Memorial Day Fun
The last thing I planned to do on Memorial Day weekend was go kayaking at San
Onofre State Beach. I wanted to, but I knew that with the usual holiday
crowds, I'd have to be there at 5 AM to wait in line for the gate to open at
6 AM, and the gate would close again shortly afterwards once the parking area
filled. With a new job where I work evenings and nights, getting up that
early just wasn't doable. I could launch much later from the harbors, but I
really wanted to go to San Onofre.
When I woke up Sunday morning, I saw that it was drizzling outside. With the
drizzle and small surf forecast, I saw my opportunity. I knew that most of
the surfers would be staying home. I packed up my plastic, plastic, plastic
sea kayak, rod and reel for fishing, and helmet and dry-top for surfing.
When I arrived at San Onofre at 9 AM, I was able to drive right in, and there
were plenty of parking spots right up on the beach. Small surf and drizzle
can be a wonderful blessing on a holiday weekend.
After talking a bit to Bill and Pam Schlotter, surf kayaking friends from
Oxnard, I surfed my sea kayak in the small waves, which were about three feet
high and uncrowded. These small waves are a lot of fun in a sea kayak, still
my favorite craft to surf in. Anybody can surf a short whitewater kayak or
surf kayak, but it takes some real skill to keep a 17 foot long sea kayak on
a wave.
After a couple of hours in the surf, I did a rolling, sculling and bracing
practice session, and then I had lunch on the beach. While having lunch I
saw that there were a half dozen sport fishing boats about 2 miles offshore.
I got some touring in by paddling out to these boats. The clouds were thick
overhead, but the water was perfectly calm, and it was beautiful out there.
I fished for a while and caught only one small fish, but like the saying
goes, a bad day fishing is better than a good day working.
I just love the versatility of sea kayaking and taking advantage of a
situation when I can. It was nice to be able surf, practice skills, tour and
fish all in one day. It was also nice having the small surf and drizzle keep
most people off the beach on a holiday weekend.
Duane Strosaker
Submitted on May 28, 2001