| C4 Waterman Field Report #38 |
From the desk of Ted Rutherford : Hello All, Here is the preliminary after-action report for the Big Sur paddleboard event on 10/11 Jun 08. Dave Parmenter and I did not make the Demo Day on the 10th in San Diego; my flights were cancelled, and I did not make it home until the evening of the 10th. But bright and early the next morning, I made the drive up to San Luis Obispo, arriving in time for breakfast at the Home of Aleutian Juice Surfboards.
Click here to see the Big Sur Field Report in our Photo Gallery!
Dave Parmenter in front of Aleutian Juice Worldwide HQ After some aspri-breakie relaxation, our friends: Randy Adler (owner of Moondoggies Surf Club) and Matt (current Park Ranger) showed up and we loaded up the gear to head up the coast.
Left to right: Randy, Dave, Matt with the C4 "Grapes of Wrath" load After a stop for fuel, we headed up to San Simeon Bay (just below the Hearst Castle) and picked up our friend Todd aka "Maynard" who is a water guide on the Central Coast.
Todd aka Maynard inquiring into "how did the San Diego Kook get here?!" All these gentlemen are extremely experienced Central Coast Watermen, familiar with every crook and cranny of one of the most beautiful and famous shorelines on the planet. Although picturesque and serene, just under the surface is every kind of horror known to any seafarer: up-welled cold water (51 degrees F), rocky shoreline with large swells, pissed off Elephant Seals, and last but not least, the ill-tempered old-man-in-the-grey-suit that eats the Pissed off Elephant Seals for breakfast. Yup, this is the Great White Shark's version of "L&L Barbeque". We drove up the coast in our "Grapes of Wrath" rig, loaded with 3 Boardworks Vortices, 1 Holoholo and 1 Vortice XP (Dave's Baby). (See more info on these boards in C4's online store.) We sussed out the coast waiting for the north west winds to freshen; as we scoped it out, we noticed that the fires burning north in Monterey County were spewing smoke over the offshore waters, lending a golden glow to everything.
Dave and Randy
Smoke Check After a wait for the wind to pick up a bit more, Dave and Randy selected a spot to launch that wasn't a full-on Poison Oak Itchfest. (Though Randy, Dave, Matt and Todd, similar to the Ancient Central California Coast tribes who exposed their young to Poison Oak, were relatively immune to its effects). We launched from a very nice beach that was sheltered from the large north swell present.
Todd, Matt, Dave and Randy, just north of the "Screaming Women" rock formation The water was cold at 51 degrees F, but it was a relatively easy paddle out through the kelp and rock formations. A large swell in the water added to the excitement and anticipation of a roaring downwind open ocean surf venture on one of the most photographed, yet least accessible, coastlines in California--not unlike the north shore of Kauai, but colder and spookier. Conditions were glassy as the north west winds had not yet unleashed, and there was some back wash and bump which kept most of us motivated to stay mounted and out of the chilly brine.
Randy leading the way out
Dave, on his brand-new Vortice XP , pointing out Piedras Blancas (a very sharky area)
Todd on a little bump Rounding Point Piedras Blancas, the wind and swell lined up perfectly for some nice "railroading" and "scoots". Dave ensured that we were all up to speed, as we went through the "gears" on the Vortices. Dave threw me the keys to his "XP", and it was NICE! Even with only 12-15 knots of tailwind the Vortice XP enabled a paddler to pick up and accelerate nearly any bump; the board was extremely responsive to what Todd Bradley calls the 1st through 4th gears. (See Todd's How-To on the Vortice XP here.) Thanks Dave for letting me paddle your baby. Randy then led us into a nice protected cove and beach just north of San Simeon for alunch of "Big Sur Bars" and agua; the sand was very warm, and it was hard to leave this place and resume the last leg of the paddle.
Randy Surveying
Maynard Confabulating
After a brief nosh and reheat we headed out on the final leg south to San Simeon Bay. The wind had picked up a bit more, and rounding the point to enter the calm of the bay there was a nice "bump run." (The only problem was the patties of bull kelp, which would catch the fins and result in a rapid "dismount" into the 51 degree water.) Once inside the bay it was a virtual "Pirates of the Caribbean" wonderland of caves, overhanging tree branches, protected coves/beaches, and spitting blowholes. The combination of the kelp, sun angle and smoky skies caused the water to take on a golden tint. It was a nice finish to the pier with Dave pointing out all sorts of places to explore along the shore. Not wanting to risk beaching the XP I traded Dave whom expertly "Harbor Piloted" the Vortice to the beach on the backside of a meaty shore pound.
Ranger Matt in the "golden" cove
Dave checking out the caves
The Blowhole After some great local Mexican grub and coffee, we hit the latest Indiana Jones movie in one of the last of the classic California cinema theaters : The Freemont, complete with 1940's fancy décor and embellishments. I cannot remember having such a great time with so little sleep… Dave, Randy, Matt and Todd, thanks for sharing your backyard and exploring new SUP frontiers with me! Respectfully Submitted, Ted Rutherford Jr Mainland Ops C4 Waterman Inc |
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