I was paddling up the coast. It was calm with a medium to long period swell,
light breeze. I heard the helicopter buzzing out there at at least an hour and
a half, I even left the harbor.
On the way back I paddled out to watch it training with a Coast Guard "RIB"
patrol boat, maybe 1 1/2 to 2 miles off the Embassy Suites hotel. Couldn't
even the chopper until I got closer or see the harbor entrance from there
because of the fog, so I was navigating home by compass and listening to the
fog horn. As I was paddling in, the Coast Guard helicopter flew right over me
as it headed toward CIH/Mugu Navel Air Station (Now Naval Base VC) and gained
altitude to clear the ground fog. The RIB passed off my starboard side on the
way in.
I played in "The Pond" riding waves. One broke early. I turned into it,
broached and braced, riding it in about halfway, before breaking free and
paddling back out. The Epic 18X handles fairly nicely in surf, but I need some
thigh/hip padding for improved control, as that wave nearly dragged me out of
the cockpit.
Whenever I mention surfing/launching landing to the Epic people, they wince.
Those boats are really designed more to paddle fast, not for that stuff. The
rudder channel hates sand and gravel and jams easily. When broaching today, it
was lying nearly all the way over on its side, not 45-60 degrees like most sea
kayaks. Had to scull a bit to keep breathing. Takes a little getting used to.
Better to lean in calm conditions like today. Need to lose a few pounds so I
can actually lean forward on the deck to reduce the center of gravity.
Then, I paddled inside the breaking waves on the reef in the calm spot left
inside at low tide.
Lovely paddling weather. Internet sources say that water temp. was 55 degrees,
but it felt warmer, even dressed lightly.
Regards,
George Miller
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Tongen <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: California Kayak Frineds <ckf@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sun, Apr 22, 2018 8:01 pm
Subject: [ckf] OH NO!
This morning 7 CKF members launched from Hobie Beach in Channel Islands Harbor
in Oxnard. Keith Elliott, Bob Glicksman, Joe Barrett, Peter O'Sullivan, Lance
Pillsbury and I launched before 9:00 AM at near low tide with a good bit of
sand showing to launch from on a warm calm sunny morning.
We jockeyed for position along with a bunch having a scuba diving class. As
they were getting ready to dive, the harbor patrol came by and notified them
they could not use Hobie Beach, but needed to use Kiddie Beach, as long as they
did not go further out than the rope.
A couple paddlers practiced rolling in degree water. Some rolls were rustier
than others. Soon Lance and Bob headed to the Pt. Hueneme power station while
the rest decided to see if we could see any of the last gray whales heading
north. We watched the whale watching boat, Ranger, make a sharp port turn as
they left the harbor and headed in the same direction Lance and Bob were.
Soon we saw the Coast Guard helicopter coming from Pt. Mugu then after reaching
the west end of the breakwater and make sharp port turn and fly right over us
heading to oil platform Jena, then another port turn toward Port Hueneme harbor
with another port turn right toward us. The flew this same route again, then
came straight toward us in a very slow hover. OH NO, They caught us. They
stopped right between the four of us and hovered for a long time. We wondered
what it would be like to be in the middle of the prop wash. An Coast Guard
patrol boat came charging out of the harbor and the chopper followed just off
the aft deck of the patrol boat and very slowly moved off to the NW.
We think that any whales came buy when we were watching the chopper.
Paddling back into the pond, we spotted Lance heading toward us. Bob had
headed to the takeout. Lance told us they had spotted 2 adult whales, by the
buoys at the Pt. Hueneme power station. They followed them for about a mile.
We all said OH NO! We missed it. Lance said he had his Go Pro on when
following the whales and will post video if it turns out.
We told Lance about the helicopter experience, and he said, OH NO, we missed it.
We appreciated the shorter paddle back to Hobie Beach instead of the EZ Launch
a mile further up the harbor. We efficiently helped others carry kayaks and
were soon ready for home or lunch.
It was a fun day on the water this double deuce of April.
Robert Tongen reporting.
