|
|
Outdoor Nova Scotia: "The Best Way to be Informed."
Would you like to comment about this or any other news article on Outdoor Nova Scotia? Sound off - at Speaker's Corner, Outdoor Nova Scotia's outdoor discussion forum.
|
Kayakers
Complete 1000-Mile Gulf Trip! by
Shelly Hipson September 28th, 2002 Clark's Harbour, N.S. - The 1000-mile Gulf of Maine Expedition has been completed. The team of five kayakers have extensively explored the region for the past five months to raise awareness of the ecology of the Gulf of Maine, promote low impact recreational practices and kayak safety.
Natalie Springuel at the base of basalt cliffs, just south of Halls Harbour, Nova Scotia. "Sea kayaking is a growing sport. Anyone can go out and buy a kayak," said MacDonald. He expressed concern about boating fatalities due to not wearing a life jacket properly. MacDonald referred to an incident involving Hutchins and Earle where their tandem sea kayak capsized while trying to land on shore. "Their life jackets came off because they weren’t zipped. Life jackets only work when they are done up." He added. En-route, the participants visited several coastal communities to spread their message and share stories of the trip. They stressed that the Gulf is the breeding sites for endangered seabirds and marine mammals. It has a globally significant plankton population, which sustains an ecologically complex and diverse food chain. "Some issues were driven home." Writes Springuel on the Gulf of Maine website, "The Gulf of Maine is wholly intertwined with the humans who inhabit it. The erosion, development, sewage runoff, litter, tourism, recreational impact, resource extraction, fishing, and commerce all play an important role in the evolution of this region."
Solo kayaks at Gooseflats, a day's paddle south of Mavillette Beach, Nova Scotia. In New Brunswick floating wood chips that had been milled in Nova Scotia were found. In Nova Scotia herring, destined for processing in New Brunswick, were hauled up. In Massachusetts salt-water access to the shore for hand-powered boaters was virtually non-existent and in Maine, over-use and access is a complicated management problem. The region's issues are absolutely intertwined. The 1000-mile journey ended on Cape Sable Island, Shelburne County, Nova Scotia with a ceremony at Clark’s Harbour’s waterfront. Mayor Leigh Stoddart swore in the group as "Cape Islanders" where they were topped with a sou’wester and given a mug for "mug-ups." "The people have been incredible hosts," said Springuel. A great slide show and dinner concluded the final day of their five-month mission. For details about the Gulf of Maine Expedition check out their website at www.gomexpedition.org.
Designed &
maintained by Outdoor Nova Scotia, Liverpool, N.S. BOT 1KO |
Rich
MacDonald and Sue Hutchins of Maine, Dan Earle and Natalie Springuel of
Chebogue, Nova Scotia left Cape Cod, Massachusetts on May 4, 2002. Tom
Teller who helped organize logistics and trip details later joined the
expedition.
She
was struck by the smallness of the Gulf, not in mileage but in politics,
history, economics and nature. What is happening at one end of the Gulf
does indeed have an affect on what happens across the Bay.
