[Paddlewise] Southern California Report

Sue and I just watched Duane's video of the SanO surf scene and I couldn't
find Annette Funicello anywhere. But I just looked out at *our* beach and if
you guys thought it was cold there on that sunny Christmas Eve morn then I
have a shock for you. It was 18F here when I struggled out of bed and it's
all the way up to 24F now... on its way to a foggy high of 32F. Whoopee.

We left Moses Lake at 7am on December 19th (Saturday) and arrived at Doheny
Beach campground in Dana Point, CA (50 miles or so south of LA) about 6pm
the next day (Sunday), had dinner, walked around the campground and went to
bed. The next morning we were glad that we had not sprung for the classier
"on-the-beach" camp spots because there was a 12-foot sand berm bulldozed up
between the campers and the water. For $35 a night we looked across the road
and through an empty camp spot at the berm. For $65 a night we could have
been even closer to it. I never did see the water at Doheny except once we
walked to the end of the berm. Nor could I get a straight answer from anyone
as to when the berm went away - if ever. Even so, the place was attractive,
clean, and we were close to the showers and toilets.

I had bought two 30-watt solar panels before we left and those proved
remarkably efficient at keeping us in lights and music plus a couple of DVD
movies in the evening. They were about half the physical size of the 33-watt
panels we had used on our cruising yacht (Kibitka) in the 1980s and about
half the cost (via Amazon). I also had a 7-amp voltage regulator that I
didn't bother using as the days were short and the nights were long and we
never risked over charging the batteries even though I re-aimed the panels
every few hours as the sun moved in its low arc across the southern sky. I
found it interesting that although we had used solar panels in the 1980s
there were still RV enthusiasts who had no clue what they were and we
fielded several queries about whether or not they worked. Every day the rest
of the campground echoed to the sounds of generators running but we had a
quiet and efficient charging system all day long. We didn't even bring along
a gasoline generator.

While at Doheny and waiting for the big SanO Christmas Eve morning surfing
extravaganza we did the usual touristy things including a visit to the
Mission at San Juan Capistrano.  The swallows, apparently, were still
vacationing in Argentina. I was surprised to learn that the entire mission -
valued at $55,000 - had been sold by the Mexican governor of California to
his son-in-law for a measly $710. I am so glad corruption has ended in the
USA. I love the missions but I am ambivalent in my feelings. The history of
the missions is mixed. On one hand they unquestionably civilized California
(both upper and lower). On the other hand they decimated the populations of
those who were already here through sickness and virtual slavery. There is
no doubt that California would be different without them but no one knows
exactly how different. I found myself wondering why the missions were so
often situated miles from the ocean and wondered if they would have been
placed differently if the padres had kayaks instead of burros. This is not,
as the more cynical of you might think, an obligatory paddling reference.
Boats either had to be brought around the tip of South America or built on
the Pacific side of the contenent so this made them relatively rare until
the California gold rush of 1849. By this time the kayak cultures of the
north were well established and there is little doubt in my mind that the
craft could have revolutionized travel where the trees were too small to
make into dugout canoes. Certainly there must have been plenty of seals for
covering. If there had been kayaks we could be marveling at the mission at
Nuestra Senora de Newport Beach. Just imagine.

The big event for us was, of course, the CKF surf extravaganza at San Onofre
State Beach. Lucky for us Mark Sanders led us to the beach or we'd have been
on our own miles away. The surf may have looked low and safe to Duane and
Steve and Mark and the rest but as I sat there in the 40F temps (warmed to
60 or so later) I was not enthused. The low stuff was fine but every now and
then they looked bigger; at least to me. I was also reminded that the
previous day I had taken my last antibiotic for the bout of pneumonia the
doctor diagnosed ten days earlier. And besides, the sun was getting warmer
and there were doughnuts. So I took the F1 off the truck and assured Mark
Sanders that it would not break under his weight (he and I aren't that far
apart in weight anyway) and, sure enough, he took it out and did well even
against Steve's *real* Coaster.

The highlight of that morning was, for me, the honorary induction into the
CKF music section by virtue of my nearly incoherent rendition of "There Is a
Beach in Southern Cal" (to the tune of "House in New Orleans"). Can a Grammy
be far behind? Well... ya... it can. I was awed by the talent of the real
members of the music section, however. Especially Steve's impromptu
rendition of "Mighty Fine Dawg" (a selection well appreciated by the dog's
owners) and Barb's unforgettable solo, "Get that thing out of my face!"
Tears come to my eyes.

We left Doheny Beach campground at 0-dark-thirty on Christmas morning. I
made a good-faith effort to keep the hook-up and departure as quick and
quiet as possible but I'm sure we annoyed someone even though the place was
mostly deserted. Our goal was Monterey where I had tried in the past to
paddle in the bull kelp areas off the famous Aquarium only to be thwarted by
weather. My Christmas present - and a present to Sue - was a quiet winter
paddle with the sea otters. Plus we got in some surfing as there was a bit
of a swell breaking against the beach behind the Monterey Bay Kayak shop. We
asked another kayaker what the rules for the area were and he told us that
the otters make the rules. So we glided into the kelp beds to find ourselves
surrounded by sea otters who regarded us solemnly but without fear. I was
surprised to see a mother with a pup on her tummy only a few feet from me
and we regarded each other curiously. The pup launched into the water as Sue
drifted past and ended up swimming along behind me and parallel with Sue.
The otters are not tame but they don't seem perturbed by kayakers. Although
a 40-foot sailboat motoring into the kelp at 4-kts managed to scatter them
pretty well. He scattered us, too.

After this there didn't seem to be anything else to do but motor north
towards the cold. We picked up the kids (at the Redding, CA grandpa's house)
at 11am the next day (Saturday) and we were home in Moses Lake, WA by 11pm
that night. The new bicycle for Hailey was unloaded at her house and then we
discovered that the throw-out bearing for my Dodge pickup had gone out just
as we motored up to the lake house. At least it wasn't inconvenient.

Many thanks to the CKF gang who, as usual, treated us as one of their own.
If there was any reason to live in SoCal the CKF group would be it.

Oh, look... the sun is out here and the temperature is all the way up to
26F. I wonder how you fix a throw-out bearing.


Happy New Year Everyone. I'll have some photos of the trip on my website
over the next few days.

Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
www.nwkayaking.net
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