North Palos Verdes Peninsula
This Sunday morning, Steve Wilson and I paddled along the Palos Verdes
Peninsula from Malaga Cove to Long Point and back, a round trip distance of
12 NM. When we launched through the three foot surf at Malaga Cove, I ended
up getting my hair wet by having to punch a wave, but Steve stayed dry. The
sky was cloudy at first, but it soon became sun shiny.
As we rounded Palos Verdes Point, we decided to take a shorter route between
some rocks, rather than around the outside of them. Just as we were passing
between two rocks, a large wave broke hard over the outside one, and we were
looking up at a five foot wall of whitewater that was about 30 feet away and
heading right for us. Fortunately, it fizzed out just before us. Right
afterwards Steve said that the wave scared him, but he thought that since I
was there, we were safe. I told him I was scared too!
Rounding Point Vicente was choppy. It really is amazing how much more
rougher the conditions are at headlands. On the way back, Steve worked on his roll.
Back at Malaga Cove, I landed first so I could take some photos of Steve
landing. I always like to be in position to see and document any carnage.
Well, I didn't get to see any carnage, but I did see Steve do an awesome job
riding a big wave. I took some pictures of him coming down and across the
face, and I am sure that he will want to enlarge them.
The toughest part of the whole trip was pulling our kayaks on carts up the
long and steep hill to the parking area.
This paddle fills in the final gap for me paddling from Point Dume at the
north end of Santa Monica Bay to the Mexican boarder. My goal is to paddle
from Point Conception to the Mexican boarder. I've already island hopped
from Gaviota, which is just below Point Conception, to Channel Islands Harbor
in Oxnard, but I want to paddle the coast too, and I hope to finish it next year.
Duane Strosaker
Submitted on August 12, 2001