[Paddlewise] Resurrection Paddle

Well, it looks like Spring is breathing new life into our wet westcoast
weather. That's usually a warning queue for those of us used to the
sudden influx of fair-weather paddlers hitting the water early and
getting snookered by surprise weather. We only recently finished off a
series of snow storms, so the warmth is nice. Easter Sunday was sunny,
but very windy. I loaded up to head out to Sooke, where it was blowing
30 knots, but two weeks of dizziness and double vision forced my hand,
so I went and woodworked for the afternoon (I forgot the part about
operating machinery when not up to par!). This was a good thing, as I
almost blacked out later and had to hit the shop floor for five minutes
(beta-blocker drug complications from arrhythmia medication), right
about the time I would have been on the water for my first paddle of
2002.

Monday was gorgeous and calm, perhaps a fitting day for a first paddle
of the New Year, for a guy who is supposed to be pacing himself. I went
to see the Shackelton Antarctic presentation at Imax, so got my
six-story high waves vicariously. Near Naden dockyard I got chased away
from the Navy ships by some young guy holding a machine gun on a patrol
boat, shouting something about staying back 100-meters - said in a
broken French-Canadian accent. Guess I forgot how sensitive things are
since 9/11. My new drysuit hadn't arrived, so I wore my wetsuit which
wasn't the best thing for my granulating skin graft soars. I looked for
a dog to lick it after my paddle once ashore, but couldn't even get the
owner to pee on my leg. I try to follow the advise given on Paddlewise.
Flushing it with cold ocean water mixed with tidal lagoon water and swan
guano seemed to be the best idea. The new inflatable PFD worked like a
charm. Talk about freedom of movement. My new Snapdragon skirt was
superb. What a lovely, well made product. When a  manufacturer gets
something right, it is a joy to use.

The weekend was not so good for some paddlers and boaters. A capsize off
Cattle Point (Oak Bay/Victoria) could have been worse given the huge ebb
and wind on Sunday, but a quick call on a cell phone by the wet paddlers
saved them. The Coast Guard Aux., out responding to the call, was also
able to divert a rookie paddle from finishing the crossing of Baynes
Channel in his new stitch n' glue. He didn't know what mess he could
have gotten himself into further out. Over in Skookumchuck Narrows, five
guys in a loaded-down aluminum boat flipped in the huge ebb rapids. The
whole thing was caught on video. One man is missing and presumed dead.
It must be Spring here on the coast. I'm ready...well, more or less
resurrected. Hope you all have a safe season and lots of sun, fun, and
good health.

Doug Lloyd
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