So I’m back.
My focus over the past few months has been on training for
the OC1 Nationals, up in Coffs Harbour on Dec 10-11. The long course is a 27km
downwind requiring plenty of endurance.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been trying to increase my session
length, but have run into a couple of problems. Last week on Thursday morning,
we were having a great club session from Kirribilli, surfing (yes sufing!) in
the harbour on the wind chop generated by the blustery 15-20kt SE. It was
awesome! Lots of little troughs to chase. I had hoped to get in 2hrs before
heading into the office.
Unfortunately, after about an hour, my front iaku drifted
away from the hull of the canoe! In slow motion, I watched in amazement, then
increasing realisation that my canoe was falling apart. Poised, braced with the
wind, I gave in and tumbled into the harbour to join my disintegrating canoe
bits.
Stretched out like spider clinging to its web in gale force
wind, a I scrambled to grab my seat in one hand, the front iaku (with my GPS on
it) with my other hand, hooked my leg around the ama and hoped that my legrope
on the other leg would keep the canoe in check. Luckily, Stu and Churn were
keeping an eye on me, acting like a gutter, helping gather all the debris that
had started to float away.
There was no elegance to my method of reassembling the canoe
in the water, which always seems so clever on land. But in one piece again, it
was back to the shed earlier than anticipated.
Hence, it was with even more determination for a long
session that I jumped into the car on Saturday morning, with the intention of a
2.5hr downwind from Mona Vale to Balmoral.
I had doubts about my plan though – as intense rain blasted
my windscreen as I went up the driveway. Earlier in the morning I had been
speaking with Mandy, and we had checkout the Coastwatch cameras (you can only call
a paddling friend at 5am in the morning!) Mona Vale was a mess, Narrabeen was a
mess, North Steyne was a mess. It wasn’t looking good! Lots of chop and white
water. The BOM radar looked like this:
 |
| BOM radar image - 7:12 am, Nov 26 2011 |
Regardless, we met up with Lydia and Stu in the Balmoral
carpark, and the 4 of us huddled amongst the amas and iakus in Mandy’s car.
Time for a United Nations Roundtable discussion. Nestled in the warmth of Mandy’s
lambskin seat covers, and with the condensation building up on the inside of the
windows, we contemplated the madness in going outside (at all, let alone to
paddle). Yes it was mad, and yes we would do it – but an abbreviated plan,
sticking to the harbour and running between Balmoral and Manly.
Without further hesitation we were kitted out and grinding
into the north easterly towards Manly. Grind, grind, grind. Soaked through,
rain pelting. Grind, grind, grind. I looked at my GPS. 3.5km/hr. It was going to
be a looong morning! 35min later we had completed the ~2km to the yellow pins
at Manly. Time to turn and wheeeee…whizz back to Balmoral. This was more like
it! A short 10min later we were back at the start. Re-invigorated after the fun
of gliding with the wind.
Let’s do it again! And again!
2hrs down. Bam! 13.5km. Not the furthest I’ve done in 2hrs,
but a solid session, and awesome to be out there with Mandy, Lydia and Stu. A
memorable day. Looking back at the BOM weather stats the winds reached gusts of
30kts (NE). Good work team.
Let’s hope for some “better” conditions this week.
