Preparing for my first downwind adventure...

[surf monkey]

What I meant about the up wind paddle, he wasn't sure about the board for open ocean down winding, Instead of jumping on a board for a 10 mile open ocean adventure. Try paddling it out a mile or so from the harbor/beach into the wind on a moderate day turn around and practice with the board. Not far from shore and you can do it with out shuttling cars. I agree not much of a down wind run but a good work out and you figure your board out.

[DavidJohn]

Paddling upwind is ok in up to about 15-20 knots.. Down-winders start to get good in about 20-25 knots.

So if you can paddle into it it's not going to be much of a down-winder.. If it's a good down-winder you can forget about trying to paddling upwind.. 

DJ

[surf monkey]

Ok, I understand down winding is with the wind on your back. I see people all the time buy a race board and train in the harbor or flat water and no problems so what is the next step to do the open ocean down winder. Just go?

I can stand and paddle on almost anything that will float me in the harbor but as soon as you add some side chop or a wind swell on top of a ground swell things change. So what is the next step if not taking the board out into the wind and giving it a try?

[hbsteve]

SL--I hope you have a fantastic time tomorrow.
SM--I agree.  You can only get used to sloppy water by training in sloppy water.  No, itsn't the same.  But, it isn't flat.  Also, in SL's case, he will probably drive a couple of hours to get to the starting point.  There just isn't any good place closer.  DJ's comment was followed by a grinning face.  So, he just might have been messing with you.

[Strand Leper]

Thanks for all of the great ideas.  My windicator will be making the call at noon.  If the wind doesn't cooperate, going to do the OC coast... Put in at Crystal Cove, Take out in Dana Point harbor... Or just at my house.  I know this is late, but if anyone is interested in joining, I will tweet the upwind meetup spot at around noon...

If anyone wants to join me on the OC distance paddle, pm me, or send me a twitter message... Or text me.  @strandleper, 714 393 4192...

I will also tweet exact locations tomorrow... When I know.

Sorry, I should have asked for participants earlier... But I am going to be really concentrating if I do the DW deal, and don't want to be responsible for other folks' safety... So consider the invite open if you can self rescue. 

Not going to bring the go pro or anything to distract me... May snap a few pics here or there w the iPhone... But that will be it.



Tim

[JF808]

Get on the water!!! The more time you train the the conditions your training for... If you think your going to get out there and be a dave kalama or conner bax. If your new and have never done it before expect to pearl expect to fall, etc... so what. You only get better by training in those conditions simple as that. Getting out into open ocean conditions with or without wind is a learning experience in itself, keep doing it and get your "open ocean balance" Sound like you dont surf, those with surfing experience will obviously take to it faster then one who doesn't. But eventually you'll get the hang of it.

Ok, I understand down winding is with the wind on your back. I see people all the time buy a race board and train in the harbor or flat water and no problems so what is the next step to do the open ocean down winder. Just go?

I can stand and paddle on almost anything that will float me in the harbor but as soon as you add some side chop or a wind swell on top of a ground swell things change. So what is the next step if not taking the board out into the wind and giving it a try?

[surf monkey]

Happy Father's Day

Tim that's funny your going to have a paddling flash mob waiting every weekend for your tweets. Hope you had some good surf.

It would be fun to paddle/surf with you guys I would drive the two hours to paddle but tweaked the knee last week waiting for a mri  

I'm sure by the time it's better I can catch one of the strand L event buses

[Strand Leper]

Monkey, good luck w knee. Hopefully it will be healed by the time we flash mob another lineup... Great idea on the vans. Kind of like bussing the senior citizens from the home to Morongo... Or Chumash up in your neck.

Back from super fun dawn patrol at super fun secret spot.

Dialing in gear, and waiting to call windicator.

T

[Strand Leper]

Launch at Cabrillo, go outside the breakwaters... Angle towards orange county... Gusts to 20.  Aiming you right at the breakwater. Fighting the wind and angle for five miles.  Dodging container ships, moving satellite platforms the size of a city block, and oil tankers... On Candi.

Freaking GNARLY.

When gnarly dudes think about doing it... They leave it to their gnarlier friends. 

Smoked, tapped, spent, drained... Spooled.

Jacuzzi, then report.

SL's Gnarly friend.

[mrl]

 Brah we will go out at set it up with wind and swell behind us. I am super proud of you for having pulled this   off  on Candy I am sure she teased you then B slapped you hard. Looking forward to spending a day on the water with you. Hope you hand as nice as nice of a fathers day dinner as I had

[supchino]

Hope you had a great F-day!

Sounds like a great time. I hope to join you one of these days when i get a little more time on the water and in the chop.

Watch out for them tankers pulling into Pedro ..

[90743]

SL is a friggin' stud. As you can see from the pics, he brought a knife to a gun fight... and won.  Two hours of victory at sea, all after a solid surf session in the AM.  More boats than bumps, more dumps than runs, but warm water, sunshine, and blue water trumped all.

[headmount]

Very poetic.

"More boats than bumps, more dumps than runs, but warm water, sunshine, and blue water trumped all."

You have to start somewhere.

[Strand Leper]

Going to do a longer post tonight... with a few pictures.

All I want to get out there is thanks for all the advice from everyone!

I kept hearing HM's calm narrator voice in my head... "Now on these downwind runs, you need to stay hydrated..."

As the wind and open ocean swells were doing their best to dash Candi onto the breakwater... for about three or four... or so miles... that water really helped.

I have to concentrate fully on work for the next twelve or so hours... but I am still running that run in my mind... oh, and I might cruise the classifieds for a ruddered DW board... now I understand...

T

[Strand Leper]

90743 (Dave) hooked us up like a champ.  His pad is basically at the end of the run... and his girlfriend scores us a ride to the put in... Are you kidding me?

Sort gear, affix to vehicle, good to go!  Rich is taking is OC-1 (ummm... good call... those rudder things are neat!)

Dave is riding Chazz and I am going on Candi... 11-15 sustaining, not too much groundswell... no problem right?  

Here is Rich (moloa) sorting and the car loaded and ready to roll.