Release Date 8/20/2006

Released bottle in an outgoing tide off of Plum Beach around 11:00 on 8/20/2006.

I was helping with the Swim Support for the CIBBOWS Breezy Point race. There was a 10-15 kt wind and it made the race difficult.

We launched at 06:30 and met the swimmers at Brighton.
It was an overcast day when we started, but by 11:00 when we returned it had cleared up and was warm and sunny.

Some of our party had to get right back to the beach, so we didn't get a chance to play in the surf or eat lunch. In fact we didnt' even get a chance to grab lunch.

Truth: 3 hours is not enough sleep.

Release Date 8/16/2006

Released this bottle on an outgoing tide off of Breezy Point in Brooklyn NY. The little bit of land in the background of the picture is Breezy Point with the tower on the end.

I paddled out to do some freediving along the rocks on the jetty.

There was a 10kt wind so it was a bit choppy for diving.

I stopped my kayak on the West side of the jetty where the sand starts and walked out to the end. It would be much easier to paddle to the East side of jetty and come ashore there.

I swam out to the end. It was very turbid with the waves breaking on the rocks, and there was a very strong current out near the end. I got sucked out there once and did one dive. There were a lot of fish there, blackfish, tautog, stripped bass, and fluke, but the current was way to strong to dive safely, so I had to stay back along the side. I did see a lot of fluke, like 3 or 4, on every 1 minute dive. I should probably go back and try spearfishing. I crossed over to the West side of the jetty, and the water was much clearer. I got there just as the tide was changing, and the visibility got worse almost immediately as the ebb started to bring the dirty water from the bay out.

I released the bottle on the way back in a pretty good ebb, so it should have gone out to sea.

Truth: It usually feels good to overcome your fears.

Release Date 8/12/2006

Released this message around 22:30 in the East River on a fairly strong flood tide. I was tagging along with some paddlers who were doing a Manhattan Circumnavigation on my way back to Red Hook from the Hudson.

I left them right before South Street and paddled across the River and up the Buttermilk channel against a strong current.

It was a nice night for a night paddle. The moon had been full only 3 days before. In the picture of the bottle the Moon is one of the little dots up and to the right.

It was a busy day of Kayaking. I paddled up from Red Hook early in morning, then did the Harrison St. Regatta at the Boathouse and came home that night.

Truth: Everybody forgets things sometimes.

Release Date 8/6/2006

Released bottle in the Hudson River off of Jersey City around 16:30.

I was doing a kayak tour for the New York Kayak Company.

We went south from pier 40 to the Statue of Liberty, then stopped at Liberty State Park for an ice cream. We released the bottle on our way back, before crossing back to Manhattan.

It was a great day to be paddling, not too hot, a refereshing breeze and some interesting, but not too intense conditions.

Truth:
There are lots of things to do late at night in New York City.

Release Date 8/3/2006

Released this message in the East River at about 18:00 on the start of an ebbing tide. That's the UN in the background of the picture.

I had paddled up to Randall's Island to talk to some people there about building a boathouse, or running a kayaking program.

They want to run a kids program, to mesh in with the other kids stuff they do in the summer.

We gave them some advice, and agreed to future meetings. They have one really nice spot, a natural cove, and it looks they will have a beach for launching.

Truth: Procrastination, can kill your productivity.

Release Date 8/1//2006

I released this message on 8/1/2006 around 15:00 at the Atlantic Beach Bridge between Atlantic Beach (Long Beach) and Rockaway. The bridge in the background links the two areas.

I was freediving off the beach at 6th St., and let it go in a strong ebb current.

This was my second time diving here. I got in the water a little late, and the current was already running out. This reduced the viz, and made it hard to hold my position.

The way that dives are supposed to be done here is to come and hour or two before high water, ride the flood down to the Bridge, then ride the ebb back. The boat traffic kind of freaks me out, so I'm not so sure about swimming down there, maybe next time.

I probably only went to 30 ft or so. Felt good to be diving again, and my sinuses were finally cleared-up. No blood, and no problems equalizing.

I kept all the dives around 1 minute, and started comming up as soon as the contractions started. Saw a lot of little fish, nothing worth shooting. In low viz like that its going to be difficult to use my large open water gun. I didn't bring it, since I'm trying to get comfortable with diving there first.

Truth:

Everybody wants to be cool.