About 2 coves past Pt Vicente Jack took a good size wave onto a shelf and a pool high on the rocks. Kate followed and got pinned then capsized in the shallow pool when she broke free. She stayed in her boat finally getting upright and reclaiming her paddle. Shortly after that we found a shallow rock garden with a landable beach and the three of us landed. George and Diane had left us a few minutes before to land to make some emergency adjustments.

Kate had taken a few sea urchin spines and sustained some injury to her thumb. The spines were mostly removed with a knife point and the thumb continued to swell.

George and Diane returned and landed with us. George, off to look/purchase a new boat, took his leave while we continued our break.

We finally started back. Jack went over a neat pour over channel. Dianne followed, capsized and rolled up. I followed. My timing was good for a change but somehow I followed Diane's path and capsized. As I set up to roll my paddle got pinned in the rocks. The forward motion of the boat, the stuck paddle and there was full extension of both arms. There was a sudden pop in my right shoulder (the one I seem to injure all the time), sharp pain and my right arm went loose in the water. I was able to pop the skirt and wet exit. I got up on the rocks and after a few minutes I could move my arm but couldn't put much of a load on it. Most function returned so I emptied my boat, seal launched off the rocks and joined the others who had suggested I pull out and they would bring a car around.

My paddling was okay but bracing on the right side was a little painful. I tried to play in the rocks a little on the way back but bracing against the surf brought instant pain. So I got to watch Jack and Diane play!!!!

Our return to Marineland was met with a higher tide and higher surf than when we left. Between he four of us we all landed safely. Some a little more elegantly than the others but no more carnage; well maybe just a little in the surf on the rocks.

I am sure we will all recover--sea urchin spines, swollen thumb, sore shoulder, deeply gouged boats--and come back to play here again. After all--any day on the water is a great day and beats the best day at...

    Mike Brown

Location: The beach below Marineland, 6610 Palos Verdes Drive.

Nice rock gardening day. Sorry I had to leave early, but I had a good excuse--bought the CD Extreme from Don in Newport. While I was riding waves south of Newport, me in the Extreme, Don watching from a safe distance in a CD Caribou, I'm sure he was thinking-- if he breaks it, he bought it! Don is a new CKF member, strong paddler and former Southwind Instructor- he goes several times a week-- kayak and outrigger paddling. Hope he will join us in the future, even after incredulously reading about all of the "carnage" :-)

It was nice to have Cate and Dianne join us rock gardening. I can see why the SDKC Night Herons are so feared. They paddle little WW boats like they were sea kayaks. Mike met them down at Gregg's Aqua Adventures rock gardening class in Mexico last week-they are still praising it.

It was a little rougher and more challenging today and there was more carnage than usual. I saw Mike go down and cringed until I saw there was no blood and broken bones. Looks like I missed most of the fun later! So, now we know it's not Rev. Steve Brown's fault- he was off preaching to his flock. Hope he said a prayer for us.

I saw Cate get ended twice up at Montana De Oro last year and come right back like nothing happened, so I wasn't surprised that she took today in stride. The sea urchins in the hand must smart. The last thing I saw before leaving Rest Cove was Cate pulling them out with pliers and a knife! Wear gloves (and a suit of armor) when you rock garden the PV Peninsula.

As far as Jack-- he's a league ahead of the rest of us. We just follow him around and learn by watching. And, we have learned a lot.

My regular Ventura County Sunday buddies experienced carnage today, too, at Surfrider and Dan Blocker. You may not think four-five footers are anything to worry about, but you should see those Ventura County plungers coming in nearly vertical at 8-9 sec. intervals, shaking the earth as they crash down. We've seen days when hardly anyone could even launch into them. I watched Mike Brown's boat get crushed by one of those, on the same day another one snapped my paddle, back in January.

Those of you reading who might be worried by all this only need to paddle a few feet farther out to enjoy the "carnage" from a sane distance.