Gotta Get Home - Three micro stories - (All set on southern half of San Francisco Bay) 1. Last October. Weather nearly cancelled a paddle as an approaching storm brought strong winds. We went ahead with the paddle but stayed to protected areas. Of 6 paddlers, 2 went back after 1 mile. 2 more "macho" types went out to the edge of the Bay to surf the storm. 1 very skilled lady and myself (with only a few months experience then) and I completed the paddle. With 1 mile to go to, the winds became fierce. The waves coming out of side channels seemed to explode against the forward starboard quarter of my kayak. The lady called for a break. She asked some hikers passing by if there was a place she could catch a cab nearby. I thought that was very subtle, very smooth. There was no way the cab was for her; she wanted to give me a easy way to back out of completing the paddle, without looking like a wimp. I hung on for the final mile anyhow, but honestly that was a great way deal with the situation. 2. Last month. I paddled about 7 miles from Palo Alto to Alviso. The wind became very gusty and very unpredictable. The direction was all over the compass. As I got back to the open bay with 4 miles back to the dock the wind seemed to go nuts. I turned the boat around and headed back to the wide slough up to Alviso. I called my wife to pick me up. Can I paddle in 15-20 MPH winds? Yes. Can I do so while not knowing which way the next gust is coming from? Probably. Can I have fun in that situation? Hell, no. It isn't what I like. 3. Last week. Paddling with 2 very experienced people and little me. As we left the dock it was getting windy with a storm predicted. (Every d**n weekend lately). As we rounded the first point into open Bay waters, the whitecaps and spray were everywhere ahead with thunderheads on the horizon. I shouted out, "I'm going back." I thought the other 2 would go on, but they chose to join me and do a very short wimpy paddle in the little harbor and nature preserve. One of them told me he was glad I bagged it because it would not have been fun out there. It seems to me like you have to stand ready to bag a paddle, change your plans, wait things out, --OR-- take really big risks. Some people love the challenging conditions, the more thrill the better. Others, and there are lots of us, don't mind a modest challenge but are there for exercise, wildlife viewing, photography, peace of mind away from the city, and a chance to look at something other than a 17 inch monitor. You have to know who you are. "To thine own self be true." YMMV. jerry. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Feb 29 2000 - 14:53:35 PST
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