East Coast Paddle Festival (late recap post)

I posted about arriving at the East Coast Paddlesports & Outdoor Festival and then went silent. Even though we were in a site with power hookup so we could charge our radios and GPS and phones, the WIFI access was crap. We were suppose to have access throughout the area we were in but that was not the case. After we arrived at home things were busy.

So, about the festival:
We did not know we would be able to go until a couple weeks before the festival and all the masters classes were full with waiting lists. Not knowing if we would get in on classes we wanted we opted to take some classes offered by Sea Kayak Carolina. We did 2 days with Greg, Paula and Rick from Kayak Waveology and one day of surf with Dale Williams. Then we spent a couple afternoons checking out the festival and paddling in the pond. I also spent some time trying out NDK kayaks. My favorite was the new Latitude. It is a nice kayak and I like a smaller cockpit. I am to large for a Pilgrim but the Latitude was a good fit. The Explorer is also a nice fit but the cockpit is a little large and the HV was way to large. In the end though it looks like I will be getting a Romany Surf but that is somewhere in the future. Not sure why everyone is trying to get me out of my Point 65 boats.

Our first day with Kayak Waveology was more of an intro to rough water and coastal kayaking, a coastal tour so to speak. It was a nice overcast day and the conditions were good for a little rough water training. I was happy I had no trouble with the surf launch and I played a little in the surf when we landed at the end of the day. We also had a little fun in the tide race.

Here is a screen shot of our track. Created with Backcountry Navigator.

My wife took this very unflattering video of me playing in the surf at the end of our first Waveology class. Please remember this is the first time I have had my kayak in breaking surf.

Our class the next day was with Dale Williams. So, this was an actual how to surf a sea kayak class. Dale is a great guy and instructor. When I made a mistake he was able to instantly tell me what I was doing wrong. I really learned a lot in this class. My only regret is that we did not spend more time out in the larger outside break because a couple people in that class were not feeling up to it.

Here is what our track that day looked like.  Created with Backcountry Navigator.

Below is some video I shot during the class from the back deck of my kayak. I found that I need a better camera mount if I am going to shoot video while surfing.

 

The third day it was back out with Kayak Waveology. This time they broke the class into two groups. Paula and Rick stayed near the launch with 2 students that were not ready for the bigger water. Greg took me my wife and another student, who is also an instructor for whitewater, out into the larger breakers and over to the tide race. This class was more instruction than the first one we had with Kayak Waveology. We played in some fun conditions. I failed a roll in 3 to 4 foot swells and was towed out a little to do a rescue. I am blaming the helmet. I have never worn a helmet and rolled in a sea kayak. Then we were off to play in the tide race and I went over but this time I did not fail my roll (what a relief that was). We had on the water lectures and scenarios and I got to do a rough water contact tow across a channel with a 2 knot flow. That was fun. Even though you practice these things in calmer waters it is always good to practice in conditions. Then we went into a cove and landed and discussed our towing and rescue equipment we carry and went through some discussions on different towing techniques.  Lots of great information.

Sorry, no video from that class. But this is our track of the day.  Created with Backcountry Navigator.

After the class we went back to the festival and paddled in the pond. We also stopped off at the Masters Beach so I could meet Nigel Foster. We had a nice chat and he is a very nice and pleasant person. He offered me his paddle to try out. Not only does he design great boats but I was very pleased with the paddle design also. I put up a blog about planning to get one of his paddles. We are hoping to do take a class with Nigel at Sweetwater Kayaks. Or, maybe make a trip out to Washington to get a private lesson. When my wife met him a year ago she came home saying that he reminded her of me as far a personality, this is why I wanted to meet him while we were at the festival. 

As for the whole experience, it was great all in all.

We arrived on Wednesday and went to a get together at Sea Kayak Carolina. It rained. Thursday we volunteered to help with the setup of Sea Kayak Carolinas tent and display but there was little for us to do so, we relaxed at camp most of the day. It rained. Friday we had a class and visited the festival. It rained. Saturday we had a class then stayed in camp as it rained. Sunday we had a class then went to the Festival and met Nigel Foster. Then we went to dinner at The Triangle. It rained, sever thunder storms. Monday was a beautiful day. The air was fresh and the sun was out and we packed our camp and spent almost 7 hours in the car driving to Richmond.

When we got home I noticed some cracks in the gelcoat on the bottom of my kayak. Upon further inspection I found that I had stress fractured my hull at the front of my kayak. I can only imagine that it happened during the last class when I raced over an outside wave that appeared suddenly. It was about a 4 foot wave but the front of my kayak smacked the water hard as I came off the back of the wave. The repair is complete and will be posted in a later blog.

We survived and had a great time.

Nigel Foster Paddle

While my wife and I were at the East Coast Paddlesports & Outdoor Festival in Charleston, I found Nigel Foster on the Masters Beach and got to chat with him about the Whisky 16 and other things. He also let me borrow his paddle to give it a try. My wife and I both liked the paddle but with neither of us having the skill with it that Nigel does.

We are going to order one to share between the two of us. If we bothe find we like it as an everyday paddle we will purchase another. We found the paddle to be well designed and nice to handle.  Well worth considering for your next paddle. 

You can find it here.

We have arrived for the East Coast Paddle Festival.

We actually arrived last night.

After we set up camp we went to Sea Kayak Carolina for a visit. The wife got to meet Nigel Dennis. So that was nice. Then we came back to camp and had a cold night sleeping. Where is the warm southern weather?

Now we are having coffee and breakfast before going to move kayaks around.

Where is the warm weather I was promised?

Cherry Blossoms on the Potomac

This weekend was the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC. A friend arranged a paddle on Saturday and my wife arranged one for Sunday morning.

The trip on Saturday was just 3 of us because, everyone else canceled because of the 15 MPH winds. It just made for a little more chop and exercise. It was a fun day of paddling.

The story in photos.

Then on sunday we had a nice breeze and several paddlers on our trip. It was a fun day on the water.

Sunday's story in photos.

Running paddles can be a challenge, especially this time of the year when the days are warming up and the water temps are on the rise. The waters had bee moving to the high 50s but dropped toward the weekend and ended up at around 51 degrees fahrenheit on Saturday and Sunday.

We required people going with our group to be in at least a 3 mil  wetsuit but drysuit prefered.

Saturday was no recreational kayaks, kayaks under 14 feet, because of the wind and chop. The last thing we want is a hypothermic paddler spoiling the trip for everyone. Safety first.

We were surprised when we saw that the Key Bridge Boathouse was renting kayaks and SUPs on Saturday and Sunday. People were paddling in tshirts and shorts. I wonder what their liability is if someone goes for a swim and hypothermic shock sets in. Well, it is not my problem.

So we had a great weekend.

Practice Day on the Occoquan Reservoir

On Tuesday we headed out on the Occoquan Reservoir form Fountainhead Regional Park.

We paddled to an area we call fall out of your boat cove. It has a gravel slope going into the water up to about chest deep. This makes an excellent area to stand and help people with their balance brace and such.

We feel that you should take a day every few weeks to just spend time practicing paddle strokes and braces and rescues. Tuesday was a perfect day for it. It was overcast and about 64 degrees when we got on the water. The water temperature was 56 degrees so not too cold to hang out in a drysuit.

We enjoy the calm waters of the reservoir.

We played around with strokes on the way to the cove and while I was goofing around I went over. At this point I discovered that I could not roll with my pogies. The pogie on the sweep hand takes in water at the cuff causing drag and stalling my roll. First time I tried to roll while wearing pogies. You learn things about your equipment when you take a practice day. My wife was kind enough to give me an assisted rescue.

After this we made it over to the cove. I was not wearing my neoprene cap and got a little brain freeze while hanging upside down under my boat. Dress for the water!

Then once at the cove we both spent time in and out of our boats playing around.

It was an excellent few hour on the water.

Easter Sunday Paddle on the Potomac

For Easter we went kayaking to avoid any giant psycho bunnies in paisley suits. It is a phobia I have from childhood. The things parents do to scar there kids for life. I wonder if that is their plan. Well enough about that.

So, we launched from Leesylvania State Park. We launch from the beach because their car top launch is crap. The new ranger stopped me as we were getting ready to launch and asked if I knew they had a car top launch. When I said yes he asked what I disliked about it. Apparently he wants input to get it changed/fixed. Nice guy. He said launching from the beach was fine, he was just looking for input.

We paddled to the wildlife refuge then across Occoquan Bay in 14 knot crosswinds and broaching waves. That was fun. We stop at the beach under the cliffs at High Point then paddled back across the Occoquan Bay and played in the waves before heading to shore. We also to a moment to shoot some short tow video.

All in all a good day on the water.

Adjustable Contact/Short Tow Line Revisited

Below is a video of the adjustable short tow line in use. Since the person in the "victim kayak" was shooting the video, they are not laying on the "rescue kayak" so the video is not great. It shows that it is adjustable quickly and that it can be adjusted and released in gloves.

If you have not seen my contact tow blog yet, you can read it here. Then you will know to what I am referring.

I like to use high contrast and reflective line for this application so it is easy to see and recognize. I use 6mm cord for the low line and 3 or 4mm for the prusik. The one shown here is 4mm prusik. I used leftover deck rigging line.

This is the rope I use.
http://shop.blackjackmountainoutfitters.com/BlueWater-Ropes-6mm-NITELINE-by-the-Foot-500600REF.htm

And for the prusik.
http://shop.blackjackmountainoutfitters.com/BlueWater-Ropes-3mm-NITELINE-by-the-Foot-500300.htm

They also have this line in 4mm size which I use for deck line.

Now the Video.

Remember that this video is to show how easy the tow can be adjusted and is not an example of a good or safe tow.