PREPARATIONS AND SAFETY
FOR SEA KAYAKING THE MAINE COAST

PREPARATIONS for a kayak expedition along the Maine coast should be considered carefully before you go. Above all, you should be prepared for unexpected emergencies and contingencies. Safety issues relating to your boat and gear are discussed here. See Emergencies for how to handle emergency situations in Maine, or Emergency Numbers for contact information.
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At a minimum, you should have a well-found sea kayak designed for the types of conditions found in Maine, a paddling ability that matches or exceeds the conditions you expect to encounter or the worst-case conditions you may encounter, adequate navigation charts and instruments and the ability to use them well, appropriate clothes and protection, and food and water for your trip.
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Boat. Your sea kayak should be designed for the use you will put it to on the Maine coast. Sit-on-top kayaks, for instance, are well suited to daytrips off your favorite beach, but they are poorly suited to an extensive offshore trip. Your boat should be well maintained and well equipped. Ideally it should contain some type of positive flotation and be able to be bailed or pumped dry rapidly. It should have more than one means of propulsion, such as extra paddles. It should have all the required safety gear such as lights, flares, a horn, anchors, and lifejackets. We recommend flares, even when they are not required, on small boats such as kayaks since such low-lying vessels are very difficult to see from any distance at all, even in perfect visibility.
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If possible, a radar reflector should be mounted to your boat, as high as possible. This inexpensive, lightweight device produces a bright blip on radar screens of nearby boats, and the margin of safety it provides is well worth the slight additional windage it creates. If your boat has no mast, we suggest mounting a pole or antenna or similar device to support the reflector aloft. If you have the opportunity, ask someone with radar if they pick your boat up on their screen.
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Spare parts for your boat, depending on type, might include patch kits, a small tool kit, shear pins, parts for rudder assemblies, etc.
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Safety supplies. In addition to the safety equipment associated with your boat and basic navigational supplies, you should carry certain basic safety supplies.
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Bring along raingear and a change of dry clothing in a watertight bag. Maine’s water is cold, only reaching a temperature of 60-62°F in the height of summer, and wet clothing is a leading cause of hypothermia. If you are in a particularly wet boat such as a kayak, you should consider wearing or bringing a wetsuit or a drysuit.
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Matches or a lighter should be included in the drybag, as well a knife and a signaling mirror, insect repellent, sunscreen, and a small first-aid kit. At a minimum the first-aid kit should include bandages, antibiotic ointment, an Ace bandage, and an anti-itch lotion such as Calamine or Benadryl. Boaters planning extensive voyages should be familiar with wilderness medicine and carry a good medical reference.
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Food and drink should be stowed aboard in quantities relative to the length of your planned trip, with extra for contingencies. Water should be brought with you. Remember, alcohol and small-boat handling do not mix.
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Hand-held VHF marine radios have become quite inexpensive relative to the degree of safety they can provide. They enable a small boat in distress to contact other boats on channel 09 or the Coast Guard on channel 16. They also receive NOAA’s continual marine weather forecasts broadcast on channels 01, 02, and 03, which in addition to weather reports include updates about fire dangers (see “Fires,” p. 12). If you do not plan to carry a VHF radio, a small, lightweight weather radio available from boating or electronics stores will enable you to receive the same NOAA forecasts. While cellular phone systems also cover coastal Maine with a fair degree of reliability, they are not helpful in contacting other boats in emergencies, since you won’t know what number to dial.
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And even though the air may be cool in Maine, do not underestimate the power of the sun, particularly when it is reflected off the water. Bring dark sunglasses and hats with visors, and use strong sunscreen.
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Companions. Few experiences in life are as awe-inspiring as being alone on a big ocean in a small boat. Yet there is safety in numbers. Companions—in your boat or in their own—can exponentially increase your chances of survival or rescue in emergency situations. It can be fun to have friends around, too.
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On this fragile coast, however, you can have too much of a good thing. Large groups can’t help but have an adverse impact when they land, explore, and camp. The Maine Island Trail Association recommends limiting your group size to four or fewer.
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Float plan. A float plan is nothing more than letting someone responsible know where you will be, what you will be doing, and when you expect to be back. It serves the obvious purpose of alerting rescuers in the event that you do not come back, and it gives them a starting point for their search.
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The float plan does not need to be more elaborate than a note on the kitchen table to your family describing your short outing and when you plan to return, or it can be as detailed as a day-by-day itinerary. It should, however, be as specific as possible and be written down. Its recipient should read it and know who to call in the event that you do not return as planned.
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Anticipation and humility. Nothing will steer you clear of danger more consistently than careful observation and anticipation, the hallmark of great leaders and explorers. Try to anticipate situations before they develop into dangers—the shift of the wind, the sky becoming more overcast, the tiring of your companion, the slightly different pitch of the outboard. Consider “what-if” scenarios to force yourself to plan how you would respond to various crises.
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Next to anticipation, being humble is your most vital survival tool. Some risk is inherent in voyaging by small boat, but don’t be foolish. If you feel a pit in your stomach, a lump in your throat, or the pang of fear, take heed. This is your early-warning system sensing danger. The action you should take is the action that will alleviate those feelings. Under the vast sky, floating tentatively on the looming ocean, following an age-old coastline, we are small and insignificant. Our wills, our pride, our plans, our hopes, and our dreams, which loom so large in our everyday lives, are reduced by this grand perspective to almost nothing. And this, perhaps, is the very reason we are here in a small boat on a big ocean.

Camping. If your trip involves camping, click here for camping concerns and preparations.




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