Reason I don't have enough time is because I am taking up running seriously. I registered and ran a couple of race in March, all with New York Road Runner (NYRR). I have ran so far, one 6.2 miles run ( in Central Park), a 12.4 miles run (Coney Island/Prospect Park), and two 4 miles races. The 4 miles races are the worst. I have to work on keep a faster pace for these 4 miles race. I do enjoy it thought. I need to find a running partner(s). I wanted to do a couple of half marathons and cross country before the weather get bad again.
April 21 - So back to kayaking. My club season opener was last Saturday. The weather was perfect, in the mid 60's with clear sky. I arrived at 9AM with my egg rolls. This is the first time I ever cook something to the club pot luck party. Actually, this year we have a Chili cookout. It was billed as our first annual chili cookout so this would be a annual thing. As soon as I put my food down, I was pursued to go out kayaking. I was fully repair for a little on the water fun so not much persuasion was needed. There were five of us, 4 men and one woman. Since this was our first paddle in a couple of months we did not go far, out across to Canarsie Pol, and along to northeast coast to a egress nest at the tip and back. We get back by 1:30PM, ready to sample all the Chili that had been entered into the contest. I only manage to sample 3 different chilies. My pick did not win. But the day was not all bad, my egg rolls were a hit.
This weekend, April 28 and 29
Send an e-mail out Friday to let everyone in the club know that I am going out for a paddle on Saturday, and would love company. Did not get any reply, except for Stevie M to say that he can't make Saturday. So on Saturday I kayaked out along. The weather was overcast, and a in the low 60's, not much wind or wave. When I launched the tide is going out. I brought my Garmin Forerunner with me since today I plan to work my speed. When I get out under the break, the water is flat with a slight breeze. I paddled across the channel, and start to head toward Ruffle Bar. My plan was to do a quick paddle to Ruffle Bar and back since I was bored just paddling
by myself. As I approached the channel separating Canarsie Pol from Ruffle Bar I start to get into my stroke so I decided to go around to the back of Ruffle Bar just because I have never been around Ruffle Bar before. Getting around Ruffle Bar was not difficult, like I say I was in my groove. When I clear the back of ruffle Bar, I send a long land mass in front of me. I don't know where Canarsie Pol end, and the vast expand of salt marsh islands that became visible in low tide. As you can see I make the first guess right, and the second guess wrong. I end up going around a marsh island before I get to Canarsie Pol, expending my trip by 3 miles. Even thought the trip is longer then I planned, I enjoy it. The only pain I feel afterward was a slight ache in both my elbows from fight the wind that pickup as I round the pol on the way back. I make very good speed, managing to keep between 4 and 5 miles per hours most of the way. I only reason I need to rush to shore was to use the facility. I don't want to beach and get out of my dry suit. I make it back to dock just in time.As I was getting my stuff together to leave the club, I heard someone yelled , " Sebago", "Sebago." Since I was the only one at the club, I went outside to see who it was. I see someone standing on the other side of the fence separate our club from parking lot of the sport facility next to us. I do not recognized the guy standing on the other side. He introduce himself as a member of Yonkers Club named Lee Reiser and that he come down to paddle with us. The problem was he did not set up a kayak trip with anyone. He just drove down from Yonkers and find the gate lock. I was not sure what I should do. I was supposed to leave to meet my mother, at 1PM, and its now 2PM.
I felt really bad for the guy, driving 1 and a half hours down just to drive back up. I can't just let him in to launch because I need to lock the gate if I leave. As we take another club member drive in. He is a racer. I called the him over an explain to him that the guy from Yonkers guy want to go out kayaking but he need a member to be at the club to lock up. The club member say ok, but I don't think he care. So I let the Lee in but was sure that the racer have no idea what I am asking him to do because he just go and pick up his K-1 and launched.
Instead of leaving I stay around, getting Lee to sign in, and watch him repair his kayak. He seem to have the right gears and able to take care of himself on the water. I called my sister and find out that my mom and sister already went home from a little apartment shopping without me so I don't have to leave right away. I end up staying at the club, inventorying, and check all the paddles and spray skirts in preparation for the season. By that time Bonnie stop by to do some gardening and to work on her boat. We chatted a bit. She need to repair her kayak for her up coming coach 2 training. When Lee come back, Bonnie recognized him so they have a long chat. Since Bonnie is there to let Lee out and lock up I left the club.
Sunday - Get up at 6:25AM to get ready for my second 4 miles race in Central Park. I had a can of spaghetti, which taste sweet and disgusting. I did not finish the whole can. I get to Central Park at 8:10 and have to rush to the baggage area to leave my bag before rushing to the starting line. Instead of going the very start of the line with the 5 minutes miles people, I get to the front of the 6 minutes mile section. I try being the very first one out of the gate on last week race, and was death by the first mile. I feel great for this race. I actually do a couple of 4 miles practice run on this same course last week so I was ready, and my legs feel loose (probably from the run to the subway and from the subway to the starting line.) I maintain a good 7 and 6 minutes miles most of the time, with enough energy left over for a sprint for the finish line at 25.44 vs 27.22 last race on the same course, and I felt great afterward. I headed to the subway right after I crossed the finish line. I have a noon appointment at club for a bit of kayaking and a bit of work on the club fleet of kayaks.
I was not expecting anyone to still be at the club when I get there. Stevie, and a couple of members are planning to go out this Sunday but I expect them to already be on the water then the time I get there at noon. The first person I meet as I drove up was Adele, Stevie's girlfriend. From her I was informed that Stevie have not left yet, along with Pete. Elizabeth is getting ready in the club, and Pete was changing in the locker room. Apparently they had been delay. Another group left earlier in the morning and have not get back yet. Since no one was there for my planned workday at noon, I decided to join them for a short trip. I get ready in a hurry and get my boat down on the dock in record time. The other group come back as we get ready to launch. One of the guy on their group capsized, and was retrieved without any incident. Elizabeth was borrowing another member's kayak so there was a bit of adjust before everyone get on the water. We headed out and head straight for Canarsie pol. Elizabeth paddle back and ford, trying get the feel of the boat. I was more then happy to just paddle around, backward, forward, bracing etc rather then a long trip anyway. We head toward Mill Basin, and then back to the club just to test how Elizabeth borrowed boat handle in cross wind. It was a nice and relaxing 4 mile trip. I get back, washed my kayak and equips and let them dry in the sun rather then returning them to the container. I planned to spend a couple of hours inspecting the club's boats and doing repair so may as well let everything air out.
I only manage to get around to 2 boats. One of the wooden boat have a problem with the seat. The left side of the backrest was missing a screw, so that was easy enough to fix. I hunted for a proper screw and tool in the club work container. Take me long to find the screw then to fix the problem. The boat is full of sand even thought all club equipment should be thoroughly clean before putting back. I open all the hatches, and give the boat a thorough wash down.
The second boat that need fixing is the pride of our kayak feet, a 17 feet Epic Expedition donated to us by a local kayak outfit. The seat is loose due to loose screw and on screw that is missing a nut. The woman that used the boat when the screw come loose safe the screw and plastic retainer so I get that, I just don't have the proper nut. I can't find any nut that fit the screw that this boat used. I tighten all the screws that is still in the seat and it look secure enough. I take the boat the the wash rack to wash out the send and pebbles in the boat. As I sponge out the inside that I find the metal nut from that screw that come out. So in goes that screw, and now the bat seat is solid as a rock. I finally called it quit when Stevie had to leave since I need someone to help move the boat.
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