Monday, March 1, 2010

SUP back on the water

I've been land-locked for the past 30 days. Why? Don't ask. Well... I guess not completely land-locked, I've been able to get out on the water and sail a couple days this past month. However there has been no Stand Up Paddle Surfing for me.

Still needing to keep a dry ear and going stir crazy with all the swell we've had this past month or so I figure I can go play it safe and make a couple laps down at Dana Point Harbor. So confident I don't even bring my wet-dry bag for the baggies.

The tide was going negative and the wind was blowing out of the west around 8-12kts. It was a good afternoon for a workout. I was up for at least a couple laps, still feeling my couple hour workout from this morning. The first lap was downwind the outside channel and upwind against the tide through the mid-channel. Everything was going fine until I rounded the corner where the Harbor Patrol station is. Between the negative tidal movement and the wind it created a weird eddy/ vortex thingy. It didn't really click until I went to dig and it felt like my paddle hit air and I followed up with a splash. I remember thinking to myself, "I just fell in...what the..." And then, "glad I didn't bring my iPhone for tunes..."

It was warm enough that I was pretty much dry by the time I reached Danalina and started lap number dos. This time I paddled down and back on the outer channel. The wind was better for the workout on the way back up.

There was nobody else out, really surprising. Oh it's Monday...

Paddle with Aloha