Although my calendar says the full moon is Friday night, Scarborough Marsh Nature Center offers Full Moon Canoe Tours tonight and Thursday night.

Not to rain on the parade but Mother Nature may beat me to it. There is a chance of thunderstorms tonight.

Otherwise, it is a great idea. I've paddled the marsh during a full moon evening. We started at the nature center and turned around at a bridge, The tide came in as we paddled, which changed the view quite a bit. It was like two different trips in one evening.

But to answer Shannon's question "Isn't that dangerous?"

If there are no thunderstorms in the forecast - not so much. Really. I've done quite a bit of evening paddling. Yes, there are risks which can be mitigated.

The obvious one is darkness. But you would be surprised how much you can see at night - especially with a full moon. (BTW, even if it doesn't storm, there most likely will be clouds dimming the light.) But lights are essential. Not to help you see, but to allow other boats to see you - especially power boats. I like headlamps. They raise the light a bit off the water and I can turn my head to the sound of approaching boats. That gives them a clue something is in the water ahead of them.

But my headlamps aren't waterproof. So a waterproof flashlight is an essential backup. A marine strobe light is helpful only if you need help. Only then.

Then there are the tides. A full moon exaggerates the tides. More water than usual moves during those nights. In some areas, it can produce stronger-than-expected currents.

High tide tonight is about 11 p.m. That means mid-tide runs about 7 to 9 p.m. The tide is strongest in those two hours - which could present problems in some areas.

I'm not going to say night paddling is safe. But you can be safer doing it by planning your route carefully and bringing the proper gear.

I wouldn't be venturing out the next couple nights. There are thunderstorms and two- to four-foot seas in the forecasts. It's a bit too risky. But the next full moon is scheduled for June 30. The ocean water will be a bit warmer. Cross your fingers for calm weather.

I'm doing some experimenting with Google Calendars and found I can put tides into a personal calendar. I made it public so you can check it out. Unfortunately you need a Google account to view it. But it is free.

In addition to the times for high and low tides, it has sunrise/sunset times and phases of the moon. All good info for planning a kayak trip.

I also added some weather forecast icons.

I find viewing a month at a time is less confusing than the weekly view. The Agenda view works well for me too.

What do you think? Does the presentation work for you? What other info could help? I'm going to keep working with it and figuring it out. I will keep you posted.

I should have written this yesterday I know. But I was reminded of it yesterday when I ran into a friend at EMS. We talked shortly about kayak safety. Like a lot of paddlers, this month's accident off Wood Island has us auditing our safety gear and procedures.

It jogged my memory about an incident almost a year ago near Plum Island, Mass. Two experienced kayakers headed out in choppy seas and found themselves out of their kayakers. One kayaker lost his boat. Both lost their paddles. Neither one was able to get into the one kayak they had. While they clung to the kayak, their radioed for help. It took the U.S. Coast Guard several hours and a helicopter to rescue them.

Both kayakers survived relatively unharmed. One of them posted a trip report on the North Shore Paddlers Network site. It's an incredibly frank accounting of what went wrong and what went right. There are quite a few comment - most questions about their equipment. And they answered the questions.

Here are the highlights:

• Both kayakers thought they had handled rougher seas before that day. They had confidence in their abilities.
• Both knew how to roll their kayaks but had to exit their boats anyway.
• They wore dry suits, fleece, gloves and a hat. After several hours in the water, their body temperatures dropped a few degrees but they were not hypothermic
• The kayaker who lost his boat had his VHF radio attached to his PFD. The second kayaker had a radio in his kayak day hatch. When the batteries died in the first radio, they used the second to keep in contact with the Coast Guard.
• When rescue ships were in the area, they used flares to help the Coast Guard hone in on their location.
• If it was not attached to the boat or the PFD, they lost it. Things that were simply held by deck lines got washed away.

It's an incredibly long piece but worth every minute spent reading it. It's scary because two very good paddlers needed rescue. It's good news because they made very good decisions that saved their lives. It means that planning can mitigate risks and save your life.

My Saturday didn't get off to the start I envisioned but I managed to paddle up the Nezinscott River in Turner on Sunday.

Elaine and I started near the Androscoggin. The Nezinscott ws very flat and slow and this point. It was a lot like paddling a long, thin lake. Going upstream was very easy and leisurely.

You wouldn't believe how quiet and unspoiled it is. Actually you would. Turner isn't very well developed.

We a few miles to a set of rapids and turned back. I stuck my bow as far up as I though prudent (Elaine had a different idea of prudent than I did by the way).

We were having a lovely time. I worked on some leans and turns. I didn't push it too much. I had been warned about getting my stitches soaked.

At one point, we floated along a farm field. We heard a tractor roar up and could see it through a thin tree line. Its course paralleled us.

That's when it started to rain. No, more like hail. Big, dirty, stinky chunks.

Homeowners do yard work during the Memorial Day weekend. Farmers do field work. Specifically, manure spreading.

We were just out of reach of the falling chunks. Elaine went wide to be safe. I went wide and forward. I had this bright idea I could race the tractor. Not to brag, I kept just a bit ahead. Really. But I knew this would be a race of stamina. Thus I gave up and conceded to the tractor.

I should have kept going. I was out of reach of the chunks but not the smell.

I understand. It's farm country. And I'm not complaining. I smelled worse at low tide on a hot day.

It gives me a good story to tell on a Monday. How may other paddlers can say they had to dodge hail storms of manure?

Mine's on top of the car. I should have played hooky today to hit the water. After all, the more time I spend on the water, the more I have to write.

Almost a couple weeks ago, Carey Kish blogged about Peary Mountain in Brownfield and Jockey Cap in Fryeburg. On top of Jockey Cap is a memorial to Adm. Robert E. Peary, polar explorer.

If you're in the mood check out one of Peary's haunts by kayak, I have the trip for you. He had a summer home a few miles off Harpswell - Eagle Island.

Well not really. If it's Monday, that means the weekend is really over. Despite taking Friday off, it was too short.

I spent mine in Acadia. No, didn't take the kayaks. The water still was too cold for me. And the weather wasn't good for small boats. I heard a marine forecast Saturday that called for nine- to 13-foot seas. No thank you. I stuck to hiking.

Brandon Andrusic has written about the night he and Tim Gutmann headed out from Biddeford Pool. It's an incredibly moving story that is a must read.

Guides have some basic tips that will help. Float plans and signaling devices would help speed up rescue efforts.

Timothy Gutmann died Tuesday evening after his kayak capsized near Biddeford Pool. He was paddling with Brandon Andrusic.

UDPDATE: We have more details about the missing kayaker. The bad news is that they found his kayak on shore. He's out there with a life jacket and wet suit.

A good question came up last week. What's the difference between a rudder and a skeg?

Well the rudder is bad and a skeg not so bad.

There's a story about safety classes from the Maine Sunday Telegram. I'm a big advocate of learning how to do rescues - especially self rescues.

To me, it's like putting on a seat belt when you drive. You really never know when an accident will happen. If you find yourself upside down in your kayak, you need to know what to do.

It's easy to learn. As proof, my friend Griffin will demonstrate a kayak self rescue:

Thank you Griffin. That was very well done.

Someone asked about buying a boat:

"Looking for your suggestion. Only kayaked a handful of times and really enjoyed ocean kayaking. What would you suggest as a beginners purchase, not looking to break the bank?"

I'm not going to suggest any boat. This is something you need to find on your own. The big reason is fit. To be frank, I don't know how much seat you need. A boat that is too tight is just too uncomfortable. A boat that is too loose may be comfortable. But it doesn't give you much control if your butt slides around in it.

So Goldilocks, you need to find one just right. Actually, it might be hard to find. So you need to sit in the kayak and see how it feels. Will it be comfortable for a couple hours of sitting? Can you make it lean? You need to figure out what you can live with.

Also, you need to test its stability in the water. Can you get comfortable with how it rocks? If it feels tippy, it may not be a bad thing. What you are feeling is it's primary stability. Some kayaks feel like they will tip easily. But once they start leaning, they are hard to turn over. That's the secondary stability. I will come back to this in a later entry.

Like I said, those are the things you find out for yourself.

But there is a factor that I strongly believe in: length.

The longer the kayak, the easier it is to keep it straight - aka tracking. Short boats veer easily to the right or left. A lot of energy is spent keeping them in a straight line.

I know people who do well in 16-foot boats. But I think you should get 17-foot. That extra foot can make a lot of difference in its tracking. I wish I could get a 18-foot boat. In the long term, a longer kayak is a better buy.

Then there is the issue of skeg vs. rudder. Give me some time and I will work on that later today. In the meantime, I'm biased against rudders.

Then there is the money issue. I say buy the lightest kayak you can afford. Think about getting it on top of your car. But the cheapest kayaks are plastic - which are heavy. But some fiberglass kayaks aren't that light. So how much can you lift to the top of a car?

There is much more to cover. But I will do that later in installments. For now, you need to buy the boat you are going to keep using. A good beginner boat would be one that feels good now and lets you do the kind of paddling your friends will be doing.

I should have played hooky today. But the weather will be good enough this weekend for me to head out in my kayak.

I'm not going to brave the ocean. I have a new boat so I want to get a feel for it in flatwater. Plus the ocean is a bit too cold.

Sure, lake water won't be like bath water either. But I have enough neoprene to deal with it. Hopefully it will be enough. I plan to practice some self rescues. That means getting wet.

Brrrrrrr.

How about you? Planning any paddling this weekend?

Yesterday's comments reminded me a of a story. This is a good one. It demonstrates how great I am at trip planning.

A few summers ago, I planned a paddle for the waters east of Harpswell. I found a place to launch on the east side of Potts Harbor at the end of the peninsula. It seemed perfect. It was accessible in all tides. And there were no fees. About six other paddlers agreed to meet me early Sunday morning there.

As we drove down Route 123, we noticed a lot of cars parked along the road. Then we discovered that lobster boat races were scheduled in the harbor.

Great planning. Fortunately, we weren't going to be spending a lot of time in the harbor. The plan was to head east quickly.

We quickly unloaded our boats and parked the cars before the available "spaces" disappeared. While we were unloading. Dave overheard someone watching us say, "Hey, they brought the speed bumps."

Those lobstermen have a wicked sense of humor.

I'm between boats. For the past four summers I have been paddling a 17-foot Boreal Design Inukshuk. It's a barge. But I can handle it well, and it holds a lot of gear for camping.

During the winter, I came across a great deal on a 17-foot, 1-inch Necky Chatham. It's narrower than the Inukshuk. And it has a skeg (Inukshuk has a rudder).

My paddle is a Bending Branches Sandpiper Evening paddle. It's a wood paddle with a very thin blade. Althought it's not the lightest paddle on the market, the buoyancy of the wood makes up for the few extra ounces. It's a joy to use.

I haven't tried the Chatham yet. But looking at the specs, I should like the fit and the speed. Both qualities should be an improvement over the Inukshuk. And I'm tired of the rudder. It's dangerous in the surf zone. And it catches the wind. There's way too much drag when I do use it. I can go on but that's a whole other entry on why rudders are such a drag.

You read right. I haven't tried the Chatham yet. Yes, I broke one of my cardinal rules.

Never buy a boat you haven't paddled. Kayak fit and feel is very personal. You should make sure you are comfortable sitting in it and maneuvering it. A great boat for one paddler might not be so great for another.

Why break a rule I adamantly preach? It is such a good deal that if I don't like it, I can sell it and get my money back. Then I have my trusty Inukshuk. But if I like the Chatham, look in a classifieds section near you for a lovingly used kayak.