08/18 - Saturday Surfski

When all my plans for the day started to fall through I decided to turn my day around and take out my surfski which has been shamefully neglected over the last (several) months.  It was really good that I got out on it as I hadn’t even begun to realize how much I’ve missed it.  I loaded up all my gear and headed to Bicton Baths (where we often launch our SUPs from).  It’s an ideal spot on the river, fairly calm and a good distance to the spit which not being exhaustingly far.  I had a really fun time trying to find my balance again and using good, efficient technique to keep myself moving.  I took a lot of boat wake from all directions and had no problem staying up, bracing when I had to.  It was only on my way back that I had a moment of distraction that almost led to me swimming – I don’t know how it happened because as always it happened so quick but suddenly my ski was tipping to the left as I braced very hard to the right, I could feel the water coming over the side into the seat – I had a moment of thinking ‘oh shit, I’m going to get wet and uh-oh, it’s been a while since I’ve done a remount in open water…’ As these thoughts rapidly fired through my head I somehow managed to pop back up and was steady… and surprised.  I mean I was tipped enough for water to come into the cockpit and yet managed to not go in.  A win in my book.  Guess it helps to have a strong core and confidence in bracing (leaning on your paddle really hard on the water), I’m actually proud that I didn’t pop back up and go right in the other side which can easily happen.  Ha.

It was a great day to be out, it made me quite happy and though it took me a little while to again get used to being so close to the water (rather than high up on my SUP) it was a lot of fun and I’ll have to do it more often – the only thing that really stops me is the hassle of loading it up on my car every time I want to go out – I guess on the plus side though I can launch from a variety of places whenever I do go.  Upside.

My view from the beach post paddle

Saturday Surfski Session...

Becoming a weekly habit now with the nice weather and (slightly increased) confidence for me to get out on my ski at least once on a weekend - Christmas morning surfski session? Definitely...

This past weekend was another great outing in that I managed to stay upright and venture beyond my normal turnaround point - I still stuck to the river and close to shore but went from East Freo to Stirling Bridge - around the piling - and back... my shoulder was starting to get a little sore at the turnaround so I didn't venture any further than back to where I was parked. 

I love being on my ski - when I am it's my sole focus - no time for my mind to wander elsewhere except perhaps brief thoughts of MJ and Shane who have both provided me with tips to my new adventures.  I think by the time I left Vancouver I could paddle my outrigger and think of many wonderous things but if I do in my ski I'm swimming... lesson learned.

A few other lessons I learned/ focused on this weekend as well - skills learned from both crossfit and yoga - is to a) not have death grip on my paddle which I often tend to do when in a bunch of messy water and trying to balance - tension is *not* good... and speaking of tension b) relaxing my face (thanks yoga) because this is a clear indicator of when my body is tensing up/ resisting what it needs to do - a little relaxation and I can easily let the water move under me and c) relax my shoulders - shoulder blades down and back (again yoga) rather than scrunched up towards me ears... those three little things really help me with my stability and flow...  I do feel stronger, quite stable until I see the wake from all the boats - messy water - and it gives me pause, I hesitate and brace rather than feeling strong and paddling right through which would help with my stability but baby steps right?

Sunday Surfski Session...

Sunday was for surfski... for the first time in a long time... and I enjoyed it.  It took me a while to figure out where I wanted to go - where I wouldn't be afraid of the water, of the wind.  I ended up just in East Freo where my canoe club paddles from - both pros and cons to this location - there is a lot of shore to stick close to to temper my fear of falling in and being unable to remount but there is also a ton of boat traffic, more that I remembered though that makes sense given that now it is summer.

Often I would set myself up to handle the wake, heading straight down it or right into it but a few times I challenged myself by trying to ride it sideways a bit, figuring out where that point was.  I almost fell in once - that tipping point where it could go either way - boat on it's side on my left, paddle bracing right , leaning on it.  And after a precarious few seconds I was upright again, balanced.  Saved.  Dry.  It felt good to have that skill, practice from many days spent surfing my outrigger.  A tiny bit more confidence to add to the pile.

I felt really strong while paddling, core engaged, firm plant and pull, arms straight.  It comes from Crossfit, this strength and stability - I can feel the difference and I love it.  It's a lot more tiring though than outrigger - twice as many strokes... I was still a little tipsy at times though with the secondary stability in my boat I managed to stay upright playing around a bit with the boat wake at different angles, figuring out how to surf.  The one thing I love about the ski over the outrigger is the ability to quickly jump on waves (a few quick strokes and you're on), much more power than paddling only on one side. 

The bonus was that I wasn't afraid this time.  The last time I was out I remember how terrified I was of the water, of everything about it and it's taken me quite some time to get over it.  I think it stems from that one time I struggled in the wind and waves to remount... the fear.  This time it was gone - I still fought strongly against falling in but I wasn't immobilized, tense with the fear of it all.  Perhaps it was because it's warmer, or that there were so many people around, I was close to shore.  Any number of things but each one allowing me to gain a little bit more confidence in my abilities so that one day I don't even have to think about it, it's just a natural movement.