Surfski Knowledge Base

Reivers Dustin
04/01/17 #20965

Not sure why I like this race. Maybe because Peter T. keeps it very informal. It's usually a small turnout. So it kinda feels like the old days of Sound Rower races where a lot of times it just felt like goofing off and having fun.

The course change is good. The route is not around the island, instead it's a run south to the tip, then out around a set of marks and back. At the gun Traci L and Tony were the rabbit surfskis. They were chasing the fastest boat which was a rower. I was dicing with John Day, Rod Sternagle and another surfski. The current was ripping down channel so we were at the turn and the bottom of the island in a blink. This turn took a toll on the rowers and the current gave me an edge because I planned ahead for the turn. Rod reeled me in again, but coming back the little side runners gave me a chance to ease ahead again. I held my arch rivals off all the way back to the island. Going back up channel was a bugger. I noticed I was gaining on Traci and Tony, but stupidly decided it would be better if I crossed over and looked for back eddy on the East side. Eventually I noticed John Day and the other surfski guy creeping by me on the West Channel side.

DK showed up to help with race overhead. I thought I heard a bit of an Oregon accent on him since he's in the Gorge so much nowadays. Peter's wife made really good chicken-rice soup and some berry cobbler things. Really quick awards after the last finisher. Peter made little ceramic bowls for awards and I got one. Good venue, lots of parking, mostly flat water with some current issues. About a 5.7mile course. Probably a good race for newer paddlers, especially considering good safety boat coverage and not big masses of racers. It's pretty easy drive from Seattle and Bellingham. But it's comparatively tame so the big dogs go elsewhere.

Still. Wish I had more than one brain cell. One for paddling and one for navigating current would be nice. But then you know what they say, “no brain, no pain.” It didn't hurt much.

rd

Michael Lampi
04/01/17 #20968

It was good to see you there, Reivers! I made the newbie mistake of having my boat pointed in the wrong direction at the start and ended up way behind everyone right from the start. It didn't help that after the first turn I decided that my chain drive was possibly making a bit too much noise, and jammed the chain between the sprockets. Doh! From then on it was catch-up, but it was more than I could muster.

The photos are now online at: http://lampi.us/SoundRowers/RacePhotos/2017/Jetty%20Island/index.html

Michael Lampi