A Shell Mound Paddle

Hog Island seen from the Shell Mound boat launch.

Last Friday Peg and I paddled with Mark, following the route he has laid out for a Shell Mound Paddle. The weather seemed iffy, with perhaps 10-12 knot winds at the relatively sheltered launch ramp. We decided to give it a try nevertheless, resolving to turn around if we ran into waters too rough for the newbies to handle. All went well, although the wind did pick up when we got to the unprotected west side of Hog Island. It was easy to see why the island is eroding on its western flank as it takes the full force of the waves. We could plainly see the exposed face of layers of shells on this prehistoric burial ground. We will have to come back again to photograph this side of the island because we were too busy negotiating the 2-foot plus waves to get out our cameras. 

After a rough passage, the lee side of Hog Island seemed serene

Once we had rounded the southern tip of the island we were in calm waters again and were able to paddle close to the island and take notes on vegetation. All and all we had a productive outing laced with just the right amount of adventure.