Paddling Roses Bluff in the P&H Scorpio

The Scorpio before it hit the water

Today I took advantage of the bright sunshine and mild winds and decide to take the P&H Scorpio out for the first time. The trip of choice was Roses Bluff because we heard there was a sailboat stuck on the bluffs which of course required investigation.

The day was absolutely perfect, wasn’t too hot and the wind was steady and slow which gave us a nice cool down. The cut through the marsh was deep enough that you could have driven a boat through it, but following the cut wasn’t required with the water being so high. These storms still have the water very high.

I spent most of the trip fooling around in the Scorpio. It is the little brother of P&H’s ultra-touring boat the Cetus. It sacrifices some length and with that some storage capacity, but even with that sacrifice its capacity weighs in at 80.5 gallons (305 liters) and dwarfs the capacity of my favorite boat the Sirocco which has only 55 gallons (208 liters). That is certainly something to keep in mind if you intend to do any touring. This is why the Scorpio has likely earned itself a place on the St. Johns paddle.

NOTE: I found out that P&H includes the volume of the cockpit, and they haven’t provided the storage volume for the hatches. The Scorpio probably has a similar capacity to the Sirocco. Sorry for the confusion.

Testing the Scorpio's secondary stability

Bracing and edging the boat as it shows off its managability

Yes, that is a sculling draw with a wing paddle. Maybe poor form, but it works.

Even with its bloated storage arrangement that puts the Sirocco to shame, the Scorpio manages to remain manageable and even playful when edged. I did not roll the boat so I can’t provide an informed opinion on its characteristics in that aspect, but I would expect it to roll like any other touring boat.

One feature that I believe to be outstanding is the small hatch in front of the cockpit. Though inside it resembles a flattened tube only about a foot long, it makes tremendous use of an often wasted space. The hatch is formed by the attachment of a plastic shell to the underside of the deck which is then fastened in place with screws. The compartment doesn’t interfere with leg movement at all, and you hardly notice it until you go to grab a granola bar or your marine radio and realize that you can do it without turning/reaching around to the day hatch.

Notice the rainbow cloud in the upper left quadrant.

We came upon a “rainbow-cloud” of sorts. I am sure that it has a name, but I do not know it. Beautiful it is.

Currently unidentified animal (monkey) in the marsh

I have no clue what this animal is. I got closer, but I was more interested in the animal than getting a picture. Something moving around on that log caught my eye, and it required investigation. I stood up in my boat (further promoting the Scorpio’s stability) and used my paddle to pole along through the spartina and cordgrass. It moved on all fours like a cat, but I cannot imagine how a cat got to a log that is in the middle of a piece of marsh that isn’t connected to land. Its face looked square and it had a semi-bushy tail. Well any suggestions will be gladly accepted as to the type of animal that it is.