Spend last weekend I was at the lake again. I get up Campmore by 8:45. I knew that the rest of the gang would not be up that early for a paddle so I stop by Campmore. Unfornately Campmore is not open till 9:30. I drive down two parking lots to a McDonald for breakfast. I forget how disgusting McDonald breakfast is. After breakfast I drive up to a the nearest U turn on route 17 to get to Kmart and Stop&Shop. I get some foods and desert. I did not bring any food up from the city (don't have any.) Drive down Route 17 to another U turn to get back to Campmore again. Pickup a tow rope and spend sometime looking at tents. Did not get a tent.
Get to the cabin at 10:30 to find nobody around. Stop by to say hi to Beth and her kids, stop by Steve's cabin. Hang round the cabin, take a nap till Bob from Yonker show up. Then Steve and Adele arrived at 11:30 something. We did not get in the water till at least 1PM. I was not as aggressive as I was last week at the lake. Just don't feel adventurous. I did not use Anne's skin&frame kayak, no sprayskirt. It was much more tiring to roll my 17feet,50 lb kayak then the 17' 35lb skin&frame iceland kayak. I find myself have difficulties with roll that I don't even have to think about on the lighter boat. We get back by 4PM. Hang around the fire talking till 10PM.
I get the Sebago Cabin all to myself. A far cry from the usual kids yelling of most of the summer weekend. I have a vey peaceful sleep. I get up at 8AM, get ready for breakfast. We drive to breakfast at 9AM and did not get back till 10:30. After getting everything in order we get on the water at 11:30. Which is not bad considering we always end up wasting the whole morning on previous sunday. More rolling, but spend most of the time fighing the wind. It was very windy and overcast on Sunday. I was not doing as well as last week. I end up wet exiting my kayak a couple couple of times when I fail my new roll, and can't stay calm to set up for my main roll. I was not holding my breath as long as I know I could. I was a bit panicky for some reason. We get back and have lunch at 2PM.
We return to the water at 4PM. The wind die down a bit, and the sun finally comeout even if only momentarily. I don't spend too much time rolling. Just a lot of bracing exercises. We get back at 6:30 righ before the sun started to set. It was almost 8:30 when I get my boat tie up on the car, clothing all backup and moved my bedding to Steve's cabin. I will be driving home @ 4AM on Monday.
I get rearend as I exit the George Washington Bridge to get on the FDR. It was a slow rearend accident so I was sure that not much demage was done. I looked back to see if the drive that rearended my stop. He/She did not so I just drive along. I did not notice that my coke bottle was no longer in the cup holder till later when I smell it. I don't bother to look around for it till I get to brooklyn and get to the first red light. I was on my middle consel. 90percent of it was gone. I finally get a chance to inspect the car when I get to the club. Not visible damage. The dealer plateframe was destroy but I should have remove that along time ago anyway. The car the rear end me was a sedan with sloping front so it slid under my bumper instead of heading it so not much damage there. The gap between the reardoor and the bumper was sighly less on the passenger side where the rear end occur then on the driver side, but it did not interfere with the closing of the door. Not bad really.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
Misc Items
Friday, Sept 8 2006
Night kayaking with 26 people. Last full moon paddle and tiki party of the season. Actual may not be the last, last full moon paddle. It was my first time nigh paddling with a large group. It was still lighted when we get in the water. But the sun was setting when we get to the bridge. I leaded the group to the bridge but as the sun set, my light was not unobstruct enough to be seen by the other kayakers so Pete take over as lead. By the time we went under the bridge and start our crossing it was dark and the moon have not rise yet. With just a bit of confusion we get across the boat channel and to the the west side of Canarsie Pol. The original plan was to break up the group into those that want to go around the island and those who want to cut the trip short.
We stop to rest as we round the southern top of the island. The waves were pushing us toward the shoreline. I was on the shore side of the group to keep a lookout. When I get too close to shore i have to get the group going again to get away from the shore wave. We did not have the time to make the decision as to who would go back and who will continue on. Pete thought that it was decided that everyone will continue on so he proceed to lead the group further around the island. We end up with one group just staying back in confusion and a smaller group following Pete. I have to get Pete to stop, and go back to Tony to see if it was decided when we will break the group up. We finally short that out, and a good portion of the group decide to cut the trip short. Only about 16 of us wanted to continue around the island. The rest of the trip when smoothly. The moon rise as we make our way along the eastern coast of the island. The reflection of the moonligh on the water give it an erry glow.
We get back to the clubhouse at 9PM for the Tiki Party. I end up being late for that because I have to set up my roofrack and tie down my boat for the trip to the Cabin upstate. All in all it was a nice nigh out in the moonligh.
Night kayaking with 26 people. Last full moon paddle and tiki party of the season. Actual may not be the last, last full moon paddle. It was my first time nigh paddling with a large group. It was still lighted when we get in the water. But the sun was setting when we get to the bridge. I leaded the group to the bridge but as the sun set, my light was not unobstruct enough to be seen by the other kayakers so Pete take over as lead. By the time we went under the bridge and start our crossing it was dark and the moon have not rise yet. With just a bit of confusion we get across the boat channel and to the the west side of Canarsie Pol. The original plan was to break up the group into those that want to go around the island and those who want to cut the trip short.
We stop to rest as we round the southern top of the island. The waves were pushing us toward the shoreline. I was on the shore side of the group to keep a lookout. When I get too close to shore i have to get the group going again to get away from the shore wave. We did not have the time to make the decision as to who would go back and who will continue on. Pete thought that it was decided that everyone will continue on so he proceed to lead the group further around the island. We end up with one group just staying back in confusion and a smaller group following Pete. I have to get Pete to stop, and go back to Tony to see if it was decided when we will break the group up. We finally short that out, and a good portion of the group decide to cut the trip short. Only about 16 of us wanted to continue around the island. The rest of the trip when smoothly. The moon rise as we make our way along the eastern coast of the island. The reflection of the moonligh on the water give it an erry glow.
We get back to the clubhouse at 9PM for the Tiki Party. I end up being late for that because I have to set up my roofrack and tie down my boat for the trip to the Cabin upstate. All in all it was a nice nigh out in the moonligh.
Summer Kayak Wrap Up
Sunday was our year end General meeting at my boating club. I get there a bit late for the kayak committee meeting but was not late enough to miss it altogher so was not able to avoid being peer pressure into take the position of Fleet Captain who is in charge of club boats and equipments.
Generally meeting is uneventful. Members attendant were heavy comparing to last
year. We don't even have to do a head count for forum. All old officiers get reelected, 5 open spots on the board and 5 nominees so there is no contested election. All done before the sunset.
So it time to write up a wrap on my kayaking activities.
I did not do any long distance regional kayak, except for the two early in the season. Spend lot of time at the lake upstate, hanging out with a small group of kayakers and learning new skills. I get a lot more comfortable handling my kayak by learning how for I can push the boat over and still be able to get back up right. I learned a couple of skills that I never though possible, like side skulling for support and rolling my kayaks even without my paddle!!! I was so stuck on that last summer, trying and trying to roll but always fighting myself. I have the help of two enthusiatics kayakers; Jerry and Stevie, who are happy to teach me and offer support when I fail. It was great hanging out with them (also Anne and Adele) in front of the campfire afterward and reharsh our time in the water. I think I am ready for Star 3 assessment finally.
Driving home with Stevie at 4AM in the morning is an experience in itself.
I am ready for some winter kayak know that I can eskimo roll with some confidence.
Generally meeting is uneventful. Members attendant were heavy comparing to last
year. We don't even have to do a head count for forum. All old officiers get reelected, 5 open spots on the board and 5 nominees so there is no contested election. All done before the sunset.
So it time to write up a wrap on my kayaking activities.
I did not do any long distance regional kayak, except for the two early in the season. Spend lot of time at the lake upstate, hanging out with a small group of kayakers and learning new skills. I get a lot more comfortable handling my kayak by learning how for I can push the boat over and still be able to get back up right. I learned a couple of skills that I never though possible, like side skulling for support and rolling my kayaks even without my paddle!!! I was so stuck on that last summer, trying and trying to roll but always fighting myself. I have the help of two enthusiatics kayakers; Jerry and Stevie, who are happy to teach me and offer support when I fail. It was great hanging out with them (also Anne and Adele) in front of the campfire afterward and reharsh our time in the water. I think I am ready for Star 3 assessment finally.
Driving home with Stevie at 4AM in the morning is an experience in itself.
I am ready for some winter kayak know that I can eskimo roll with some confidence.
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