Going Dutch

TM's Dutch Island paddle is first the ocean paddle in his series of summer paddles. Launching from the Bay Campus, it offers decent protection from the fury of the open Atlantic, but it also offers a taste of an open water crossing. TM's theory is that his series of paddles gradually build on each other offering paddlers slightly more advanced conditions. Doing them in order offers newer paddlers, and older paddlers, a chance to build up their skills over the course of the season without scaring anyone or hurting anyone (too much)...
H couldn't paddle this weekend, so I was solo. This meant that I was extra-late putting my act on the water. People kept talking to me... Only JS took longer to get ready, but only because he paddled back to the beach to get his chart out of the car as I was putting my kayak in the water...
BH got his new Longbow Greenland paddle and I was compelled to check it out. The paddle is odd. It is carved out under tension, like a longbow, to make it extra-strong. Like a longbow, it flexes like a cat getting up from a nap. The blades are razor thin. BH started the paddle like a kid with a strange new toy - apprehensive but excited.
Since this was a level 2 paddle there was very little excitement in terms of conditions or pace. That was fine though. It was nice just to be out on the water and catch up with people. We circumnavigated Dutch Island and set out for Jamestown to eat lunch.
On the way to lunch I gave BH's Longbow paddle a try. When I put it in the water it initially felt like a wet egg noodle as it bent back on itself. Then at the end of the stroke it snapped back with surprising force. After I adjusted to the odd feel of it, the paddle offered plenty of power for a forward stroke and for sweep strokes. I didn't try much else with the paddle, but it would be interesting to see how it performs when bracing, sculling, and rolling.
Lunch was the typical RIC/KA kayak swap.
There was a new paddler with us who wanted to get a feel for a "real" sea kayak. The new guy started out in TM's (I mean CC's) Explorer. As I'm standing there free of my paddling gear, TM looks at me and says "I hope you're ready to rescue that guy." As the words left TM's mouth the Explorer leaned over and wobbled back up. With in seconds, it leaned over to the other side and exposed its shiny white belly. Fortunately, JS was trying out BL's Caribou and performed a rescue.
Undaunted, the new guy decided to try out more kayaks. The Q-boat was his next adventure. Then he tried an Avocet and the Caribou. There were no more rescues.
JS tried out most of the other kayaks on the beach and TM took the Q-boat for a spin. JS was unimpressed by any of the kayaks. He loves his Gulf Stream. The new guy and TM enjoyed the Q-boat. I think Valley designed an winner in the Q-boat (if you don't need to carry more than lunch and some sun screen).
The paddle back Bay Campus was as uneventful as the paddle to Dutch Island. Bubbles did try to start some trouble. Level 2 paddles can cause outbreaks of mischief among paddlers looking for excitement...
The day didn't end when we got back to Bay Campus... There was rescue practice to be done. After putting on some extra layers to keep ourselves warm while in the water, a group of us watched Carole rescue people. It was pretty impressive to watch her pull all manner of paddler out of the drink and put them back in their kayak. BR provided the most entertainment when he played up the victim roll to soap operatic heights.
Post paddle coffee and foodage was convened at Java Maddness. It is still the best place to get a cuppa joe and soak up the afternoon sun.