Outer West Passage

This Sunday couldn't be more different than last Sunday. The day started off cold and overcast. I was awoken by a cute and very awake Bug. I was dressed in full-body goretex. I was staring up at Beavertail from sea-level.
The day started off oddly. Bug typically gets up at the crack of dawn on the weekends. I didn't need to leave until 8am, so I figured I have plenty of time. Bug slept until 7:30. I hadn't packed my drysuit until H mentioned it. Saturday was warm and in normal springs this would be paddle top and short weather.
When I got to Bay Campus, I was psyched that H had told me to pack the drysuit. It was chilly and overcast. The water was in the low 50s and everyone was a vision in goretex.
The water was earily still. We sat off the tip of Beavertail like we were on a salt pond. It was almost too calm. Any day on the water is a good day, but a few bumps is better. The Q-boat is easier to manage in conditions. When the water is flat, the tail fishes around and it feels sluggish.
After lunch things picked up. We hung close to shore and took advantage of the waves bouncing off the rocks. It was perfectly safe fun. I could get a rush without worrying about wrecking my kayak or my body.
Part of what kept me safe was my lack of helmet. It sounds counter intuitive, but it is true. I notice that when I wear my helmet in mostly safe conditions, I tend to take more risks. I trick myself into thinking I am safer than I am. Without the hemet, I make better and more conservative decisions.
I did witness the move of the year. TG got caught up on some rocks. The waves washed into him and, instead of washing him off, flipped him off. He washed through a shallow, rocky channel, tried to roll up, then noticed that TM's bow was next to him. TG grabbed it and pulled himself up without a scratch. It would make a great video shot for one of those TITS montages.
Back at the beach TM noticed me sitting in my boat looking undecided. "We don't cut ourselves enough slack," he told me. "It's OK to not do it." I chose to not listen. I only get to practice once a month and a roll is a delicate thing. Both side were smooth as butter.
Our timing was perfect. As we pulled the kayaks out of the water, we heard thunder off in the distance. It was dry right up until we were in the cars and on our way to coffee.

Beavertail from Land

H and I took a furlough from Bug for the night. It is nice to spend an evening not worrying about entertaining a three year-old. In the morning, H wanted to visit Beavertail....by car. In all the years I've been driving down to RI and kayaking all over the Jamestown coast, I've never been above the cliffs at Beavertail. I've spent time in the rocks and on the pocket beaches.
It was a little odd to look out over the familiar waters from a new vantage point. It looked a lot less imposing and tranquil from land. The strangest part was that we didn't see a single kayaker on the water. I expected to see a pod of kayaks playing in the surf just off shore.

Narrow River

Today was a happy accident. TM posted an extra paddle for the week; I noticed it at the last minute; H agreed to let me paddle. She is great and knows how much paddling does to keep me on a semi-even keel.
The forecast promised sunny and warm. Despite the fact that sunny and warm can mean boiling in a dry suit, I was ready for some sunny paddling.
Instead, the weather was cold, grey, and windy. In a dry suit, cold is not a big deal. Spring grey is still Spring. I was just happy to be out on the water.
The Q-boat was a little dusty and still had dried out leaves in it. Her hatches were filled with dank fall sea water. The mighty stick could use a new coat of oil. They were perfect.
The wind was at our back on the way up river, so it was hardly noticeable. I just enjoyed moving in the boat and catching up with old friends.
The return trip was a little more difficult. Paddling into the wind is a good workout. I am not in great paddling shape, but the stick is strong! I will probably be a little sore in the morning.
The post paddle coffee was excellent as well. I cannot remember the last time I sat on the deck of Java Madness shooting the shit.
Once a month from now until October is my goal for the paddling season.

Georges

What can one do to cap off a great kayaking trip? Eat a great lunch....
After kayaking in La Jolla bay, we headed off to meet people for lunch at George's. It came highly recommended and since it was restaurant week, we hoped to be in for something special.
We were not disappointed. The view alone was worth the price of admission. The restaurant sits on a cliff overlooking the ocean. We had clear views of the coast for miles around. As a bonus we got to watch the the life guards use jet skis to drag swimmers out of the giant surf while sea lions danced in the water and laughed.
The food complimented the views. I had a chipotle dusted grilled chicken strips and fries. It sounds like a meal one could get at any joint, but it was at the next level. The chicken was moist and tasty in a way that I didn't know chicken could be. For desert, I had a maple cheesecake that rich, smooth, and just maply enough. The other deserts I tasted included a moist, almost too rich, chocolate cake and a toffee caramel sticky pudding.
Great food, great views, great day!

With or With Out Whales

Business trips are grueling affairs. Lots of time in airplanes, airports, busses, hotel rooms, and conference rooms. The settings are not designed to promote well being; they are just functional spaces. The time in them are marathon sessions of power point and mediocre movies. The alcohol consumed is a required anesthetic.
The one free day you get has to count. Weeks before leaving I booked reservations for a kayak tour that promised whale watching. I needed something to mask the anticipatory dread of the trip. It sounded perfect. Sun, ocean, sea life and two hours of kayaking.
Yesterday morning, on what turned out to be the best weather day of the trip, I showed up a La Jolla Kayaking. They provided everything for the trip: sit on top kayak, paddle, pfd, guide, and a wetsuit. The equipment was in good shape. It was about what one expects from a tour company in a sunny climate.
There was a surf advisory for the area, but the beach where the tour launched was flat. Apparently, La Jolla cove has a deep water trench that flattens out big swells. To the south we could see big breakers along the shore.
We paddled off the beach and out to the deep water following the kelp beds to the south. The sky and water were clear and we had great views of the coast and the open ocean. We hoped to spot some grey whales. Our guide said that we had a good chance of seeing some. People have been seeing them regularly.
Early on we spotted two pods of dolphins chasing fish. They were small white striped dolphins and looked very cool. We tried to get close to them, but they sped along faster than we could.
After the dolphins, we spent a long time just enjoying being on the water. We kept our eyes open, but saw little save for the scenery. The ocean was providing some nice color as well. You could see the big swells rolling in and sliding past. The periods were long, so it felt like a gentle rocking.
On the return trip, we saw several seals playing in the water. A few times we thought they might be whales, but it was just seals. The seals looked like they were having as much fun as we were.
The trip ended without any whale sightings, but that didn't matter. Spending a few glorious hours on the water under the California sun was more than enough. And that was before lunch..