̶K̶A̶Y̶A̶K̶ Sailing Blogging

 I have not do much kayaking since I last right in 2019!  You would think I would have plenty of time to kayak now that I am unemployed.  I can say I am semi-retire because I am not actively looking for a job.  I don't want to work just ti pay tax to support a liberal socialist dictatorship.  But that beside the point of this post. I quit Sebago Canoe Club after I lost my job, and socially cut my self off from all it members after they voted to support BLM terrorists and CRT policies that club adopted after BLM burned down cities in "protest" of a death of a murderer in 2020.   I wrote an email to the membership and tell them to fuck off.   I don't visit the club much anymore anyway so it was not big lost. 

I can't recalled doing any big paddle from 2019 till now, Dec 2022.   I did went paddling with a friend at Camp.   In 2021 I went paddling with him in Greenwood Lake.  A couple of week later I came back to the lake by myself and paddle around the entire lake.  I like to circumnavigate a lake completely if I have the opportunity.  

The latest kayaking trade I did was also with the same friend, I ride with him up to Lake George in upstate NY.  We putted in at the Northernmost point of the lake and paddle down.  It was a fun trip even though I end up in a very bad place for a hammock to be. It was windy for both night we were there.   I lost my expensive monoscope less then 15 minutes from the pull out.  It was my own fault.  I was complacent because I was so close the last mile of the trip.  Overall it was a fund trip.

So what have I been doing with my time in the Summer?  Sailing. The first summer I was unemployment, I make sailing my job.  I sail 3 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the afternoon.  I get really good at it.  This summer I did not do as much sailing as the previous summer.  I feel I am burning out.  I am not sure I am going to be racing anymore next summer.  

I am out of Love with Kayaking and then I went kayaking with a friend.

Saturday was our annual instructor planning meeting for 2019 Summer season.  There only were only 5 participants.  Of those two are not instructors.   The meeting get bogged down on the question of charging fees for some class that we offer.  You would think I asked that a child be offer up at the alter when I advocated that for certain 4 hours and more class we charge a fees.  One of the guy at the meeting get particular offend at the outrageous suggestions that student would be charge a fees.  We aren't even asking for anything near market price, just enough to commit students to sign up in advance and show up for the class.  Since there wasn't any actually teaching instructors at the meeting we did not get a fix date on any of the class or what is going to be offer.  I don't know yet if I want to set up a class this summer.  Last summer I did not teach a class.  I should really do want just to keep myself in the practice.  

After a heated post meeting debate about the logic of charge a minimal fees I was in no mood to go kayaking until I see a club kayak seating out on the saw horses. I immediately suspected who the kayak below to.  After searching around for my friend Derrick and not finding him I head into the locker room to change. I figured he will show up when he show up.  I was right. We head our for a quick paddle.  The wind was moderate.  We head toward Broad Channel Bridge (BCB) but did not make it that far. We did not remember to bring water and it was 2 in the afternoon and neither of us have lunch yet.  Instead of going to BCB, we go clockwise around Canarsie Pol. It was a nice relaxing paddle, just what I need.  I need to just go out and not worry about my car stuck brake, kayaking politic and other issues on my mind.  

We original planned to go for lunch near the club but we can't decide what to get and I remember I cooked enough food for two at home.   I have some computer stuffs I wanted to give to Derrick anyway so it make more sense to go home for lunch.  Derrick is the second non-family to visit my apartment (not counting workmen, and the landlord).  We fished through my boxes of computers wires to see what he need and have a lunch afterward.  I drove him to 6 Brighton Beach to buy his peanuts and catch the train home on my way to my parents' house.  That was convenience.  

Still No Kayaking this Fall

Have my "kayak bag" by the front door with all I need for a quick kayak since I bring them back from ACA camp.  Still no kayaking.    It just don't hold my interest anymore.   I am concentrating on training for March 18 marathon in Virginia Beach. I may have bite more then I can handle with the training plain I choose. 

I find this plan on the internet: Sixteen week schedule to break 3 hours in the marathon

I have so many questions about this plan.  I am very loosely following it with major adjustment.  The biggest difficulties is the AM run.  I don't do AM run. I have been drop that left and right.  Getting up at 4:30 AM so  hard especially when I can't get myself to bad by 10 PM, Midnight bed time and 4:30 AM get up time is not happening. 

I joined the gym for when it is completely impossible to run. I also need to do more upper body conditioning.   I joined the NY Sport Club -Belt Parkway (NYSC) near my apartment last Sunday. It is a bout 15 minutes jogging distance away.  On the initial tour it look like a great facility.  I did not have time to actually use the equipment till this Sunday.   The facility is very large, with a couple of racket courts, a full basketball court, the lower lever is where all the weight exercise machine are - as well as the free weights, the locker room with showers & sauna.  I ran to the gym in my running clothing so I don't have to use the locker room. I wasn't planning on stay long, just long enough to figure out where all the equipment that I want to use are.  I found out one thing right off, the equipment are not very well maintain.   Three or 4 out of a dozen machine don't have the pin that change the weight, so if you use one machine for your exercise i reality you use two since you have to take a pin from another machine making that machine unusable.  It always upset me when a gym can't keep up such simple maintenance so that a machine don't became unusable.  A couple of machine are just complete disable due to broken cables.  This should be take off the floor.  It look so bad when there is one or two machines that is complete bust sitting on the exercise floor.  I try a couple of upper body exercises.   I search around to see if they have my favorite machine, the hip rotation machine - which I am told is bad for your spin while search for this picture: 

torso rotation machine

I spending 1 and a half hours trying some of the machine out.  I send a couple of minutes using a treadmill  and Elliptical Machine.  The treadmill machine stop button have a tendency to be stock on the off position.  Like I say, maintenance at this facility is lacking.  

I hope to find time to put in some upper body exercise this winter.  

Back to my 16th weeks to a sub 3 hours marathon plan.  Part of the plan call for what the author call an Oregon Circuit.  I have no idea what it mean.  I have been writing this out of the first three weeks of the plan but incorporate this back into the plan starting this week.  I see a couple of videos that show varies exercise in an typical Oregon Circuit but apparently there is not set rules.  I will have to see what I can do.  The premise is the exercise the weak minute muscles to improve running form.   

Is this still a kayaking blog.

I have not kayak in a while so don't really have much to write about.   I think I kayak 5 time this how kayak season.  I have been doing a lot of canoe sailing up at the lake.   I am down to one kayak seating in the side alley of my parents' house.  Beside inertia I really should sell that one too.   I know have two sailing canoe, one of which turn out to be a large investment after a tree branch fail on it a week before my birthday.

I have my winter kayak bag pack and ready for kayaking but have not have any incentive to take myself down to the club.   I need to rededicate myself to kayaking more this winter.  I remembered how much I love it after forcing myself to deal with the weather condition.   Part of the problem is people I used to go out with in the winter are also growing old and not as adventurous as they use to be.  I need new and more adventurous kayaking friends.   

Kayak is good cross exercise for running. I am trying to put serious time and commitment to achieving a sub-3 hours marathon in 2019.  

Mostly I need to kayak more just to keep my people interaction up.  I am reverting to my pre-kayaking day of spending way too much time over thinking a wallowing in my misery.  

Kayaking in My Back Yard

-January 14 Hoffman/Swinburne Seal paddle with North Brooklyn and Sebago Canoe Club.

After my 12 miles run, I get home to pack up my kayaking gears for a paddle I have been meaning to do for the longest time and just never figure out the how and where.   Bonnie put out an email looking for kayaking to join her and Quinn for a seal watch paddle to Hoffman and Swinburne Island, launching near Coney Island on Friday and I quick jump at the chance. I only have vague idea of where the launch site is but I know it will be close to my apartment.

Coney Island Creek

I thought I would have more then enough time to get ready after my run but end up rushing to get everything ready and drive to Sebago to pick up my boat.  We were to meet at 11:30 AM, I manage to be less the 10 minutes late.  Bonnie and Quinn were late anyway so I don't feel too bad.   There were three other Sebago members also coming with us so we have nice small continue of Sebagonites joining a unknow numbers of North Brooklyn kayakers for this paddle.

The launch site is on Coney Island Creek Park instead of the new boat launch further up the creek on Calvert Vaux Park, picture below.  We launch on the other side where this camera is pointing.

Photo from Nathan Kensinger take from http://ny.curbed.com/2014/11/20/10019708/coney-islands-untamed-creek-caught-between-past-future

The North Brooklyn kayakers peoples were already there and ready to launch when we get there.  I find parking a bit further back from the group because parking is  very limited in the area and have to carry my kayak for some distance to join the rest of the kayaks.   Luckily for me I get help half way down.

Margaret (a former Sebago member) come by as I get ready and asked if I have a spare PFD.   I told her no.   Apparently, someone miscount and they were short on PFD.   It was decided that one person would drive to pick up a PFD (I think Sebago but not sure), and three North Brooklyn Kayakers will wait while the rest of us get on the water.  We properly launch a bit after 1 PM and head up the creek to explore.  I see the mystical "yellow" submarine for the very first time in real life.  It is biggerr then I thought.  Last pictures I see only show the conning tower.   I also see a couple of cattle/railroal barges rotting away as well as a couple of wooden skeletons of what much have been magnificent boats when in their prime.  After wandering around and seeing the new ramp, we headed back out to open water.

It was foggy and starting to snow as we left Coney Island Creek.    Current is still going out when we pass Norton Point. We head in a South Westerly heading.  I was fighting my kayak a bit to keep it from going too far down current.  We manage to hit the Northern tip of Swinburne Island after interesting cross of the boat channel in 1-2 miles visibility with heavy snow falling.  It is surreal to watched gigantic multi-stories containers ship appear out of the fog and just as quickly disappear into the fog as it pass in front of us.

   I did not see the seals we get to Swinburne Island, just a couple of very large splashes.   After we float around silently for a while I see first one, then four, then at least half a dozen heads stick out of the water to watch us, then quick back down again.   I don't realized there were so many seals in New York Harbor.   One seal get brave and pop his/her head u p less then 50 feet away from our kayaks.   We hang around in our kayaks for 30 minutes admiring the seals before heading to Hoffman Island.  We kayaked to the east side of the island to see the sandbar nearby.  After everyone catch up, we head back East on our way home. When we get back to Norton Point, we catches sight of  the four kayaks that stay behind for the PFD.

General tracks for 1-15-17 Seal watch paddle. 

We landed a bit after 4:30 PM.  There is still a bit of light out but since it was snow all day that do not help much.   Derrick O. help me carry my boat half way up the beach and I helped him carry his boat up.   His boat was at least 10 time heavier then mine, and most other kayak in our group.  I don't know what he carry!  I excuse myself from helping any further and go change.   My figures were freezing when I get back on land.  I have to figure how to change in my car without pulling a muscle.

By the time I manage to get out of my kayak clothing and set up my roof rack for my kayak, the other kayakers have all get off the beach and brought my kayak up into the sidewalk.  I was mystify for a moment when I went back down to the beach and don't see my kayak.

Instead of driving to Sebago Canoe Club and drop off my boat I decided to drive home and drop my boat off at the club on Sunday on my way to the pool in Flushing or on my way back.  I end up dropping it off on my way back from the pool session.  I was lucky to find a couple working on their kayaks on the club's lawn when I pull in.   The guy help me unload my boat and put it in my container.  All in all a very good trip.

Photo taken by Bonnie

Tideracer Xplore for Sale.---SOLD----

Tideracer XPlorer S Classic From Stern

Tideracer Xplorer S Hull detail

Bowr/Compass

Foot Braces

Skeg

Spending Too Much work hours in my Fun Time

Last weekend the weatherman predict a total rain out.    I know that  no one is going to be up at the lake because of the weather report so I decided to stay in Brooklyn and help out with the club kayak repair days.    I need to put my time in the Brooklyn clubhouse for political reason. I just love club politic (hint: heavy dose of sarcasm there).    I showed up at 9:30 AM to find only Cindy is there for the workshop.  Yim showed up at bit later so it just the three of us doing the boat repair.  I don't mind, I prefer to work by myself anyway.    I wanted to do some work early in the season because I mostly end up not being at the club for the rest of the summer and people are complaining about my affinity for the lake. There is a bit of friction between the small group of us that prefer to be up at the lake and the leadership in Brooklyn.  For some reason I end up the person catch between the two.

Yim and I work on epoxy and fiber-glasses three of the kayaks.  I rather enjoy doing these kind of work.  As usually I underestimate how much time all these work take.  I was planning get in some kayaking on Saturday but end up working from 9:30 AM to 5 PM.   It was a productive days, we take 6 boats off the out of service list.    

I stop by on Sunday to do some more work on three kayaks that need new seats.  I also do some more epoxy work on a boat that I wanted to get ready so I can bring up to the lake.  I would have get this done on Saturday if I know.  The biggest problem with epoxy work is waste.  I like to get all the boat that need epoxy work done at the same day so we don't have to mix a couple of patch of epoxy for little job.   I really should not care so much considering the club is paying for the material.   On Sunday I called it quit at 1 PM, and go out paddling.   I should have eaten lunch first before I go out but I was anxious to get on the water and I get a partners for the paddle that want to go out at 1 PM.  We go around Canarsie Pol and was back by 3 PM.   

I almost complete my require volunteer time for this year, and I score some point with the power that be at the club in Brooklyn. Not bad for a "rain out: weekend.   "rain out" because it turn out to be  a beautify weekend, overcast and a couple of drizzle but nothing that would impede kayaking.