CCBC 2015

[Board Stiff]

Great to meet you too, Kayadogg, and same for you Ichabod.

StoneAxe, it was disappointing of course not to complete the crossing as we'd intended to do it, but absolutely the right decision by our captains. I'd be interested to see GPS data from anyone else who was middle of the pack all morning, but it felt to me that all of us (except the leaders right behind the boat) were slowing down well below the necessary pace during the last hour before the decision, and expending far too much energy just trying to hold our heading behind the boat. Without any sign of the rain or wind letting up, hypothermia was becoming a real concern also, especially during the rest breaks, when there wasn't any way to warm up. I saw a lot of people shivering at the last break, and though I didn't feel cold before getting in the boat, I realized once we got aboard that I was pretty chilled too and probably just unaware of it due to the adrenaline.

The captains did an impressive job getting all those people and boards aboard the boats and accounted for, and the 4 mile downwinder under the sun after we got back in the water was terrific! Knowing we raised all that money for Christopher's Haven made the interrupted voyage a little easier to swallow, and the incomplete crossing will motivate me to train harder and return another year to try again.

After-party was a blast. Thanks Stoney, PDLSFR, Wachusset, and everyone else who made it possible!

[kayadogg]

I left my USB stick in California so I won't be able to sync my Garmin until I get back but I'll share the details once I do. We were cruising nicely for the first 5 or 6 miles, hovering around 4MPH. The last hour, I had dropped way back in the pack and I kept looking at my Garmin, I was around 2MPH for most of that last stretch. It was basically impossible to keep the nose of that 18' Speedboard in line with that kind of cross chop. No time to bring it back around before the next one hit me. I couldn't even turn into it, paddle a ways and then zig zag back. The entire pack slowed down, I'd say even the front of the pack was around 3MPH during that last stretch.

[Caribsurf]

A bunch of us had moved from behind the smaller lead boat to the larger Angler to block the wind.  That boat was moving at a pretty good clip so I thought and it did an ok job of blocking the NE wind.  The chop and the wind demanded every ounce of power you could muster to stay on it's stern, and the last time we stopped, I was certain that behind that boat we had covered another 6-7 miles only to find we had gone less than 4 miles.
If the chop and wind didn't kill us, the diesel fumes from the Angler most certainly would have before we reached Wellfleet.  Great job out there everyone. You should feel proud , that was really, really tough.   I was thinking this  5 th time might be my last CCBC, but no way I can end on that note so already looking forward to 2016.

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

I just submitted a piece to Distressed Mullet about the CCBC. I'll post when it's up.

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

This is about where we were pulled out of the water. This is from my wife's phone.

[johnysmoke]

This is about where we were pulled out of the water. This is from my wife's phone.

I think that's pretty good considering the victory at sea conditions!

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

Look, Stoney, the CCBC rash guard makes me fly!

[stoneaxe]

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

Here's my CCBC recap for the Mullet:

http://distressedmullet.com/2015/08/27/cape-cod-bay-challenge-ccbc-recap-and-photos/

[PDLSFR]

Great write up Ian, welcome to the CCBC family !!

Start training for next year !!

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

Thanks dude! I hope you enjoy that new board!

I most likely won't make it back next year, but there's a chance (shhhh) that I'll be part of a married couple team in 2017.

[Glowmaster]

Congratulations all that braved those conditions for such a worthy charity.

I was just down at Corporation Beach this evening, in Dennis, and conditions were perfect. Waves under a foot. 75 degrees. Light west southwest wind under 10 and you could easily see Plymouth and Wellfleet.

Unfortunately events need to be planned, but if some flexibility with conditions could be worked in somehow, it could be so much better.  I have this same thing happen with sailing races all the time.  Perfect conditions for a week straight, then race day sucks.

In a perfect world.....

[stoneaxe]

Nicely done Ian.

We've thought about rescheduling as contingency but there is simply no real way to do it....tent rentals, catering, support boats, volunteer time....not to mention paddlers coming from all over....logistics are a pain. Weather is just something we have to deal with. Weather is also what makes it the challenge...otherwise it would be the Cape Cod Bay Cruise. We have to settle for having plans in place to let it proceed in some fashion. Hopefully it never gets so bad that we need to cancel but we are in hurricane season....that would do it. Excuse me while I go knock the shit out of some wood.....

[Board Stiff]

Nice write-up, Ichabod!

And good point, StoneAxe, about it not being a challenge without some whether! It's impressive that despite all the potential conditions that could disrupt it, this event has only been interrupted once in 8 years. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!!!! 

[piece of 8]

     Way to go Ichy! Nice write up and a way of stoking the fire for any other CCBC wanna be's. Come join us and get to  feel our vibe.
     Boardstiff, great job and can't wait to "finish "with you next year. Same to you Johnnysmoke, I saw your wife reach for the camera after you got your first hook!
     Ryan Hayden took this year off but texted me at Cabbies on Friday for some good luck... Its like a brotherhood and i've felt that way since the first time I did this.
      I just got back from Wellfleet today. 12-15 Hrs. of surf between Monday and Wednesday. No shower since Sunday. My skin is coated with salt,I'm unshaven, and I'm due back to work tomorrow feeling that much closer to mother ocean... I even caught a few with a sponsored SUP'r, waterwoman, and former CCBCer, Gillian Gibree, trying maybe to get her back for next year. That girl was ripping on an 8'5! 
      What a week!