Since we have so much fun kayaking from our clubhouse in Canarsie, Brooklyn to Staten Island, camp and paddle back to the clubhouse was so much fun in May, we clamord to do it again later in the season. Steve H. our resident chef and adventure paddle extraordinaire arrange for us to do it again last weeked. I was pump to go. I need to do more adventure paddle after spending much of the summer paddling in lake (when I am not sailing), and it would help me prepare for my big Halloween trip to Connecticut. Also I love camping, and I haven't do that all summer!
I know on Friday that this paddle would not be easy by an measure. Wind is predict to be high, 15-20 knots coming from the NW, meaning we have be aid on the first leg out but hinder on the last leg as we turn North to go up river. This did not detered me, if nothing else I look forward to the challenge. I packed the night before so I don't forget anything, and may have over pack. Meet up time was 9:30 AM for a lauch at 10AM, which is good for a late morning but a bit late for such a long trip but I have complete trust in Steve planning on these things. I was on course to be early to the club but release as I approached Exit 13, I realized that I don't have my watershoe and neoprene socks and turn around to go home and get them. Luckily for me when I finally arrive at the club at 9:45 no one is ready. I spend some time trying to pack all my gears into my expedition kayak, last year I used my low volume Tahe Marine Greenland. Neither I brough less stuff or packed them all in more efficiently into my Tahe Marine because I can not pack everything into my bigger expedition boat this time around. I managed to coerced everythings into my forward and stern hatched after couple of attempts. We finally get on the water at about 11 AM. We need to be a the mouth of Hudson harbor before the tide turn so time is essential,and we already late starting off.
Like I say, going out we were aid the the Northwest wind since we are going Southwest. We we making decent time is at Floyd Bennett Field. About half a mile from Marine Parkway Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge (Marine Pkwy Memorial Bridge) we make our first unschedule stop. One of the paddler have problem with her skeg so she and a couple of other paddlers have to land and fix it. This take a good 15-20 minutes to fix. I did not land, landing area is between rusted metal sea where so ther is not much space. Soon we get back on the water but on of the kayak that land to help fixed the skeg radio that his seatback broke so he have to head back to fix it. This take another 15 minutes. We paddled toward Marine Memorial Bridge with me ahead of the group. I went under the bridge and look back to notice that the group did not follow me. The paddler that have to fix her kayak skeg decided to terminate her trip so they are dropping her off at the breach at the foot of the bridge. We continue on under the bridge and into Rockawy inlet. This is when we really feel the full force of the 15-20 knots winds, with gust that I feel is much stronger then 30 knots. I half expected our leader Steve to call off the trip because of the high wind. I believe there was a small craft advisor for the morning. We losted another paddler as we paddle pass Gerritsen Creek, Larry was having problem with his Epic Expedition 18 in the wind, even with rudder he can't control the boat so he turn back. I did not know this detail till we meet up for lunch later. All I know is I see Larry to my right, and I can't find him as I routinely take counts the kayaks 10 minutes later. Since no one else is alarm that Larry just disappear i assumed they know something I don't, in that wind and heavy wave condition I can't get close enough to anyone to talk to them anyway.
The remaining foolish kayakers slowing inched our way into the Atlantic Ocean. It was slow going, by the time we get to Manhattan Beach it was 1 or 1:30 PM and everyone is tired (we have only been on the water for two and half hours but it feel like forever) it was decided that we should land on Manhattan Beach for lunch. As usual i was in the lead and did not hear of the plan to land for lunch, my radio is on the wrong channel. I keep track of the next paddle behind me the whole paddle so most of the time I know where I last see him, right at the first jetty. I turned around and can't find him, then notice that I can't find anyone else neither. I have a sudden unconfortable feeling that i am in the twilight Zone about those last fliers in the Bermuda Triangle but temper my imagination as i turned my kayak around to look for them. Every landed behind a jetty that I paddle passed 15 minutes ago. I was not expecting lunch. The time is right for lunch but not the place. I expect us to be at Coney Island for lunch, that they would probably be by 3 PM. So right there I know we are in trouble time wise. But we need to rest after the difficult crossing of Broadway Inlet and eat up to regain our energy.
We did not lingers for lunch so are back on the water by 2PM. The paddle to Seagate was uneventful. We reached Coney Island Lighthouse by 3-3:30. We take shelter behind the last jetty before the turn wound Seagate to plan our approach. We to get accross to Staten Island and time is of the essentience. We decidend to make a diagonal run from Norton Point to the Channel marker across from Hoffman. We set out in very close pack formation but as we paddle the group started to break up. Illene, one of the more experient paddler that is next to me asked if I think we are moving closing to our objective, I fibbed and say I hoped so. The real answer is no, I don't think we are moving anywhere close to our objective. We are move further aways from we were started but it was not where we want to be. The wind is still blowing, as it turn out the current is coming out of the harbor. We paddled as hard as we can for 1 hours but all we did was sideway without making progress. Steve, Illene, and Yum radio to say they are turning back. This leave me in the very front still believing if I paddled faster just long enough i would make it across, Lori who is also head with me decided to paddle ahead. I slowed down to let Carlos catched up with me, we decided to radio back that we will try to cross. We paddled as hard as we can to catch up with Lori but she is way ahead of us and going South and out into the Atlantic instead of heading to our object to the North toward Staten Island. 20 minutes into paddle, Lori turn back to rejoin us. It was decided then that we should also head back to where we group up before the attempt crossing. It was disappointing but i don't have much time to think about it. It was head paddle crosswise into the current and wind to get back to Coney Island. Like I say we went sideway into the Atlantic and further from where we started but no closer to where we want to be. Carlos and I joined up with the rest of the group that have wisely turn back 30 minutes early. Lori for so reason paddle further and further along Coney Island Inlet, going eastward. I was half afraid she is actually going to paddle all the way back to Sebago! We were quite dejected as we landed and wonder what became of Lori. It was 4:30PM
After numerous phone called we arrange to be pickup up. I was freeze after the hard paddling. My kayak is loaded up with 50 lbs worth of gear so it was no easy tasked to kayak it 500 feet up the beach. Of couse by that time every kayaks feel heavy. While we waited I empty out my boat to make carrying it up the beach to the street easier. Since Steve call up ahead the with for our rescuers was long. We get every loaded and headed to Staten Island in three cars. It was disappointing to not be able to make it across but I learned alot about when to call it quit. We arrived at Fort Wadworth camp ground as the sun set. I was so happy to get out of my drysuit at the end of the day.
Since it get darker earlier then in May, dinner is a bit more chaotic. Steve cooked up leg of lamp, and members from out club brough lot of sausages which were already cooking on a open wood fire by the time I get myself set up. Dinner of course is delicious as always when once paddle with Steve, the Kayaking Chef. I hang around the camp fire and chat with the paddlers from other clubs in between playing hide and seek with two 11 years old girls who don't understand the concept of hide. It was fun. I went to bed by 9:30PM, all wear out. Steve and the other paddlers stillup late and as i faded into my slumbers can be head loudly singing drunken camping song.
I wake up at 5:30 on Sunday and can't go back to sleep because it too cold. Since I do not heard anyone moving around I stay in my sleeping bag till 8AM when I can smell the coffee being brew and people start moving around. There was already a small woodfire going. I get a coupleof pieces of breads and half a bagol for breakfast. We wanted to be on the water by 9:30AM, just to give ourself more time to beat the turning of the tide. We don't want to have a repeat of Saturday crossing. Instead of repacking all my camping stuffs and other gears that I don't need back into my kayak I back them up in a two big drybags and left it to be transport by car back to the club. It make carrying the boat the 500 feets down to the beach much easier.
On the trip back we have Steve (our fearless leader,who paying for his night of drinking), IlIene, Carlos Yum and myself from the original group that paddle from Sebago; Lisa (a friend of Larry who drop out at Gerritsen Bay) take public transportation over in the morning and is paddle back to the club with US. We picked up two new kayakers on the way back to Brooklyn, Ranger John and his friend who yesterday launched from Marine Parkway Memorial Bridge (where we left off one of our paddler yesterday) and arrive at Staten Island before us because they time the tide correctly.) So there are 8 of us totals paddle out of Staten Island to Jamaica Bay.
We were on the water by 9:30 AM and started to heading across the harbor. We decided of a straight crossing to the other side then head for Coney Island. It take 30 minutes to get to where we attempted to cross over the previous evening. We have wind (still Northwesternly) and current going in our favor this time around.
We very quickly work our way along the Coney Island/Brighton Beach coast, make a short stretch break on Manhattan Beach at 11:30 AM. Too early for lunch. I expected that we would stop for lunch when we get to Marine Parkway Memorial Bridge when part way with Ranger John and his friend. We went under the MPM Bridge at 12:30PM, it was decided that we would head straigh home instead of stopping for lunch. I do not know how I feel a about that, I was looking forward to lunch but everyone else want to get home so we continue. As we round the seawal at the western side of Floyd Bennet Field we ran to Louis De Marco how lastest paddle with us half way. He was camping in Floyd Bennett and come out to see us on his out to go fishing. We parted way with Louis and continue heading west till we make the turn North, that when we feel the full forces of the 10-20 knots wind. For 8 miles we struggle against the wind to get back to the club. Since current is still in our favor, we can still slowly make progress, at 1-2knots per hour speed. But much but still forward progress.
Steve radio-ed as we pass Mill Basin that he have to stop to stretch so Yum landed with him while the rest of us paddle ahead. Carlos (who was with me yesterday), Lisa (she only paddle on the return trip) was ahead as we make our way back tothe club, I made no attempt to keep up with him. We ran into the sailors as they race around in front of the bridge leading to our clubhouse, look like they have a good time even in the heavy wind). I was so happy to see the bridge that go over the little bay where the club is located. We get to the bridge at 2:30PM but waited for the rest of the group (less Steve and Yum)to catch up. We all get back to the club by 3PM. Everyone agrees that this is a very brutal and challenging trips. I need more trip like this. Some to quicken the blood.
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