Author Topic: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday  (Read 10844 times)

Off-Shore

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #30 on: October 05, 2015, 08:07:04 AM »
Ha! So actually Creek wasn't looking for you guys, he was just looking for the boards that washed up on shore!

Seriously though in those conditions I'd have taken a PLB (Peraonal Location Beacon). Expensive bit of kit, but an essential one for open water crossings.
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Bean

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #31 on: October 05, 2015, 08:43:50 AM »
Hey OS, you mean Paranormal Location Beacon? ;D

Seriously, I wish I could have made that paddle...

stoneaxe

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #32 on: October 05, 2015, 09:26:40 AM »
Honestly the ONLY reason this had much drama was because of my damn head not being able to take it. I also fooled myself thinking I was in good enough condition for it....it's been a tough spring and summer so I simply haven't had the conditioning this requires. My last chop workout on the triton fooled me...felt like I could do wrong.....maybe I should just DW that.  Adda was truly rocking it, I think he only fell a couple of times near the end when it got really messy and I'm not even sure they were falls...he was a good distance away. In the middle I'd see him go full surf stance, crank a few hard strokes and disappear into the trough. If he hadn't been waiting for me he easily could have cut an hour off the time and come in at the proper landing. The only drama was Bob created. That said I never felt any sense of danger, there was never any question that I would end up on shore, just where and when. If I had simply stopped paddling 1/2 way I would have landed with a mile of where we did and probably no more than an hour or so later.... ::) All I could think of out there was that I just wanted some damn solid ground so i could stretch the cramps. 

The video I have kinda sucks...has some of my glides but I pointed it out hoping to catch some of AP's drops. The GOPro makes him look like a dot even when I thought I had captured it. Flattens everything too, the deepest drop i took while actually standing had the top of the wave in front of me at eye level...so a guesstimate of 4-5'? given i was crouching down...looks maybe 2-3' in the vid. I get it posted eventually...not enough time in a day.

I'd tell Sue to give my truck to creek if I croak but I'd be afraid he'd spray my boards with bloody seal (wrapped in bacon) scent the next time we surf. ;)
« Last Edit: October 05, 2015, 09:29:12 AM by stoneaxe »
Bob

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Argosi

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #33 on: October 05, 2015, 01:00:13 PM »
Nice video! Looks like epic conditions.

When I'm doing a route for the first time, I bring my phone so I can locate myself on a map. Without it, I'd miss my take out point most times for sure.

I had my phone....for some reason it was showing us off the coast of Africa..... :o  Could not get it working right while we were out there. It was in a new case that the only previous time I used it seemed fine. When we landed and I removed the case it was good thankfully because I figured creek was wondering what he was going to tell the coast guard... :P

I used to get all sorts of problems with my phone as well in my old case. I got a case where the clear flexible material "sticks" somehow to my phone's screen - probably some kind of electrostatic attraction. It makes a world of difference. You can see your screen much easier since there are few air gaps in between and most importantly, you can use your fingers to effectively touch the screen as if there was nothing in between. It changed my phone from being unusable to usable in rough conditions on the water. Can't remember the name of the case, but I'm pretty sure it's cheap (got it as a throw-in gift). It works great. 

I also carry a PLB as backup.

eastbound

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #34 on: October 05, 2015, 01:19:42 PM »
somewhat a non-sequitur:

i may have to succumb to pressure that I can be notified of business emergency while surfing.

i dont want to carry my phone. is anyone aware of a small, waterproof text/communications device that could notify me that i should get out of the water and attend?

and stoney, quite nutful of you to make your dw run--yeah, you'll get blown to shore somewhere, but in what condition? impressive
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stoneaxe

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #35 on: October 05, 2015, 02:05:33 PM »
I have one that actually uses a vacuum to suck the plastic tight to the face. It was working flawlessly before we launched. I think it might be the fact that I put it on a lanyard and had it inside my suit...it thought my belly was an enormous finger and freaked out..... :o ;)
Bob

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coldsup

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #36 on: October 05, 2015, 02:46:25 PM »
VHF radio and PLB.......phones are just for calling your buddies or Mrs to pick you up at the end. :)

Bean

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #37 on: October 05, 2015, 04:21:15 PM »
VHF radio and PLB.......phones are just for calling your buddies or Mrs to pick you up at the end. :)
It depends, if you have good cell coverage in the area you paddle, a waterproof cell phone could be very useful.  But, as seen in this downwinder it's hard to beat leaving a solid float plan with someone reliable back on shore. 

stoneaxe

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #38 on: October 05, 2015, 05:59:32 PM »
Jim was far better prepared than I was. Drysuit, full PFD, VHF, , cell, hydration....I was wetsuit, beltpack PFD, cell. This is a pretty safe route as runs go though even in these conditions. We had a float plan and someone waiting. Not too much more we could or really needed to do. Water temps were still somewhat warm, all the warm surface water getting blown into the bay no doubt. I actually would have loved to just chuck my board and swim in, would have worked out the cramps anyway. Someone is going to be 1st to do a DWer from Ptown in a nor'easter. That would require some serious safety planning. I'd always kind of hoped it would be me but I think it will have to be someone with better skills and no hole in his head.

I do think I want to change my setup to match Jim's...drysuit was definitely a better solution as was the full PFD and it's certainly a good idea for a VHF. Cell signals reach out there but it would be good to have backup anyway. A drysuit is on this years Christmas list....easier to just go before or after work without screwing with a wetsuit.

I had a thought while I was out there lying on my board trying to stretch my leg. Once the cramps set in I simply couldn't stand, even kneeling was difficult at times. I had thoughts of the small parafoil kite I have. Packs down to a 4" cylinder 8" long and weighs next to nothing. Deployed it would keep your nose pointed in the right direction without paddling and the 15' neon pink streamers would be very visible from a long distance.
« Last Edit: October 05, 2015, 06:31:22 PM by stoneaxe »
Bob

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addapost

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #39 on: October 05, 2015, 08:02:38 PM »

Couple thoughts: I partially agree that this paddle wasn’t super risky but I also think we were cutting the margins a little bit ("using them up” as Pono would say). After all, it was blowing 35+. The air temps were <55. The water temp was high 50’s maybe 60. Small craft advisory, low cloud ceiling, occasional drizzle, and total chaos within a mile, mile and a half of shore. October Nor easter conditions in New England, this was NOT a Hawaiian downwinder lol. Also, in the middle of the trip we were well over 2 miles from land. I think that’s a long way off in those conditions if something goes wrong. A broken leash would have been a big deal. A debilitating injury would have been a big deal. We both had phones. We both had PFD's and leashes. We were both dressed to be IN the water for at least a few hours. I had a VHF radio. Also, we stayed within 3 or 4 hundred yards of each other and kept meeting up every 15 minutes or so to check in. Most importantly, we had Creek on shore who knew exactly what was going on and would have “rung the bell” if we hadn’t shown up. (Thanks again so much Rick) Also, as Stone said, the wind was blowing us (generally) toward shore, though I am not sure a swimmer 2+ miles out would get much of a push from the wind. I have been in conditions like that a few times on a SUP and conditions much nastier in a sea kayak many times. In fact, I’ve been scared shitless in a kayak before, this never felt “scary”.

By my measure we paddled between 7 and 8 miles. It seemed to me to be basically 3 different legs. The first, about a mile, mile and a half was flat to small side chop as we got further into the bay and into the (essentially) north swell coming over the top of the cape. The 30-35 mph winds were ENE directly from the rear. After that section I felt like we angled slightly left to the SW and started a run of about 3 miles or so of good DW conditions with a following-swell that had some organization to it. I never felt like the wind and swell were lined up but they were mostly close enough to work. When we had the wind directly at our backs the swell was slightly off rear quarter right. When we took real glides we were going more south with the wind slightly off rear left quarter. Most of the waves were 2-3 feet but I agree with Stoney that there were the occasional 4' spilling breakers that were FUN. I had some long glides.

After that run came the last section. We started to think about fading hard left (south) to get closer in in order to spot the landing. We were WAY out and I could see no detail on shore to help spot the landing. While all of this was going on Stoney was suffering more and more from leg cramps and I thought it was kind of unspoken that we really needed to just get on land wherever that happened to be. Creek had suggested this route and had indicated several bailout spots so I started thinking, “ok, get close enough to spot something and just land.”

Shortly after that course change to the south, as we got closer to shore (still over a mile out) the surface became really chaotic. Because of the shallower water and the massive pile-up and bounce back from the north swell against the shore, the surface became “victory at sea” that you can see in the video. These were no longer anything close to DW conditions. We had left those behind us. Finally, maybe a half mile offshore, I saw a car headlight in a beach parking lot. That was good enough! Target acquired. We were actually a bit beyond it to the west and we had to hump it back southeast across the NE winds. Between the cross wind and chaotic texture we actually didn't make it all the way southeast to that beach, but we got close enough. I landed several hundred yards to the west and Stoney landed another several hundred yards west of me. I walked back to him to check in and we were able to get a fix on the phone gps and call Creek in. Turned out we were about 3 miles short of our destination and at the last easy bailout spot. After calling Creek, we were able to walk along the quickly disappearing beach (high tide was in another 90 minutes or so I think) to the parking lot. Creek got there before we did and was able to film us walking around the corner to the beach. Well, I guess Stoney swam lol.

At this time of year the consequences rise. Two months ago I’d have been in board shorts and sunscreen. For this I was (almost) in full kayak expedition kit (as mentioned by Stoneaxe). A PLB is not an unreasonable idea. I don’t own one. Certainly a couple small pencil flares in the pfd pocket would be easy insurance. I also feel like I should have brought a tow belt. Not that anyone was towing anyone else out there but in the case of a broken leash and lost board, the other paddler could retrieve the board much easier with a tow belt. Again, that is a piece of insurance that you don’t even know is there unless you need it. Anyway, all’s well that ends well. I had a great run and feel bad that Stoney had cramps. Take those away and put a larger board under him and we’d have both been whooping it up all the way across.
Bunch of old shit

stoneaxe

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #40 on: October 06, 2015, 10:20:51 AM »
You're right of course. This could have become dangerous with an injury. Even something like a torn ACL would  make things very difficult and those types of injuries are certainly possible out there. I should be better prepared...a full PFD with lots of pockets is in order....makes the margin wider anyway.

Yeah this was definitely not Maui, water surface conditions for the 1st 2/3s were comparable to the south side but thats it.

Thanks for recognizing the unspoken need to simply get some ground under my feet. i was definitely hurting out there.

One thing this definitely brings to mind is to know the coast where you are planning on landing. We really should have taken an accurate heading before leaving so that we knew better where on the coast we were going. We were actually correct in the initial guesstimate but not being sure screwed us as we got closer and started second guessing. As it is though it was a good thing....not sure I could've gone the extra distance to our planned landing under any power. I was in total agony coming in that last few hundred yards as it was.
Bob

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starman

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #41 on: October 06, 2015, 11:40:33 AM »
Well Stoneaxe glad you made to the beach in one piece. Looked like really difficult conditions, wrong board and the cramping could have been...well...I'll just say making it to the beach was a good result. Next time carry pickle juice and get a proper downwind board for those conditions.

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #42 on: October 06, 2015, 07:22:23 PM »
addapost, that was a nice recap of the run.... thanks, it good to hear what I couldn't see.

When I looked out into the mess near shore, I was really glad I was ground support instead of  paddling with you  ;D

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Re: Cape Cod Downwind 101 Saturday
« Reply #43 on: October 07, 2015, 05:27:44 AM »
I do carry a tow rope when I am out on unassisted new DW runs, and this doubles up as an additional leash that I can clip onto the carry handle if things get too crazy. I use a kayaking one which comes in a pouch on a waist belt and has a float near the carabiner-type hook.

I know what you mean about being a mile or so offshore and looking for landmarks for landing in those conditions. It is very hard to see especially if there is rain and it is the first time on a particular route. In the US there are often water towers or various communication masts along the coast, but when there is nothing "sticking way up", it gets mighty difficult to see. That is why taking a phone with Google maps on it helps, and there has been times I've stopped and used it to figure where I am when at sea and where I am heading.

Last thing I'd recommend is the day-glo / high-viz sports shirts I wear over my wetsuit. If you get a dry suit, forget the dark colors, go as bright as you can. I don't give a rats about what I look like... just as important for my buddy paddler as well as those looking for me on the beach.
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