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A Most Excellent Morning
Tuesday November 3 |
| By: Mark Sanders |
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Ken, Barb and I made a rare morning paddle from the Coast Guard beach today. Greeting us on the sand was a high tide and a fog enshrouded bay. It was a day of eerie sights, as you couldn't see across the bay, but someone was testing their mega candle boat light and you could see it burning through the fog like the heavens opening for the second coming.
We paddled through the harbor, the usual noises squelched by the blanket of fog. I recounted my latest trip to paddle with our northern bretheren. Someone on that paddle said they were surprised as I hadn't written about any BAR paddles lately! I thought: "you're complaining? I figured everyone was sick about hearing about them!" So that's where we decided to go!
We exited the jetty and the fog was everywhere. We kept close by the jetty heading to the beach to keep our bearing. We listed all the safety gear we should have for a foggy paddle--all the stuff we'd left at home. It was either the first or second most foggy day I've ever paddled. The water was very calm, so you couldn't even make out a swell direction to help you plot a course. We got close to the rocks on shore and I was able to make pass around a rock where you had to wait for a small wave to hit the shore to let you by.
We paddled on to check out Little Arch Rock thinking the high tide may allow a pass. We almost passed it, but eagle-eyed Ken was able to see it lurking in the mist. I made what would really have to be described as a portage through the arch, my boat sinking in every crevice as the water ebbed, clawing my way through with the help of a few of the small waves. More scars for the Sapsucker.
We set a course for where we thought BAR should be hiding, but missed it quite a bit out to sea, but the sound of the small swells crashing clued us in and we made a hard left turn to find it emerging through the mist. Ken and I made passes through the arch and it was so calm, I did some rolls inside. I tried to lure Barb inside, but she just ignored me and stayed outside. Ken and I showed Barb the new rolls we've been working on with varied success. We were both doing our pry bar roll pretty good and I thought I'd try to move on to the continuous version. I thought I was doing good until I lost my grip on my paddle on the second roll. My paddle was just out of my reach and I tried to swim toward it underwater, with no luck. I pounded on my hull thinking I might get a little help, but lying there upside down in the day's much colder water, I figured it was time for a swim. K&B were oblivious to my swim till I gave them a yell, but Ken soon had me back in my boat.
We paddled home zig-zagging a bit under Ken's compass point. We went back to LAR to see if I could make a reverse transection, but after getting my bow wedged pretty tight, decided to wait again for more water. We reentered the harbor and it was strange to see the different sights that would finally emerge from the fog. At Pirate's Cove, we showed off a bit for the few folks walking along the heights. That capped our excitment on the day and we left the CGB to indulge in some tasty TK burgers. A most excellent morning on the water.
Mark Sanders
www.sandmarks.net
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