Kayaking, like anything worthwhile, requires the use of skill, savvy, and sound judgement. To that end, here are some resources to help you develop all of those essentials.
MIKCO Blog - Tom and Joe's sea-level view of things.
From knowing what to bring, to knowing your ability, to knowing how to leave only a wake these documents can help you get your bearings before you go and insure you make the most of your adventure.
The Most Important Stroke In Sea Kayaking "The Forward Stroke." by Nigel Dennis (PDF)
Personal Clothing Checklist for Day and Half Day Trips (PDF)
Personal Equipment Checklist for Multi day Trips and all Courses (PDF)
Before You Go
Paddlers Simple Self Test
Casco Bay phone list (PDF) - a good companion for your waterborne cell phone.
Leave No Trace - Maine guidelines, from MITA
Course Outlines
A reference point for developing your seamanship and small boat skills. These our the outlines and "class notes" pertaining to some our course content.
Ocean School Library
A tremendous developing resource. Comprising decades of maritime scholarship and real world experience. Information on SAR, flora and fauna, oceanic issues and our impact on our environment. Initially part of the Ocean School curriculum, we're offering this resource for free for now. A work in progress, we'll be adding to this as time goes on.
A selection of kayak and maritime adventures. Have one of your own to share? Let us know.
Aleutian Islands, Stan Chladek and Brian Day
Man in Extreme Conditions, Antartica, Tom Bergh, Nigel Dennis and Stan Chladek
Easter Island; Stan Chladek and Nigel Dennis
Aunt Cathy Goes Downeast. A 2003 journey with Tom Bergh
Shumagin Islands 2004
Anglessey Trip Report 2006 by Andrea Hecht
5 Star Training at MIKCo - Unto the breach!
Confessions of a cold water paddler - Baja!
Native Poems - a souce of inspiration
Sweetgrass Memories, by Patricia Pierce Erikson
The Impact of Color on Boat Performance
Kayak Crosses Atlantic Without a Paddler, yep, it was an NDK. (PDF) From Adventure Kayak Magazine
Charts and Maps an instructional guide from MIKCo's course materials.
Don't be caught at sea without your chart! The following PDF files are offered for your at-home research, but always use a full & complete
NOAA or similar chart with a compass rose and distance indicators when on the water...
These web links are supplied as a public service. If you find any incorrect or dead links, If you know of any additional web links we'd like to know about, please drop us a line at info@maineislandkayak.com
US Government
NASA - Global Climate Change, Eye on the Sky. http://climate.nasa.gov/
National Climatic Data Center. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html
National Snow and Ice Data Center. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html
National Science Foundation, Climate Change. http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/climate
NOAA Climate Service http://www.noaa.gov/climate.html
NOAA Paleoclimatology. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/paleo.html
EPA's Climate Change Page. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange
Global Change Research Page. http://www.globalchange.gov
Goddard Institute for Space Studies. http://www.giss.nasa.gov/
USDA Climate Change Resource Center. http://www.fs.fed.us/ccrc
USDA Forest Service Resource Center. http://www.fs.fed.us/ccrc/resources_pdfs.shtml#roadmap
DOE Office of Policy, Climate Change. http://energy.gov/node/1939/climate-change
International
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. http://www.ipcc.ch
UN Framework Committee on Climate Change. http://unfccc.int/2860.php
UN Environment Program. http://www.unep.org
MET Office Climate Change. http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate-change
UK Dept of Energy and Climate Change. http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/what_we_do.aspx
Academic Non-Governmental
AAAS Global Climate Change Resources. http://www.aaas.org/news/press_room/climate_change
AGU Position Statement, Human Impacts on Climate. http://www.agu.org/sci_pol/positions/climate_change2008.shtml
American Meteorological Society. http://www.ametsoc.org/atmospolicy/climatebriefing
Columbia Univ Earth Institute, Climate and Society. http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2124
Scripps Institution of Oceanography. http://scripps.ucsd.edu
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Ocean and Climate Change. http://www.whoi.edu/occi/
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institue. Coastal Ocean Institute. http://www.whoi.edu/coi/
Inside Climate Change News - http://insideclimatenews.org
The Underwater Times - news aggregator of marine interest
Global Warming Reader http://www.orbooks.com/catalog/gwr
Portland Buoy - Station 44007
National Weather Service Office - Portland/Gray, Maine
Tide Charts for Southern Maine
National Weather Service, Maine forecast discussion (text)
Magic Seaweed- Higgens Beach surfers resource http://magicseaweed.com/Higgins-Beach-Surf-Photos/362/
Report from top of Mt Washington
US Surface Chart - color
GOMOOS Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System
NOAA Weather Prediction Center
NOAA Geostationary Satellite Server
Ocean Weather Inc - maps
Mid-Atlantic Weather Station - Hurricanes and Tropics
North Atlantic Sea Height Wave Model
Anglesy North Wales weather, St Davids Head. http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/marine/inshore_forecast.html#StDavidsHeadtoGreatOrmeHeadincludingStGeorgesChannel
Japan Tsunami Pictures and Videos:
Before and After Photos: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/mar/14/japan-earthquake-before-and-after?intcmp=239
Flowing through housing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12735023
Front edge of Tsunami: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12725646
Flowing far inland: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12709850
Wave ht from ground over houses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh4jIvDF8qw
Maine Shellfish Sanitation Hotline - red tide and other closures http://www.maine.gov/dmr/index.htm
Maine Department of Marine Resources http://www.maine.gov/dmr/index.htm
Department of Marine Resources species information
Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environmenthttp://www.gulfofmaine.org/
GMRI, Gulf of Maine Research Institute http://www.gmri.org/
Gulf of Maine Area, Census of Marine Life http://www.gulfofmaine-census.org/about-the-gulf/oceanography/
Maine School of Marine Sciences http://www.umaine.edu/marine/index.php
Maine Maritime Museum, Bath,ME: http://www.bathmaine.com
'Admiral' Perry's Eagle Island in Casco Bay: http://www.mountwashington.org
Lobster boat tours in Portland harbor (good operation): http://www.luckycatch.com
Portland Schooner Co. Real Alden designed wooden schooners operating out of Portland, w good crews: http://www.portlandschooner.com
Casco Bay Lines cruises. Its worth a short walk around Cliff Island, if you want the 1950s tranquil experience. http://www.cascobaylines.com/cruises/scenic_cruises.htm
Rafting at the Forks w this group recommended (Kennebec Gorge trip): http://www.northernoutdoors.com/site/resort/the-forks-resort-center.html
Fishing Charter services: http://www.sportsmansresource.com/fchartersxmaine.htm
Mt Washington Observatory: http://www.mountwashington.org
Portsmouth NH Naval shipyard: http://www.portsnavalmuseums.com
Paddling Planet - an international aggregator of sea kayaking blogs
QAJAQUSA.org all Greenland all the time. The original and truest GP site.
Radar, Reflectors and Sea Kayaks, A Visibility Study - (PDF) at the MASKGI site
Sea Kayak Float Plan - at MASKGI
BCU North Americahttp://www.bcuna.com/
Osher Map Library, USM. http://www.usm.maine.edu/maps/
Why is Carbon Fiber so Expensive: http://gizmodo.com/5843276/why-is-carbon-fiber-so-expensive
The Hurricane Riders of the Pacific NW (these boys have good fun). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhnLHwj_QFQ&feature=related
Romany Productions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0dOM0tLKck
SurfRider Foundationhttp://surfrider.org/
NDK Dealers and Expedition Centers around the Globe
San Juans, Body Boat Blade w/ Shawna and Leon Somme
North Carolina, Barrier Island Kayaks w/ Lamar Hudgens
Hudson River Valley, Atlantic Kayak Tours w/ Bill and Janice Lozano
Nova Scotia, Coastal Adventures
Florida, Sweetwater Kayaks w/ Russell Farrow
San Diego, Aqua Adventures w/ Jen Kleck
Kayak Waveology with Greg Paquin & Paula Riegel http://www.kayakwaveology.com/
Alaska Kayak School with Tom Pogson http://www.alaskakayakschool.com/
Cornwall, UK. Sea Kayaking Cornwall w Jeff and Simon. http://www.seakayakingcornwall.com
Isle of Mann. Adventurous Experiences w Keiron. http://www.adventurousexperiences.com/
Ireland. Deep Blue Sea w Des. http://www.deepblueseakayaking.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72&Itemid=79
Finland. Sea Kayaking Finland http://www.seakayakingfinland.com
Neatherlands. Sea Kayaking w Mico and Axel. http://www.seakayak.nl
Norway. God Tur Norge, NDK Kayaks http://www.god-tur.no
Israel. Sea Kayaking w Terra Santa. http://www.seakayak.co.il/terra-santa-kayak-expeditions
Lendal Paddles http://www.lendal.com
Kokatat Gear Simply the Best. http://www.kokatat.com/
NDK Kayaks Proven worldwide. http://www.seakayakinguk.com
Snapdragon Designs Custom built skirts. http://snapdragondesign.com/
Northwater Paddle Sport Gear. Safety gear. http://www.northwater.com
Northwest River Supply good products, great service. http://www.nrsweb.com/
