Surfski Knowledge Base

Larry Goolsby
08/25/08 #4823

Having never done the Wild Side Relay, I decided that this year was the time to make my first trip to the Columbia Gorge and see if it was everything that Don Kiesling and Jeff Hilburn had boasted about. Mike G. and I were going down as a team and had made the decision to stop and do the Great Cross Sound race on our way to the gorge. A pretty full weekend to cram into two days but (leave Saturday and come back Sunday) but we left extra early on Saturday and had an awesome trip.

There was a lower number of entrants at the GCR this year and this surprised me. This is a long running race that goes from Alki Beach in Seattle, across to Bainbridge Island and back. The water was very calm for the start of the race (0900) and it began with Joost and Eric Moll juming out in front of the pack of skis and outriggers. Mike and I were in his Fenn XT tandem while Rick and Marc were in the club's XT tandem. They led us by about 1 boatlength across to the first turn at a rock island but we managed to get ahead of them at this point and take the lead. It looked like Joost was the first one to this turn with Eric very close to his stern. The next turn is a buoy and Mike and I could see a large male Sea Lion attempting to jump up on the platform for a nap. Just as he made it onto the deck, Mike and I passed near him and he barked angrily before diving back into the water. After we passed this buoy, the Sea Lion remounted the buoy only to get disturbed by Duncan Howat who seemed to piss the mammal off even more (we could hear loud rapid barks). Next along was a guy named Franklin in a Necky Phantom (with rudder removed) and the Sea Lion dove off over the Phantom's bow, hitting the deck with his tail as he slid into the water. Franklin was shaken but no damage was done.

The crossing back over to Alki became painful with mixed boat wakes and you could not see the finish line. All you could do was follow a boat in front of you and hope that they knew where they were going. The morning glare and position of the sun made Alki beach look like a dark shadow. We heard a tandem rower come up behind us and they almost ran us over 3 times before we realized that Rick and Marc were drafting off their wake (and probably telling them to run us over). We finally let the rower get past us and also let the other XT tandem get past by mistake. As long as they stayed with the tandem rower, we could not take the lead back from them. Our hope was their line over to Alki was going to cause them to turn and lose a little time while we crossed the finish line. Didn't happen this way. Their line was better than ours and they crossed a few seconds ahead of us. We then found out that Eric and Joost had a similar battle and Eric got the better line and beat Joost to the finish. Duncan secured the third place ribbon and Franklin was right behind him for first in the FSK class.

We blew off the awards ceremony and immediately continued on our journey to the gorge. The trip there was uneventful (imagine that with Mike as co-pilot) and we arrived at the start line only to find Don Kiesling's car but no Don. He was obviously out practicing on the incredibly flat water of the Columbia. The winds were not blowing despite the fact that it was hot and probably in the 80's. In fact, there was actually a light easterly breeze that was blowing down river instead of the westerly that was needed for this race to be a success. Mike and I quickly got our singles (Sport and S1-R) off the roof rack and hit the river in search of Don. It took us only 20-25 minutes to find him. There was a large river boat with a stern wheel (like the old gambling boats) coming our way and I thought I saw a kayak pop out from behind this large boat (ship?). We moved in closer and saw Don and his buddy Cory riding their skis on the stern wave that this boat throws off. The stern wake is a series of about 9-10 wakes that travel perpendicular to the direction that the boat is going so you have an endless wave to ride as long as the stern wheeler doesn't turn or stop. Mike and I jumped on a wake and once you were on a wave, you could quit paddling and just enjoy the ride. You would have to be there to see how it really was with about 25 tourists on the rear of the vessel watching the 4 of us playing on the waves while we traveled at speeds between 10 and 11 mph and Don has a camera in one hand while photografing us and the tourists. As long as you stayed in a sweet spot, you could ride without letting your paddle touch the water. Once we were back at the start line, we parted from the stern wheeler and headed for shore. I knew that if the wind didn't kick up for tomorrow's race, that I could always come out and ride the wake on the stern wheeler. Mike and I had reserved a camping spot up the hill from the river and were glad that we did after noticing that a train came along the river blaring it's horn about every 15 minutes. Living along this part of the river would be awesome if you were deaf. Other racers later told us that they didn't sleep much because of the constant noise made by the trains.

We slept really well (in bed by 8:30 pm after a dinner of beer) and awoke at about 6:30 am to blue sky and no wind. We broke camp and went for a big breakfast at a little cafe before heading to the river to meet at 0900 and wait for the wind. The start of the race was delayed until signs of the winds arrival so one of the outrigger paddlers and I set out looking for a stern wheeler. We paddled all the way down to the Bonneville dam (4.5 miles) before we found it giving a tour of the dam. Just as we got there, it started it's journey back up river and we jumped on it's tail. I rode the number 5 wake all the way back except for when we went under one of the bridges crossing the Columbia and the stren wakes became walls of water because of the shallow depth. I popped out of the wake (not wanting to be crushed) and then jumped back on the same wave once the wave shrunk down to it's usual 3-4 foot height. After the bridge, they must have let the town drunk do the steering because the boat started weaving, and staying on the wake became a little difficult until you figured out that you just need to keep your bow pointed at his stern and you would stay on the wave. So we arrived back at the start line just in time to hear them say that the race would start in 15 minutes (and no sign of wind yet).

Since I just did a 9+ mile warm-up, I quickly drank some gatorade and got on the start line with the other 14 team members while Mike drove our chase vehicle to the hand-off point for his first leg. This beginning leg was flat and hot and I almost wanted to quit. It was 5 miles to the hand-off and Peter Newton, Simon and Jeff H. were in the lead with me, Shane Martin (OC) and Cory in the next position. I saw Peter N. fall back away from Jeff and Simon while Shane and Cory gained some seconds on me. I was in the R and this was not the best boat for flat conditions. About 2/3rds the way across, a slight headwind started and by the time we beached, it was blowing 10+. The order went Jeff, Simon, Peter, Cory Shane, then me with Pete Wylie (Shane baker's partner) not far behind me.

I quickly found the vehicle and drove to the next hand-off where we arrived to find the waves were now going upriver at a height of 1-2 feet. When Don came in first (Jeff's partner) he said that they had actually hit a patch of 4' waves along the way. At this hand-off, you were supposed to be out of your boat and in the water and couldn't remount until you were tagged by your partner. The first two teams out didn't adhere to this and got a 10 second penalty but they already had a significant lead on the rest of the pack. This was the start of my second and last leg and at first I was still complaining about not bringing my Huki Special when the waves seemed to grow very quickly. This leg went fast because of the strong tailwind (15-20+ by now) and just as the waves got really big (3-4'+) they became mixed and I have to say that this is some of the best big water that I have ever paddled in. Easy to catch rides and connect waves . I gained 2 positions on some outriggers but almost overshot the hand-off (Swell City) because I was so focused on the water. There was also several kite boarders and windsurfers zig-zagging back and forth across the river making me feel like a squirrel on a freeway. The other paddlers on shore were shouting and blowing horns and I turned to see that I missed my hand-off so I quickly paddled parallel with the waves and handed off to Mike. This was Mike's last leg and it started with the big water and only dreceased a little until he crossed under the bridge about a mile before the finish and then it was just 1-2 footers until the end. Shane martin did overshoot the hand-off at Swell City so his partner Calvin had to borrow JD's OC and took off after him. Don K. was the first in with a team time of 2:55:50 followed by John Mooney (Peter's partner)and then Morris (Simon's partner). Mike hulied along the way and this let Shane Baker sneak ahead for 4th. Shane did this race in the Legend and loved the waves except for the fact that he had his small rudder and broached several times. The Legend handled well in the big stuff.

This is a great race. Next year I will be bugging everyone to go down with us. This course is a world class run with all kinds of downwind conditions once the wind kicks up. Mike and I didn't win anything but the combo of the two races in one weekend made for a great road-trip.
Larry Goolsby

Re: Trip Report: Great Cross Sound and Wild Side Relay……
lori & beau whitehead
08/25/08 #4824

Larry forgot to mention my blue ribbon at the Great Cross Sound Race. Turns out, when you are the only one in your class (Stand Up Paddle Board) you automatically get a blue ribbon. I wish it was so easy in bike racing. What a perfect day, other than no wind either direction and the dead cow floating in the middle of the course. And I mean moo- cow, not sea lion cow.

Good job to all the B'hamsters who showed up.
Beau

Re: Trip Report: Great Cross Sound and Wild Side Relay……
Larry Goolsby
08/25/08 #4825

Oops! Sorry Beau….I should also mention that you came in ahead of a handful of sea kayaks. This alone should get you a big blue ribbon….
LG

Re: Trip Report: Great Cross Sound and Wild Side Relay……
lori & beau whitehead
08/25/08 #4826

Yes, I think I beat a couple of doubles being paddled by 80 year olds! VERY strong 80 year olds.

Re: Trip Report: Great Cross Sound and Wild Side Relay……
Shane Baker
08/25/08 #4827

My thoughts on the weekend. I did both races also. Up at 4 am Saturday to catch an early ferry. It was the 30th Great Cross Sound, 25 finishes for me out of 26 starts. We experienced perhaps the flattest water ever. I raced in a double sea kayak with SR President, Steve Bennett. Steve had just had a heart procedure done last week. He said he would do his best. We did pretty well, Steve took a few seconds off from paddling here and there. Beau had contacted me regarding him using the stand up paddle board in the race. I said yes he could. In the early GXS races there were a lot of rubber dinghies, home made row boats, open canoes, a couple of Flatwater K-1s. Our mission statement states any seaworthy human powered watercraft. We have had a traditional lay down on paddle board in some previous SR races. The award ceremony got started right after the last racer crossed the line. Thanks to the Knakal's for putting on this race every year and to Beverly Storb who heads up the registration and timing. Following the GXS we had a SR Executive Board planning meeting, it lasted 3+ hours. For those of you who aren't involved, there is a lot of planning going in to the area's canoe, kayak and rowing races. Perhaps you should volunteer and get involved. I ran into Joost putting on his scuba gear following the race award ceremony. He was headed out solo for a dive just south of the race site at Alki.

Sunday morning was another up at 4 am thing and hit the road. We got to Bob's Beach in Stevenson before 9 and waited for the wind. I did the Wildside Relay with Pete Wylie on our surfskis. Some thoughts re the Legend: it picked up the 2-3' waves and flew, the acceleration startling. I had a 6-7“ rudder on and when it was out of the water I couldn't control the direction of the ski unless I dragged the paddle blade. It would skid sideways at an alarming rate. At one point I stalled between two tall standing waves, zero rudder control, and fought to stay upright. I floundered for what seemed forever before I was able to accelerate up and over the wave in front of me. I lost 150 meters to Jeff Norville from Portland. The same thing happened last year to me at that stage of the race while I was paddling my Huki with a small rudder. Next year I'm swinging wide of those waves. Every one of these skis is a compromise, it is the engine that wins races. The rudder on this day could have been deeper and further forward.

I recorded my fastest ever max speed of 17.0 mph somewhere on legs 2 or 4 of the race. Larry stated that I caught Mike and passed him because he hulied. I was 600-800 meters behind Mike when I got back in the race following the hand off from Pete. In the 5 miles to Bingen, I made up that distance and put another minute on him. Mike told me that flipped when he saw me out of the corner of his eye and lost concentration for a second. Some of you will Remember Cory Lancaster from a few years back. He was a student at Pullman at the time and used to do some of the SR races. He was in town and staying with Don K. It was good to catch up with him. He is married and living in Boston This year's winning time was 12 minutes slower than last year's. Same team of Don and Jeff. The grub at the Mexican restaurant was great. I got home around 10:30 pm, tired but happy. Sorry about rambling on.
Shane.

Re: Trip Report: Great Cross Sound and Wild Side Relay……
Michael Gregory
08/25/08 #4828

-There is no one I would rather be out-raced by than Shane. He is a wily racer, loves to paddle, and never backs off in a dice. I hulied 'cause I am an inveterate paddling klutz (don't act surprised now) and because when I spotted Shane I knew I was in deep doo-doo out there. Oh well, it's all good - right?
-Hat's-off to the organizations behind Cross Sound and Wildside. May there always be wind at your races.
Best, Mike.

Re: Trip Report: Great Cross Sound and Wild Side Relay…
Reivers Dustin
08/25/08 #4829

Shane, you should know: this whole chat group is just rambling. Great post buddy.

I really missed the Great Cross Sound. I had extra work this week and somehow when I woke up Saturday it wasn't race day yet. I showed for the regular Sat run and slowly realized my error. Like realizing half-way through a semester at college that you are in a class you've never attended. D'oh.

You've captured it Shane, about the Legend. The thing leaps onto waves with reckless abandon. You barely know its doing it. Anything over about 6 inches is yours for two strokes or less. But it wants to slide. That's that crow-hop I was feeling when it was junk water in the bay. If they could move the rudder forward about three feet and put a skag in front of it …. maybe it would behave itself. I'm impressed that you didn't get bucked off.

Wildside is on my bucket list.

rd

I Have River Fever……..
Larry Goolsby
08/26/08 #4836

Went out on the bay today and I noticed that I was a bit lethargic as I headed for the Wall. Got down to the wall and all I could think about was that how these bumps were only miniscule compared to the ones at Swell City in the Gorge. I paddled like a wounded duck. I finally realized that I have River Fever and I need to make a return trip. I would hate to miss Peter's party on the 6th and I am planning on doing the Length-o-Lake on the 20th, but I could be persuaded to to make a Gorge roadtrip on the 13th-14th. Drive down early, catch the stern wheeler for the 11 am run, drink beer at the Walking man Brew Pub, camp up away from the trains, wake up Sunday and paddle downriver from Bingen (15 miles) and catch the wind back. It could be done. Think about it….
LG

Re: I Have River Fever……..
Michael Gregory
08/26/08 #4837

Omigod! LG there is a cure! You just come on to NorCal in about 3 weeks. Get ya fixed up, good as new! No worriez! Got them Pt Diablo Blues, baby. Meanest blues you ever had. Salt water in yer veins aaand big ole waves right on your Mmmm, that's right - gonna be just fine.
MG