The excitement was high. Our fearless past pres, Len Goodman finally decided to stop looking like the number 1 person on the Worst Dressed List and actually spent the big bucks for a new NRS Wetsuit. He also had to purchase a helmet for this trip and opted for the brightest chrome helmet I have ever seen; it may even be bright enough so that flashlights are not required inside caves or at night.

Dianne W and Douglas R. bought new dry bags, bow and stern lines for Landing Cove's winch, etc. My wife Robin & I, decided that our old plastic SOT's needed to be replaced with something a little faster and newer, so we purchased two kayaks, new seats, and a few odds and ends. It seems almost everyone had done some shopping for this trip.

As I pulled up to unload our boats, I saw Paula's boat on the ground, but she was driving to Channel Islands Harbor to leave a car for the shuttle we would need when we returned to CIH instead of Ventura. Len's boat was on his van but no longer strapped down. He came over and said not to unload--the boat out was cancelled. There went Plan A and Plan B which was to go tide pooling at Frenchy's Cove if the seas were too rough for paddling. Plan C evolved, which was to drive to CIH and take the Island Packers Whale Watching trip leaving from there.

An employee of Island Packers soon came out to tell us that Plan C was not an option anymore. All trips were cancelled. Winds were 30-40 knots, and the seas were 9 - 11 feet. We then opted to head over to a local breakfast joint. When all else fails---EAT!!

Then we decided to drive to CIH, and launch there and see the Tall Ships which were in. When we arrived, the harbor looked intimidating. There were LARGE breaking waves coming between the breakwater and the East Jetty of the Harbor. I have never seen that here and I paddle out of CIH frequently.

The group at CIH	Gordon Changing	Rough Water at CIH
Click on picture to see full size (pictures by Paula Chavez)

Anyway, we got into our boats and started to head out. The area by the Pond had good size waves and a few of us went to the end of the breakwater and said no-way!! We then met up with fellow CKF'ers John Ernst, George Miller, and Pam Schlotter who were all in their surf boats. They looked rather funny in their boats that I keep saying were left in the dryer too long. If you lined all 3 boats up in a line, you have the length of 1 "real" kayak. We chatted a while, and they headed in. About 15 minutes we all started going in too.

Then the Tall Ships decided to go out. The first one stopped and waited for a break in the sets before trying to motor out through the breaking waves. Finally they went and made it with the masts tracing a very large arc in the sky. I bet they are still cleaning the decks of their passengers' lunches.

Len and I paddled rather close to these 2 ships and then headed in. Paula and Gordon stayed out a little longer taking more photos.

Len	Len Racing the Tall Ship
Click on picture to see full size (pictures by Paula Chavez)

On the Beach, we met Carol Miller and George's mother, Marie. After chatting a while, we loaded up and drove to Cheap Sports to buy more gear, then on to Patagonia for still more gear, and finally the Teva Outlet for even more gear.

As my wife said, if we can't have a fun day paddling, we'll have a fun day shopping!!

    Steve Holtzman