[Paddlewise] Day # 21, Puttin' a Hurt on the Newbies!

3/8/08

We salty yakkers can be a macho lot. I joined speedster Duane Strosaker for
his harbor "fitness paddle at your own pace." That's code for keep up or be
prepared to be left behind. Bob McMurray was there as well, another
notorious greyhound hound and I usually seem to be able to keep a pace these
days. Stretching their wings to brave this paddle also were Chuck Fowler and
Jeff Libby. Chuck, a marathoner has shown himself to be an able paddler, but
doesn't get out with us much. Jeff just absorbed a battering of email advice
that flattened out his left leaning tendencies encouraging him to try
paddling straight for a change.

We set off giving no quarter. Bob and I took the lead; I wondering at the
ease that he seems to keep a fast pace. Duane seemed off in the back, I
assumed laying down the law for the upstarts who thought themselves worthy
of this crew. Soon Duane joined us and three abreast we powered on through
the back bay. Trouble was we couldn't lose the newbies!!! Credit where it is
due, these two showed some grit and stayed right behind us as we passed
under PCH. We hallowed Harold on the shore waiting for a class and continued
on for our turn point at NAC.

Perhaps the pace got to Jeff a bit and to stave off dehydration, he reached
behind for his water bottle. Yes, clearly a newbie mistake!!! Up a head we
were alerted by an outrigger who suggest we might want to check on our
entourage. Jeff was in the soup. I made a quick Uey and got his boat up and
emptied. I like to rescue like I roll, unlike anything anyone has seen
before. I just held on to his boat and he crawled in, but he admitted it was
completely backwards from the rescues he'd learned before, but I don't like
to stand on ceremony. Our slight detour allowed us to collect for the ride
to NAC. I mused that in all my years of kayaking, it's not too often you
have a kayaker go belly up for no apparent reason and I thanked Jeff for the
chance to do a combat rescue! Good experience for both of us!

Now that we were warmed up, we were ready for the real paddling to
begin--back to the main channel and around Lido Isle. For some reason, this
seems the place where the pace always starts in earnest. As we made the turn
around Kevin Costners house, the three of us out front seemed to be paddling
alone. Half way down the island, we decide Chuck and Jeff must have headed
back to the beach. Making the turn around Lido, we faced the paddle home
through a brisk breeze. We chatted, solving the question of feather vs. none
and countless other kayaking uncertainties. We perhaps unleashed a low evil
chuckle at the thought of our lost compatriots realizing this pace would
never slow down. We allowed grudging respect of their mettle, but not too
secretly basked in our prowess! The wind only goaded us on, feather be
demmed. We owned the bay and all seemed to part before us.

We soon landed on the CG beach and perhaps fatigue clouded Bob's thinking a
bit. He suggested I try his boat, the absolute antithesis of my QCC. I had
to remove my booties just to get my feet in and all the while fearing the
sound of fiberglass coated plywood splintering, tried to wiggle myself in.
Now Bob is a tall fellow, but my feet soon hit the bulkhead while my legs
were squeezed together like a kielbasa stuffed in a breakfast sausage
casing. A man on shore was taking pictures to warn his family of attempting
such madness and I had to resort to my usual groveling in the mud and water
to extricate myself from his shoe box. A very ugly experiment!

Up in the parking lot, we realized that our newbies were still on the water
and I think we said a silent prayer! Turns out they didn't let our speed
daunt them and continued the complete loop only a little bit behind us.
Though I tease them a bit, these two are welcome additions to our paddling
scene, able paddlers and I look forward to plying the ocean with them in the
future. I certainly remember starting out where I could only recognize my
paddling partners from behind! And if we gave no quarter, neither did they
ask for any. A fun morning of testosterone and salty spray.

Mark Sanders
www.sandmarks.net
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