A changes race is a unique experience, and sometimes difficult to explain to others who don't paddle. It's a true team event, with everyone putting in their max effort, before jumping out of the canoe and resting...then having to get back in again.
To explain the phenomena a bit better, here's what I love about changes racing:
The Start. Canoes looking for the start flags and positioning for the best start. Support boats jostling nearby, on the lookout for their crews. And for the Molokai race, a fleet of official boats marked with pink flags to hold back the support boats, and guide the flotilla as it makes its way to Oahu
The start
The drop off. Time for the first change. Like a parachuter launching out of an aircraft on a mission, you grab your hat, pinch your nose, and leap into the ocean.
The drop off
Spotting the canoe and lining up with your team mates as anticipation builds
Lining up the canoe with your team mates
Watching the canoe disappear behind a massive swell
Seeing the canoe disappear (and just your lone hand sticking up, hoping the steerer will spot you)
Seeing the canoe re-emerge, hurtling down the slope of a wave, heading straight at you. Manu raised.
Canoe re-emerges...on top of you
Getting in. All different techniques - it doesn't matter what you use. Leg hook-over, head first, elegant side sit (the textbook method). I especially like it when the steerer gets in!
Getting in
Getting in again!
Paddling hard
Paddling hard
Paddling hard
Being in the ocean
And surfing!
And surfing!
More surfing!
Getting out. Your section done and time to hand over to a fresher team mate.
Getting out
Bobbing in the ocean, then looking for the buoy that will help lead you to the support boat, also bobbing in the ocean
Buoy to the support boat
Hanging out with friends on the support boat
Hanging out with friends
Eugene reapplying sunscreen for you (so you don't make your hands slippery and hard to hold the paddle), finding you some food, and grabbing you a gatorade from the ice box
Eugene and Dexter - support boat legends
Reaching Diamond Head
Almost there
Nailing your last change of the day. YEAH!
Last change!
Willing on your team mates during a sprint to the finish
Your support boat crew, who kept you safe along the crossing
It's taken me a couple of days to recover and bring the blog up to speed with the most important day of all...race day!
We were up well before dawn after a restless night's sleep for most. Dry bags packed, shove some food down, then pile into an old yellow school bus for our ride by darkness down the red dirt road to the harbour.
We joined North Shore Outriggers on the bus, who were far more lively than we were. I think a few nerves kept us quiet as we contemplated the day ahead.
The bus journey was not without mishap - about half way down the rutted road we began to smell burning brake pads. Sure enough, 5min later we were stopped on the side of the road, bags and paddles in a pile. Broken down. Luckily there was a steady stream of cars passing, and plenty of offers for a ride. We took a moment to capture a team shot, then boarded another yellow bus.
Broken bus - not the best thing for race morning!
No opportunity wasted!
Phew. We'd made it to the harbour. We made a few final adjustments to the canoe, then were called to the gathering and prayer. A Hawaiian voice rang clear through the dawn light, as we stood, arms around each other, thankful that we were here, and wishing each other a safe journey. A few emotions were released, then it was on to the race.
Out to the start line, me, Nicola, Amanda, Kath, Cath, and Linda lined up with the other 70 crews racing today. It was exciting to be out there, looking for the starting flags and watching the support boats lined up behind the pink flags of the official boats holding them at bay.
The race started! The line of canoes surged forwards. We were right up there, working with some small pushes, following the line of Molokai towards Laau Point.
What an awesome race! Not to spoil the moment, I'll let Linda take it from here!
And after a short technical glitch...we continue:
The other person that was critical to our crossing was Eugene Lee, our calm support boat helper whose happy face always greeted us as we flopped, bedraggled from the water onto the support boat, needing sunscreen, sea sickness tablets, food, water, Gatorade. He kept us going, made sure we were ready to go, and kept things moving smoothly. Thanks Euge!!
Check out: https://picasaweb.google.com/SeeShell7/130913HawaiiMolokaiCrossing
for a full set of race photos
We're off to Molokai! Nic and I headed out on our one way flight this morning, with the remaining Chicks following this afternoon:
It's an incredible feeling to know you're flying over the stretch of water you're about to paddle. We flew past the towering hotel blocks along Waikiki then looked straight down into the crater of Diamond Head. Nic and I gave each other a nervous and excited look as we followed the coast up to Koko Crater then looked out over the open waters of the Kaiwi Channel.
The trades are blowing, whipping up whitecaps on the ocean's surface. Keep blowing! I can't wait to have the wind at our backs on Sunday.
We started today with an early morning paddle - share in our first moments on the water in Hawaii:
Our session took us along the length of Waikiki up to the Diamond Head Buoy. It was great to be out on the water, looking back at the high rise apartments of the city silhouetted in the golden morning sunshine.
Morning sunlight on Diamond Head
A squall raced over Diamond Head and hit us briefly, but we barely noticed; we were looking out for the reef, feeling the water and pushing into the wind.
YAY! We've made it on to the water
We turned the buoy and headed downwind...wheee! It was so much fun to feel the wind behind us and the small pushes helping us on our way. Hopefully we'll be doing this again in a couple of days, coming into the finish line after 70kms of paddling.
I think it all started to feel more real today as we imagined ourselves taking the final line from Diamond Head towards the twin pink towers.
Heading for the twin towers and the finish line!
To top off the session a full rainbow stretched across the horizon - a welcoming sign from Hawaii.
Hawaii Welcome
It was all happening! We'd had a good run, had stopped to appreciate the rainbow. In fact, we were having such a good time that we sped straight past the channel markers. Whoops! Turning into the breakwall at Magic Island, we wondered why it looked so different, then looked back and realised we'd overshot by 500m. Ah, better not do that on race day. A good learning for us all!
Looking forward to another session tomorrow morning!
With Amanda Wyllie after an amazing snorkel at Hanauma Bay
What Amanda doesn't mention in our chat is Kerry leading 6 PD's through the reef "out the back" to the rough water - where the fish are wild and the turtles roam free. It was a bit crazy out in the chop, but fun too! We were really out there swimming in the ocean.
Beautiful Hanauma Bay
From Hanauma Bay we continued the scenic drive around to Kailua, stopping to gaze out towards Molokai, sitting vaguely on the horizon. We were ravenous by the time we reached Boots & Kimo, and ordered up big on the macadamia pancakes.
Boots & Kimo, Kailua
We dropped into the Kamanu Composites factory on the way home, and watched the guys taping a newly moulded Pueo for its spray job whilst we asked co-owner, Kiezo, a million questions about canoe design and materials. Cath G also continued her purchasing spree - picking up a seat for her new OC1 and a cover.
Kamanu Composites
The scenic Pali Hwy took us through the middle of the island back to Honolulu, and we stopped off at Magic Island, where we met Sam who paddles with Nappy Napoleon for Anuenue Canoe Club. He was filled with wisdom and tips on our approach to the leg from Diamond Head back to Waikiki, and we stood around, keenly soaking up everything he had to say. We spoke about going inside the buoy at Diamond Head without nearing the break, that the outgoing tide would pull us South (so to take a line a little high), and that the Hawaiians would be trying a higher rating this year, closer to the Tahitians.
We finished the night with a lovely meal overlooking a Waikiki Sunset at the Outrigger Canoe Club, each with a bag of Na Wahine merchandise to look great in when we get home.
With Di Morgan at Manoa Falls
Another great day relaxing on Oahu - I chatted to Di at the base of Manoa Falls in the depths of the jungle north of Waikiki.
And a couple of pictures from the day:
Starting the morning with a swim in the warm waters of Waikiki
Early this morning I visited the fish auction at the United Fishing Agency at the end of Pier 38 in Honolulu. We stood out on the pier and watched over a working fishing vessel as John, a representative of Hawaii Seafood, told us about the start of the auctions in the1950s and walked us through the importance of line fishing (the technique used to catch the high quality fish in the markets).
Every morning, each fishing boat sets out a line with 2,500 - 3,000 hooks. These lines extend from 50 - 350m below the water's surface and catch a range of fish, from younger fish and species such as Mahi-Mahi in the shallower, warmer waters, to the larger, older (and more valuable) big eye tuna in the ocean's depths.
There are 3 factors that contribute to tuna quality - color, which should be a deep, translucent red and is found in more mature tuna; texture, which you want to be firm, rather than soft; and fat content, which you want to be high and oily as this gives the most flavour. Line fishing also helps fish quality as the fish are less stressed than when netted.
The bell rang and the auction started! We headed through the plastic curtains into the chilled room filled with rows of fish laid out on the wet concrete floor. There were glistening and fat big eye tuna (which the Hawaiians call Ahi), mahimahi with their large foreheads, pale slabs of swordfish, striped marlin, hula-hoop sized moonfish and white fleshed Walu that you should only eat in small quantities!
A small group of 15 buyers, all wearing brown plastic gumboots, clustered around each fish, expertly running the small sample cut from the fish's back flank through their fingers. The bidding started high, at around $12/lb and descended, with a bidder chipping in when a reasonable price was reached. It looked like the best pieces were going for around $9/lb, with the bigger big eye tuna around 85lb. That's some expensive fish!
"Is this Honolulu Mum?" the little boy next to me asked as we stood on the Jetstar airbridge, looking outside at the shimmering wet tarmac and drizzle running down the window pane. It didn't feel like it when we first touched down this morning, but several hours later as I wound my way around the suburban backroads, high up in the mountains behind Diamond Head I could see, feel and even taste Hawaii.
The pink and purple bougainvillaea's smashed colour together like a bad hawaiian shirt, and through the elongated waxy leaves of the frangipani you could see the Pacific Ocean being whipped up by the regular trade winds. It was hot and humid. The morning rain had cleared, but the air was still soggy. My hair flung around in the wind like a bad session at the hairdresser. I was sticky and looking forward to getting back to the air conditioned confines of the car.
But I couldn't, it was just SO EXCITING to be back! Camera in hand I almost skipped my way along the footpath towards the end of the street that offered glimpses of Waikiki far below in the distance.
I'm in Hawaii again. 3rd trip in 3 years... YAY! Soon to be joined by my fellow PD Chicks. We're racing in the Na Wahine O Ke Kai OC6 race across the challenging Kaiwi Channel between the islands of Molokai and Oahu next weekend! The race is the top event for female outriggers, and more than 70 crews competed last year. You can see a map of the race in my
earlier blog posting So what exactly is this “Molokai” race you’re doing?
Cath Gale, Kath Burrows, Amanda Wyllie, Nicola Frowen, Linda Ng, Kerry Davenport, Di Morgan, Rachel Mosen, Sarah Jordan and I have been training hard over the past 3+ months (with years of time on the water before that).
We've had some great training sessions in Sydney - intense intervals where I felt my lungs would burst and arms would fall off, a 70km weekend trip from Clontaff to Dolls Point and back, we've seen dolphins and seals and have been helped by many a fellow PD.
Now it's time to go to Hawaii! I'm here...now hurry up everyone else!
Here is the first of a number of video updates from the girls this trip - I'm the first one here, so it's just me today! Keep an eye out for future postings!
The essence of Hawaii
Diamond Head - a handy landmark from the ocean
Hawaii Kai canoes
Gazing out towards Molokai
Coconut
View from the apartment
Sydney – Honolulu Airport – Dollar Car Hire
– H1 East to Diamond Head – Erin at mountain top apartment – Coffee Talk –
Hawaii Kai – Molokai Lookout – Makapu’u Lighthouse and Beach Park – Waimanalo
fresh coconut – Pali Hwy and tunnel – Native Bookshop second hand books (Ward
Warehouse) – St Louis plate lunch
