Park N Play -- Pacific Style

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If you aren't interested in reading a boating trip report, don't bother to read any further. I'm actually posting this on the paddling website. I figure I will put it here as well because well, I can.

Anyway today I got back in MY boat. YAY. It felt good to be back in the EZ. It was nice to be in a boat that I knew and was "comfortable" in. I don't understand why the PFD, dry top, dry pants and spray skirt all felt so tight when I put them on. I mean I do weigh less now than when I left. Oh well. And getting that spray skirt on the boat was maybe the hardest thing I did all day.

Oh yeah, and to top it off, we had decided to just park N play today. Right up my alley. Though, well this was different. We were doing our park N play in the ocean. That means actually surfing waves that don't sit still and constantly change. It was lots of good fun, and lots of work.

You have to figure a way to paddle out through the break. Luckily on this beach there is a sneak with a nice rip current in it that helps you get out.
Then well you bob in the ocean and avoid the surfers until you find a wave you get catch without cremating a surfer. Paddle like hell and hope.
Sometimes you catch a nice green wave and you can carve up and down it until it becomes a frothy white angry pile just pushing you to the beach.
Sometimes you just catch the frothy white pile of anger but you can still ride around on that as well. Pretty easy to have 360's and shit... yup even me.
And sometimes you completely miss the wave altogether and just cuss at yourself.

I learned lots of valuable lessons today while having fun. Always keep your shore side edge up. Most of the time this means lean back. Sometimes though you try to paddle out through a breaking wave and that just isn't happening. You are going for a ride. Then lead forward.. .yup that helps.

Um, if you catch a wave and "decide" or accidentally come off of it before it is done, well that is silly. Because in all likelyhood one of the next two waves will be breaking and push you in.
Besides you pretty much need to go in towards shore so you can cut over to the rip current without getting pummelled anyway. so enjoy the ride.

that pretty much sums up my first day back in the boat. Oh well, I need some roll practice but its all good.
Um, whatelse. next week... maybe I'll try a river.

Oh and my dry top and dry pants don't keep me dry. I guess everyone is right, I will need a drysuit at some point in time.
Anybody want to get me a b-day present?

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Comments

[Amanda G]

Glad you got back in your boat! Aren't you near tons of fabulous white water? Hope you get to hit it soon. :-)

[Lil' Sis II]

Travelblogs 101
I think once you have a semipermanent address, the travel blog is no longer legit!

[George]

huh title?
No worries, no need for drypants or drytop rowing a Grand Canyon raft in July. Bring the portable A/C unit though. Did you say you can row a raft in a lake? It is mostly lake, then again some of it looks more like a dam break!