[Paddlewise] Texas Water Safari

WisePaddlers, FYI:


>Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 08:16:13 +0000
>From: West Hansen <west_at_smithsys.net>
>To: canoetx <canoetx_at_world.std.com>
>Subject: Texas Water Safari

>
>HILL COUNTRY CANOEIST
>By West Hansen with Special Assistant, Monica Pennington
>
>   The breeze finally started up again and the electricity finally made 
>it to Seadrift after a brief storm knocked out a transformer in 
>downtown. The breeze is essential to keep the squadrons of mosquitos 
>away and the electricity is essential to help the survivors of the 36th 
>annual Texas Water Safari recover from the record 110 degree 
>temperatures along the lower stretches of the Guadalupe river. The 
>entire town buzzed with central air conditioners and window units going 
>at full speed until Monday evening when the skies lit up and the town 
>went quiet. The lightning storm was quite a thrill, but after the 
>thrilling 260 mile slog down the San Marcos and Guadalupe the racers 
>were ready for a long cool nap.
>   Several canoes were out in Guadalupe Bay looking for the lights of 
>Seadrift as their only means of guidance under the blackened skies. With 
>two and a half sleepless days under their belt and little more than a 
>brain cell or two still firing the last thing paddlers needed was to 
>head out into the Gulf of Mexico for an extra few miles of paddling, or 
>worse. Add the power outage to the rougher than normal bay and now 
>you're talking excitement. But all was not lost, because out of the 
>darkness came Troy Swift, Texas Water Safari Safety Officer and 
>soon-to-be papa with the perfect solution, a la Charles Lindbergh. Troy 
>rounded up all the bodies draped in lawn chairs in wait and recover mode 
>and got them to turn on the emergency flashers of their cars and trucks. 
>It wasn't long before the seawall in Seadrift looked like a stationary 
>parade to help guide the boats.
>   The race itself turned out to more than the usual challenge. After 
>being quite spoiled by last years record high waters, racers found 
>themselves pushing through some very shallow, placid stretches under 
>record high temperatures. Many folks wisely pulled themselves out after 
>suffering the initial symptoms of heat prostration while others were 
>yanked by their Team Captains and hauled into local hospitals for 
>treatment. Despite the heat and dreadfully low water the competition 
>remained at it's typically high state.
>   Coming in first of the umpteenth time was the six man Mynar team 
>composed of Joe, Fred and Brian Mynar along with John Dunn, Tim Rask and 
>imported Canadian, Mike Vincent. After leading the race the first 16 
>miles to Staples, the Bugge team composed of John Bugge, Allen Spelce, 
>Robert Youens, Mike Shea, Phil Gumbert and yours truly, found the water 
>a bit too shallow to stay with the Mynar team, leaving a clear shot for 
>the highly coveted second place spot. Following the two six man boats 
>was a large herd of four man boats, once considered too long to handle 
>the hairpin turns of the San Marcos, now seen as lightweight sport cars 
>compared to the forty foot six man missiles. Johnny and Sammy Prochaska 
>teamed with Tommy Dornak and Donald Baumbach to muscle in a third place 
>finish despite having only paddled as a team one time prior to the 
>starting gun.
>   Mike Shively came in from Utah to rack up his third solo victory and 
>Peter and Kathy Derrick took the Mixed title, once again. Kathy was the 
>first woman to finish the Safari as a soloist back in the early 1970's. 
>As of Tuesday morning at 8:00 a.m. 20 teams have finished with 
>approximately 30 remaining along the race course. All teams must finish 
>within the 100 hour time limit (1:00 p.m. Wednesday) to be considered an 
>official finisher.
>   Communication was provided from checkpoint to checkpoint by 
>volunteers from several amateur radio clubs under the organization of 
>Eric Olson. These ham radio operators manned the airwaves through clouds 
>of mosquitos, brief severe thunderstorms, hail and occasional hours of 
>boredom. A great amount of thanks is owed them.
>
>1) Joe, Fred and Brian Mynar, John Dunn, Mike Vincent, Tim Rask 	
>38:39	1st Unlimited
>2) John Bugge, Allen Spelce, Robert Youens, Mike Shea, Phil Gumbert, 
>West Hansen	40:41
>3) Johnny and Sammy Prochaska, Tommy Dornak, Donald Baumbach	46:53
>4) Bill Stafford, John DuPont, John Mark Harras, Tommy Yonley	47:56
>5) Jay Daniel, Richard Miller, Chuck and Charles Stewart		
>50:08
>6) Mike Shively	52:29	1st Solo Unlimited, 1st Masters
>7) Peter and Kathy Derrick	53:02	1st Mixed
>8) Cindy Meurer, Grady Hicks	55:38	1st USCA C-2 Cruiser
>9) Rusty Bailey	56:21
>10) Mark Simmons, Captain Robertson	57:53	1st Aluminum
>11)  Vance Sherrod, Rob Wytaske	57:54	1st Tandem Unlimited
>12) Pete and Wade Binion		58:08
>13) Ron Henk	58:13
>14) Ken Keiffer, Gib Hafernick	58:17
>15) Tom and Sandy Goynes	58:18
>16) Pat and Patrick Petrisky	58:26
>17) Robert Trcka, Cory Laskoskie	63:00
>18) Ronnie Howard, David Hamilton	67:53
>19) Ted Slaughter, Damon Goodwin	68:05
>20) Karen Litton, Dennis Harrison	70:55
>

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