I had the opportunity and pleasure of taking two beginner paddlers out on the
water today. The original plan was for Dianne and I to trade boats and do a
gentle harbor paddle allowing her to become accustomed to a closed deck boat.
We decided to open the paddle up and take some beginners along with us.
Dianne wasn't able to make the paddle and I went ahead took the beginners
along on a gentle harbor paddle.
What a cool deal this was when Linda and Jason both showed up ready to
paddle. They are both new to paddling and were ready to go. I took them
down one side of the harbor and back in through the beautiful homes of
Mandalay Bay. Channel Islands Harbor is a quite a bit larger than Ventura or
Santa Barbara Harbors and the homes back in through Mandalay Bay make for a
gorgeous paddle. All and all, it's a great place for new paddlers to learn
their boats and get use to being on the water. From beginning to end, you
can paddle about 4 to 5 miles and never leave the protection of the calm
waters of the harbor.
Linda and Jason both paddle SOT's and were having a ball developing
confidence and experience along the way. I gave Linda a few paddling tips to
help her improve skills and later her legs started to cramp. Hey, your on a
SOT, hang them over the side and relax a little I told her. She did and she
was doing just great after that.
Jason and Linda were chatting away as we paddled and we came upon the live bait
tank by Channel
Islands Kayak Center.
There were 4 Harbor Seals playing in that area. They were not just
4 pretty faces, these guys know where the food was. How funny and cute they
were as they swam from one side of the harbor to the other and back again. Like
a happy child at Christmas Linda exclaimed, "I got to see seals".
We paddled back to Kiddie Beach and Linda pealed off to do a landing. Jason
had decided to go outside of the harbor with me. The water was very calm on
the outside of the break, but I told Jason that there would be some
reflective backwash and swells coming in at the same time. Jason ventured
out with me and stayed with me the entire way. Admittedly he was nervous,
but the guy stayed with me the whole way.
After we came back inside of the other end of the breakwater, Jason was a
little behind me and I went on in to the inside of the surf break playing and
practicing some of the broaching and bracing skills that Wayne Hordowhich had
recently taught in his class.
I want to congratulate Linda and Jason for coming out and joining me on this
paddle. You both gained time on the water and expanded your paddling skills.
Rob Mohule, you'll be happy to hear that Jason was quoting trip paddle
experience level reports from your book. Hey, I know that guy I said...
Thanks Jason and Linda for joining me on today's paddle. I would like to
invite all of the more experienced paddlers to take the beginners out once in
a while. You'll enjoy the relaxed paddle and make people happy along the way.
Gregg