We were planning to return home from the north to swap out our whitewater and sea kayaks for our surf kayaks and then to journey south to Santa Cruz for the 26th annual Kayak Surf Festival. I am contemplating a boycott of the trip south.
Yes, some of it is my home body tendencies. When you live on the Mendocino Coast going anywhere is an effort, but going south is always a stretch for me. This Pennsylvania farm girl gets stressed by big cities, freeways, congestion, and lots and lots of people. I always pine for the comforts of home - fresh veggies from the garden, Tom Cat, the rumble of the surf, the sounds of Noyo's whistle and bell buoys, and room to escape the world on the water or in the redwoods - not to mention good food and great beer.
The main reason for boycotting our southern trip is the cancellation of my division in the Santa Cruz Paddlefest. Kayak surfing is my favorite kayaking discipline. I have been working on my skills and decided to challenge myself by entering the intermediate high performance division.
Last week, I was sorely disappointed when the organizers called to say that all the novice and intermediate classes had been canceled. Today, I am rejoicing in their decision. Conditions look to be stormier than last year which caused the lifeguards to call off the last day of the competition. YouTube Video of Santa Cruz Paddlefest 2011.
Also, we have lots of rain in the forecast. My "foul-weather friends" have started monitoring the predictions and making plans for some Mendocino County whitewater river kayaking.
For a moment a little angel sitting on my shoulder says that I should go to Santa Cruz - be a good girlfriend and cheer for Jeff as he competes. Another little angel says that I should be a good small business owner - be available for rentals and tours. The woman on water says, "Go with the flow - its time to go down river!"
Decisions, Decisions :D They all sound good to me. I ♥ your blog, Cate! ... and that's one sweet video from last year.
ReplyDeleteLenora
SoCal
Next year you should sign up for women's expert HP. There were only four competitors and the waves were moderate sized. Overall, the bar is set pretty low for women. If you can get out onto the water, you're almost guaranteed a medal.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous, Thanks for reading my blog. We will see what next year brings. I am not into it for a medal but for the challenge and joy of kayak surfing. Turns out by not going, I had an epic weekend whitewater kayaking including a huge opportunity. More on that later. Cheers, Cate
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