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Floating on air on the water on Jamaica Pond
By adamg on Wed, 11/10/2021 - 7:13pm
Around 4:45 p.m., a woman who had been pumping up her inflatable surfboard and inflatable sail along the Jamaicaway side of Jamaica Pond put on a wetsuit, then put the board in the water, got on and paddled out aways before standing up and then scudding from one side of the pond to the other, using the handheld sail to direct the board where to go.
To answer your question, no, you're not supposed to go into the water at Jamaica Pond at all, let alone windsurf at twilight over depths that reach 50 feet.
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Comments
Good for her!
How many times have I wished to do something similar but less exciting. Like put my little blue kayak in and paddle around.
And why not?
People do the same thing in much more dangerous waters at Castle Island. Why should this be against the rules?
(I'll wear a mask all day, but don't tell me that a pond in Boston is "off limits".)
Some people are more special
Some people are more special than others.
Why are you such a busybody?
You should be hanging out on your local Patch complaining about crossing guards or something.
Oh good
Out of town poster on out of town poster conflict.
Leave yourself alone
Leave yourself alone.
I'd be very wary of the water
I'd be very wary of the water quality in the pond.
Boating on Jamaica Pond
There is a boathouse on Jamaica Pond where you can rent sailboats, rowboats, and kayaks, but you aren't allowed to put out your own private boat. This is also true of Spot Pond in the Middlesex Fells reservation, which I know, because every time I see it, I want to explore it in my kayak. I think this is intended to prevent overcrowding, though it also serves to provide a monopoly for the licensed operators.
The rentals are seasonal, and the season is over, but I don't think that changes the rules.
Boating on JP (isn’t fun)
Went out on a windy day this summer, wind comes down off the hills and swirls around the pond making for tough sailing. And the pond is so small that you’re tacking every two minutes. And the boats are all jib + mainsail so you need two capable sailors (or at least one more capable than me), vs a laser or sunfish. Anyways, I need to try out the Charles or the Harbor because never again on JP.
Possibly because of infestation
This may be because of concerns of infestation with invasive species.
Good point
I hadn’t thought of that.
Good point
I hadn’t thought of that.
Ah, all well and good until
Ah, all well and good until she drowns. Not to mention the lawsuit.
So....
...nobody should ever windsurf/kitesail anywhere. Ever.
Have I got that right?
She's wearing a PFD
She's competent. She was probably closer to death driving there.
Driving
On the J Way? Hell yeah.
Where does this water paranoia come from?
I'm guessing the original anon poster cannot swim. The idea that being out in the water is the equivalent of walking a tightrope between the twin towers (one slip and it's curtains!) drives me crazy. This same "water is evil" reared it's head this spring when a few people drowned and they tried to ban swimming at Walden Pond. (Cooler heads prevailed, thankfully.)
As Sam and JPmom mentioned earlier, what harm would there be if I wanted to put on my life vest and launch a kayak or canoe to paddle around?
She was wearing a wetsuit
Anyone who has ever worn one also knows that you'd have to be unconscious, facing down, to drown while wearing one. They're really, really buoyant. Her biggest worry would probably be hypothermia if she ended up in the water for a long time.
I'd be more worried about what's in the water there
specifically pollutants and bacteria.