Outer West Passage

This paddle was a rare and unexpected treat. The outer west passage is one of my favorite places to kayak because it offers a gamut of conditions within easy reach. However, I wasn't expecting to be able to go on the paddle because I was seeing Jimmy Buffet the night before. In my 20's and most of my 30's I'd thought nothing of paddling on littler or no sleep, however in my 40's I consider the wisdom of paddle on a few hours of sleep.
H was insistent that I paddle and made sure I packed the UberEgg before we left for the concert. We got home from the concert earlier than I expected, so I made sure to get right to bed. With a good 6+ hours of sleep, I felt good in the morning. The weather was looking good as well. Not too warm with a slight breeze and clear skies. I left the house confident that I was going to have a good day on the water.
Little did I know just how good a day I was going to have. The conditions were perfectly tuned to my desires. The spring tides had the current running out of the Bay as fast as I have ever seen. The wind was just enough to keep us cool and create some good chop. The conditions were just inside the comfort zone. Since I don't get out on my own much, I prefer conditions that are more challenging. I can always find a little time with the family to paddle on flat water.
TM, our newly minted BCU 5-star paddler, coordinated the group with his usual skill. Since most of the members of the group were familiar with the area, the coordination was more about keeping the group together and managing the comfort levels of the paddlers. To me, this is the hardest part of coordinating a group and I am glad TM seems to enjoy it. He did an excellent job of allowing the group to spread just enough so that some paddlers could experience the bigger chop along the shore while others could paddle in the relative calm on the channel.
The most impressive bit was managing the group on the crossing from Beavertail to Whale Rock. The conditions on this part of the paddle are always the biggest. It is the entrance to the Bay and the ocean swells tend to be larger here than further inside the Bay. TM timed our paddle up the Jamestown coast to allow the conditions to settle before making the big crossing. Earlier in the morning the combination of the current and the wind was making big swells. When we got there, the swells were more reasonable for everyone in the group. They were big enough to provide some excitement, but not so big as to make trouble. TM also did a great job of ensuring that comfortable paddlers were evenly spread amongst the group to support the less comfortable paddlers.
For me this was the best part of the paddle. The combination of the big swells, the fast current, the wind, and the need to keep an eye on the group presented the perfect amount of challenge. There was no zoning out or getting frustrated. It was just focus. There were a few unpredictably large swells that gave me a pleasant surprise.
The relatively mild conditions along the bluffs were nice for practicing boat handling skills in the rocks. They also made for a nice cool down before hitting the beach.
Before finally relinquishing the ocean, I did a few rolls. They were a little creaky, but that was to be expected. I was happy that I rolled up without too much trouble. It was a great way to end a great day.

Fun in the Sun

Having a child forces you to do things differently. A few years ago, I made decision about when to paddle on the fly. Now, I make arrangements weeks in advance. Planning in advance is nice because you know you will get to paddle at least a few times a season. It also makes bad weather a big deal.
Fortunately bad weather was not an issue today. I'd been waiting for this paddle for many weeks.
We descended on the parking lot early to make sure we got parking. Manchester, like all towns on Cape Ann, has limited public parking. It has even less parking that is suitable for launching kayaks.
The weather was nearly ideal for a day on the water. Sunny, but not too warm. A light breeze and calm seas. The afternoon threatened some thunder showers, but we were not worried.
The plan was to paddle out to the Misery Islands, check out the area from Little Misery, and likely head out past Bakers to play on the rocky islands.
The morning was pleasantly uneventful. We meandered our way out to the Miseries. Along the way out JS and I reminisced about the last time we paddled this stretch of water. It was a very different paddle...
That day was cold and gray with mean seas. The swells were steep and unpredictable. We spent a lot our time trying not to surf into the other paddlers in the group and hoping for landfall. It was one of those days where you ask yourself, repeatedly, if you are crazy....
After a brief stop on Little Misery to see what was happening and pick our lunch spot, the group headed out towards Bakers. The seas were just bouncy enough to remind you that this was a sea kayak trip. I love this kind of paddling, particularly when I have been away from the water for a long time. The rhythm of the paddles and bounce of the swells become a mantra. It is an alert relaxation; it is revitalizing.
After lunch the paddling was more active. The winds and swells picked up a little. It was a nice change. The conditions required an active presence but wasn't enough to knock me out of the zone. Paddle, correct, paddle, correct, deploy skeg, paddle.... Just right to remind me that I was at the mercy of forces beyond my control. All I could do was be present and adjust as needed.
Back at the cars, I felt the rejuvenating effects of the paddle. I was more relaxed and more balanced. A great day on the water.

I've got a Byline

Despite being a full time writer, it has been a long time since I've had my own byline. The latest issue of Adoptive Families has a story I wrote in it. The story is just a little, personal reflection on first meeting our little love bug.

Rolling in the Mud

Today was the RICKA planning party and first official paddle of the year. I have been itching to get out for a few months and it seemed like every time the chance came up, I had a conflict. Since I was going to the planning party, I had no conflicts with the paddle except for Bug's swimming class in the morning. I decided, with some difficulty, that I could miss one swimming class and get some stick time. A happier daddy makes for a happier Bug.
The weather has started to take a turn for the better in the last week and it looks like Spring has finally arrived. Too bad it took a hiatus this morning. When PB picked me up this morning it was chilly. By the time we got to Gooseberry Point, it was down right cold and the wind was howling. We seriously considered spending the morning at the Bayside and skipping the paddling. The conditions were not going to make for a pleasant paddle in Buzzards Bay. The wind would make paddling a chore. The chop would make paddling damp. The cold would make you think too hard about taking any risks.
Once others started arriving, a consensus to relocate quickly formed. We moved to Hixbridge Road and the Westport River. This would give us some shelter from the wind at the very least. We could paddle up or down river as we fancied.
We fancied going up river, figuring that it is better to paddle into the wind when you are fresh and let the wind blow you home. The trick with going up river was that the tide was going out and the water levels were dropping.... The initial plan was to just paddle a couple of miles up river, then turn back so we would have plenty of water. If we wanted to keep paddling the lower part of the river would have water longer.
The river did provide good shelter and made for a pleasant paddle. It was actually perfect for me. I was a little tired from yesterdays bike ride. My skills are a little rusty as well. The leisurely pace and flat water made it easy for me to find a rhythm and work the kinks out. The river is also pretty scenic and the company was good, so the slow pace helped there as well.
At some point the group decided that we were going all the way to the end.
"We might as well kiss the rock," someone said while CO was looking for some rational reason for the adventure. I'm not sure what she was thinking. Rationality is a rare commodity among RICKA sea kayakers.
The further up river we went the lower the water got. We spent a lot of time looking for the channel and practicing our turns.
After a quick stop at Osprey Sea Kayak Adventures, we headed back. At first it wasn't too bad. As long as you stayed on the narrow course, you stayed afloat. Every now and then the stick would dredge up some mud, but for the first mile or more it was pretty smooth paddling. Then the mud flats came....
The first time I got stuck wasn't too bad. It was only a few hundred feet of digging the stick into the goop. The second time sucked. It was hundreds of yards of digging through the mud. At points the stick was so useless, that I just used my hands to turtle walk through the mud. I would have gotten out and carried the kayak if I didn't think that I would sunk to my neck in the mud.
Once past the last mud flat, the paddle got much better. The stick stopped dragging in the mud and I could cruise along. By the time I got back to the launch point, most of the mud had washed off the kayak and the paddle.
It wasn't the perfect way to start off the season, but was still better than a day at the office.

Back in the Saddle

I got out for the first ride of the season today. It was a short 10 mile ride, but there was more than enough hills. I also managed to get a good variety of riding conditions in: country roads, bike paths, dirt trail, and major roadways.
The two things I learned on the ride: I am in terrible shape and I really like my bike.
Despite going to the gym regularly all winter long, I was not prepared for riding outside. Nothing new there; I always forget how different it is between riding in the gym and riding in the world. I didn't actually feel that bad, but I did have to keep my pace down to a lowly 12mph.
The good news is that Spring is here and there are many months of prime riding weather ahead!