Spring Cleanup
Well, spring is here, and I think we've got the basics covered...
Ok... So the osprey photo isn't perfect, but you get the idea as to what you might just see from a simple kayak in as lowly a place as Paddocks Pond in Harwich MA. Beyond that, it was still a perfect day on the water.
But, what watercraft is going to keep your tail section dry for such photos? Five suggestions...
Using quality materials (marine plywood, epoxy, brass, copper, stainless, etc.) will make the construction of the Teal about a $750 adventure. Add another $250 for outfitting, and you're looking at $1,000. Using the kit provided by CLC for the Mill Creek raises the price up into the $1,200 range. Depending upon your skill level, the Teal will probably take around 40 hrs to complete; the Mill Creek may be double that. Our personal favorite is the Mill Creek 13. It's light, stable, and can hold everything but the kitchen sink in its waterproof compartments.
Ok... Time for some warnings about boating.
CapeCodAlan
- We've explored single-seed and mixed-seed feeds.
- We've also taken a look at suet.
- I was going to delve into feeder types, but the folks at Cornell have taken care of that issue.
- The remote outdoor camera (Novabird) is due any minute. (Once that device arrives, expect this blog to go silent for a few days... Yours truly, and a gadget "excelente" are going on a technological bender!!!)
Ok... So the osprey photo isn't perfect, but you get the idea as to what you might just see from a simple kayak in as lowly a place as Paddocks Pond in Harwich MA. Beyond that, it was still a perfect day on the water.
But, what watercraft is going to keep your tail section dry for such photos? Five suggestions...
- There are bottom-buck inflatable boats out there. Such "things" are abhorred by anyone interested in serious boating, but if the budget is tight, the water is flat calm, the PFD (Personal Flotation Device) is high-quality, and the shore is near, it will probably serve for a few years.
- Occasionally, there are second-hand boats up for sale for $300 or less in the newspaper or on eBay... Tough to ignore. There are bargains to be had.
- Companies like L.L. Bean and EMS offer kayaks (or "yaks") for $500 -
$1,500. Not bad. And some are the only creations you'd want to use when facing white water while others are stable enough for the non-kayaking soul who's trying to
photograph birds.
Then there are the real boats that you build... Two companies (and their respective boats) leap to mind...
- Instant Boats: The Teal.
- Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC): The Mill Creek.
Using quality materials (marine plywood, epoxy, brass, copper, stainless, etc.) will make the construction of the Teal about a $750 adventure. Add another $250 for outfitting, and you're looking at $1,000. Using the kit provided by CLC for the Mill Creek raises the price up into the $1,200 range. Depending upon your skill level, the Teal will probably take around 40 hrs to complete; the Mill Creek may be double that. Our personal favorite is the Mill Creek 13. It's light, stable, and can hold everything but the kitchen sink in its waterproof compartments.
Ok... Time for some warnings about boating.
- Wear a quality, comfortable, life jacket (PFD). Always. (There's a reason why the local harbormaster and natural resource officers live in PFDs... Seriously, take it from someone who's been dragged out of the drink twice with his lungs full of water - drowning is not fun. If you're going near the water, put on your PFD each time and every time!)
- Contact the local officials. They'll be more than happy to clue you in on the local waters.
- Follow the outline of Staying Alive.
- Don't ask a boat to do what it wasn't designed to do. The boats mentioned above are protected-water craft only.
- Listen to the experts... That is to say, post questions on boating forums... Both Instant Boats and CLC have exemplary forums. The cumulative experience for any given post will often break the century mark.
CapeCodAlan