Dana’s harbor accommodates kids as well as adults.With a nice grassy area and Mother’s beach, it serves everyone well.A large pirate ship with daily shows and the occasional firing of a cannon attracts kids like flies.They even hand out fake pirate silver coins.Great for keeping the kids occupied while mom or dad is racing.
The race began outside the harbor, went up to Laguna, out to sea a couple of miles to take advantage of the wind and swells and back to the harbor.The total distance was estimated about 11 miles.Those who used a GPS would probably know better.After the usual running start, we headed straight for the rocks, cutting inside and taking a chance.It’s always a gamble and you never know whether it’s going to be your day or not.I’ve seen many canoes get washed out on the rocks.But hey, that’s racing, can’t get ahead unless you take a chance.I made it, along with a group of guys just when a set came through.I turned and headed at an angle into the breaking wave and cleared it easily.However that got our hearts pumping and we all picked up our stroke to get the hell out of there.
Coming around the first turn everyone's tight
Next came the kelp beds.Seems like Mother Nature throws up a gauntlet of obstacles just to see how you can handle it.With a guy on the right and one on the left, a kelp bed straight ahead, it was interesting trying to navigate and not lose ground.Talking to Aimee Spector the next morning, she said, “I wasn’t paying attention to what’s ahead and ran smack into a large kelp bed.My rudder actually got stuck and I couldn’t turn it.I had to paddle a little on the right and a little on the left to steer.”When I finally got out of the kelp, I cleared the rudder, but by then everyone was gone.I looked around and decided, ‘Oh well might as well go home’.”
Up front surf-skiers Patrick Dolan 1st, Rami Zur 2nd and Jack Brandon 3rd were ripping up the course.Congratulations Patrick, “You go boy.” They finished about two minutes ahead of the next group with Thomas Gallagher 4th, Patrick Hemmens 5th, and Cory Fitzgibbons 6th.In the OC1 division it was Danny Ching 1st, Steve Sinkus 2nd, and Todd Smith 3rd.Todd is doing very well after returning from a few years not paddling.He seems to have picked up the bug to race again.Nice to have you back Todd.The downwind leg was small but consistent, which was better than what we’ve seen all season.The swells gave us a chance to catch our breath as we jumped from one to another.However, Mother Nature was not finished with us yet.As we came up the channel for the last mile, we were blasted with a head wind that made you want to quit paddling and take up sailing.The last 50 yards was so windy that I felt I had slowed almost to a stop.With an OC2 just ahead of me and an OC1 behind, it was a very discomforting feeling.
Prior to the race, Josh Crayton, Brian Mack, Danny Ching, Justin Banfield Micah Carlson and several others decided to really put some serious mileage in.So at 5:30 a.m. they met at Newport Beach and paddled 16 miles to Dana. Then they entered the short course on paddleboards, which Brian has never done before.Finally they entered the long course.It was a very long day. Brian said, “Before the short course, Josh comes walking up smiling.He said he couldn’t find a paddleboard, which meant he wasn’t racing.I felt like, wait a minute who's idea was this and how did he get out of this?” Afterwards Brian kept saying how sore his chin was to the amusement and respect of his peers.In the long course, Danny said he turned around the marker too sharp and slammed his ama into the big plastic buoy. Embarassingly, it climbed the buoy, flipped his OC1 upside down and dumped him.
Next week will be the Malibu to Marina race. The short course will be run at Marina Del Rey harbor, about 5 miles. Starting inside at Basin D out to a turn just outside the breakwater and back. Paddleboarders are welcome. The long course will be about a 16-miler starting from Malibu Pier to Basin D in Marina. Last year the wind and waves were up and we had a blast. However this year the weather has been finicky and hard to predict. Still you never can tell, there are always something out there to play with. Have fun and hope to see you all there.
Mahalo AL
If you have a great photo you'd like to share with us. Please email it to acelocc@aol.com Since I can't shoot pictures while I''m paddling, you'll notice most of the photos are on land.
Your water shots would be wonderfu to share. Again, Please email it to acelocc@aol.com
