AMC Paddle - Swampscott River (Tidal)

I am getting a late start on paddling this season.  Possibly because hasn't been obscenely hot this spring.  Possibly because we've been super busy almost every weekend.  Whatever the reason, it's finally time to get the kayaks out and get paddling.

Today's trip is a tidal out-and-back trip on the Swampscott River.  I have never been here, so I thought it would be a fun trip.  

We start at put on NH 108 in Stratham NH.  We want to put in at 11am because high tide is at about 12:30.  That way, we will be able to ride the tide upstream all the way to Exeter.

Lots of space at the put-in, so we're not on top of one another.

We're on a wide river, so the Cap Horn will do today.  The grade to the river is gradual and easy.

The original leader had to beg off today, but there are still 7 of us: 
Tom, Lynn, Max, Michelle, Kevin, Nick, and me.

It is a full five miles up the river with very little civilization and no places for take-out along the way.

We are going by a lot of marshland.

Exeter is home to Philips Academy, a prestigious (and exclusive) college prep boarding/day school. 
The sixth oldest boarding school in the country, boarding tuition is around $71,000.   They have about 1,100 students in grades 9-12, but their acceptance rate is only about 1 in 5.
The boat "dock" (above) is new and impressive....

... as is the boat house itself.

Coming into town, there is an easy-to-find public boat ramp.

The town of Exeter is so cute.  There are book stores, coffee shops, a toy store, ice cream shop,
 and even a music store with instruments and records.

I think this is worth of a return visit.

Quintessential New England. 

Along the river, there's a winding walkway.  Perfect for taking our lunch break.  
After the tide turns (going out), we get back into the boats and head down river. 
Again, the tide will help carry us back the 5 miles.

Arriving back where we started, we have to avoid getting swept past by the tide, while we wait for other boaters to get their craft out and clear the boat ramp.

As expected, our total distance was 10.03 miles over 4h30m.  However, our moving time was only 3h.

A great way to start the season.

Orienteering Season Begins

 It's true, ski season is not quite over (thankfully).  But it is late March, so the end is coming soon.  It's a weekend and we have the grandkids, so it's an opportunity for my grandson and me to get out into the woods and sharpen our orienteering skills

The season begins with a BYOM (bring your own map) event where members can download maps for the various courses then hit the trail at their convenience.  

My teenage grandson and I head out to the Acton to do the Orange course.  It says it 3.5km, but that's only if you travel in straight lines, which we don't because that's not the way the trails run.  

We park at roadside church and head off to find the start.  This course is on both sides of the road.  I look like we'll do 4 controls on the west and then head across the road (and the lake) to capture the other 6 controls and finish.

It's a late winter day with temps only in the 40's so we really doing winter hiking.

Just before we cross the bridge to the other side of the lake.

Just after the finish!  Yay!

The lake is actually pretty marshy, but very pretty in late winter with no bugs!

We cover the course in a little over an hour and a half.  The runny thing was that my friend John did the course a couple days later and finished ahead of us by a little over a minute.  He told me that he did self timing, so with the QR code timing we did, we probably actually beat him.