We loaded up our two closed deck boats and decided to paddle at La Jolla Cove. Since Robin "doesn't do surf" because they involve landing in surf, we decided that she would have the go - no go call once she saw the surf at the beach. We got there and she was a little apprehensive, but I said she wouldn't have a problem so we decided to stay.

Robin launched into the 2 foot surf after watching a couple of new paddlers on SOT's wipe out. I asked her to just paddle out past the break and wait for me. She went out without even getting splashed. I then launched and managed to get 2 facefulls of water. Fortunately the water was probably close to 70 deg and felt really good.

We paddled to the caves, but didn't go in any because the tide was out and the water was breaking inside most of them. There was one I started to go in, but I asked a local if there was enough room to turn around inside the cave and he said it would be too shallow for me to do that. I decided to back in, but only made it about 1/2 way, when he told me, I was running out of water. Rather than breaking my new gel coat, I paddled out.

Robin and I then headed out to the kelp bed. She loves them, I hate them. There were several juvenile sea lions hanging out, and they came right up to our boats. For a while, I thought they might even try to climb up. It was neat watching them lay in the water sunning a flipper to warm up.

Then it was time to paddle up the coast. We ran into a pod (actually a huge pod) of dolphins and they played around our boats. We saw two of them leap completely out of the water in the surf zone, heading back out to sea. The pod kept leaving us and then coming back. At one point, they were within inches of our boats. You could hear them blowing, smell the fish scented air that they exhaled, and almost reach out and touch them.

After paddling a few miles north, we turned and came back to the beach. Robin started getting a little apprehensive when she saw that the surf was a little bigger than when we launched, but I told her that if she broached, lean into the wave, and stick a paddle out. She has never side surfed but I convinced her she could land safely. Her dyslexia prevents her from knowing where the waves are coming from, but she was able to understand lean towards the ocean.

I landed first, and wisely did not try to do any side surfing because I didn't want to scare Robin. I then proceeded to use the paddle signals that Wayne Horodowich taught us in his guiding classes. After hauling my boat up the beach, I started to signal Robin in. Just as I thought I had her in, she started to broach. I kept yelling "Lean to the ocean", and she did. The grin on her face was priceless as she did her first side surfing attempt and successfully landed. The people on the beach waiting to launch were all impressed with her landing.

On the beach, she said that yes she felt a sense of accomplishment, but also terror. I think she'll be out trying this again. The factor that was the most helpful was the fact that she was determined not to capsize in front of the large group of first time paddlers getting their first instruction on kayaking.

We then drove over to Aqua Adventures. Although I've bought a lot of my gear from Jen, I've never been to the store and I was extremely impressed with the size, inventory, and the friendliness of the staff.

I showed Robin a few of the boats that are on my short list, and she wanted to know how they were different. After chatting with Jen, we then left after making a small purchase to head to our after paddle meal in Old Town.

Steve Holtzman