When Peter found out that I would be able to paddle on Saturday this week, he invited me to join them. Mike a a relative newcomer to CKF and has been paddling a SOT for about 2 years. Two months ago, he decided to purchase a closed deck boat and bought a Current Designs Sirocco. This is the plastic version of the Gulfstream that I paddle.

We met around 8:30 and George Miller was there to talk with us for a few minutes. He was going to walk around the beach for a while because it looks like he will be off the water for at least another month or two. It was nice to see him up and about though rather than in a hospital bed or barely being able to stand at home.

We launched and there was some nice small surf to practice in at the pond. Mike rode several waves in and paddled back out. He remarked that he hadn't gotten wet, so on his next ride in, having jinxed himself, he went over. Then he did a few more successfully and Peter said, it looked like he got it. That's when Mike went over again.

Launching off of the beach in those waves was a wet experience. There were multiple lines of breaking waves and I had to wait for the larger sets to come in to float my boat off of the sand. This allowed me to have every one of the breaking waves break right on my boat or me.

After I was beyond the surf, Mike was going to practice rolling. Peter introduced him to rolling with a paddle float last week and he had been able to do several with the paddle float. While reaching in the cockpit, for his float, Mike capsized. He set up for a roll and missed. Then he set up again, and did his first successful roll without a paddle float. I was impressed and intimidated. I knew that when it was my turn, the pressure would be awesome.

To add to my pressure, I have never been able to roll with the paddle I had today. During the Southwest Kayak Symposium, Wayne Horodowich noticed a manufacturing defect in my Toksook (2 years old), and asked to take it and get it fixed for me. Finally it was my turn. I set up and while trying to roll, my hand slipped right off of the paddle. I tried again and the same thing happened. Peter did a bow rescue for me and I figured out my mistake. With the Toksook, I can be sloppy in how I hold the paddle. Today's paddle is much more slippery in the blades and I have to hold it properly.

After I corrected my grip, I made all of my succeeding rolls. All I could think of was that Mike has never rolled and he just did a combat roll. He was also impressed with our bow rescues since he had been coming out of the boat when he missed a roll. Peter and I showed him how to do that and he had another skill under his belt.

Then we paddled around the breakwater to play in the textured water out there today. Mike had never been out in water this rough and just as we were rounding the breakwater to come back in the harbor, he capsized. Again, he just set up and rolled!!!!

We then paddled in, loaded boats, and walked over to Daddy-o's for lunch.

I had a great day of completing all of my rolls except for the first 2 attempts, while I reminded myself how to hold the paddle. Mike had an amazing day of learning new skills. He learned to surf his boat and handle multiple breaking waves, how to back out through surf, how to do a bow rescue, and how to do a combat roll.

All in all, it was a fun day for all of us.

Steve Holtzman

I was the guy on the beach Steve was talking about. It was good to see my paddling friends, after being forced off the water for a month already.

Not being able to kayak, I instead walked parallel to a paddling route we often take-- Channel Islands breakwater north to the power plant round trip-- about 6 N.M. In soft sand, it's a good workout for someone who has been definitely out of it and done little exercise for a month.

Along the way, I saw rough conditions, a few struggling kayakers, some boats, a few jet skis and thousands of birds. When I returned to the "Pond," outside the Channel Islands Harbor breakwater, I watched a dredge hard at work and spotted Pete, Steve and Mike offshore in their kayaks. Rarely seeing them from a distance before with such objectivity, I noted how smooth they looked compared to the other kayakers, executing their moves with smooth practiced motions. I noted how choppy, steep and close together the windblown waves were-- not very forgiving conditions.

Mike, you are making awesome progress. I don't know how I'll ever catch up!

Sleepy from the long walk, ceaseless wind and sun through the haze, I lay down on the beach. A half hour later, I looked up and they were still at it. So, I explored the nearby beach neighborhood and finally headed home.

Many thanks to all the CKF'ers and SDKC'ers who have given me encouragement in difficult times. I'll be back soon, I hope.