I started surfing with a longboat to develop, expand and test my rough water skills and (to a degree) stamina that allows me to paddle open water with a greater ease, confidence and safety. White water paddling also provides rough water skills development, but the handling skills for shorter boats obviously don’t carry over as directly. I probably know my skills, conditioning and equipment better than someone who don’t surf regularly. I owe that to myself (and others) as a mostly a solo, four season paddler.
Contrary to perception, I do “paddle to places” (though I don’t talk much about this). I have done multiday kayak camping and fishing trips out in the Boston Harbor Islands. Have paddled big remote wilderness lakes in western ME, as well as little ponds to catch trout. While I enjoy these, nothing puts me “in the moment” like surfing (and white water). This is a magical and rare state of being for most of us in our day-to-day living.
I feel you. My biological mitral valve has a lifespan of 10-15 years. I ticked off the first year mostly in recovery and reconditioning for an active life. Got to make and enjoy the rest of the remaining years.
Now I see, you did not start out primarily as a surf paddler, but got into it with long boats to improve your rough water handling skill, then fell in love with it and concentrated on it more and specializing it. That makes a lot of sense. Had no idea about all of your other paddling experiences because that is all you talk about is the surfing. That is why I asked the question, on the surface it appeared that is all you do but it is just a part, now a major part.
Again, the same question I asked @SeaDart , how do ya’ll get along with the Boards? They can be real possessive even amongst themselves, it would seem they would be resentful.
Yeah I have done expeditions on the California Coast and Baja, NZ and UK etc, it’s fun but after several years the challenge is gone and paddling 21 mile crossings on the open ocean, has some adrenaline, but its not enough to keep me interested.
Board surfers can be a problem, but the solution is to stay out of the line-ups where the agro-types hang out and learn to surf under control and to surf at a level that the board surfers respect you. Also my surf craft are less than 9 feet, and most of the time I surf waveskis that are practically the size of the boards longboarders use, so they don’t feel threatened. If the board surfers respect your skills and you follow surf etiquette conflict is rare. I surfed three spots several times a week for 25 years and the local surfers knew me and knew I wouldn’t be a danger or snake their waves. Three times when I was getting crap from a board surfer enforcer wannabe type I had several locals come and back me up. So the solution is to surf spots that meet your skill level, and the kind of boat / waveski you are surfing and follow the rules about priority in the line up and earn respect by surfing in control, and with skill. I’ve got to surf in places like New Zealand and Hawaii and the locals were very accepting. There are three spots in California I would never kayak surf at, but most boardies shouldn’t try to surf those spots either.
Yeah, they absolutely despise “Snaking” for some reason, worse then anything else. Thought it would be worst then that, from their purist point of view, thought it would be constant, high level conflict. But you observe etiquette, surf with skill, mutual respect, did not think you could earn their respect. Well, you have been surf skying for over 25 years, so you were doing this much younger and loving it, eating it up, feeling the wave, ever tempted to try Boarding?
Yes I started longboard surfing in about 2009, but I’m no where near as good on a surfboard than I am on a waveski. Also the prone paddling hurts my neck (I have some issues with degeneration of disks), I started stand up paddle surfing about 2013, it’s OK but I prefer waveski and surf kayaks. Since I’m about 900 miles from the ocean now I did SUP paddling about 90% of my paddling time since moving away from the ocean. Much better exercise than kayaking and keeps your balance, core, and flexibility from disappearing as quickly.
You love Waveski and Surf Kayaking so you move 900 miles from the Ocean? What do you do, hate yourself?
You lost me on this one, how is SUP paddling much better exercise then kayak paddling? . It looks to me to be the most inefficient style paddling in the world . You are standing up on a board, with no leverage, holding a 6’ long paddle with the water 5’ below you. It is also slow. I have always held, you kayak and spend some time on a good Road Bike you are smoking.
Water temperature on the Upper Chesapeake are still 43° to 47°, but today forcast for 83° air. That will help bring up the core temps especially with a few night temps staying above 60°. Unfortunately, night lows dipping into the 30s° will keep water temps low until the night temps consistently stay in the 60s° next week.
I feel the anticipation for “warmer” weather. Got out this morning in mid 40s air temp and 41 water temp, but under BRIGHT sunshine. It was sweet and will be sweeter with another 10 degrees in both air and water temps in the weeks to come. Will be very nice for 4-5 weeks and then it’ll get TOO warm for my liking. I truly like 70 and under air temps. I really don’t care about water temp because I always wear the appropriate (for me) immersion gear whenever I go out.
Nice to have the video! These folks were/are “legends” in the USA surf kayaking scene. Jim Grossman, who had won that comp, unfortunately died in a white water incident on the Snake River (Salmon River?). The third place finisher, Dennis Judson, who started the Santa Cruz Surf Festival as part of his outdoor/water adventure shop and guide business, died several years ago. Dave Johnston, second place finsher, is a small (cigar machine built) surf kayaking dynamo who had won the Santa Cruz comp in the past. I think he still runs his kayak rental shop out of the Santa Cruz pier (although the pieces of the pier went down last winter).
The ice is about 20% off my daily paddling lake. I expect it will be fully gone by the 17th or 18th, about 10 days later than last year. A particularly long 10 days. Mud season isn’t my favorite.
My neighbor up in the western Maine Mountains said there is still remenant snow on the ground. So “mud season” has started or will start in the week or so. The big lakes, e.g. Sebago, Umbagog and Richardson, have “iced out” since last week (first week of April). I am sure the water is paddle-able but close to feeling like liquid ice still. Motor boats will be out on the lakes very soon to chase lake trout and landlocked salmon. Good thing good for paddlers is that “trolling” speed is significantly less than waterskiing speed.
