This blog post was put on hold because of life and work. I just have not had time for blogging.
It is always good to know the area you are paddling. Over Thanksgiving 2015, my wife and I went to my sisters place near Cape Henlopen State Park. We have only paddled there a couple times and the water has always been calm in side the breakwater area and we had never been past the point since my sister is not and adventurous paddler. We kner there was a mild tide race near the point and planned to play in it since all reports were there would be no surf to be found.
Seriously all data said 1.5 meter swells out and nothing in toward shore. The tide was going out so the tide race would be all there was.
Max wave height nothing of note, 1.5 meters at sea and winds to the south on land and in the bay.
So we expected nothing of a challenge and maybe a little fun in the tide race at the point.
You can see from our track that we never went outside the entrance to the Harbor of Refuge. Heading out we met some swells. The beach had a shore break about waist high and nothing much else but out a little in the deeper water the swells were pushing in at closer to 2 meters. It made for some fun playing and the tide race around the point was confused water. Great place to practice boat control.
Had we been planning a longer trip or taking my sister out to the point we would have had to make a float plan correction. Nothing lead me to believe there would be that much happening in the area. This is when a little local knowledge would have been handy. Now after looking at the data and talking to some people that paddle the area these were the conditions they take L3 prospects out to train in.
Now we know and we found our new teaching an training ground within a few hours drive.
You should always do a roll or two ever time you go out. Right? Yes, my head is up early. The water was cold but I completed the roll.
A short video tour of the day. This is a calm day.
