Surfski Knowledge Base

Reivers Dustin
01/19/08 #4014

It was a good day. Quite a turn out this morning. LB tried to get people to connect with each other before the launching. The idea is to, like, offer up at least one brain cell to make a pre-paddle plan. It was similar to the attention span of freshman students at a sex-ed class. Well anyway four of us: Simon, Kirk, LB & MG connected. We picked up Eric as we started out. Simon thought about the rest of the pack and decided to drop back with that group, (more than one brain cell involved). It sure is difficult to get paddlers attention on anything but getting out there.

Conditions were pretty good. The wind was very steady from the S.E. and there were some nice runners in with the regular chop. It was cold. Especially for Kirk, having acclimated to sunny Southern hemisphere. Wave direction was pretty much true North so the wall was really rockin. Because the wind was SW it didn't seem to have that funnel effect off of Blanchard Mtn. It was still a slog from the end of the wall to Govn'rs Pt.

Around Chuckanut Isl we were joined by LG. We climbed out away from Govn'r Pt due West to get into clean waves and turned North on some great rides. Going down the wall was pretty technical and it was hard work against the wind to get to Govn'rs. But the ride back was classic great stuff. Even so, it seemed that the best waves were from the north part of the wall back into the bay. I'm not sure why we always beat ourselves up going down the wall. Maybe we are building some skill and confidence in that kind of slop. It's like eating your boiled peas before you can have dessert. Cold boiled peas. Blea.

Larry Bussinger <lbussing@…>
01/21/08 #4016

As it turned out, Simon stayed with Mark and I stayed with Rick. Both had trouble getting comfortable with the conditions and both went over twice. It was good practice for me to just sit in one spot and “monitor” the self-rescue and stay positioned in case Rick needed help. Its not as easy as it sounds. It was also good for both to get “advice” about how to handle the rough stuff. Ricks leash gave him problems because although it is strong, it was too long and he got tangled up in it. I also blew my whistle seconds after Rick went in the first time and I'm not sure if even Rick heard it20 ft. away. Pretty worthless. I thought it'd be a little better than that

Re: a rather spritely run
Larry Goolsby
01/21/08 #4017

Larry……I appreciated that you and Simon stayed back with Rick and Marc and I'm sure they appreciated it too. Too often we have this mindset that we need to plunder down the Wall when in fact, the best rides are just north of Post Point. Next time it's my turn to hang back.
LG

Re: a rather spritely run
Larry Bussinger <lbussing@…>
01/21/08 #4018

It wasn't a my turn / your turn thing. I haven't been going out enough this winter to be in shape or on form. I wasn't feeling comfortable going past the wall. Practicing “not paddling” was what I needed to be doing. Larry B

Re: a rather spritely run
rlingblo <rlingblo@…>
01/21/08 #4019

And “Yes!”, Marc and I both did appreciate having you guys hang around us. Thanks. I feel priviledged to paddle in this community that is so supportive and ecouraging to everyone.

Rick L.

Re: a rather spritely run
Jeff Hegedus <jhegedus@…>
01/22/08 #4020

You only went over twice? Shoot, that doesn't even qualify as 'underwater research.' [I remember that day, my first season, that you and Reivers nursed me back in, must have been two dozen remounts…]