Paddling a Very Small Kayak Very Safely

After my mishap with the pumpkin, I wasn’t sure when I’d get to paddle again. The good Dr. Carl wasn’t giving any timelines other than that I would need to borrow a kayak if I wanted to paddle this weekend. Apparently repeated smashing into rocks by big waves is not healthy for the bow of a kayak...

But one of my buddies is going for his BCU instructor certification and was doing a tide race clinic at the mouth of the Narrow River. The fun/danger ratio was decidedly in my favor. I might end up swimming, but I was unlikely to bash into any rocks.

All I needed was a kayak and my very understanding wife to give me a third paddling weekend in as many weeks…

Getting my hands on a kayak was not too hard; getting a kayak that was not built for tiny people was nigh impossible. One person offered to let me use there slightly abused Nordkap LV and another offered to let me use a Scorpio LV. H also said if she let me go kayaking I could use her Capella 160 which is also made for wee people.

Against her better judgment, H decided it was better to let me paddle than to suffer the perils of not letting me burn off steam. She did make me promise to stay away from rocks and not scratch her kayak.

I promised to try to stay out of trouble… I really didn’t think that there would be many opportunities to smash a kayak playing in a tide race.

Once I got in the Capella I knew it would an interesting day. Not only is the Capella built for someone about 50lbs light than me, it has a completely different hull design than the Aries. While the Capella can be maneuverable, its is primarily made for touring. The Aries on the other hand can be a touring kayak, but is is made for playing (It is basically a white water kayak for the ocean.)

Getting down the river to the race was a good chance to get comfortable in the Capella. It was a little tippier than the Aries, the edges were in a different place, and the edges were definitely needed for quick turning. That said, it paddle very nicely.

Once we got out to the race, we stopped at the beach to see how things were shaping up and to see what people wanted to do. The race wasn’t too big and the surf was pretty small, but there were conditions. The trickiest part of the location was the sandbar that constricted the front of the race. There was only a few feet between the rocks and where the sand bar made the waves get ugly.

We divided up into pairs based on interest and skill levels before heading out into the race. We paddled out past the head and tucked into the eddy behind it. From there we paddled back around the head and into the race trying to find the eddy on the other side of the head.

To minimize my chanced of hitting anything, I tried to take the the turn wide and got caught up in the slop caused by the sand bar. It was ugly, a little scary, and very educational. I got very familiar with the balance points on the Capella and using edges for turning. It really does like to go straight.

On the way into the race, I got a new perspective on long boat surfing. The Capella's sharp bow and v-shaped hull makes it easier to keep straight on the wave because the bow stays pinned in the trough. The trade off is a less speed and getting the bow trapped. It was interesting watching the bow under the water as I surfed down the wave and tried to maneuver into the eddy.

Our group spent time transiting the race interface and maneuvering in the race. We explored the fastest ways to travel forward and backwards in the race while keeping control of our kayaks. We explored what works best for turns in current. For me it was a whole new world because of the different kayak. Even in current, the Aries is easy to maneuver. The ample rocker and the planing bow make carving turns easy even when you don’t choose the most efficient stroke (The trade off is that any stray wave can grab the stern and spin the kayak around just as easy.) The Cappella’s pointy nose and defined keel makes turning a much more intentional affair. You need to edge properly and get the strokes correct to get where you want to go (The trade off is that staying on a straight course is easy.)

My partner and I then decided to head out of the race and around the point. We completely mistimed things. As soon as we poked our bows from behind the point a huge set of swells roared toward the beach. I was the second kayak, but was initially sticking pretty close. When the first swell rose up and my partner’s kayak started going vertical, I back paddled and leaned backward to get some distance between us. Then I immediately leaned into the wave as it hit me and pushed through. Unlike the Aries which would just float over the crest of the wave, the Capella punched through.

Both my partner and I lost a little ground, but kept moving forward into the next set of waves which were even bigger. Once again, I needed to bleed off a little speed to keep  safe distance and by the time I got ready to punch through the wave I was getting back surfed into the sandbar. I stayed up right on the first wave, but the one behind it did me in. The water was too shallow and confused to roll, so I popped out and dragged the kayak to the beach.

Once back in the kayak, I did make it around the point. The swells had weakened a little so my second attempt was much easier. Getting back to the beach side of the point, however was less easy. Another big set rolled through and I got to experience the fun of panic surfing the Capella while trying to keep it away from anything that could scratch it….

After the point fiasco, I stayed in the race and worked on boat handling. It was not exciting, but it was challenging and informative.

During lunch, we all talked about different things that we learned which was nice.

After lunch we decided to head around the point and try to find some place to surf. As I had promised, I stay well out to sea and didn’t do any rock play while we hunted the elusive surf.

The one spot that offered decent surf for people to play with was over a big rock and the waves pushed straight into a shallow rock garden. There were some little side waves that I thought were safe to try, but for the most part I just worked on boat handling in the cove and relaxed.

Most of the other paddlers in the group got some impressive looking rides. They worked hard for them though since you had to be in just the right spot to catch them and that spot was not the safest place to be…

Once everyone had their fill of surfing, we headed back to the put in.

By the time we got back to the mouth of the Narrow River, the race was pretty much out of steam. That meant that the river was also out of water so we had to carefully pick our way back up the channel. I only got muckbound once… Mud generally doesn’t scratch, so I was still keeping my promise not to damage my wife’s kayak.

Back at the put in we did another quick debrief and packed up.

While I enjoyed paddling my wife’s Capella, I do hope that my Aries is back on the water soon. The Capella 161 is just a wee bit small for someone my size which makes paddling it in conditions a wee bit less fun. Also while it is good to be reminded how a “real” sea kayak handles, I really enjoy managing the Aries. It is a little unruly, but that is where the fun happens.

Playing in a Race

 Today had great tidal conditions for playing. Originally, we were going to go out to the reefs off Stonington for some fun, but the forecasted afternoon thunder showers put a damper on that plan. Instead we choose a location closer to home where we could get off the water quickly in the off chance of foul weather.

The mouth of the Narrow River provides a great race and surf experience, but also quick escapes in case of thunder. It also is only a mile, or less, from put in to race along a sheltered river.

We put in at the bridge and paddled down the river around the point. We tucked into the eddy behind the big rock at the mouth of the river to organize. The wave field was not organized; H would call the conditions a washing machine.

The Tims recommended that we all take some time just paddling around and getting a feel for how the kayaks handle in chop and current. It was a good suggestion. I took my time just noodling around out in the wave field. I worked the kayak across the field a few times and generally did turning drills for a while.

The noodling was just what I needed. It gave me time to get my muscle memory and confidence back. I spent a lot of time playing with edges to see which was better for turning and support. I spent time just holding one position. I spent time bobbing near rocks. I even did some back paddling.

Once I felt good, it was time to do some surfing. The combination of the shore break and the race makes for an interesting ride. The race waves fall diagonal to the beach towards the mouth of the river, but the shore break creates waves that push you into the beach. I would paddle out to the back edge of the field, wait my turn and catch a nice race wave to fall down. If I was lucky, I could get a nice ride, with some paddling to make sure I kept transferring to the next wave in the series, before a breaker would roll up and turn the bow into the beach.

Surfing in the Aries is always fun. It catches waves like toddlers catch colds. Once on the wave it stays nimble and stable.

My biggest was accelerating enough to get onto the waves. Sticks are great at distance, but not so great at immediate power. You have to get the entire blade into the water to get the same surface area as a Euro paddle for power strokes, and that requires doing very unstick like things. Instead of the nice low canted stroke, it requires standing the paddle upright and jamming the whole thing into the water just in front of the cockpit.

I did manage to catch several nice long runs. It was an exhausting blast.

After we had our fill of surfing, the Tims thought it would be a good idea to try some rescue drills...

The first drill was contact towing. I paired off with a bigger paddler and it was not easy to get the two kayaks moving while keeping them together. Because the kayaks were rafted together, stability was not a problem. Getting a grip on the water on the far side of the other kayak was the problem. The end of the stick just couldn't grab enough water. A quick change of strategy fixed things. I used a sliding stroke where I extended the paddle out to the end when stroking across the other kayak. Once I got traction, things worked great.

Then we did some actual rescues. My turn as a rescuer was fine. I am a little out of practice, but once you get moving it all becomes muscle memory. The one thing I didn't think of was having the swimmer hang onto the side of my kayak by the day hatch. They would have gotten onto my kayak faster and would not have been bounced into the waves at my bow quite as much.

I practiced a few rolls in the current and they were surprisingly easy.

After a quick rest and snack, we paddled back up the river to our cars. The paddle up river was against the current, but I was so pooped I hardly noticed.

Despite the grey sky and the constant threat of rain, it was one of the best paddling day I have had in a long time.

It's Always the Wind

I'm not late when I get to the parking lot, but I'm not early enough that everyone should still have kayaks on their roofs either. I park and find everyone huddled on the beach in the more than light wind pondering if we should move to a more sheltered location. This is supposed to be a level 2 paddle...
We decide that we can paddle up the Bay and stay near the shore for protection.
Kayaks are unloaded.
Clothing choices are made. It is too nice for dry suits, although the water is still cool, but windy enough to warrant a paddle top...
By the time we are on the water, the wind has dissipated a bit. As we meander up north, deeper into the Bay there is enough of a breeze to keep me cool in my paddle top, but not enough to really notice.
This is fine by me. There are plenty of old friends to catch up with. I chat with Tim M. for a while; I chat with Carole for a while; I chat with Rick for a while; I chat with just about everyone for a while. It is nice to see everyone and do an analog Facebook timeline search.
The paddling is easy and rhythmic. When I'm not chatting, I focus on the rhythm and feel of my forward stroke; I try a few different types of maneuvering strokes; I get reacquainted with how the kayak feels when I shift my weight around.
Lunch at Rome Point was nice and sunny. Tim and I talked about how this was just about the perfect paddle to open the season. It was nice and relaxing, but I get restless. My opportunities for ocean play are limited and I often crave the more exciting paddles. Tim was right though a nice relaxing distance paddle was the best way to get a feel for the being back on the water. It also provided plenty of much needed social time and stress relief.
The paddle home was not quite as pleasant as the paddle to lunch, but it did offer new learning opportunities.
The wind we had hoped would push us home had died. I started getting a little toasty in my paddle jacket. Just a bit of paddle spray on a polypro jersey would have been heavenly.
I got to paddle with a fancy new bent shaft full carbon Lendal Kinetic XT. Tim wanted to have one of the newer paddlers try out a shorter paddle shaft and offered up my ancient Lendal spare. As part of the discussion about why I had a spoon for a spare and not another stick, I goaded Tim into trying out my stick.
I'm not sure who had the better go of it. I am pretty quick to adjust to a normal paddle, but the bent shaft was a little funky. The carbon paddle was a lot stiffer than my stick and over time I could feel the extra effort I was expending to dig through the water. On the flip side, the big scoop did mean I had a little more immediate power for crazy turning strokes and quicker acceleration.
Tim adjusted to the stick pretty quickly as well and found a nice rhythm to keep up his speed. He didn't seem to certain about his ability to do much more then paddle straight in calm water though.
The guy using my spare probably got the best of the switch. He got to use a much better paddle than he was originally using and one that was properly sized for he and his boat. He also didn't have to do a paradigm switch; he was going from scoop to scoop instead of scoop to stick.
Afterwards we all repaired to Fuel for some post paddle caffeine and more yakking.
Hopefully, I'll get back on the water again soon.

Way More Than Expected

I was excited to get a late season paddle in before dry suit season. (A desk job in a small office has helped me out grow my dry suit....) I knew there was going to be a little wind, but a little wind is just a part of paddling.
As we left the shelter of Ft. Wetheril’s cove, it became obvious that Mother Nature delivered more than a little wind. We started out paddling headlong into big wind and big swells. With little warm up and less conditioning, I found the slog challenging. I was not worried about going over or losing control, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to keep up or make it to the lee for a break. I was an out of shape paddler in a short kayak surrounded by paddlers that paddled multiple times a week in long kayaks. Fortunately, I am stubborn and the Aries has a napoleon complex.
We made it into the lee of Jamestown and worked our way towards Beavertail in relative calm. It was a nice break before hitting the open water again and fighting our way around Beavertail.
On a quiet day Beavertail can be challenging. On a day with heavy winds blowing swells from the north into the shoals and cliffs, it was going to be a fight. At least it was a fight I was familiar with, I was warmed up from the slog into the lee, and I was a little rested from our too brief paddle close to the coast. I girded myself for battle and pushed out from the safety of the island.
Once out in front of Beavertail, conditions were not as bad as they could have been. The swells were big and the wind was pushy. To be safe, we stayed pretty far out from the coast so we wouldn’t get pushed into the rocks.
It was the kind of conditions where the Aries really shines. The planing hull means you get a little boost down the front of the swells. Its rocker and skimpy water line makes it easy to turn out before you get too close to any rocks. The maneuverability also means that you can almost always find away to overcome the weather cocking caused by the heavy wind. (The unfortunate thing is that you are always fighting to counter the weather cocking.)
Once we got around Beavertail, we found the paddling much easier. With the mostly at our backs we were getting nice pushes from the wind and the swells. This was another stretch of paddling the showcased the Aries’ strength, and its weakness. The push from the swells meant I had plenty of speed to keep up with the longer boats and even keep ahead of them. I got a number of nice long rides. However, I was always working to keep the Aries on a reasonably straight course. The wind pushed it around every which way. The skeg helped a little, stern rudders helped a little, sweeps helped a little, draw strokes helped a little. Tim M. suspected that a Euro paddle would have made it easier. I doubt it. I think it was partially the nature of the Aries and a lack of time on the water.
After we carried across into Mackerel Cove, we played in the tiny surf for a bit. It was perfect practice surf. Just big enough for a ride, but not big enough to cause trouble. It was a nice bit of play before heading back into the fray to make the hop back to Ft. Whetheril.
The stretch from Mackerel Cove to Whetheril turned out to be more fun than fight. The conditions were big enough to make being near the rocks dangerous, but comfortably dangerous. If I had my helmet, I would have been tempted to get into the rocks more. Since I had left my helmet in the car, I steered clear of anything too dangerous. I was torn: I wanted to be in the rocks; I wasn’t sure I was up to the challenge; I did not want to get hurt or endanger the group. In the end, I think not having the helmet was the best choice. I could take some small calculated risks without the false bravado the helmet would have given me.
Next year, when I have more time on the water, I can bring the helmet along and play hard.....
Although the day was harder than I expected, it was perfect. I got to spend a day doing what I love. I was challenged and learned that I could still hold my own. It also motivated me to work hard to drop a few pounds and get into the dry suit for some winter paddling.

Pier 5 to Harbor of Refugre

It has been a long month since I last got a chance to paddle. June is always a tough month. The end of the school year is hectic and then we have our anniversary and Bug's birthday. I needed some time on the water.
Pier 5 to Harbor of Refuge is a long and exciting paddle. The west edge of the Bay can get a lot of fun swells to bounce the group along. I was looking forward to the trip with a bit of trepidation as there was supposed to be a fair bit of wind.
As it turned out, the wind and swells didn't materialize. The paddle was almost boring. There were some small swells that the pumpkin caught and a few little rocks to dodge.
The real fun was not in the challenge of paddling. It was in the relaxation of paddling. It was nice to just hang out on the water with good friends and stretch out the muscles.

Where Did My Ride Go

Earlier this week I asked if we had any plans on Sunday. She just said “So, you are paddling.” TM had posted two touring paddles for the weekend. Saturday was packed with Bug fun, so it was Sunday for me.

On Saturday H asked me multiple times if the paddle was still a go. I looked at her like she was crazy until the third time she asked. A quick look at the forecast made her concern clear. The weather was not looking good. Wind and rain do not make for a fun paddle. There was nothing on the message board at 11pm Saturday.

The forecast was worse in the morning. A Small Craft Advisory was in effect for the bay. At 7am there was still no cancellation posted on the message board, so started to get ready to go.

Then Bug figured out that I was going kayaking for the day… She was not thrilled despite the fact that my going kayaking meant the she was going to get to spend the day relaxing at home. She proposed that we do a quick art project together. How could I say no? 30 minutes later we had drawn two things we were calling owls.

Fortunately, I had done most of the packing on Saturday night and all that was left to do was pop the pumpkin on the car. I was ready to hit the road by 8:10 which left me plenty of time to get to the put-in and not hold things up much… I did one more quick check for a cancellation. It was all clear.

At the put-in the weather was grey and foreboding. Bay Campus was shielded from the worst of the wind, but a quick look south was all it took to see the angry white caps marching up the west passage.

The original paddle route was to cross over to Jamestown, cut across the beach at Mackerel Cove, make our way south to Beavertail, cross to Whale Rock, and then come north along Bonnet to Bay Campus. The extended forecast was for the already significant winds to gain strength later in the day. This information lead TM to reverse the plan. We would paddle into the conditions along mainland, cross over, and get blown home along the eastern Jamestown coast where the island could shield us a bit.

The first leg of the paddle was not too much of a struggle. The bluffs between Bay Campus and Bonnet Shores kept the worst of the wind off of us. You could see the swells piling up farther south. It was a little intimidating and more than once I wondered what drove me to do these foolish things. A sane man would be somewhere nice and warm with his family on a day like this.

At the entrance to Bonnet Shores, TM noticed that the winds were causing the group to spread out despite being packed full of strong paddlers. To stop the drift, TM decided to assign lead paddlers and to occasionally rotate who was in the lead. It worked pretty well. We managed to stick together for the whole paddle.

Once past Bonnet Shores we started feeling the full force of the wind. The swells were a good three to four feet and fairly steep. The pumpkin did a fair amount of bow slapping. Where the Q-boat’s pointy bow sliced through swells, the pumpkin’s planing hull rides over them and then falls into the trough. It makes for a bumpy ride. Despite the slapping, the pumpkin handled beautifully. It stayed on the line without much correcting and kept up with the group with no issues.

At Whale rock we took a minute to get water and regroup. It was a good idea physically. It was not a great idea mentally. It provided a nice view of exactly what conditions we were paddling into and enough time to think about it. It was a moment of terrifyingly bemusing reflection. I find this fun; what is wrong with me?

Getting to Beavertail meant a long crossing in big, beamy seas. At first I tired to keep the pumpkin on a fairly straight line. Like the Q-boat, she gets knocked about quite a bit; unlike the Q-boat, she is easy to get back on the line. The pumpkins miniature stature, prodigious rocker, and wide, flat bottom makes quick adjustments both required and easy.

It didn’t take long, however, to figure out that it was faster, easier, and more fun, the ride the swells diagonally across the Bay. I found myself dashing across the face of a big swell and knew that this was the way the pumpkin wanted to make the crossing: I could fight her, or I could go with it. Going with it was the fun choice. The planning hull loves to skim along the face of a wave and all it takes is a little push. Zoom across the face of a swell for a bit, turn up the next swell to stay on the proper line, zoom again....

I was really looking forward to turning north and riding the following seas along the Jamestown coast. I got a few good rides early on, but once we were in the shadow of the island the swell diminished. Conditions were surprisingly reasonable.

I was surprised to see a paddler out of their kayak near the rocks. TM swooped in and did a quick rescue while the rest of us sat back thinking that we should probably use our toe ropes to keep the rescue off the rocks….

TM was so smooth that we all figured any help would just get in the way. They did get kind of close to the rocks though….

We had lunch in Hull Cove. The swells may have died down, but they still made landing a chore. Getting surfed into the rocky beach was not on my agenda.

After lunch, the swells made getting off the beach a soggy affair. I decided to go backwards off the beach and to not seal up my skirt before hitting the water. The backwards part meant that the pumpkins skinny stern punched through the swells and washed the water right into my exposed cockpit. I had to spend some time on the open water bailing out before rejoining the group.

While I was bailing out my cockpit, one of the other paddlers decided things had been too boring and decided to paddle though the rocks around short point. Before I managed to rejoin the group, he had managed to seal land on one of the rocks. He managed to self-rescue by ditching the kayak into the water and scrambling back onto it.

Things were quiet for the rest of the paddle up Mackerel Cove. There were a few waves to ride, but nothing too exciting.

We landed and I noticed that my day hatch was not quite sealed. I thought the back of the kayak felt heavy….

We carried the kayaks across the road, and into the mud. Tide was low, so there wasn’t a lot of water to paddle. TM said we would have to walk the kayaks to the sandbar before paddling out, so I hooked up my short tow and started pulling. The mud was smushy, sticky, and sucky.

About half way across the mud puddle I noticed that everyone else was in their kayaks and shallow paddling to what looked like an opening into deep water. I decided that was a better idea than muck walking. I unhooked the short tow. Then I made sure I was on firmish ground and lifted one leg up over the cockpit. As I started to lift the other foot, I encountered some resistance. I pulled a little harder and the foot popped loose. And I flopped off the far side of the kayak. The mud was soft, sticky, stinky, and sucky. I dragged myself back to my feet after getting sucked in a few more times.

Winded, I started pulling the pumpkin towards the solid looking mud bar standing between me and the open water. The mud turned into glue as I got closer to the mud bar. Then it hardened up and I was able to pop right into the cockpit.

Paddling to the outlet was slow going. The mighty stick could not find purchase in an inch of water. Then it all stopped. The mud had sucked the hull of the kayak into its maw. I considered using my hands to crab walk to deeper water. I didn’t want to get my hand stuck in sticky mud. It didn’t look like the mud that is good for the skin. I was loathe to get out of the kayak for fear of ending up waist deep, but I didn’t see any other good options.

It turned out that the ground under the kayak was pretty firm. It was a short and easy drag to water that was deep enough for the mighty stick to be mighty.

Looking across to Bay Campus from Dutch Island, the water looked calm. Whatever weather that had been forecast had blown itself out in the morning. The crossing back to the put-in was anticlimactic.

The post paddle coffee and baked goods was enjoyed on the deck at Fuel. The view wasn’t quite as good as the view from the deck of Java Madness, but the coffee and company was good. It was a nice place to unwind after the paddle and refuel for the long ride home through football traffic.

The Great Pumpkin Rides Again

The great pumpkin has slept since it went into the shop for repairs at the end of July. Carl turned the repairs around quickly, but vacations, weather, and family obligations meant there were no opportunities to get her back on the water.

Truth be told my crazy conjured up images of there being more damage than Carl had noticed or that I hit another rock. These were not reality based concerns.

Carl always does solid work and this repair was no different. He reinforced the area with extra glass and from the outside you could not tell where the damage was done. Carl did leave some of the scratches in place so I could brag.

This weekend the stars finally aligned. I had time and the weather was good. Two paddles were scheduled: surfing at Narragansett Beach and a tour along the outer coast of the Bay from Pier 5 to Harbor of Refuge. I decided to go with Pier 5 because Sunday is better for me and while the pumpkin is made for surfing I enjoy some variety in a paddle.

On Saturday, one of my chores was to clear cut a tangle of vines and prickly thorns out from behind the garage. How hard can pulling out a bunch of weeds when you are equipped with a pair of mucho grande shears? When you are an office drone in his mid-40s, it can be a crippling experience. I yanked on a particularly truculent weed and felt by back tweak. In a fit of not wanting to admit I’m middle aged, I didn’t stop the clear cutting to give my back a rest….

By dinner time I was barely able to walk, but I was not willing to admit I couldn’t paddle. I packed my gear in the car and parked my butt on the couch with a heating pad. I even swallowed my crazy dislike of Tylenol and took two before bed.

H made me promise that I wouldn’t make any stupid decisions in the morning…. She didn’t want to rescue me once I was in Narragansett.

Things didn’t get much better. By bed time, I could barely move. I wasn’t even sure I was going to be able to sleep….

When I woke up, I gingerly rolled onto my feet not sure if I’d crumble to the floor. I felt a little twinge. As I went about my business, the twinge went away. I still popped a dose of Tylenol for good measure. Then I finished kayak prep by putting the pumpkin on the roof.

I was excited to see CC and RB on the paddle. It felt like years since the last time I saw either of them. I looked forward to catching up with them as we made our way to the Harbor of Refuge.

Once on the water, it became clear that the forecast didn’t match the reality. The winds was steady and out of the south.

Eight miles is a long way to fight a steady wind.

The group succumbed to the fate of all kayak groups in a steady wind. We started spreading out. Fast paddlers ran away from slower paddlers. Then the fast paddlers have to stop and wait and the slow paddlers have to struggle to catch up. Over time, this makes for trouble. The fast paddlers get cold with all the waiting. The slow paddlers work really hard and don’t get enough rest.

TM made the smart call and had us stop before we reached the light house. We lunched on a sheltered rocky beach.

The conditions on the return trip were in the pumpkin’s sweet spot: following seas. I pretty much surfed the whole way back. The most difficult part of the return trip for me was not getting too far ahead of the group of longer kayaks.

A few people took the opportunity to play in the rocks. I, however, decided to stay clear of anything that might hurt the pumpkin. It was tough to resist the siren song, but it is still too soon to test my mettle.

After paddle coffee was at Java Madness. We lingered over our coffee. Visiting with old friends cannot be rushed.

Breaking the Week Up

I feel like I haven't done much paddling this summer. H thinks that I'm wrong and that I have managed to get out close to once a week. If I counted, I'm sure she is right, but that doesn't make me wrong - it's a perception thing. I'm used to going out on regularly scheduled paddles on the weekends, with a few midweek trips tossed in as a bonus.ays
This summer, it has been close to impossible to get a weekend paddle into the schedule. So, I have been "making due" with the midweek paddles when I can. In many ways a midweek paddle is more relaxing and fun than a weekend paddle. There is less boat traffic and the group is usually pretty well tailored to my preferences.
This week's adventure was a trip out of Pier 5 with TM. Originally, I was thinking about doing the full Pier 5 to Harbor of Refuge run. However, I just wasn't feeling up to committing to it. We followed the same course, but without the pressure of getting there.
The water was clam and the winds were light. It was as near to perfect weather as I'd seen all summer. We just ambled along the coast playing in the rocks and generally enjoying the day.
This section of the coast always has some action since it is exposed to open ocean, so things were not boring. Landing was exciting. We decided to lunch just before Point Judith light on the steepish, pebbly beach. TM thought he found a spot where the waves would let us simply land without issue. Instead he spent several minutes getting bounced off the beach before he could get out. Then he had to help me land. We simplified the launch by playing seal. We pointed our kayaks off the steep end of the beach and slid down into the oncoming swell.
We ended the day with some rolling, PFD floating, and Java Madness. It was just what I needed to recharge the battery. Now if I could just get a weekend free.......

Narrow River

I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever get on the water this year. Between weather and family, it seemed like there was never time. This weekend the stars aligned and I was able to get out for a paddle.
The Narrow River is not an exciting or challenging paddle, but it is a good way to start the season. It is long enough to get some good work on the forward stroke and a chance to practice some boat control. It is also a nice paddle for catching up with people.
It was a nice day on water and bodes well for the rest of the season.

A Swell Day

Last week TM e-mailed myself, PB, and JG to ask if we could help out on his BCU 4 Star Leader evaluation. Needless to say I eagerly agreed to help. TM has taught me, and many members of the club, an enormous amount about paddling and being comfortable on the ocean. TM has been working on attaining this certification for a while now and based on the leadership and skills he regularly shows on club trips, I thought he had has what it takes to pass the evaluation.
TM's plan was to lead the PB, JG, and myself from Bay Campus to Narrow River and back while John Carmody assessed. It is a good route that offers a diversity of conditions and obstacles.
As the day approached, I grew concerned about my ability to be a helpful participant. My back was a sheet of pain, my stomach was unsettled, and my energy level was in the sub-basement. Having a new baby is not good for staying in kayak shape.
When I checked the weather this morning, my concerns dissipated. I felt good and the forecast was benign: light winds and calm seas. I could tough it out in those conditions and not be a sea anchor on the group.
When I got to Bay Campus, last of course, the water was glass. Everyone was going about getting ready for an easy day on the water. When TM gathered us together for the pre-paddle briefing, I immediately realized I was missing some key information.
TM prepped us for paddling in big, powerful swells and big surf on Narragansett Beach. Everyone else knew about the condition and talked about six to eight foot swells along Bonnet Shore bluffs. I missed the part of the forecast that talked about big swells at the mouth of the bay because I'd only read the quick synopsis. I mentioned my back pains to TM and figured in for a penny in for a pound. Big swells are no big deal....
Once we got to the bluffs, the size and strength of the water was obvious. TM had me take point along the bluffs. I asked how he wanted me to run it, inside near the rocks or outside in the swells. I hoped he would say outside. The swells were breaking with hull crushing force along the rocks and I have a very limited repair budget this year. Fortunately, TM didn't see any reason to take crazy risks.
I forged a path that was close to the bluffs, but outside the breakers. TM did have to slow me down though. I was feeling pretty good and settled into a rhythm that was a little too fast for everyone.
When we got to the edge of Bonnet Cove, TM scoped out the possibility for tucking in behind the rock just off the bluffs to get some shelter. At first glance it looked possible. There was a good size window between the swells that broke along the rock. It also looked like the big refracting wave on the inside of the rock was a kayak length beyond the rock. After a observing for a few minutes, TM decided it was a no go. The inside wave was too big and closer than it initially appeared. It was possible to get between the rock and the bluff and not be crushed by the return wave, but not probable.
It was the first of many good judgement calls on TM's part. The second good call was not trying to sneak through the rocks and into the Narrow River. It was another situation where if we did everything perfectly and the ocean cooperated, we would all have landed safely on the beach with ease. It was more likely that the group would have been split up or a kayak (or two) would have needed repairs.
Instead, we paddled along the coast looking for a place where we could land without battling 6 foot dumping waves. We knew that Pier 5 was a definite safety spot if we got stuck. As we paddled we discussed options for landing in these conditions if we had no choice but land. We came up with two: 1) a very well timed surf landing where you made sure to come in on the back of a wave and quickly got out of the kayak before the next wave dumped on top of you, 2) get out of the kayak and swim it in.
As we worked our way south it became obvious that a safe landing on the beach was not in the cards. At this point John Carmody asked if we needed to land. We did not need to land. He then asked if the risk of dumping surf was worth having lunch on this beach. It was not. So, TM turned us around and we headed for our usual Outer West Passage lunch spot.
Paddling with the swell behind us was faster than paddling into the swell. However, it is just as tiring. Going into the swells you can see what they are doing. Going with the swells means they sneak up behind you. Fortunately, everyone in our group was comfortable with following seas.
PB and I were the lead kayaks between Narragansett and Bonnet. We picked a line that split the distance between the coastline and Whale Rock. The swells were breaking a good distance out from the rocks along the coast and pounding Whale Rock.
After lunch John wanted to see TM bring a group into a surf beach, so we paddled over to Bonnet Shore Beach. The surf along the beach wasn't huge, but it was enough to make landing a little tricky. TM found us a good spot along the northern end of the beach. The waves were small, predictable, and not dumpy. He then lead us all safely to shore.
John Carmody wanted to get some surfing in before heading back home, so he decided to run an impromptu surf clinic. He asked each of us what frustrated the most about surfing and gave us one thing to work on while playing. For me it was timing the wave better so that I could get up enough speed to catch the wave without getting to far in front of it. For TM it was looking at where he was on the wave once he caught the wave.
As we worked in the surf, John would give us other little pointers to polish our control. He gave us one tip that really helped: when you catch the wave make sure the stern of the kayak is sticking out the back of the wave. If the stern is buried in the wave, the wave is in control and rudder strokes become ineffective. If the stern is sticking out, the rudder strokes are more effective.
Once safely back at the beach, TM was told that he passed the assessment with flying colors. It is a well deserved achievement. TM has long been one of the best (if not the best) trip leaders and teachers in the club. We have all learned a great deal from him.

RWS Day Three

H, who did a girl's paddle with CC and MA, snuck into the campground Saturday night to get some snuggle time. Unfortunately, what she got, was sleeping in the car. There were thunder storms in the area, and, as I discovered using a quick Google search, tents offer zero protection in thunder storms. In fact, you may be safer outside the tent than inside the tent. So, we repaired to the car to wait the storm out, and spent the night there.
Fortunately for me, I can sleep just about anywhere and managed to get enough sleep to be ready for a third day of hard paddling. The lack of sleep may have dulled the ache from my overworked muscles. I was a little more stiff and my back was beginning to hurt, but all in all I felt pretty good.
Turner and Cherri were still around, so I intended to learn as much as possible. My plan was to work on my forward finishing roll, and, possibly, sneak in some stroke work.
The venue for the day was once again the Narrow River mouth. With the new tide rip that forms at max ebb, the mouth of the Narrow River is a one stop shop for the gamut of kayaking conditions. It has currents, a tide race, surf, and rocks a plenty. Even the Brits were impressed with it.
Cherri and Turner used the morning for rolling work. They started off with Cherri demoing the basic rolls. Her rolls are things of beauty. They are effortless and graceful.
After the demonstration, the split us up into teams of two and had us start practicing. They worked through he group offering tips and pointers to everyone. It worked out well. They got a chance to see where people needed help, and we got to simply practice and integrate their comments.
The basic forward finishing roll is a pry roll that looks a lot like a low brace. The foundation skill is a chest scull where you scull face into he water. While it sounds counterintuitive, it actually provides a lot of power. The trickiest part for me is getting my shoulders square to the water without pulling the kayak on top of me. From the chest scull, you roll up by prying the blade across the front deck and driving your knee up to right the kayak. It takes a lot of stomach strength and body control.
The first lesson for me was taking the time to make sure the kayak side of the blade was deep and my shoulders were square. The blade points out of the water away from the kayak so that when you pry the blade across the deck, it provides leverage. Once you begin the pry, you need to keep your face down and sweep your nose across your knee as your knee finishes righting the kayak. It is a little like an upside down twisting crunch. I managed to do a few, but I tired out quickly. It is something I will need to practice at the pond over the summer.
After lunch we started off doing basic strokes in the river. It was a nice warm up, but not terribly rewarding. Apparently, my strokes are pretty good. I did practice my draws and other strokes in the hopes of polishing them up enough to pass the two star this summer.
Once Turner and Cherri were comfortable that everyone in the group could handle the race, we headed out the mouth of the river. The race was mayhem. There were close to twenty kayakers trying to work the race and they were not well coordinated. Turner was insistent that we follow a clear pattern of running the race and pealing off to the side to retune to the head of the race. We were not to paddle up the center of the race because we would get in the way of someone playing in the waves. I did see one accident where a kayaker surfed into a pair trying to return up the middle of the race. The surfer dumped before there was a collision, but it was close. It also meant that a rescue needed to be done in the middle of the race.
After trying to get a few runs in the race and being frustrated by not being able to find any clear paths, I moved south down the beach to join a group that was surfing in the shore break. The conditions were small, but good. The waves were predictable and breaking a nice distance off shore. I caught a few sweet rides. One in particular was near perfect. It was a long smooth ride where I was in total control of the kayak. I should have called it a day after that, but was in the grip of surf fever.
The surfing was an perfect end to a challenging and educational weekend on the water.
The coaches and organizers did a great job of putting the event together. If they do it again next year, I highly recommend it.

RWS Day Two

I was pleasantly surprised about how my body felt on Saturday morning. I haven't paddled as hard as I did on Friday in a long time, so I expected to be stiff to the point that even thinking about squeezing into the Q-boat would trigger back spasms. I was a little sore and stiff, but more than ready for a second day on the water.
The big question for the day was what to do on the water. I initially planned on taking a strokes clinic with Jen Kleck and Phil Kleg, but it looked like half of the paddlers at the symposium had the same idea. The Greenland Paddling with Turner and Cherri also looked to be bulging at the seams. TM beckoned me over to the Incident Management class with Peter Jones and Ciro de la Vega. There were only four other paddlers in the group and Pete is a renowned for his incident management coaching. Since all three of the classes I was interested in were going to the Narrow River, I stayed on the fence until the very last minute.
I decided to stick with TM for incident management. We were joined by BH and RB as well.
In the morning we did a lot of towing exercises in the new Narrow River tide race. All of the tows were easiest if you could get into the eddy along the rocks. When you got sucked into the race proper things got tougher. Maneuvering a contact tow is tricky enough in clam water, in a tidal race it is a whole lot tougher. When doing long tows the danger is that the kayak in the tow is more likely to dump in rough water and towing a raft is just that much more demanding.
One thing I learned was that when using a long tow, you really (really) need to plan your route when maneuvering. I was towing RB into the race on my long tow and ran him into the rocks. My plan was to get in tight to the rocks to capitalize on the eddy and cut the turn tight. What I forgot was that the kayak on the end of my tow would end up cutting the corner even tighter and end up on the rock. What I should have done was taken the corner wider and picked a line that would bring me and the tow into the eddy straight on.
The contact tow through the race was interesting because it is a lot more stable than I thought it would be. The two kayaks together are more stable than a solo kayak.
The craziest thing we did was a five paddler tandem tow through the race. It worked surprisingly well except for the other classes trying to work the race as we came through. BH, who was behind me in the chain, got caught up with another couple who were practicing contact tows. When I felt the yank on my tow belt, I immediately pulled my quick release and dropped him from the tow. Once I cleared the race and was clipped out of the tow, I circled around to make sure BH and the coaches, who were the raft at the end of the tow, were OK (and to get my tow belt). Once I saw that they were good (and had my tow belt back) I went off the play in the race. Meanwhile, the rest of the class was hiding behind the rocks in the eddy working very hard to ignore BH as he finished towing the coaches out of the race....
After playing in the race for a bit and eating lunch we headed towards Whale Rock to do some rescue practice. We did a few rescues near rocks which was fun.
We also learned a fun new way to empty a kayak on the water. You have the victim climb behind the rescuer motorcycle style. While the victim sits on the back deck, the rescuer, empties out the swamped kayak. Then the victim climbs back into their nice dry kayak. If the rescuer has a firm grip on the swamped kayak before the victim climbs on the back deck, it is surprisingly stable. The victim is out of the water which is always good.
The afternoon dose of crazy was supplied by having the whole group land on a rock. Getting on the rock was surprisingly easy. One at a time, a kayaker would get out of their kayak, clip their tow line to their kayak, a second kayaker would clip their tow line into the swimmer's kayak, and the swimmer would swim into the rock. Once on the rock, the swimmer would haul into the rock and disconnect the second kayaker's tow line. The second tow line is used to keep the kayak from surfing into the rock and the swimmer.
The only tricky bit is getting the last kayaker on the rock since there is nobody else to keep their kayak from crashing into them. We solved this problem by having the last kayaker, who happened to be BH, surf up onto the rock where we snagged his kayak and stabilized it while he climbed out. I thought that somebody was going to die pulling it off, but it worked surprisingly well.
Getting off the rock didn't go so well. Getting off the rock involves hooking your tow belt to your kayak, tossing the kayak into the water, and jumping in after it. Once in the water, you use the tow line to reign in your kayak and renter it.
Our plan was to have BH go in the water first because his kayak was in the best spot for getting back in the water. Since he cannot re-enter and roll, the second person in the water would do an all-in rescue with him. BH got in the water without a hitch, but the second person in the water forgot to clip his kayak to the tow line and it floated away. Things were still OK because TM was queued up to quickly get in the water, capture the run away kayak, and pop BH back into his kayak. However, the second kayaker decided he would swim for his kayak which is where the whole endeavor went from not pretty to downright ugly. We now had three out of five kayakers in the water and a run away kayak. TM managed to get the run away kayak back and BH did managed to get back into his kayak. I'm not entirely sure how because I was busy getting back into my kayak.
Peter pointed out that the biggest reason things went completely pear shaped was lack of communication and planning. He stressed that planning and communication were the best tools for managing incidents. He reviewed CLAP(Communication, Line of sight, Avoidance, Position) with us as well. The best way to manage an incident is to avoid them. Before taking a group into a situation be sure they can handle it and communicate the plan to the whole group.
One other helpful hint Pete gave us was to take your time. If you blow your first roll, stop and collect your wits before rushing to try the second roll. If you end up in a situation, take the time to figure out a plan before simply acting.

Time to Get a Little Crazy

There are weekends where the club has a nice, but easy, paddle planned when the more adventurous (crazy) paddlers are looking for some action. This weekend happened to be one of those weekends. The club paddle was a level two paddle in the upper Bay. It is a pleasant area and it offered a chance to just zone out. That just was not what I needed in a weekend paddle.
I wanted something with a little more distance and a lot more challenge, so I contacted TM to try and organize a trip to fit my needs. He was more than accommodating. We settled on doing some rough water practice along the rocks between Narragansett and Whale Rock. It would be a good warm up for the symposium in June. We also roped in BH, PB,and RB. Five is a better number than two when planning to bounce around near rocks.
We launched under the Rt. 1a bridge and paddled out to the Bay. The put-in provides easy access to the surf off of the beach and the rocks. Since the plan was to practice in rough water, we didn't need a lot of additional distance.
The day started off inauspiciously. The air temp was in the 70s and I was encased in "breathable" nylon and a hard plastic melon case. The sweat was pouring off me before we even started moving. By the time we got to the beach my eyes were full of sweat and sunblock. I tried to just ride it out and let my eyes flush themselves. That is never a good idea. I was bobbing in surf, small surf, essentially blind. It didn't take long before I gave up the ghost and landed so I could flush my eyes with fresh water.
Once I could see again, we started doing rescue practice. TM wanted to practice doing rescues near the rocks. His scenario was one swimmer, one rescuer, and one tower. The rescuer gets the swimmer back into their kayak while the tower keeps them from washing into the rocks. It is effective when the rescuer and tower can perform their roles without endangering themselves or the swimmer.
We ran through the drill nine or ten times. We each did a rescue and a tow. I don't think we did it perfectly once. Most of the time we ran through the drill everything went smoothly, but not text book. For example, the rescuer is supposed to manage the swimmer's kayak by its bow. I managed it by the stern because maneuvering to get the bow would have wasted time. There were a few times where the tower hooked into the rescuer's bow instead of their stern. None of these things stop the rescue from working, they just make it a little less efficient. In the moment, the most efficient rescue is the one that gets the swimmer in their kayak and away from the hazard.
After the rescues, we played in the rocks. The conditions were tame. The swells were small with a long period. It was fine for me. I'm not in good enough shape to battle big swells with any fine grained control. The little swells gave me a chance to break in the old muscles.
Before heading into the river for the slog back to bridge, we played in the wee surf at the beach. While doing low braces outside the surf zone, I missed one and then missed my roll. Mortified, I decided to do some more rolls to get my mojo back. It wasn't the best idea.
I did manage one ugly roll. Then I blew another roll. I gave it the old college try and reset before bailing. The second attempt didn't go much better. TM was close by and saved me from having to wet exit. I grabbed his bow and did an Eskimo rescue.
The paddle up river was a world class slog. There was a steady head wind and the current was pouring out of the river. I'm not a fan of paddling into head winds or currents. My aching, out of shape muscles were finished after the short slog.
I was thrilled to get out on the water and do some challenging paddling. I was not thrilled at how much my conditioning slid this winter. I'm going to need to do a lot more paddling to get in shape for the symposium next month. Four weeks is a lot of paddling.

It Blows Big

The morning started off chilly, but calm. By the time I reached Bay Campus the temperature had warmed and the winds remained still. It was looking like a perfect fall kayaking day. After much debate, I decided to wear just a long sleeve shirt. I stowed the paddle jacket in the rear hatch. I didn't want to overheat.
We headed out of Bay Campus towards the Dutch Island Lighthouse. From there we turned towards Beavertail. We were planning on playing on the rocks along the Jamestown shore before heading over to Narrow River to play in the surf. Then we were hoping to play in the rocks along Bonnet Shores on the way home. It was an ambitious plan.
As we passed the pavilion at Ft. Getty, we started to realize our plan may not come together. The forecasted 5 knot wind felt more like 15 knots. The wind was stronger near shore, so we tended to stay a little off the rocks.
As we approached Beavertail, the wind built. The sea state got bigger as well. By the time we got to the point, the wind felt like a sustained 20-25 knots.
Fortunately it was a headwind and not a beam wind. The Q-Boat slices through headwinds without a problem. Once the wind crosses her beam, she weather cocks like a bitch in heat.
Paddling into a steady, strong head wind is draining. I was draining my tank faster than usual due to a couple of things. I haven't been paddling as much this year, so my fitness level is lower than I'd like. I also made the unfortunate choice to leave my stick at home for the day. I was plowing into a brutal wind with a fat Lendal Kinetic Touring blade. I like the Lendal, but in the wind I love my stick.
I may have felt like I was running low on gas, but one of the other paddlers had reached the bottom of his tank. He was looking pale and open mouthed. We decided the best course of action was to put him under tow and tow him directly to Narragansett Beach. He was not given a choice, one of the paddlers hooked him up and started the tow.
We used an I tow to avoid wearing out any of the other paddlers. About half way through the crossing, we swapped towers. TM and I took the second shift. The wind made the long tow a particularly rough haul.
At the beach, the wind was roaring. I was wet from spray and sweating, so I quickly put on my paddle jacket. Once I was snugly in my paddle jacket, I settled in for a nice lunch. H had made me some yummy PB&J.
The return trip started off on sour note. I couldn't get the Q-Boat off the beach. The wind and chop were perfectly aligned to trap me on the beach. Every time I got the nose of the kayak in the water, a wave would push the bow around and I'd be breached on the beach. Eventually I got pushed off the edge of the beach into Narrow River. Once in the water I had to fight the wind and the currents to get turned around so I could paddle out to the open water. I was beat before I got started.
For the first quarter of the return trip the Q-Boat was getting pushed around something fierce. I couldn't seem to keep it under control. A swell would run by, loosen up the back end, and send the kayak off on a new course.
Eventually, I settled in and got things back under control. Once I was back in the groove, the return paddle was a fun ride. The tail wind and following seas made for a quick trip. There was even some opportunities for playing in the rocks.
Once we got back to the Bay Campus everyone piled out their kayaks and started changing. The water temp and the wind made the idea of doing rescue practice unpleasant.
We then headed off to our favorite java joint for some coffee and post paddle chatter. It was great to get out on the water - even if the conditions were less than ideal.

A Fall Classic

One of the things I enjoy most about kayaking is that you can paddle the same route hundreds of times and it always different.
Today I paddled the Pier 5 to Harbor of Refuge route again. When H, TM, and I did this route earlier in the season it challenged us. The swells were big, pushy, and constant. There were breaking waves along most of the route and we surfed into the harbor. The winds had a chill and the skies threatened rain.
Today the ocean was calm. The wind was warm. The skies were sunny. It was perfect late summer conditions.
I could really stretch out and cruise. There was a slight cross wind pushing the Q's stern around, so I also got a chance to work on effective corrective strokes. I would slip a stern rudder onto the end of a stroke occasionally. I'd just let the blade linger at the end of the stroke. I also tried to incorporate the stern draw. The stern draw is finicky. Sometimes I would catch the wrong face of the paddle. Sometimes the stern wouldn't move. Sometimes the stern would move, but not enough to straighten the kayak. Sometimes the whole kayak would draw to the side. On very few occasions did it actually work properly. I need to keep practicing.
While playing in the rocks and rough conditions is exciting, sometime a nice open water run is perfect. It lets me blow the carbon out of the cylinders.

I Don't Remember It Being THIS Rough

After spending several days in a car driving through the wilds of Canada and Maine, I needed to do some paddling. TM was more than obliging to offer up a trip. He suggested paddling from Pier 5 in Narragansett to the Harbor of Refuge. It is roughly a seven mile paddle along the outer western shore of Narragansett Bay. It is exposed to open ocean swells that can get big and offers some places to play in rocks. It also offers a couple of easy outs if needed.
In my memory, the trip was a nice intermediate paddle with a taste of open ocean feel. There was not any really funky conditions or breaking water. Given my memory of the trip, I figured it would be a good chance for H to get out as well. She would be close to the edge of her comfort zone, but still inside it. She would get to see a new section of the RI coast, spend a nice day on the water, and gain some confidence. A threefur of sorts.
We met TM at Pier 5 in the morning and things looked perfect for the paddle. There was a small chance of thunder showers later in the day and it was humid, but the seas looked calm and the winds were low. The threat of showers and humidity seemed like a bonus to me because it made it less likely that there would a lot of boat traffic.
Once around the end of Pier 5 the water got lumpy and confused. This is normal for this section of the coast, but the water seemed more powerful than normal. H questioned TM about this, but seemed OK when he said it was normal. We chatted and enjoyed the challenge.
Around Scarborough Beach the water flattened out and I could see H relax. Then we spotted the white caps along Money Point....
The swells were breaking in waves off shore and then again closer to shore. I knew H could handle the conditions, but I also knew she wouldn't be happy about it. TM moved closer to shore to pick his way through the breakers. I knew H was not going in close to shore, but also didn't want to swing too far out from shore. Going far enough out to completely avoid the breaks would have made getting into the harbor that much more of an ordeal because it meant bigish following seas for a long time. So I tried to pick a course through the outer break and the inner break.
We easily slipped through the break zone. H was visibly nervous, but doing an excellent job of holding it together. At the entry to harbor TM took a line in close to the sea wall. There was a nice calm spot in close. I didn't think I was going to get H to move in close to the sea wall, so I told her to take a line to the right of the channel. It meant she would have to ride some big swells into the entrance, but would not need to worry about rocks. Her and her Capella are a great combination in following seas, so I was pretty certain she'd fly through the swells and into the harbor easily. If she did happen to go over, she'd get washed into the calm water of the harbor in deep water where TM or I could easily get her back in the kayak.
As expected, she rode the swells into the harbor like a champ. She really is pretty darn good despite her anxiety.
During lunch, H decided that she was not going to paddle back to Pier 5. She knew she could handle the conditions, but didn't want to needlessly suffer the anxiety of paddling another hour and a half in them. TM and I could paddle back, get the cars, and pick her up at the beach without any trouble. TM and I tried to talk her into to completing the trip, but did not push too hard. It was better that she was safe and happy.
Once we were out of the harbor, it was obvious that H had made a good call. Conditions were about the same as they were on the way down the coast: lumpy, strong swells.
TM and I took a much tighter path on the way back to Pier 5, so we could play a little bit more. It felt good to open up the stroke a little bit in rough conditions. The Q's tail was wandering a bit more than I'd have liked, but it was easy enough to control. For a long while I used the stern draw stroke I learned on the 3 star training to do course corrections. Then I switched to tossing in a little sweep stroke ever few strokes. Towards the end, I took the easy way out and dropped the skeg.
We made excellent time on the return trip. We covered the seven or so miles in an hour and a half. At the put in we did some rolling and bracing practice before reloading the cars. Once we were cleaned up and packed, we headed back to Pt. Judith to retrieve H.
It was an excellent day overall. H got some more exposure to big water. For the first time in a few months, I felt like my mojo was coming back.

Pier 5 to Castle Hill

Pier 5 to Castle Hill is one of my favorite routes in Narragansett Bay. It is also the route TM uses to cap of his summer long sequence of paddles in the Bay. It is a six mile trek across the West and East Passage of the Bay. Unlike a lot of long crossings this one offers some great views and an open water feel. The trip is good for paddlers who are strong beginners to stretch themselves and for intermediate paddlers to paddle in their zone.
The forecast was for reasonable winds and small seas. I took that with a grain of salt since this paddle inevitably turns into a battle against the afternoon winds. Sitting on the pier things looked calm. Our group expected no problems.
The paddle to Castle Hill was interesting. The swells and wind were not strong enough to be worrisome. They were strong enough to be wearisome. Between Pier 5 and Beavertail (about half of the crossing), I continually needed to counteract the Q-Boat's weathercocking. My first inclination was just to throw in a sweep stroke once and a while. When once in a while turned into every other stroke, I decided to deploy the skeg. The skeg made the problem worse. It didn't stop the weathercocking and made correcting more difficult. I finally settled on a combination of cocking my hips into a permanent lean and throwing in a few sweep strokes as needed.
Once past Beavertail, the weathercocking stopped being a problem because the water got much lumpier and we needed to do double time across the channel. The channel between Jamestown and Newport is the preferred channel for large shipping traffic into and out of the Bay.
After a quick break at the Castle Hill Coast Guard station, we crossed back to Jamestown for lunch. TM wanted to get the crossing out of the way before the afternoon winds (and the boat traffic) reached its peak. On the crossing a Jamestown photographer snapped a bunch of pictures of us doing our thing. We could be famous!!
After lunch, we headed south down the Jamestown coast towards Beavertail. The swells weren't really big enough to make playing in the rocks fun. However, we did our best to find excitement. BH got caught by a wave and nearly flipped. He managed to catch himself on a rock. Then he braced up off the rock and paddled away. I was a little bummed to not get a chance to practice a rock rescue.
Once around Beavertail we lined up with Pier 5 and began the long slog home. The afternoon winds blew out of the west and pushed against us. The winds were not particularly strong, but they were constant. As often happens in windy conditions, the group drifted into a number of pods. One pod took off for the pier. Another fell behind a little bit. Another drifted around looking for surf waves. Another just tried to keep moving. It was typical, but still frustrating. In windy conditions in the middle of a shipping channel, we should be able to stay in a tight group...
We all made it back without a hitch and did some rolling practice.
Once off the water a group of us retired to Java Madness for post paddle coffee and snacks.
It was, despite the wind, a great paddle. It was a good workout and provided enough of a challenge. The weather couldn't have been much better.

Adventures in Picnicing

The RIC/KA labor day picnic is always an adventure. Last year, H did her first, and possibly last, surf landing. Previous years have also had their share of excitement. This year promised to follow suit.
The forecast was for strong winds in the afternoon and building seas, so H decided it would be prudent to take the Narrow River route to Narragansett Town Beach for the picnic. I decided that I was definitely doing the Bay Campus to Narragansett paddle. Winds and big seas sounded like a perfect way to end a long weekend.
H deposited the Q-Boat, the mighty stick, and myself at Bay Campus to await the rest of the paddlers. I was sure that at least TM and Bubbles would show. A little wind wouldn't scare them into paddling along the river...
Sure enough TM crested the hill shortly after H and the egg disappeared over it. We were joined by Bubbles, CMC, and CC. CC had spent the previous three days at the Rough Water Symposium, so we spent a while listening to her tales. It sounded like a great event and we were all a little jealous that we had missed it.
We launched into calm seas and a light wind. However, once we gained a bit of exposure the head wind made itself felt. It made for slow going as we paddled along the bluffs towards Bonnet Shores. We frequently had to check our progress so the group did not drift too far apart.
When we reached Bonnet Shores, we decided to duck into the harbor and get some cover from the wind. The shore on the far side of the harbor was high enough to cut the wind significantly. Once inside the cover of the bluffs, we dashed across the harbor. The rocks were calling and we were not going to resist.
We turned the corner out of the harbor and were back into the wind. We were also in prime rock playing territory. The winds had kicked the swells into good shape. There was plenty of water pushing into the rocks and we all took opportunities to play.
Once we passed the nice rocks, the group drifted apart a little. TM was taking a tight inside line to stay out of the wind. Bubbles and CC were following TM a few kayak lengths back. CMC was hanging much farther off shores. I split the distance between the two pods.
When we turned the corner into Narragansett Town Beach we were shocked to find almost no surf. There were a few paltry waves and a few dedicated surfers were hunting for runs. I decided that it wasn't worth the trouble and ducked into the mouth of the Narrow River to find a nice flat landing spot.
Despite the wind and lack of surf, there was a lot of people present. Both the sea kayaking and the flat water groups were well represented.
TM, however, was getting a bit nervous. The conditions were already big and the winds were going to continue building. The tide was also going to turn and start running against the wind. If we spent too long on the beach conditions were likely to get dangerous.
After riding the current into the narrow river and eating a lovely pair of PBJs, it was time to head back to Bay Campus. The winds were picking up and the tides were turning. CC decided that she was going to paddle back up the river with H. CC could get a ride to her car at Bay Campus with H who had to pick me up at Bay Campus anyway.
TM, eager to make a safe return, launched to fetch CMC and Bubbles. They were out trying to catch some sides on the wavelets. I was having difficulty getting the Q-Boat launched. The current running into Narrow River and the little waves kept pushing the bow back into the beach.
Once I managed to get on the water, TM had made the rounds and was waiting patiently. I asked him what the game plan and where CMC and Bubbles were. He said that the plan was to head back straight away and that the other two had decided to stay behind.
So, we left. Once around the corner, we were in some pretty rough conditions. The wind was whipping up big swells. The swells pounded into the rocks and mixed together to make a bouncy soup. We did not waste any time playing around. We moved a further off shore and rode the following seas.
The Q-Boat tends to wander in flat water. In following sea, it definitely wanders. TM was still adjusting to his new Explorer HV, so he was also wandering a bit. To avoid colliding, we kept a good amount of distance between the kayaks. It was a nice, if at times harrowing, ride.
While TM and I were enjoying our ride back to Bay Campus, Bubbles and CMC were having less fun. Apparently there had been some miscommunication between TM and CMC. She had returned to the surf to get Bubbles so we could return as a foursome. When TM and I bolted, they decided to attempt to catch us. As they turned the corner to begin the run back to Bay Campus, CMC got tossed and had to come out of her kayak. Bubbles did an excellent job getting her to safety and back into her kayak. They then proceeded to Bay Campus without further incident.

It Could Have Gone Either Way

On Friday night I was having a little anxiety about paddling on Saturday. The weather forecast was not looking great for cold weather paddling. There was a sixty percent chance of rain and the winds were going to be over 10knts with gusts to 20knts. In addition, I was a little concerned about the make up of the group. I had taken a chance, with Carleen's encouragement, and posted the paddle on the message board.
I'm a bit of a control freak, so when conditions are going to be subpar, bordering on dangerous, I want to know who is going to show up and what they are like as paddlers. I also like to have some control over how the different personalities in the group mesh. I also like to have control over the weather too...
Often you cannot have the control you'd like. Part of belonging to a club is opening up paddles to the whole group, not just the people with whom you feel comfortable. There are a lot of people in the club who have a lot to offer on a paddle, but that I don't paddle with often enough for me to have any level of comfort. So, I took the risk.
Saturday morning didn't inspire a lot of confidence. It was gray, wet, and windy as H and I put the Q-Boat on the egg. Most of the drive down to Pier 5 was plagued by drizzle and there were a number of times I considered turning around and canceling the paddle. However, I really wanted to paddle and I also thought that if the right group of paddlers showed up it might be a good day for some rough water play.
At Pier 5 the weather was grey, wet, and windy. Visibility was short. Fortunately, the water looked reasonably calm.
It was shaping up to be a good day to paddle. I generally like grey and wet days for kayaking. There are less boats on the water and only hard-core paddlers tend to show. In the winter, these days are not as ideal. To balance off the cold, winter paddling adds drysuits which make the wet a non-issue.
My worries about who would show up on the paddle proved to be largely unfounded. The final tally of 10 included a large contingent of strong paddlers. Everyone was appropriately kitted for the conditions and seemed ready to play nicely as a part of a group.
Once everyone was on the water, we headed south towards Scarborough Beach. I don't get to paddle this part of the Bay often. It is not as convenient to paddle as the stretch of coast from Bay Campus to Whale Rock. Once you get past Narragansett the conditions are much less predictable because there is less protection offered by Jamestown and you are paddling in open ocean conditions. The more southerly portions of the coast also don't offer as much easy parking. Pier 5 fills up quickly when the weather is warm and there is no access from the public beaches.
As we paddled, the conditions settled. There was a steady west wind, but it was not the predicted 15knts. The swells made themselves felt, but never posed a challenge. A paddler looking for a real challenge would have been disappointed, but for someone just looking to get out and do some ocean paddling it was perfect.
Tony found some fun by staying in close to the shore. Some of us took the opportunity to open up the throttles and feed our needs for speed. Others just decided to enjoy the time on the water to chat and reacquaint themselves to being in a kayak.
To avoid spreading the group too much the faster paddlers stopped occasionally to take in the sights and let the others catch up. The stretch of coast from Narragansett to Scarborough is rocky and dotted with very large houses. Unlike the stretch along Bonnet Shores though, it is not sheer cliffs. Given the right sea conditions, the area looks like it would be perfect for playing in the rocks (or getting into some serious trouble).
On one of the rest breaks a paddler informed me that his back was bothering him and that he was feeling sick. We were about a 1/2 mile, or less, from Scarborough Beach, there was no place to land safely that was closer, and the paddler reported that he could continue paddling. Given the information, we decided to push on to Scarborough and come up with a return plan once on dry land.
Towing was suggested, but was not used. The paddler was making headway on his own. I was concerned that if he stopped paddling, his sea sickness might worsen. My call was to keep him moving and stay close. If he started fading, I could latch on with a tow line and call someone over to help stabilize his kayak. If he went in the drink we could quickly rescue him.
Fortunately none of that was necessary. We all made it safely to the beach where we worked out a plan for getting us back to our cars with an injured paddler. We had a number of options:

• call H for a pick up
• walk back to Pier 5 and get a car
• have the injured paddler ride in Tony's double and tow the empty kayak back
• leave the injured paddler and his kayak on the beach while the rest of the group paddled back to the cars

The preferred option was to have H do a pick up. Luckily, H was willing to leave the comfort of Java Madness and play kayak taxi. She was hanging out at Java Madness and didn't mind lending a hand. So, we loaded the injured paddler into the egg, strapped his kayak onto the roof, and sent him back to his car in H's trusty hands.
Meanwhile, another paddler discovered that his drysuit was not so dry. During lunch he discovered that his under layers were soaked. From what I heard, the neck gasket was far too loose. He had taken the top off to allow the water to evaporate despite the general dampness in the air. He was lucky that it had stopped raining during lunch.
Fortunately for my sanity, I didn't find out about this until after we were back on the water and the paddler seemed to be doing fine. The weather was warm, so the danger of hypothermia was lower. However, it was not zero and had I known what had transpired on the beach, H would have been called for a second pick up.
After lunch, the group headed south along Scarborough Beach until we reached the end of the sand. Then we turned back and half the group took the opportunity to play in the small surf peppering the coast. As a reminder of its dangers, the cold water flipped one of the kayak surfers. He safely ejected from his kayak and got to shore, but once there he was forced to take a seat. The sudden immersion in bitter cold water made him dizzy for a few minutes. Even from the water, you could tell that he was ill and needed to take a quick break.
Once his head cleared, the surfer rejoined the group and we headed back to Pier 5. The conditions should have made for an uneventful return trip. The wind had died down, the swells had flattened, and the current was in our favor.
Since the conditions were ideal and the group was solid, I decided it would be OK to paddle back along the rocky coast. I was joined by a few others. I wasn't planning on getting close enough to play in the rocks or need my helmet. Neither was anyone else. We were just looking for a little more excitement.
The water and rocks were more than happy to oblige in their own way. With quick swoosh, the water dropped one of the paddlers on a rock. He listed to the side like a wounded whale. With the same speed as it retreated, the water crashed back into the rock with just enough force to keep the paddler pinned. The rest of the group closed in, ready to help, but unable to get close enough to do anything without facing a similar fate. As I freed my tow line's beener and readied it for a toss, the paddler managed to right his kayak. The water, in a fit of mercy, rushed in with enough volume to lift the stranded kayak off the rock and it calmed enough for the paddler to escape unharmed.
Impressed, and chastened, we headed home a little further from shore. We arrived at Pier 5 without further incident.
Even with the few bumps in the road, it was a good paddle. We all enjoyed ourselves and the bumps kept us on our toes. If there weren't any challenges, life would get boring. It is just nice to have a solid group around you to pull you off the rocks or give you a ride home when you need it.

Labor Day Trials

Photos courtesy of Cheryl Thompson Cameron

After a grey, windy paddle on Saturday and being grounded on Sunday, H and I were looking forward to paddling under Labor Day's sunny skies. H was a touch apprehensive because there was going to be surf at Narragansett Beach. I was of many minds about the surf. One part of me was hoping it would be small so H would enjoy herself and have a safe landing. One part of me was looking forward to putting the Q-Boat through its paces in the surf. One part of me was concerned about my own safety in the surf. One part of me was wishing there were rocks around.
Before we had to worry about the surf, we had to get on the water. Why the seemingly simple job of getting on the water is such a chore for me remains a mystery, but today at least there were a few explanations. There was a surprising amount of traffic on the beach. We had to figure out what combination of clothing would create the delicate balance between staying warm in the event of a swim and staying cool while paddling. The air was cool, but it was sunny. The water was still warm, but once out of the drink... There were some good swells, so paddling was going to require some work. Tim M. was wearing a full dry suit, but I wasn't quite ready to break mine out. Most of us opted for a combination of a dry-top with shorts.
Then there was the question of what to do about the helmets. I opted to just wear mine. There is no convenient place in the Q-Boat to store a helmet and still have easy access to it. Fortunately, my melon protector fits comfortably and I can wear it for long periods of time. The other paddlers choose to stow the helmets until we reached Narragansett.
Once we got past Bonnet Shores we could feel the power Ernesto had left in the water. The swells, while not huge, were insistent. Whale Rock was being pummelled. The cliffs of Bonnet were oddly placid. Despite the power in the water, the conditions were tame and allowed us to make easy progress.
Along the way, we lost two members of the group. Because most of the group paddle together frequently, we've developed a certain rhythm and pace that works. We had a new paddler with us today and the group's pace, which seemed normal to us, was too fast for her. So she and another person headed back to Bay Campus to do a different paddle.
On the final approach to Narragansett Beach our surf suspicions were confirmed. Once we passed Whale Rock, we could see the breaks off the rocks that guard that end of the beach.
We paddled past the rocks on the oceanside to get a clear view of the beach before deciding what to do. People were talking about simply turning back to Bay Campus without landing. Tim was spooked by the "devil boat." Joe was not in a hurry to re-injure his shoulder. H didn't want to smash up her new kayak or be swept out to Davey Jone's Locker.
After surveying the break, which was steady but not large, the rest of the group donned their helmets for the surf run. This did not reassure H! "It is not reassuring to see all the helmets." I offered her mine since she does not own one, but she demurred.
With mellons properly protected, paddlers paraded beachward. Carleen made easy work of the run. Joe A. rode his skin boat on the surf like it was part of him. Tim, on the other hand, was whirlpooled in the devil boat. He washed ashore soggy and shaken.
H and I, meanwhile, were still sitting beyond the break deciding what to do: land or turn tail. Having never surf landed, H was understandably concerned about landing. However, she also wanted to enjoy the beach and the picnic. So we talked about it. It was one of those awkward moments that come up when you're a couple. I tried to convince her that a surf landing was safe and that she would be OK. I also reassured her that it was OK if we went back. She didn't want to look foolish, or get hurt, or put a damper on the day. The helmets, the rip current, and Rich's reluctance to paddle in were tangible evidence of her. We needed an intervention.
Joe S. paddled over, assessed to situation, and devised a plan. I would paddle into the beach. Once safely on the shore, I would scope out the surf. When it looked like the best (best = smallest) set, I would signal by spinning my paddle over head. Heather would then paddle like a dunked dingo for the shore.
Relieved that we had a plan and excited to put the Q-Boat into some surf, I paddled into the break zone. Sometimes I find it hard to catch waves using the stick because it takes a little more time to get up to speed, but not today. I let a few little waves roll by and waited for a big one. Once I saw it, I revved up the engine and hopped on the front of the wave. The Q-Boat behaved admirably on the wave. With just a touch of rudder, it held a tight line right up until the wave started to collapse. In a splash, she spun breach to the wave trapping my paddle on the beach side. I was over in the foam. Luckily the water was deep enough that I could hang out in the cockpit without whacking my head. I waited until the wave, and the one following, it moved past, set up on what I thought was the wave side, and rolled up. I quickly remembered why you don't set up beach side. A wave smacked into me and dropped me back in before I was all the way up. So, I waited for the wave to clear out, set up on the other side, and rolled up. This time I got it right and had time to get the Q-Boat heading towards the beach for a second sweet ride. I glided right into the beach and did a little victory dance. I wanted to head back out and do it again, but I had a mission to complete.
After making sure the Q-Boat was properly stowed above the water line, I grabbed my trusty stick and took up position on the shore. From where I stood the biggest problem getting H in was the swarm of surf kayaks darting about. The surf was starting to flatten out. Just to make sure I watched a set or two before signalling her to start her run. When it looked good I started waving the paddle over my head.
On the water, Joe and Tony, who had come over to lend a hand, couldn't see me. Joe decided that he was needed elsewhere and left H in Tony's capable hands. When he thought it looked good he sent her in.
H, depite being scared wittless, did a great job. She made a perfect run into the beach and was even smiling!!
Once H was safely on the beach and properly congratulated, Bob H. and I helped pull in a few other paddlers who did not have such a good ride. One person had made one of the classic surf blunders: they were between their loose kayak and the beach. Bob H. and I tried to get the person to watch out, but the kayak whacked him in the knees first. Fortunately, no permanent damage was done.
Bob H., who has been laid up all summer, couldn't wait to sit in H's new boat and try out her paddle, even if he couldn't leave the beach. His back was feeling up to a short paddle from the Narrow River Bridge to the beach, but not the surf. It was great to see him out and about. It looked like his back was finally starting to heal. Hopefully he'll be able to join in the winter kayaking fun!!
After some socializing and lunching, it was back through the surf for the return run. I always find surf launches physically harder than surf landings, but I also find them to be far easier mentally. Punching through a wave takes a tremendous amount of strength, but seeing it before it buries you somehow makes it easier to handle. H looked more settled about launching and made it look easy despite the big waves pounding into her tiny kayak.
Tim, on the other hand, looked like he was about to do a forced march through a nuclear mine field. Each time he put a blade in the water it was more like a test step to see if the ground was firm. Instead of attacking the waves, it looked like he was praying the waves would take pity on him. Instead the waves took pity on Rich R. and did a number on Tim. Surprisingly, Tim did make it out without incident, but it was obvious that he and the devil boat were not going to be a pair much longer.
I was still itching for some more time in the surf, but the rest of the group was more than ready to paddle back to Bay Campus. There was still plenty of swells out in the West Passage and we made good time riding them home. The group started breaking up once and Joe attempted to get us regrouped. I was just enjoying the open water, H was getting tired, Joe A. was feeling a bit out of sorts in his skin kayak, and Tim was barely able to keep the devil boat upright when he paddling. Stopping the group was easier said than done. Joe A. and I rafted up with Tim to lend him some support while we waited for the rear of the group.
Once we had gotten the group back together we took off again. It didn't take long for the group to spread out again. This time regrouping, although considered, was not an option. Joe S. and Carleen were corralling the stragglers as we passed the Bonnet Cliffs, so the lead kayaks headed straight for the safety of the Bay Campus.
Once back at the Bay Campus it was time for a little post paddle confidence recouping. Tim and Joe A. were both feeling less than happy about their skills after being unsettled all day. Joe A. was still readjusting to his skin boat and had missed a roll earlier in the day. Tim was just shaken from being pinned in the devil boat all day. So, to prove to themselves--the rest of us knew they were just having an off day and wished some of our good days could go so well--they decided to do some rolling. Joe managed to hit a few rolls and do a balance brace. He even managed to teach me how to do one. It is a neat trick to lay in the water and keep the kayak from tipping. It would be an even better trick if I was smooth enough to get into the position with out a helping hand.
Back on the beach, Tim was being consoled by his wife who had come down to enjoy the sun. It was a good thing too because some of the comments being bandied about concerning the benefits of wide boats pushed his blood to boiling. There is a fine line between joking around and kicking a guy when he is down....
Fortunately, a calming influence was present and once the storm passed the euphoria of spending a sunny day on the water with good friends settled over us. We even managed to restore Tim and Joe A.'s confidence. Is there ever a bad day on the water?