Big Bull At Platform Gina

We were a little over 6 miles from Anacapa when we made radio contact with both the Anacapa Ranger, and the Skipper from the Sun Fish (Island Packers). I was happy that they were both aware of our presence and watching for us. We crossed both shipping lanes without incident and continued on towards Anacapa. Craig was now becoming sea sick and I began to worry as we had a tandem with both paddlers ill. I have to hand it to both of these guys, they kept paddling through the sea sickness and continued on. Remember, this was an uphill paddle all the way with 4 to 7 foot swells. These guys had nothing to be ashamed of at all! John and Mark, from San Luis Obispo, were paddling together. I call these guys the Cave Men as they live to kayak caves. Mark started to become sea sick as well now. We were about the 8 mile mark of the 11.5 miles out to Anacapa.

Paddling 7 Foot Swells

We now had 3 out of 7 kayakers sick and generally feeling rotten. Mark, like Craig and Steve, showed us what he is made of and continued to paddle though it. I couldn't believe it, we had 3 sick paddlers in 2 boats and they all continued to handle there kayaks like nothing was wrong. At 9 miles, these guys took off in a bee line to Anacapa. I was getting a little upset that the group had two boats racing ahead of the pack. They were like a riderless horses heading for the barn. Later, I couldn't help but laugh a little when they told me that they just wanted to get to the island, get out of they're boats, and off the ocean. I couldn't blame them one bit to be honest.

We had two seals playing just below the surface and inches from Bill. These guys were really having a ball together. They surfaced to see us. They made a quick dive and we didn't see them again. We had a school of dolphin playing and riding the swells close to us. These fellows were really moving, leaping, and didn't have any time for us slow pokes. We had made terrific time to Anacapa. We thought we'd make it there in 5 hours depending on the number of breaks we took along the way. We made it in 3:45 hours despite having 3 sick paddlers. The last 1.5 miles, my arms and shoulders were burning from lactic acid build up. Taylor was nice enough to fall back with me so we could paddle together. He has no idea how much I appreciated that.

We all arrived at Anacapa to experienced the dreaded hoist up to the landing. Bill and Taylor decide to paddle around the other side of the island as the rest of us raised our boats on the hoist to the landing. The Ranger was there to greet us and told me the nearest rest room was up the bazillon steps and a 1/4 mile walk. Along the trek to the rest room, I saw thousands of Sea Gulls. These are not my favorite bird, but they had baby chicks with them. You gotta love a baby chick as they were so cute and awkward. They still hadn't turned Sea Gull white yet, were a dark gray with black spots all over them.

Steve, Craig, Mark and John had all intended to camp the night on Anacapa. This probably wasn't such a bad idea since three out the four had been sea sick. Bill, Tyler, and myself caught the 12:00 Sunfish back to Channel Islands Harbor.

In the group, we had two Ph.D. Chemists, two software web page designers, an architect, a retired insurance broker, and a technical writer. The mesh of personalities was fantastic and we all got along well. We were all there to help one another through the good and the hard times of the paddle. We all handled our boats in the swells with ease, we developed a common bond of making our first channel crossing together, and became close friends. I'd paddle with any of these guys again, anywhere! You should have seen the smiles and high five's when we landed at Anacapa. What a total rush!!!

When I arrived home I just wanted out of my wet suit. I had been wearing a long Farmer John since 4 AM and it was now approx. 2:30 in the afternoon. I was exhausted, hungry, thirsty, and wanted a hot shower. I pulled my wet suit down to my ankles and couldn't get it over my ankles or heels. I struggled and fought with it with to no avail, I laid back again in exhaustion. Again I struggled and fought with my own wet suit now imprisoning my ankles. Oh dear God I thought, please don't allow me starve to death and die like this after making the paddle to Anacapa today. I lay back exhausted again. I finally stood, stomped, on one leg of my wet suit, and pulled on the other leg to free it. I'll live I cried aloud!!!! I then freed my other leg in the same manner.

    Gregg