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races:tawhiti_rahi_2024 [2024/10/12 17:50] preavley |
races:tawhiti_rahi_2024 [2025/09/26 14:03] (current) pstureavley |
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| ===== Tawhiti Rahi Ocean Challenge 2024 ===== | ===== Tawhiti Rahi Ocean Challenge 2024 ===== | ||
| - | **Paul Gillard** ([[https://www.facebook.com/share/p/vanbEboLcNrzkuyT/|facebook report]])\\ | + | **Paul Gillard** (<del>[[https://www.facebook.com/share/p/vanbEboLcNrzkuyT/|facebook report ]]</del>online link gone)\\ |
| September 16, 2024\\ | September 16, 2024\\ | ||
| ·\\ | ·\\ | ||
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| Unfortunately my paddle lock mechanism had slipped after doing so 2 weeks ago in Auck and was sitting on 90 degrees which made strokes tentative. I thought I had fixed the allen key tight enough with no sign of it slipping since the initial time but had no big downwind conditions since then which loads the paddle particularly with hard braces. With conditions being pretty twitchy I wasn't keen to try and re-fix while being in the boat and to jump in the water to do could have meant a repeat of my previous mounting effort which would have expended valuable energy so decided to keep going but it wasn't ideal. | Unfortunately my paddle lock mechanism had slipped after doing so 2 weeks ago in Auck and was sitting on 90 degrees which made strokes tentative. I thought I had fixed the allen key tight enough with no sign of it slipping since the initial time but had no big downwind conditions since then which loads the paddle particularly with hard braces. With conditions being pretty twitchy I wasn't keen to try and re-fix while being in the boat and to jump in the water to do could have meant a repeat of my previous mounting effort which would have expended valuable energy so decided to keep going but it wasn't ideal. | ||
| - | Just off Matapouri where you get the back wash off the coast for the next 8 km to the finish I got thrown again at speed however when the leash took up the slack of the boat the Velcro gave way - watching the boat drift out of reach was sobering to say the least! I attempted to swim after it as it stopped momentarily but as I reached it the wind took it away again and it was gone - no paddlers or support boats in sight although I had heard the jet ski go North towards the backmarkers about 10 mins earlier . I swam back to the paddle and assessed the situation- 2 km off shore in choppy seas having spent time in the water there was no way I was going to make it swimming to shore with a buoyancy vest ( which was a rugged coast in an onshore surf) despite having done sea swims of over 4km during Ironman days. I had my cellphone in a waterproof pouch in my back pocket with a lead around my neck - but decided trying to pull it out and use it without a boat to hang onto for flotation would be too hard and may result in me expending energy and potentially taking water in which would result in panick which is the last thing I wanted. | + | Just off Matapouri where you get the back wash off the coast for the next 8 km to the finish I got thrown again at speed however when the leash took up the slack of the boat **the Velcro gave way** - watching the boat drift out of reach was sobering to say the least! I attempted to swim after it as it stopped momentarily but as I reached it the wind took it away again and it was gone - no paddlers or support boats in sight although I had heard the jet ski go North towards the backmarkers about 10 mins earlier . I swam back to the paddle and assessed the situation- 2 km off shore in choppy seas having spent time in the water there was no way I was going to make it swimming to shore with a buoyancy vest ( which was a rugged coast in an onshore surf) despite having done sea swims of over 4km during Ironman days. I had my cellphone in a waterproof pouch in my back pocket with a lead around my neck - but decided trying to pull it out and use it without a boat to hang onto for flotation would be too hard and may result in me expending energy and potentially taking water in which would result in panick which is the last thing I wanted. |
| The only thing was to stay put and try and stay calm - I knew sooner or later the safety craft would head back my way even though I was going to be a small target to spot in those conditions. The buoyancy vest was doing a great job and I found by tilting my head slightly back I wasn't taking water.\\ | The only thing was to stay put and try and stay calm - I knew sooner or later the safety craft would head back my way even though I was going to be a small target to spot in those conditions. The buoyancy vest was doing a great job and I found by tilting my head slightly back I wasn't taking water.\\ | ||
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| **Reflections to consider:** | **Reflections to consider:** | ||
| - | - **Training** - although I was comfortable with what was a limited build up after a prolonged lay off I never actually practised remounts in choppy conditions (even though I hadn't needed to in the past) - think I would suggest to anyone to actually try this from time to time - even on the harbour because the more proficient you are the more energy you save when its needed. I am paddling a new Fenix Elite S which is obviously at the tippy end however my previous 2 boats were Elites - not sure if the cockpit in the new boat is slightly higher or my core strength has weakened after a few years of limited paddling but will do core specific work like Pilates to address this . | + | - **Training** - although I was comfortable with what was a limited build up after a prolonged lay off I never actually practised remounts in choppy conditions (even though I hadn't needed to in the past) - think I would suggest to anyone to actually try this from time to time - even on the harbour because the more proficient you are the more energy you save when its needed. I am paddling a new Fenix Elite S which is obviously at the tippy end however my previous 2 boats were Elites - not sure if the cockpit in the new boat is slightly higher or my core strength has weakened after a few years of limited paddling but will do core specific work like Pilates to address this . (Ed.// Amen to this, some of the best paddlers get the least remount practice and if they have gotten older, (er) heavier, etc. they may be in for a rude awakening when unexpectedly having to remount in rough conditions//) |
| - **Injuries** - when taking on a challenge like this you want to make sure you are injury free- I had a MTB accident in March and suspected ther might be a fracture in my wrist however by and large it settled . In the first swim the effort on your hand in remounting when you grab the side of the cockpit made me realise there still is an issue and my right hand strength wasn't right -that added with the paddle angle made life more difficult than it needed to be | - **Injuries** - when taking on a challenge like this you want to make sure you are injury free- I had a MTB accident in March and suspected ther might be a fracture in my wrist however by and large it settled . In the first swim the effort on your hand in remounting when you grab the side of the cockpit made me realise there still is an issue and my right hand strength wasn't right -that added with the paddle angle made life more difficult than it needed to be | ||
| - | - **Safety devices** - firstly I would never rely on a leash with a Velcro attachment again even though it had a double over lap. Either get one with a carabiner or a loop that goes through your attachment point and back on it self-… Ask Marchand for expert advice but also don't think they will last forever either - always replace before they break. | + | - **Safety devices** - firstly I would never rely on a leash with a Velcro attachment again even though it had a double over lap. Either get one with a carabiner or a loop that goes through your attachment point and back on it self-… Ask Marchand for expert advice but also don't think they will last forever either - always replace before they break. (Ed. //Yes! velcro gets weaker with age just like everything else (and everybody) see [[:safety_leashes#velcro|safety leashes]]// ) |
| - | - **Portable EPIRB** I did not have one and although I will be buying one in this situation I don't think I would have activated it straight away as this would then be a National Search and Rescue with it probably being about 30 mins before a helicopter would appear from Whangarei plus this would totally over ride the support boats from the event . I considered my best chance of pickup being the support boats that would come past my way at some stage even though I was always going to be a small target . I think if I had an **EPIRB** in those conditions I would wait approx 15 mins before activating though that is something specific to each set of circumstances and certainly you need to know you can hang out that long . I may well ring up and find what time they consider it would have taken as that is critical information to have when assessing your options. | + | - **Portable EPIRB** I did not have one and although I will be buying one in this situation I don't think I would have activated it straight away as this would then be a National Search and Rescue with it probably being about 30 mins before a helicopter would appear from Whangarei plus this would totally over ride the support boats from the event . I considered my best chance of pickup being the support boats that would come past my way at some stage even though I was always going to be a small target . I think if I had an **EPIRB** in those conditions I would wait approx 15 mins before activating though that is something specific to each set of circumstances and certainly you need to know you can hang out that long . I may well ring up and find what time they consider it would have taken as that is critical information to have when assessing your options. |
| - **Cell phone vs Portable VHF** I believe if I had a floating waterproof VHF I would have been able to get a call out straight away (on the channel being monitored by the support boats)as opposed to not feeling the same way about the phone.Although it is a bulkier item to carry I am going to see if I can find one that stows in the back pocket of the vest with a lead attached so it can be pulled out when/if needed. | - **Cell phone vs Portable VHF** I believe if I had a floating waterproof VHF I would have been able to get a call out straight away (on the channel being monitored by the support boats)as opposed to not feeling the same way about the phone.Although it is a bulkier item to carry I am going to see if I can find one that stows in the back pocket of the vest with a lead attached so it can be pulled out when/if needed. | ||
| - | - **Flare** I had a flare in my back pocket however in this particular circumstance it would have required me to take off my buoyancy jacket to access it as it was lying right at the bottom of the back and I wouldn't have been able to reach. It would have been extremely risky to do this when you have no boat to hold to support you although if the Jet ski skipper hadn't seen my paddle that would have been my next step. | + | - **Flare** I had a flare in my back pocket however in this particular circumstance it would have required me to take off my buoyancy jacket to access it as it was lying right at the bottom of the back and I wouldn't have been able to reach. It would have been extremely risky to do this when you have no boat to hold to support you although if the Jet ski skipper hadn't seen my paddle that would have been my next step. (Ed. //Yep, not much use if you can't safely get to it, but having it accessible and using it could easily have made the difference in being seen or not//) |
| Finally I just want to say that the event is an awesome event and the vibe from the other paddlers make it special - I hope that despite the above anyone considering it for the future is not put off and hopefully can maybe get some pointers from above . I certainly intend doing another one of Tim's events in the future despite my family saying I am getting too old for this stuff! Ha | Finally I just want to say that the event is an awesome event and the vibe from the other paddlers make it special - I hope that despite the above anyone considering it for the future is not put off and hopefully can maybe get some pointers from above . I certainly intend doing another one of Tim's events in the future despite my family saying I am getting too old for this stuff! Ha | ||
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