A weekend off ...
This past weekend I enjoyed a “ME” weekend. No classes to teach, no tours to lead. So what is a girl to do with three days of unencumbered time? Go to the spa, maybe go shopping? That just won’t be me. I decided to … go paddling!
Friday morning I woke up early, loaded the Tempest and the Silhouette onto the car and piled in the camping gear. First stop Wye Island where I met up with Jesse and Frank. Neither of them had ever paddled around Wye before so I found myself being the tour guide. We stopped on the point for lunch, to play in the rope swing, and admire the beautiful Eagle Scout project – the outhouse! We had some fun chop on the western edge of the island which is more exposed to the bay. Around the southern edge of Wye, we were treated to several bald eagles souring around in the winds above us. We had so been enjoying the day that we barely noticed the dark clouds forming off to the northwest. They seemed to be getting larger and closer so we turned our attention back to paddling. We arrived at the take out just as the first clap of thunder hit. As we loaded the boats the first drops of rain fell. Before we could leave the parking lot the storm hit in earnest. High winds, thunder, lightening and pouring rain. But it didn’t dampen our paddle!
As Frank and Jesse headed back west toward DC, I turned east to the beach. My plan was to camp at Assateague National Park Friday night and attend two classes at Coastal Kayak in Fenwick Island on Saturday. Ben Lawry was in town to teach a forward stroke clinic in the morning and then a core strokes clinic in the afternoon.
The classes on Saturday were great. First, Ben is an amazing teacher and has really interesting drills. During the forward stroke clinic, we spent a bunch of time on the ground figuring out how to get our torso muscles to engage and in what sequence. Really cool. Then it was off to the water. We spent the next two hours paddling back and forth between the beach and a buoy a couple hundred yards out. For each trip Ben would give us a new exercise to try – paddle with both hands ending parallel to the boat over the water, paddle pumping your legs, paddle with your thumbs on top and wave with the top hand, plus so many others. I got to use my wing paddle during the class and got some good tips. Of course he kept telling me to slow my stroke down and really focus on holding the rotation – seems to be a recurring theme.
When we broke for lunch I went to work figuring out the surf situation. I had talked Nelson into coming down Sunday to do a little surf and needed to figure out where and when. Mitch from Coastal Kayak is the local expert so I needed to pick his brain. Turns out low tide is the time to surf around these parts and low tide was at 6 am on Sunday morning. I wasn’t too sure I would be able to entice Nelson to join me at that hour and surfing alone wasn’t on my agenda. I was pondering who else I could talk into it and eating my bagel when up walked a guy in a CLC shirt. Turns out it was Chris Beckman. I knew Chris by reputation and from his posts on the DelMarVa paddlers board but had never met him personally. We had a great time talking about club politics and going through the usual “have you paddled with …” stuff. I mentioned surfing to him and he seemed like he might be up for it.
When lunch was over, it was time for Core Strokes. We all regrouped, did a few more land exercises and headed out to the water again. The very first thing Ben had us do was scramble up to the front of our boats, kiss the bow, then scramble back to the seat, turn around, head for the stern, kiss it and then get back to the cockpit. It got everyone comfortable with being wet, ready to fall in and was a great way to forget the otherwise very hot July day. Next, Ben introduced his “Core Strokes”. These are strokes which will work in most all situations – rough water, calm water, whitewater, etc. I think too often sea kayakers around here paddle in mostly calm conditions and don’t learn strokes that work well in rougher situations. We moved through sweep strokes, reverse strokes, draw strokes and sculling. The sweeps were very whitewater like. Shorter than a standard sweep with more edge, more support from the paddle and looking into the turn. We spent a bunch of time on rudder strokes which can be so helpful in surf. I was really hoping I’d be able to practice them all the next day!
The class ended around 5pm and I got to work loading my boat. On my windshield I noticed a business card. Turns out it was from Chris. On the back was a little note. It just said when and where for surfing tomorrow …. I called Nelson, filled him in on our timing window and much to my surprise and glee he was still up for coming out. Even if it meant leaving DC at 3 am!
Chris, Nelson and I rendezvoused the next morning at 6pm at the West Ocean City boat ramp. We were joined by many power boaters as that ramp is primarily for fisherman of the both commercial and pleasure variety. Nonetheless with three ramps we were able to slide our boats in the water and get out of the way in a hurry. We were paddling before 6:30 am. We took out a little beach just before the inlet so that we could scout both the inlet and the surf on the other side. The inlet didn’t look too bad – a little squirrelly at the mouth but then we were here to paddle in water with “texture”. From our beach we could see that there was an off-shore break about ½ miles out from the inlet and it looked sweet!
Back in our boats we headed through the inlet. The current was still rushing out event though the tide was turning and that created some really bumpy water. After we rounded the jetty we started heading out. Before we had even paddled for another 10 minutes Nelson declared that this was already worth the drive and the early hour. As we neared the break I think we all got a few butterflies in our stomachs but this is what we were here to do so through it we paddled. We turned around and the fun began.
Chris and I took off. Paddling slowly, looking back over my shoulder I searched for the perfect wave. A couple of small ones passed under me with no luck but then a big one approached and I was flying. Yippee! Flying down the wave, leaning back and using my new rudder strokes! I caught a great ride and stayed straight the whole time! We spent the next hour or so playing out there. Nelson caught a couple of great rides and got to “practice” his roll once also. Good to know its bombproof! Chris had recently gotten an Optio camera so he took a bunch of pics. Here is a link to Chris' photo page.
By around 8 am the surf was getting smaller and harder to predict as the tide came in so we set off paddling up the Ocean City coast for a couple of miles checking out the tourists, hotels, and boats. Nelson and I were really enjoying all the movement in the water. When my stomach started to remind me that I hadn’t had time for breakfast and we paddled back to the put-in. Over breakfast we talked about what a great time we had and how we must get back out there again soon – only this time perhaps on a day when low tide was at a slightly more reasonable hour.
Old friends and new friends, old skills and new skills, old paddling places and new ones all combined for one fabulous weekend!
Friday morning I woke up early, loaded the Tempest and the Silhouette onto the car and piled in the camping gear. First stop Wye Island where I met up with Jesse and Frank. Neither of them had ever paddled around Wye before so I found myself being the tour guide. We stopped on the point for lunch, to play in the rope swing, and admire the beautiful Eagle Scout project – the outhouse! We had some fun chop on the western edge of the island which is more exposed to the bay. Around the southern edge of Wye, we were treated to several bald eagles souring around in the winds above us. We had so been enjoying the day that we barely noticed the dark clouds forming off to the northwest. They seemed to be getting larger and closer so we turned our attention back to paddling. We arrived at the take out just as the first clap of thunder hit. As we loaded the boats the first drops of rain fell. Before we could leave the parking lot the storm hit in earnest. High winds, thunder, lightening and pouring rain. But it didn’t dampen our paddle!
As Frank and Jesse headed back west toward DC, I turned east to the beach. My plan was to camp at Assateague National Park Friday night and attend two classes at Coastal Kayak in Fenwick Island on Saturday. Ben Lawry was in town to teach a forward stroke clinic in the morning and then a core strokes clinic in the afternoon.
The classes on Saturday were great. First, Ben is an amazing teacher and has really interesting drills. During the forward stroke clinic, we spent a bunch of time on the ground figuring out how to get our torso muscles to engage and in what sequence. Really cool. Then it was off to the water. We spent the next two hours paddling back and forth between the beach and a buoy a couple hundred yards out. For each trip Ben would give us a new exercise to try – paddle with both hands ending parallel to the boat over the water, paddle pumping your legs, paddle with your thumbs on top and wave with the top hand, plus so many others. I got to use my wing paddle during the class and got some good tips. Of course he kept telling me to slow my stroke down and really focus on holding the rotation – seems to be a recurring theme.
When we broke for lunch I went to work figuring out the surf situation. I had talked Nelson into coming down Sunday to do a little surf and needed to figure out where and when. Mitch from Coastal Kayak is the local expert so I needed to pick his brain. Turns out low tide is the time to surf around these parts and low tide was at 6 am on Sunday morning. I wasn’t too sure I would be able to entice Nelson to join me at that hour and surfing alone wasn’t on my agenda. I was pondering who else I could talk into it and eating my bagel when up walked a guy in a CLC shirt. Turns out it was Chris Beckman. I knew Chris by reputation and from his posts on the DelMarVa paddlers board but had never met him personally. We had a great time talking about club politics and going through the usual “have you paddled with …” stuff. I mentioned surfing to him and he seemed like he might be up for it.
When lunch was over, it was time for Core Strokes. We all regrouped, did a few more land exercises and headed out to the water again. The very first thing Ben had us do was scramble up to the front of our boats, kiss the bow, then scramble back to the seat, turn around, head for the stern, kiss it and then get back to the cockpit. It got everyone comfortable with being wet, ready to fall in and was a great way to forget the otherwise very hot July day. Next, Ben introduced his “Core Strokes”. These are strokes which will work in most all situations – rough water, calm water, whitewater, etc. I think too often sea kayakers around here paddle in mostly calm conditions and don’t learn strokes that work well in rougher situations. We moved through sweep strokes, reverse strokes, draw strokes and sculling. The sweeps were very whitewater like. Shorter than a standard sweep with more edge, more support from the paddle and looking into the turn. We spent a bunch of time on rudder strokes which can be so helpful in surf. I was really hoping I’d be able to practice them all the next day!
The class ended around 5pm and I got to work loading my boat. On my windshield I noticed a business card. Turns out it was from Chris. On the back was a little note. It just said when and where for surfing tomorrow …. I called Nelson, filled him in on our timing window and much to my surprise and glee he was still up for coming out. Even if it meant leaving DC at 3 am!
Chris, Nelson and I rendezvoused the next morning at 6pm at the West Ocean City boat ramp. We were joined by many power boaters as that ramp is primarily for fisherman of the both commercial and pleasure variety. Nonetheless with three ramps we were able to slide our boats in the water and get out of the way in a hurry. We were paddling before 6:30 am. We took out a little beach just before the inlet so that we could scout both the inlet and the surf on the other side. The inlet didn’t look too bad – a little squirrelly at the mouth but then we were here to paddle in water with “texture”. From our beach we could see that there was an off-shore break about ½ miles out from the inlet and it looked sweet!
Back in our boats we headed through the inlet. The current was still rushing out event though the tide was turning and that created some really bumpy water. After we rounded the jetty we started heading out. Before we had even paddled for another 10 minutes Nelson declared that this was already worth the drive and the early hour. As we neared the break I think we all got a few butterflies in our stomachs but this is what we were here to do so through it we paddled. We turned around and the fun began.
Chris and I took off. Paddling slowly, looking back over my shoulder I searched for the perfect wave. A couple of small ones passed under me with no luck but then a big one approached and I was flying. Yippee! Flying down the wave, leaning back and using my new rudder strokes! I caught a great ride and stayed straight the whole time! We spent the next hour or so playing out there. Nelson caught a couple of great rides and got to “practice” his roll once also. Good to know its bombproof! Chris had recently gotten an Optio camera so he took a bunch of pics. Here is a link to Chris' photo page.
By around 8 am the surf was getting smaller and harder to predict as the tide came in so we set off paddling up the Ocean City coast for a couple of miles checking out the tourists, hotels, and boats. Nelson and I were really enjoying all the movement in the water. When my stomach started to remind me that I hadn’t had time for breakfast and we paddled back to the put-in. Over breakfast we talked about what a great time we had and how we must get back out there again soon – only this time perhaps on a day when low tide was at a slightly more reasonable hour.
Old friends and new friends, old skills and new skills, old paddling places and new ones all combined for one fabulous weekend!
Cyndi Catching a Swell in the Morning
Nelson Catches some Big Surf
Cyndi Getting Ready for Surfing
(Photos Courtesy of Chris Beckman)
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