Here, I'll try again. It didn't come through for me the first time. M I had meant to make a webpage to share this story from back in March, but apparently I'm lazy! It's of my entry in the Santa Cruz Surf Kayak contest. So I'll share it now for those who still listen. And on a non-kayak note, some of my friends have started birding and drag me along, so I've tried to get better at my photography. A work in progress... http://sandmarks.net/sm/mybirds/Birds1.html Mark Sanders www.sandmarks.net -------- Forwarded Message -------- Yes, I had a plan! This year we were going to storm the Santa Cruz sands with a Team of salty SoCal Kayak Surfers eager to engage the welcoming waters of the Cowells Classic, or brave the unknown challenges of Steamer Lane. We would show that there was in fact water-life in the warmer waters below Goleta. But then, I am a dreamer. They say there is no 'I' in team, but this year I was the team! And the team wasn't sending up its strongest member. Last year I'd taken second at Cowells, the intermediate category, while Jack had taken third at the Lane. But the waves were big and my modest success had me wanting to try my hand at the real thing, even if that meant bobbing in the ocean under giant swells with a birds-eye view of the real contestants. I finally had a true high performance surf kayak with my Wold Big Machine, which, though it surfs great, at 27" wide it is a big machine to roll. This was my greatest fear heading for the contest. Sure it doesn't look good to blow your roll under the eyes of the hundred or so folks watching from the cliffs, but it's the swim that comes next that is the real fear. The SC event is great in that it has a well prepared safety system with swimmers, kayaks and a jetski. But there's still the issue of plugging up the works inside, while world champion surfers are trying to get a ride over you. Definitely not a situation I wanted to be in. So the weekend forecast for SC called for 6' surf. Small wave surfer that I am, even I knew this wasn't a great forecast. Waves at the Lane don't break real clean at that size, but I was happy to take whatever offered. I made the long drive Thursday. Passing through Lost Hills on the 46, I drove by a field of old fashioned oil wells bobbing away incessantly. Growing up in Orange County, they had been ubiquitous and I never thought I'd see them gone, but I guess they just moved them all out here. Farther down, I went by acres of some kind of orchard with bare, brown limbs reaching up for a drop, but not a blade of green to be seen anywhere. Still, just down the way, the hills were full of color, the dominant green mottled by purple, gold, yellow and orange wild flowers. Glimpsing out through the distant hills I could see massive swaths of yellow and orange creating patchwork quilts. I wanted to snap a photo, but the road was narrow and busy, so I settled for enjoying on my own. For the first time, on this my fourth surf contest, it was actually required to have your boat inspected before the contest. To make this less burdensome, Matt Hoff, the head organizer scheduled the inspection along with a kick-off party with free beer and food. To top it off, there was a goodie bag filled with some nice swag, including a coupon for free, form-fitting ear plugs to be picked up at the event. My boat was usually greeted with a comment of, 'that's a big boat' or something of the like. Though I'd put on rear handle and tail on my boat for the occasion, turns out they wanted you to have a front toggle as well. A small bribe and I had my 'passed inspection' sticker prominently displayed. I saw a lot of familiar faces and chatted a bit, but I was more in the mood to sleep than the party. I headed ten miles north of SC to stay at the Davenport Roadhouse that I'd seen at the Davenport contest. Above the restaurant they have some funky little rooms with nice bed and a view of the ocean. It was a one night splurge and since I didn't have to surf till 2pm the next day, there wasn't any hurry to head out in the morn. At noon Friday I got my first look at the conditions at the Lane. Don't ask me size, because looking at them from the cliff is nothing like looking at them from your boat! But they weren't as big as what the regulars were hoping for--regulars as in everyone but me! The main break was flashing by the cliff and that's where most were getting their rides. But the Middle Peak was also generating some waves, some seemingly bigger than the cliff and all out in the deep water away from the rocks! Looked to have my name written all over it! Still I was as nervous as all get out and feeling horrible due to the combo of nerves, the drive, no sleep and disrupted eating. What helped as I got ready to make my way down to the sea was a nice short chat with World Master Champion kayak surfer Sean Morley about conditions and rolling. Not a bad instructor--did I mention he was in MY heat! Carrying my honkin' boat, I made my way down the stairs of the cliff to where you "weren't supposed" to launch your boat. There was a tiny bit of sand due to the low tide, but I found the stairs seemed to end ten feet above it. I was traversing giant boulders now trying to get down and was lucky to have a couple LG safety swimmers there who helped me get down. They said next time I might want to use the built in stairs and sure enough, well disguised I could see a better path. I told them "be ready, I'm the person you're here for" and then launched into crystal clear water. Out 20 minutes before my heat, I watched the surfers from outside with Sean, Ted and Dan. Ted, I believe, was one of the people who flew out from the New England area to compete in the contest. The heat before us seemed to be getting some real big surf, but when the horn sounded for our turn, the ocean became flat. I stayed out for the Middle Peak while the others headed for the cliff. Almost two minutes in, I actually think I got the first significant wave of the heat when a big bowl wave formed in front of me. If you caught them right, these could often allow for a right or left run and right in front of the judges. I took off down the slope, but just a short turn either way showed the wave closing on both sides! I felt shot out of a cannon when the peak broke behind me and held on best I could. There was no room for maneuvering, until the wave reformed a bit, but then it lost energy and passed underneath. My next ride was more score worthy with a nice shoulder to ride, but like many waves for everybody it would soon pass by alone. Only two rides are scored however, and though I got a couple more ride attempts, I was happy to be upright at the end of my heat. Back on the sand, my body crashed! I had to sit on the sand and catch my breath. I hadn't eaten anything much since a small breakfast and everything was catching up to me. I know I made a pathetic sight making my way up the steep and rocky steps, my boat banging all the way up! I had to stop several times and was waiting for some generous soul to add to my embarrassment by coming down and helping the old man carry his boat! I was spared the ignominy! I surfived my first heat at the Lane upright and with two scores in the book. Some red hot tacos at a local taqueria seemed to sooth my body, if not so much my stomach, but then I don't often pay it any mind! Saturday morning I was set to surf at 10:20 and I wondered how the surf might change being almost at low tide. Quite a bit! Watching the early heats, the Middle Peak was gone. You could catch a wave, but most of the surfers were getting on on the opposite side of the point and having to curl around the cliff! You often wouldn't know if someone was surfing until they shot into sight coming around the point. Once again, the waves were big and mushy, but they surfers were showing some nice moves. Table Rock, a reef that becomes close to exposure on low tide was a concern, but at least gave the photographer swimming in the water something to stand on between sets! Without my Middle Peak, I was either going to have to watch or get in on the cliff to get some action--and I wasn't sure which way I'd go. Strangely, even with a lower tide, waves covered my last launch site. Down some other stairs, I carried my boat through the water till I found a cave with enough sand to let me get set. Forty minutes ahead of my heat, I sat there just trying to mellow out and enjoy a beautiful day. A woman and her daughter came walking by and commented that the cave very rarely ever became accessible, so I was happy for the chance. Soon I was out in the stuff to watch the heats in front of me. In my heat this time was Vince Shay, a famous surf kayak and board designer, Dennis Judson, a lifelong waterman and for 28 years until this one, the organizer of the SC Paddle Fest and Jeff Daniels, a hot surfer from the cold waters of Washington. Though more relaxed than the day before, I was still intimidated by the cliff, but Vince is always so friendly and encouraging and It's hard to get to cranky with Dennis' ever present laugh, even when they both talked about scraping along side the cliff on past waves! I did have one hope, the Middle Peak was starting to show a little. The horn sounded and we were up. Now priority on a wave goes the the person closest to the most critical part of the wave. For all intents and purposes, that was the guy hanging out closest to the cliff. It created a reasonable pecking order--except for one chicken! I was a tad leery and tried to get on some lesser waves, but they just wouldn't break for me. But the others were getting rides that would leave me alone to take a ride. Finally I got up the gumption, closed in to the cliff and got on a wave! I had a nice shoulder and was making some moves trying to stay in the critical sections. I remember zooming by the photographer in the water and wondering if he'd bother a snap on me! My wave was fading, but I fought to stay in, but my slowing speed caused my nose to purl and I knew I was going head over heels! Now upside down, right in the lane, I thought back to the word of wisdom Sean gave me--Pawlata! I used it and got up just as a wave with Dennis aboard came by, but left me unscathed. With a roll and a ride under my belt, I felt a bit more chipper. I lined back up, but I was still giving up priority and chasing bad waves. Jeff came up and said on his last ride he'd broken off a fin hitting Table Rock. All by myself, I'd missed a bit of a wave and as I turned back, I saw a perfect wave forming! From behind me, I could hear the other three competitors yelling for me to get in it to take the ride. The peak seemed to be forming too fast and I thought the only way to get it was to hurry a bit to the shoulder and to my and the others disappointment, I was in the wrong spot and waved rolled on by without me! I got one more OK ride before I decided to try to have some fun with what was left of the Middle Peak. It meant getting quite a bit closer to the judges and the shore, but it was much closer to the waves I'm used to surfing. Vince called out a couple peaks to me and I finally got on a wave where I could show I can surf a bit when I'm not scared to death! I was happy to be having some fun and I'm sure at least one of my rides figured into my score, so I was content when the horn sounded ending the heat. I'd completed my Steamer Lane adventure. Those with higher numbers on their scorecards would be surfing Sunday, but with my competition over, I decided to head for home. I walked along the path saying bye to the few folks I've come to know. Vince, who I think may be the nicest guy in the surf gave me a hug and more encouragement for the future. Absolutely from my first encounter with him at my first Davenport contest, he has always made me feel a member of the community. And though I'm still a bit of an outsider, there are more who make showing up worth the worry. Sean is always nice and helpful, Geoff Jennings was once just a voice off the internet encouraging me to surf before I ever really got into it. Matt Hoff did a fantastic job taking over for Dennis Judson and though we've chatted by email over the years, SC is the only place I've gotten to see and talk with Jeff Laxier, who helped get me my Big Machine. It was quite an experience and I think I'm glad the waves weren't so big for my first try at the Lane. Now I have a bit of experience with it if I ever return. I think of coming back to try the Cowells event to try to better my 2nd place from last year. Don't know we'll see what another year brings. There's talk of a new boat; maybe a roll will come with it! The drive home was less exciting, though the hills and trees on the 101 before Paso Robles were the greenest I could ever remember seeing. And occasionally, down the side of a hill, it seemed someone had poured orange paint down the slope, so dense were the poppies. Worthy of the drive on their own. Mark No photos, but video someday. Results: I'm not last!! Masters Open Contestant Count: 16 Site: M 1. Matt Radis 2. Dave Johnston 3. Sean Morley 4. Vince Shay 5. Peter Blenkinsop 5. Ted Morris 7. Jeff Daniel 7. Marc Woolward 9. Rick Starr 10. Dan Crandall 11. Dennis Judson 12. Dan Ward 13. Chris Ketner 14. Stuart McGlinchey 15. Mark Sanders 16. Randy Keller # *************************************************************************** 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 Tue Jun 09 2015 - 12:32:24 PDT
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