, sometimes assumes that a game warden simply must be a man, she said.
"They're not very blatant about it," Jones said. "Often there's a lot of confusion. That's very obvious. People call my house and they ask for Morgan. Morgan is a unisex name. And I'll say that this is she. And they so, 'No, I'm looking for the game warden.' That really happens. Just the other day, again someone called."
Jones picked up the phone. The caller said: "Is this the game warden's house? Is the fellow around? Your husband is the game warden, right?'"
Jones smiles while talking about the big assumption.
"The confusion is not a big deal," she said. "It's just amusing."
Contact Dennis Jensen at dennis.jensen@rutlandherald.com
April 6, 2008
By DENNIS JENSEN
She carries a pistol, is on the lookout for bad guys and, by her own definition, gets paid for doing what she loves to do.
While Morgan Jones goes about her job just like another other law enforcement officer, she is certainly unique. Jones is the only female Vermont game warden out of a force of 41 — out patrolling the woods and waters of the Green Mountain State.
The 27-year-old Jones talked about her career during a recent hour-long interview. She said she enjoys her work, particularly because it keeps her in the outdoors.
"I pick up dead things. I lift heavy things. It's amazing," she said with a smile. "I drag dead deer all the time and you have to be physically able to do that."
Despite being physically capable of performing the multiple tasks of a full-time warden, Jones said that, at times, men assume she is in need of assistance because she is a woman.
"I still have people who say, 'Do you want me to carry that for you?" I say, "'No, this is what I do.'"
But Jones is savvy enough not to be offended by such talk. She understands that folks are just trying to be helpful.
After working as a deputy game warden starting in 2003, Jones attained full-time warden status in October 2005.
Like other wardens around the state, Jones has a big chunk of territory to cover. Working out of Rutland, she is responsible for the towns of Rutland, West Rutland, Ira, Proctor, Pittsford, Pittsfield, Mendon, Killington and Chittenden.
Jones said that, while there are many rewarding aspects of her work, it was difficult to pinpoint anything in particular. But she said that "catching the bad guys" is near the top of the list.
"It's very, very exciting to take a case from the beginning to the end," she said.
Giving aid and comfort to people when it's needed, like the time she picked up several lost snowboarders who wondered off a trail at Killington, is another rewarding part of her job.
"We get plenty of opportunities to help people," Jones said. "Game wardens do a lot of search and rescue. Anything that has a positive impact is rewarding."
Moose rescue
While over the past year there have been two sad stories involving people-friendly moose that have been "put down" by game wardens — as is the policy of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department — Jones had a moose encounter with a happy ending.
Last year, Jones was called about "an injured moose laying down in a creek" on the Chittenden Dam Road in Chittenden.
"It was early spring, last year's calf. She was laying there and she wasn't getting out of the creek," Jones said.
So Jones started to shout at the moose and it responded — "a good sign," she said.
Efforts to get the moose up were fruitless, Jones said, and then it dawned on her: The young moose was stuck in deep mud and couldn't move its back legs.
"I was very concerned that she was injured," she said. "Most of the time, when an animal is injured, we put them down."
Realizing it was both too dangerous and impractical to try to physically move the moose, Jones backed her truck up and, using the winch wardens utilize to haul dead moose onto the bed, she pulled the cable out, took a length of rope and tied the rope around the moose's neck.
"She looked very, very scared," Jones said.
Another warden arrived and, after a few tries, they managed to pull the moose free.
"After she stood up, she gave me this look that said, 'I'm having the worst day.' Then she moved herself out to the sunshine and began nibbling on a tree," Jones said. "It looked like she was going to be fine."
Jones grew up in Connecticut, Maine and Virginia. She graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., with a major in biology and a minor in oceanography.
Collecting badly mangled deer off the side of roads is part of the job, but it can sometimes be stomach-churning, Jones said.
"We do plenty of stuff that is gross," she said.
Last fall, it went way beyond gross.
"I picked up so many deer in this one area. Where I was dumping the deer, I had so many that I had to step on deer carcasses that were in the way. When I stopped on one, it squished and a bunch of maggots came out of the deer carcass," she said.
Kayak patrol
Col. Robert Rooks, the director of law enforcement for Fish & Wildlife, described Jones as "a real asset" to the warden force.
"She's doing very well," her top superior said. "She's doing a great job in the Rutland area. We're really happy with her."
Rooks said that Jones set her goal to become a game warden and didn't let go it.
"I have a lot of respect for her because of her determination," he said. "She worked a couple of years to meet the fitness standards."
Rooks said that, because the job has become so desirable, Fish & Wildlife had the luxury of increasing the standards for getting into the warden force.
"We've had as many as 600 people apply for one position," he said. "We've still getting 150 applicants per opening, so that gives you an idea of the kind of competition you're up against if you want to become a game warden."
Jones's degree in biology has helped her enormously in the field, Rooks said.
"She is very knowledgeable," he said. "She brings experience and knowledge in wildlife, which is certainly an asset to being a state game warden."
Jones said the real perks of her job include the flexibility, in terms of the hours she must work, and the fact that she spends so much time outdoors.
"We get to do all sorts of stuff that other people pay to do, recreationally. I get to drive a boat, a snowmobile, have access to an ATV and I have a kayak. I love my kayak," she said.
"I was out patrolling in my kayak on the Chittenden Reservoir and it was an absolutely beautiful day," Jones said. "I paddled into a cove, called my mom (who was stuck in an office) and said, 'Guess what I'm getting paid to do today?'"
Her family has been very supportive of her career choice, Jones said.
"They think it's great. They're very, very proud of me, particularly my father. They are big animal lovers. He loves the fact that I'm protecting critters from being taken when they shouldn't be," she said.
And what about that gender thing?
"The other game wardens are great about it," Jones said. "They treat me just like anyone else."
The public, however, sometimes assumes that a game warden simply must be a man, she said.
"They're not very blatant about it," Jones said. "Often there's a lot of confusion. That's very obvious. People call my house and they ask for Morgan. Morgan is a unisex name. And I'll say that this is she. And they so, 'No, I'm looking for the game warden.' That really happens. Just the other day, again someone called."
Jones picked up the phone. The caller said: "Is this the game warden's house? Is the fellow around? Your husband is the game warden, right?'"
Jones smiles while talking about the big assumption.
"The confusion is not a big deal," she said. "It's just amusing."
Contact Dennis Jensen at dennis.jensen@rutlandherald.com
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