On Sun, 07 Jun 2009 20:41:50 -0400, "Kirk Olsen" <kork4_at_cluemail.com> said: > My local crew of surf ski paddlers has a tuesday night race series, > http://home.roadrunner.com/~nesurfski/Salem_league_page/Salem_League.html. Week 3 continued with another marvelous paddling day. Wind out of the east at 10 to 18 mph. The wind waves got some competition from the swell coming out of the sse. Last nights race was from Lynch park in beverly, around black rock (in front of Endicott college, then to the red nun at Jubilee yacht club). I left work at 5:15 thinking I would have plenty of time to drive 20 miles from Cambridge MA to Beverly in 90 minutes, the race starts at 6:45. Getting over the tobin bridge was ugly - 8 miles in 42 minutes.... I pulled into the parking lot at 6:35. I don't see anyone on the beach so I stroll to the edge of the parking lot, just in time to see the water churn behind those starting out at the point... I've driven over an hour to race so I decided to suit up anyways and chase the racers The race director strolls over after I have my wetsuit on and apologizes for starting early, everyone else was there and they weren't sure if I was coming. That's fine, I'll just go chase the crew, I prefer passing boats to staying in one position and chasing someone who is slowly pulling away... As I rounded the point I had to stop and tighten my hat to keep the wind from blowing it off. The first leg of the paddle was straight into the wind, with swell coming from the front quarter and head on into the waves. Paddling into the wind, current (incoming tide) and wind waves made for slow progress up to Black rock. The waves are big enough that the boat is crashing down off the larger waves and piercing the next waves, some water makes it all the way up the deck and into the cockpit - it's fun to see the water part as it passes the plug/snorkel at high point of the bow, right in front of the cockpit. The swell combined with the refractory waves and wind waves at hospital point made for some entertaining paddling, I ended up doing a few gentle low braces as I got knocked around by the waves. Not great for speed, but preferable to taking a quick swim and remounting. Just past Curtis point Cory cruises past on the downwind leg of the race, his stroke is typically great, quick strokes, good rotation and a high stroke angle. He's bouncing around a bit but moving quickly. The back of the main race passes me a several hundred yards short of black rock, both Chris and Mike C are dragging their paddles as they surf some of the wind waves. Alas I've got another couple minutes headed into the wind before I join them on the downwind run. I rounded black rock at a comfortable distance, no sense getting pushed onto the rocks, my boat wouldn't survive, plus I'm last.. Going downwind is great fun, unfortunately the swell is larger than the wind waves, riding the wind waves works but only between peaks of the swell. The swell would make a nice ride, but once again it's headed 60 degrees off the desired direction. Passing Curtis point, on the downwind, I managed to broach a couple of times when I tried to angle to deeper water and ended up broadside to the swell. I think I did 2 decent braces in this stretch. Talking to Chris after the race he braced hard enough at this part of the course that he thought he would break his paddle. Passing salem willows and headed into the harbor the waves were more favorable to getting rides, the boat channel was clear of traffic (53 degrees with mist, fog and a 15 mph wind wasn't appealing I guess), so I surfed a few waves up the channel. The rides on the bigger waves were fast enough to out run the wave, get over 3 or 4 smaller wind waves then wallow over the next larger wave. Lots of water in the cockpit of my s1X during this stretch, the rails aren't high enough in these conditions. Fortunately the venturi bailers work nicely so the cockpit drains as soon as I catch the next ride on a wave. 1 or 2 hundred meters short of the red nun Mike and Chris pass me headed back into the wind, waves and current. I round the nun and look for them. I won't be catching them tonight. Headed into Lynch park the waves are breaking on the shallows at dane street beach. I'm a bit close to the shallows, several waves break broadside onto the boat, I'm not paying enough attention to the broadside waves and one almost dumps me over when I go over it just before it breaks. The final 100 yards are with the waves, but in 2 feet of water so it's slow. Yay - in water finish. I'm done for the night. 52 minutes for about 5 miles. I started about 7 minutes behind the others which would have put me into third or fourth place had I started with the others. Once again mid pack. I like these rougher condition evenings. I hope they continue... (should anyone in eastern massachusetts want to join us I have an extra surf ski I could bring, and loan out...) Kirk -- Kirk Olsen *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Jun 10 2009 - 03:54:07 PDT
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