Surfski Knowledge Base

Reivers Dustin
08/20/09 #6868

I made to S.F. last night. Joined the gang this morning and we hit the water about 9 or so for a flood tide run across from Ft. Baker to Berkeley. There was a 20 minute stretch of around 10mph speeds. About half-way from Angel Isl to Berkeley there is a shelf up to shallow water. There were some little rides even though there was no wind to speak of. You could tell this would be rock-a-hula stuff in any wind. Near Berkeley there is a sea-wall that Kirk took me and Jeff around. It was dicey even though the conditions were mild. Later we ran into the main gang. This bigger group left Ft. Baker around 3:30 or so going that route against an ebb. The wind had come up and I'm thinking that's going to be a hella mess out there. We'll hear stories about it later I'm sure.

It's bigger than Bellingham around here. The bridges are huge.

RD

Berkeley is nice
Reivers Dustin
08/21/09 #6869

Today is mostly lazy day ahead of the big event tomorrow. There's a lot of excitement just rattling around at the trial paddle area and the instruction classes areas. There's a sheltered lagoon with a nice sandy beach out of the wind for instructions and boat trials.

The hotel is classy. How classy? - the breakfast bar was $17.50. But it's hard to imagine a better layout for the event weekend. LG, Peter and DJ sniffed around and found a good, cheap BBQ place nearby. But none of us can get LG to quit chasing the pigeons. He must still be hungry.

We'll go for a technical paddle this afternoon if the winds pick up. There seems to be a question about whether the winds will show tomorrow. I'm ok if they don't. A big mob of paddlers went late yesterday on the Ft. Baker to Berkeley run and got thrashed. Well, the normal types got tested. The Assies and other big water guys said it was disapointing. (jeeze!)

Thank goodness this is a sport where if you pee all over yourself it doesn't show up too much.

RD

Re: Berkeley is nice
John Rybczyk
08/21/09 #6870

Thanks for the updates. Keep them coming! You all missed an epic day in Bellingham Bay yesterday. Sunny and 85 degrees, warm water, clean six to eight foot swells from the south, no weeds, no motor boats, WTA was giving out free shuttle rides (surfski included) from Marine Park to Larrabee all day, and Boundary Bay provided free beer and dungeness crab dinners to all paddlers all night long. Other than that, you're not missing too much around here.

Re: Ft Baker to Berkeley
kathleen petereit
08/24/09 #6880

I went out with the 3:30 group. Aprox 30 knots at our backs and going against an ebb tide. It was rockin'. I was glad I aws in the S1R. I had a lot of stress at the Angel Island bouy in the 3 foot standing waves but after that it was sweet surfing down 4++ footers.

My Aussie friends in the Huki double said that was nothing and it would have been nice if they were just a bit bigger ! Whatever guys !!! Race day was not as knarly as that one.

Kathleen