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OC6  Hanohano 5-9-09

Good morning paddlers.  Had our first race yesterday at San Diego. The clubs got to show off their team’s performance.  Especially noticeable were the rookies who were as excited as their coaches.  Filled with last minute instructions up to the moment they were shoved off into the water, the entire club watched like parents as they fumbled their way around the course.   Reading faces in the crowd one can see hope and admiration, pain and joy, minute by minute as the event played out.   But when the race was over, everyone greeted them with warmth and acceptance.   “Aaah the joy of being a rookie, they know not what they have until its gone.”

It was a cool day.  Sort of drab and overcast, but good for racing for it kept you from overheating.  However we know how hot it gets in the summer and we were thankful for the coolness.  The women had some bumps but relatively calm overall.  The best part was coming into the harbor.   This race is known for the big swells that jack up at the mouth, if the situation is right.  If the surf is up and the tide is dropping, boy is it fun, because the incoming swells collide with the outgoing current and forms big swells that can push you a long distance.  When the women finished, they excitedly talked about the waves entering the harbor and how long the rides were if you were in the right spot to get on it. 

Hanohano’s Spec women crushed everyone winning by a good margin, followed by NAC 2^nd Spec and then Lanakila 1^st Master and Lanakila 3^rd Spec teams.  Great job women.   Talking to Juli Wolfe whose NAC team came in 2^nd, she said, “We were happy to see them do well, especially since they were hosting this race.”  But then Juli paused and said smiling, “I was glad to see them win, but… dang I wish it was us.”  Many teams tend to insert one or two promising rookies in the open crews to give them experience.  I talked to one such rookie afterward asking her if she enjoyed the experience.  I couldn’t get much out of her except grinning one-word answers.  She was so excited she had that; deer caught in the headlights look on her face.  For official results on the day’s entire racing, please visit www.SoCalOutrigger.org

Leading up to the race, Bill Bower of Dana said they were training six to eight men’s teams and about the same amount of women.  They also picked up several Marines from nearby Camp Pendleton, who were already in shape.  Dana’s rookie Marine teams finished first and second by a wide margin.  Meanwhile up in Santa Barbara, the wild fires have decimated many homes and acres of land.  Santa Barbara’s team has many firefighters who weren’t able to make it to the race.  Sorry to hear about that.  Firefighters, they are everyone’s heroes.   See you guys next time.   We heard that Oceanside Outrigger is planning to go to the Napili Race in Kauai.

My Race

In the men’s race, the start was very crowded, at least where my team was located.    Making things more difficult was a persistent swell that came from the left rear. It pushed the canoe’s back end causing the front end to hook left.  I could see every steersman correcting right and paddling left during the first leg.  It was so tight; I had to really concentrate on keeping the canoe straight ahead.  I tried to break out between two canoes, but it was too tight and I was pinched in. At one point my ama rested on top of steersman Dennis Campbell’s back. By the way, “Thanks for not flipping us Dennis.” We fell back twice.  Finally on the third try, I yelled at one of the steersmen; “Hey! You got a lot of room on your left.  Move over!”  With that… it was like the parting of the Red Sea.  We caught a section of small bumps and cleared out.  Halleluiah! 

The first turn was the usual in fighting and jockeying for position.  With ama’s banging and crews snorting, we all grunted our way around, in a pile of humanity.  Most of the crews are experienced and worked together to try to get around without causing a pile up.  I’m not saying it’s a gentleman’s turn, but it’s unlike years ago, when we used to carry grudges onto the beach and get into fistfights over it.  Looking at the actual GPS recording I saw later on the inter net, the upwind leg was especially long.  But at the time we didn’t think about it, because we were too busy trying to clobber each other.  My team was involved with four individual duals on the upwind leg.  By the time we got to the upwind turn, we had traveled so far; I could see the harbor mouth clearly.  As I steered the canoe around the turn and downwind, the fun began.  Running with the wind it suddenly grew real quite.  Only the sound of white spray flying from the canoe splashing into blue seas was heard.  With hull vibrating… the crew was strangely silent.  We rode the good bumps using our senses. Focused and in a trance, we lived in the wave…we were in the moment. 

Later after loading the canoes, a friend we nicknamed Tequila Charlie made an announcement.  “Board Meeting, Board Meeting, everyone gather around, ” he announced. As we gathered closer, he suddenly pulled out a bottle of Petrone Tequila, to the roar of the crowd.  

Mahalo Hanohano for hosting the race.  Always a good host, they provide a great venue and good food.  That’s two of the most important things paddlers care about.  Also mahalo to the officials and skippers.  Oh yes to the paddlers, young and old.  

Mahalo  Al