Since the tide was high and the surf was low, the helmeted four had great fun padding through all the rock gardens. We were able to cut through way inside at the Dana Point gardens. We all surfed the death defying 2-foot breakers all along Dana Strands. We had the waves to our selves. I accrued more of my usual skeg time, you know, when I use my body as a skeg. It was a good workout for our arms. We consumed a lot of time playing in the surf and the rocks so Steve and Joe opted out at Three Arch Bay and landed to rest before returning.

As the continuing four exited Three Arch Bay Duane paddled into, with Jack right behind him, a very narrow slot in the rocks against Whale Island. Waves were surging into the entrance and also into the exit of the slot. I was silly enough to follow when Jack cleared. The surge coming in the exit wasn't too bad it just pushed me backwards but the surge coming in the entrance, now on my left, kept giving me trouble. There was a big rock centered in the beginning of the slot. As the water surged in the entrance it pushed me past the rock near the right rock wall then the surge coming in the exit pushed me back. I maneuvered back over to the left where the water was deep enough to proceed then the surge though the entrance pushed me again to the right rock wall. I did this little loop-dee-loop three times getting nowhere. The surges seemed to be growing and the barnacles on the rocks all were eyeing me up for lunch. With bare arms and bare legs and little experience at this I turned to face into incoming surge coming through the entrance and with a few hard strokes I chased my sanity back out the entrance. After several yards of padding in the open cove I was back with the others.

We continued following the waterline and timing our inside crossings through the rock gardens. We were at times having to paddle out to avoid the fishing lines from the fishermen standing on the tide pools. At one point, Duane saw a wet spot behind a rock and figured, with the right timing, he could make it though to the next cove. Jack and I followed him in. I quickly decided I didn't have enough duct tape with me and we were miles from the launch. I joined the sage one, Dublin Dave, on the outside. Shortly Jack and Duane abandoned would have been a wet portage and did the same.

We continued to hug the waterline the rest of the way to Treasure Island. The landing there was the typical quiet water in the little protected cove. After a stretch, water and munchies, we were back in our boats. The trip back was just the inverse of the paddle out. We stayed outside, established a steady stoke and paddled a straight line with a purpose. We did stop just past the Dana Point rock gardens to do a few rolls.

It turned out to be a busy day on the water. Other kayaks were out and about. Scuba divers were popping up. A few boats were anchored in the coves. Surfers were out in mass below the Ritz Carlton. Fishermen were in dingys. Power boats and jetskis zoomed by way outside. And a skim board competition with a screaming crowd consumed the south end of Aliso Beach. We seemed to find all the water we needed to keep us happy. It was a great day on the water with just enough marine layer to ease the heat. And I think we saw the backside of every rock on the trip out. As always it was a fun group of paddlers.

    Dave Houser