[Paddlewise] Fwd: CKF: Crossing Cut Short

Crossing Cut Short

George Miller and I were set up for an attempt at a 37 NM open ocean crossing 
from Anacapa Island to Santa Barbara Island here in Southern California.  
>From there we had planned to paddle to Catalina Island and then to the 
mainland in the following days.

On Friday, the 14th of September, we paddled the 11 NM hop from Channel 
Islands Harbor on the mainland to Anacapa Island.  Our goal on this day was 
to conserve our energy for the crossing to Santa Barbara Island the next day. 
 We paced ourselves and were able to complete the crossing without any wear 
and tear. The conditions weren't bad, but there weren't good either.  Despite 
having breaking waves everywhere, we didn't have to work very hard to 
complete the crossing in 3 1/2 hours.  As always, hoisting the sea kayaks, 
especially fully loaded fiberglass ones, twelve feet up from the water and 
onto the platform at Landing Cove was interesting.

The afternoon at Anacapa Island was relaxing.  We hiked all the trails on the 
small island.  We also searched for the National Park Service ranger but 
couldn't find him or her.  We thought we had the island to ourselves, until 
Frank, a bird counting biologist who I met there last year, came into Landing 
Cove in a small motorized inflatable.

We talked to Frank for a while, and he mentioned that he spoke to another sea 
kayaker at the island a few days ago.  He said the guy was paddling the 
entire chain of the Channel Islands, spent the night there and headed to 
Santa Barbara Island the next day.  We asked Frank who was this guy, and he 
said he didn't remember but the guy told him he had paddled from California 
to Hawaii in the past.  We said, "Ed Gillette," and Frank said that's who he 
was.  Paddling the island chain solo in one trip, Ed is clearly in a league 
of his own.

Back on Thursday evening, just before the trip started, the weather forecast 
was good.  There was going to be a weak flow in the outer waters for the next 
couple of days.  The winds were going to be 10-15 knots, which was the kind 
of calm we needed to paddle 37 NM across open ocean.  For a crossing this 
long, which was going to take twelve hours and give us full afternoon wind 
exposure, a forecast of 20 knot winds was a no go.  We wanted to enjoy the 
crossing, not just survive it.

At Anacapa Island on Friday evening, I listened to the forecast that was 
updated at 3:00 PM.  Things had soured.  Now a moderate flow was forecasted 
for the next couple of days.  In the outer waters between Santa Cruz and San 
Clemente Islands, which Santa Barbara Island lays between, 20 knot winds were 
forecasted for Saturday.  I listened to the forecast again after the 9:00 PM 
update, and the winds were still going to be 20 knots.  The decision was 
easy.  A crossing to Santa Barbara Island on Saturday was a no go.

On Saturday morning, we listened to the forecast for Sunday, and it was still 
for 20 knot winds.  With a limited amount of food, water and patience, as 
well as having other commitments, we decided to end the trip right there and 
paddled the hop back to the mainland that morning.  At home that evening I 
checked the forecast, and it had changed to 25 knot winds.  I was glad we 
didn't go for it.

Calling off the crossing to Santa Barbara Island helped reassure me of 
myself.  My greatest fear is going for it when I know I shouldn't.  I did 
that on a 26 NM crossing from Gaviota to San Miguel Island in 2000, when Jim 
Gabriel and I bucked a bad weather forecast in the most dangerous channel in 
Southern California.  We were lucky.  I never want to rely so much on luck 
again.

Santa Barbara Island will still be there next year.

Duane Strosaker
 <A HREF="http://hometown.aol.com/pirateseakayaker/index.html">Pirate Sea Kayaker</A> 


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