Ultra Marathon Paddling

Annual Anacortes to Bellingham Challenge

2009-07-06T06:44:00.000-07:00

Anacortes to Bellingham – a simple but challenging “adventure paddle” that Morris came up with a few years back, and one that has always attracted a nice handful of hardcore suffer-seekers. The idea, as Morris puts it, is basically to “take advantage” of a massive flood tide ripping northward... to peel into Rosario Strait from Washington Park in Anacortes, rip along the west side of Cypress Island, zig and zag around or below Sinclair, survive the turbulence between Lummi and Vendovi, skirt one way or another past Eliza, then point straight in to Marine Park in Fairhaven and be at Morris and Debbie’s for pizza by dinner time. Simple.
The date is always variable – this year’s fell on Friday, July 3rd – a date corresponding to rows and rows of giant, flood-indicating arrows on Page 4 of the Washburn Tables. “On paper” it’s just the sweetest thing, almost like you could throw a piece of driftwood in next to our launch spot and it’d end up bobbing alongside us in the river-like currents all the way to Fairhaven. Ah, sweet Mother Nature’s liquid conveyor belt! Right?

Abso-freeking-lutely!!! All the way from Washington Park until you make the turn to the east for the move around Sinclair, roughly 40 minutes into the race. Then the conveyor belt becomes a Rubik’s Cube puzzle on LSD, and it’s anyone’s guess for the next 2 to 3 hours where the “line” is. Of course, this is half the fun.
Heather and I opted to paddle our OC2 to continue training for the Gorge Outrigger Races coming up in two weeks, so we were middle of the pack in what were otherwise all surfskis. We changed leads with a persistent and adventurous Jeff Hegedus SEVEN times before finishing just inches in front of him, having opted for differing lines at pretty much every possible place.
We pulled longitudinally “ahead” of Don, DJ, Kirk, and Rick and Mark in their tandem as we cruised along the northern side of Cypress while they fought a head-current ferrying directly over to Sinclair’s south coast. Then they got slung-shot so far ahead of us we lost sight of them altogether by the time we reached Eliza.
Throughout the last grind from Eliza to Marine Park, old Washburn’s arrows just gave out, and our top sprint speed didn’t climb above 6.8 mph. But after three and quarter hours or so, by Golly, we’d made it!
All in all it was brilliant, frustrating, challenging, butt-cramping and infinitely rewarding to be out on the swirling San Juan waters in our own back yard with our closest friends. Kudos to you once again, Morris, for instigating such insanity! We’ll be there next year too!!!

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Hayden's First Track Meet

2009-06-29T22:54:00.000-07:00

Every Monday night 100's of families gather at Civic Field in Bellingham for the All-Comers Track and Field Event at Civic Field in Bellingham. We asked race director, Lance Romo, "On a scale of 1 - 10, how cool is the event?" Without hesitation he answered "15". When he told us about the 6" hurdles and foam discus & javelin throw -- we knew we had to take Hayden!

Hayden warming up before the hurdles

50 meter hurdles with 6" hurdles for children under 4 years old.

Hayden's first ribbon!

Hayden and Papa getting ready for the 4 and under 50 meter sprint

Another ribbon!!

Hayden's was a natural at the discus throw

and the javelin

But, his favorite was the pole vault!!!

He is also working on getting hide-and-seek included in the schedule of events

Another great adventure!!!

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Happy 16-Month Birthday!

2009-06-17T09:57:00.001-07:00

This weekend, on Father's Day, Hayden turns 16-months!!! It has been 16-months full of wonder... for Hayden and even more so for us!

With each passing month his personality shines through more and more. He bounces of the walls with an endless supply of energy and curiosity, loves to laugh and make us laugh and is game for any adventure. Here are some pictures of Hayden doing his favorite things!

KAYAKING... of course!!!

AND, PRACTICING HIS KAYAK POLO:

SHOOTING HOOPS....

GARDENING WITH MAMA...

HIKING...

RIDING HIS 'BIKE'....

GOING FOR A RIDE IN MAMA'S BIKE TRAILER...

PLAYING IN HIS FRONTYARD PLAYGROUND...

VISITING THE FARM ANIMALS...

GETTING 'AIR TIME' WITH PAPA...

PUDDLE STOMPIN'....

AND HANGIN' WITH MAMA AND PAPA...

HAPPY 16 MONTHS HAYDEN STORM!!!

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Wing Versus Flatblade Paddle for Ultra

2009-06-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

QUESTION FROM A FIRST TIME 'QUESTER:

Q: I've been using a full carbon straight shaft Werner Cyprus paddle and playing with the feathering a bit to find what's comfortable. One thing I was wondering is if you really can't get a good leg drive/torso turn is it worth it to go with a wing ? The CD Extreme is a nice snug sea kayak fit with the foot pads all the way to the front but I can only really move my knees up and down a couple of inches so don't get a great torso twist. I can do it better in the Necky because it has a huge cockpit. From what I've researched on the wing paddles it sounds like for the really long distance stuff a smaller blade with less twist (not sure that's the right term) is recommended.

A:When I first read your “Which paddle?” question I immediately thought, “No-brainer… go with a wing!” But then I thought twice, and wondered if that was just my own bias. So before I put any more thought into it, I e-mailed two of the world’s foremost paddle experts/designers/paddlers/outright great guys: Director of Research and Development at Werner Paddles, Andy Bridge, and world champion racer and co-founder of Epic Kayaks and Paddles Greg Barton. They were both kind enough to weigh in on your question, and I’ll paste their answers below.
As for my own thoughts, I’ve been paddling with wing blades since 2002 and personally couldn’t imagine using anything else. There’s so much “purchase” on the water with a wing blade. I compare it to speed skating: When that razor sharp blade bites into the ice and the racer pushes off, you know there’s just 100% energy transfer rocketing the skater forward. That’s how wing blades feel. And because of that they do promote a more torso-intensive stroke. I say “promote” not “demand.” You can still arm paddle with a wing and see a benefit, and on ultras like the Yukon Quest arm paddling is a valuable tool to have in your skill set. It can break up the monotony and move the effort off the torso to give it a rest for a few miles.
All that being said, the carbon Werner Cyprus is a GREAT paddle, and we have one in our quiver. As far as non-racing paddles go it’s super light and certainly worthy of achieving a good performance in the Quest. Heather brought one as a back-up for her record-shattering ’06 Quest. And if dropping $400+ on a new wing paddle between now and race day isn’t in the budget, you could absolutely go into it with confidence using the Cyprus.
My bottom line: Decide right now, with a year to go before race day, whether you have the funds for the wing. If you do, spring for it and get comfortable with it, then make it your main paddle in the Quest. It’ll take a bit of time, but once you “get it” you’ll never look back. On the other hand, if you decide to go with your Cyprus, move forward with no second thoughts and focus on having a great race. Either way, have at least 3 different “good strokes” to use at different times of your suffering. Err… I mean, different times of your racing. Ha! Welcome to the world of ultra, Paul!!!

ANDY BRIDGE: "Racing a kayak is about being as efficient as possible. From a mechanical perspective, for a forward stroke the wing design is superior to a non wing design in terms of energy expended versus distance traveled. That said individual technique can vary tremendously. A racer with a text book efficient stroke using a non wing could easily beat a racer using a wing paddle with a poor inefficient stroke. This is of course assuming similar boat and fitness level. Wing paddles do require a slightly different technique then non wings in order to maximize their efficiency, however proper torso rotation combined with some leg pumping should apply to both blade designs.
Your paddler does raise a good point in that most true sea kayaks have much smaller cockpit openings then sprint or marathon kayaks. This design feature is optimized for sealing out water and other non racing needs like bracing and rolling. Part of the tradeoff for a non racing kayak that is used for racing."

GREG BARTON: "There are 2 different issues here. One is use of the legs and the other is using a wing paddle. Both will benefit in speed and efficiency, but are not dependent upon the other. So ideally, he'd get a boat that allows better use of the legs AND use a wing paddle. However, even with limited leg usage, a wing paddle will still be more efficient."

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

2009 Bowen Island Challenge

2009-06-08T08:19:00.000-07:00

The Bowen Island Challenge has been a longtime favorite race of Brandon and mine; the 20-mile paddle couldn’t be more beautiful, the water has potential to be rowdy enough to send racers home in safety boats in the first few miles, the post race salmon feast is the best post race meal of any race in Canada or the US and the crowd of 100+ racers makes for great competition.

This year Brandon and Hayden drove around the island watching racers go by, while I raced.

Unfortunately, ‘race’ doesn’t capture my on-water experience. I had a good start, in fact a good first 5 or 6 miles. A small peloton of a half dozen racers surfed and braced and bopped as the wind waves, boat wakes and refraction kept us focused.

A bit of nausea built in my stomach. I figured it was the bumpy water.

Then, about an hour into the race, like a ton of bricks landed on my shoulders, my body felt like it just ‘broke’. Maybe I caught the flu Hayden had earlier in the week; or perhaps the 16-months of sleep deprivation and nighttime nursing and diaper changes caught up with me. Definitely, the lack of long-distance training didn’t help.

Whatever the cause, I limped through the next 10 miles. When I turned into the blasting headwind of the final stretch; a 4-mile final stretch!!; my limp slowed to a crawl.

I crossed the finish line, and as Brandon carried my boat to the van I saw it was already parked in the ferry line. From his race viewpoints around the island, Brandon could obviously see my pain! I gratefully curled up in the fetal position in the van, while my boys enjoyed my salmon feast. We were on the first ferry home.

We all have experienced greatness in some races, and crashed and burned in others. My buddy Derek Crook, who also raced Bowen this weekend, sums it well... “after you have had a bad race ..the next race you do well in will be even sweeter!”

Next race – Gorge Outrigger Races in July!

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Questions From a First Time 'Quester

2009-06-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

QUESTION:

Hello Heather and Brandon !
Not sure what category to put this question in so here goes. I'm hoping to do the Yukon River Quest in 2010 as a solo kayaker. I've been canoeing for quite a few years in a variety of boats including marathon C-1 and tandem canoes. Done some races up to class 3 ww but nothing remotely like the YRQ. A few years ago I moved to the Olympia area and have started kayaking since that seems the thing to do over here. I now have a Necky Tesla NM and a Current Desgins Extreme HV. The Necky is definitely more stable with a 24"ish beam and a roomier cockpit. (I'm 6'5" with looooong legs) The Extreme is a nice snug fit and a bit faster boat being a foot longer and 3 inches narrower. However, In a race like the YRQ, I'm assuming you get tired, somewhat incoherent and stiff and cranky. Is it better to sacrifice the extra bit of speed for the added comfort and stability in a race like that.? If I'm cranky, stiff and incoherent and my balance isn't 100% I'm guessing overall I may actually be faster in the Necky. I'll be training in Puget Sound so will have ample opportunity to practice some swell surfing, wierd currents, eddies etc with the exception of 24 hours non-stop paddling. Any advice would be greatly appreciated ! Congratulations on all your great achievements !!!

Paul
Olympia, WA

ANSWER:

Hey Paul,
Congratulations on taking on the ‘Quest!
First off, YES YES YES… Comfort is key! Especially for your first ultra. When your butt hurts, or your legs cramp – your entire emotional state, your goals, your stroke efficiency… everything goes! So, I think you are on the right track wanting to go with a boat that is comfortable. You have a whole year to train, and by training I don’t mean just mileage, I mean testing all your systems. How and what you are going to eat and drink, how you are going to pee, how you are going to handle blisters and chafe… there is so much to think about! So, being in a boat you know is comfortable and stable… that is one less thing to think about. Do you have a (proper length) light paddle? That, to me, is almost more important than the boat you race.
Feel free to ask specific questions along the way… the year of prep is a huge part of the journey into ultra! Have fun… and good job planning ahead!
Happy Paddling!!!
Heather and Brandon

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Surfski Review: V10 Super Elite Part II

2009-06-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

V10 Super Elite Review, continued…

Lighter is faster. The Epic V10 Super Elite (SE) that I’ve been paddling for the past month weighs 19 pounds – a full 20 pounds less than the V10 Standard I’d been racing up ‘til the SE came into our quiver. I do recognize that my “Lighter is faster” comment may or may not be factually true. One could argue that less weight – or less mass – means less glide between strokes, otherwise translated into “more deceleration” and therefore requiring increased force applied again and again to maintain a given speed. But the reality is that, at the very least, I BELIEVE in “Lighter is faster” when it comes to racing boats, and therefore for me it is true. The proof has been in my workouts and my races with the SE.

I’m not a sprint paddler, but I find that doing an all out speed run in a ski is a pretty good objective test for me to compare one boat to the next. In the standard, fiberglass V10 I’ve been paddling, I could push it to a top end speed of 10.0 mph. In the past year of paddling it, I tried that test probably 5 or 6 times, and never did break 10.0. Same with the Vector, at 35 pounds. 10.0 again and again. But in a series of sprints in the SE, I was able to hit 10.6 consistently. Makes sense, doesn’t it? Less weight to push, less energy spent getting to speed, higher speed possible.

Is the SE more tippy than the standard? No, the SE isn’t any less stable than its E-glass brother, which I find to be a pretty stable design in general. But it IS “twitchier.” It goes back to that weight thing – or mass, if you prefer. Take it to the extreme: imagine a 300-pound tree trunk in the shape of a surfski. Crazy heavy for a ‘ski. Can you just feel how sluggish that thing would be? It would “lumber” from side to side. Once it started a roll to the left, it’d take a major lean to slooowwwwlllllyyyyyyy bring it back. Trying to catch a wave, you’d just power and power and power and, usually, the wave would just flow under you and out of reach before you could get on it.

But… it wouldn’t be “twitchy.” It wouldn’t jitter under you, feeling like it was electrified, trembling like it’s full of helium and just trying to escape and fly off. That’s kind of how the SE felt the first few times I paddled it. Twitchy. The opposite of the tree trunk ski. Ridiculously stiff so there’s zero “flex” to absorb wave- or paddler-movement energy, like a baidarka. And crazy light, therefore with extremely minimal resistance to movement through space. So when power is applied… ZOOM! Furthermore, that twitchiness and responsiveness – physics aside – creates an INCREDIBLE placebo effect for the paddler. Every time I get in the boat I’m just expecting to feel “unleashed.”

On the first Wednesday Nighter I raced it in, I relied on the easily-accessed acceleration to blast 2 or 3 lengths from boat to boat as I worked my way through a pack, and to gain an advantage 50 or 100 yards out from any given turn. The SE just leapt out of the water, and when I tapered back down after a sprint I found I wasn’t gasping to recover, but could hold a high enough cruising speed to keep the ground I’d just gained. By the end of the 3.5 mile course – which wasn’t necessarily on a “fast” night conditions-wise, I had basically matched my fastest time ever, about a 26:35.

The inspiration to get the boat this spring, though, was to have a great Ski to Sea race on Memorial Day weekend. I’d put together an incredibly strong Whatcom County Mixed team with the goal of winning that division decisively, and I wanted to have a stand-out performance in the kayak leg. Like most of the top 20 or 30 paddlers (maybe more?) I was on the water basically alone, with no one within minutes ahead of me to chase down. When I took the handoff from our mountain biker, I focused primarily on racing as relaxed as possible while trying for good, long strokes. I knew the boat and my training this year would take care of the rest as long as I stayed steady, didn’t go anaerobic on the first run or for any significant duration during the paddle, and didn’t make any mistakes. By the time I crossed the finish line, I felt like I’d paddled such a relaxed race I wouldn’t have been surprised to learn I’d finished 5 minutes off the leader. There wasn’t another ski even visible in front of me on the course, so I had no context whatsoever for how I would stack up. Team RE/MAX met our goal of winning the division by over 40 minutes, and that alone made the race a success.

When the final results were posted, though, I read that in the kayak leg I’d paddled to a 3rd place overall – my highest finish ever. What really made my day, though, was that I was just 21 seconds off the day’s Top Gun, Eric Moll – an absolute powerhouse of a racer from Seattle. (BC racer Ian MacKenzie took 2nd, only 6 seconds off Moll). Over a 38-minute time trial paddle, just 21 seconds off the leader. Placebo or not, I attribute that surprising result to the Epic V10 SE. I absolutely LOVE this boat!

Heavy Hardware at Ski to Sea 2009

2009-05-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Nelson's bring home the heavy Ski to Sea hardware!!!!

First Place Whatcom County Mixed - RE/MAX Whatcom County

First Place Whatcom County Women - Team Kulshan Cycles

Third Consecutive Year!

Heather and Brandon called 'on deck' at the same time!!!

Heather taking the hand-off from mountain biker Nicola.

Brandon racing to a Whatcom County Mixed victory... and third place overall finish in the paddle leg.

Heather coming in to the finish at Marine Park.

Running up the beach to ring that bell!

and - ringing the bell and winning Female Top Gun in the Kayak Leg!

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

San Juan ORCA Challenge

2009-05-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

Brandon races the 25-Mile San Juan ORCA Challenge

RACE REPORT: San Juan Orca Challenge

When we heard that Nadja and Jimmy were reviving the San Juan Challenge – the kayak race out of Anacortes that literally inspired Heather and I to move to the Pacific NW – we knew without a doubt that we had to represent. We’ve been taking turns racing the longer ones lately, Heather having done the Tour D’Indian Arm last weekend at Deep Cove, BC, so it was my turn to throw down for this 25-miler.
Going into it, I wasn’t entirely thrilled that it preceded Ski to Sea weekend – a 5-mile race I’ve been training for and for which I’d like to peak – but I figured I’d cruise it on the slower side, see some beautiful scenery and wildlife, reminisce about the old time San Juan Challenge, and get a nice training paddle in to boot.
At the start, there was a heavily lopsided contingent of sea kayakers and very few surfskis, probably a ratio of about 30 to 6. Jeff and Katja were there in their double, Mike Gregory, Traci Cole and Tracy Landboe in skis, a bunch of familiar faces in sea kayaks and (gulp) too many drysuits, David Halpern had his OC1, and Don Kiesling was (wisely) racing the 4-mile short course on his paddle board. No row boats were to be seen, a bummer for them considering it was glassy flat the whole way.
The tide was ebbing the entire race, and was helpful all but about 15% of the time, on the north sides of Cypress and Guemes. I went out with Jeff and Katja (neither drafting the other, mind you… I wasn’t about to get “judged” by anyone) and immediately put a good gap on the rest of the field. We exchanged the lead a few times in the first half hour or so, then they pulled gradually away as we rounded Cypress’s south end.
The conditions were so mellow, it was easy to just zone out and get lost in my thoughts – Hayden Storm being the main topic of my imagination, and bringing a smile to my face about every 30 seconds. It was going to be a cruisy race, just as I’d planned, with no worries about trying to win, but no one close enough behind me to be a threat in the singles class.
As I cranked along, though, I found myself reeling the double back in, and next thing I knew I’d pulled up beside them, then eased past. By this point we were nearing the north crossing between Cypress and Guemes, and I was feeling like a million bucks. I’d been sipping Perpetuem, and had a back-up liter of Gatorade, some Hammer Gel, a Clif Bar and a Power Bar just in case.
As we started the crossing, roughly half-way into the race, Jeff and Katja had regained the lead, and simultaneously I felt the first butt pain course through. “Uh oh…” I thought. In years past, I’ve always denounced surfskis for longer paddles. I’m too big, too near the limit of “cockpit comfort” to start with, and having only one possible leg position for hours on end didn’t make sense to me, design-wise. But somehow I’d forgotten this golden rule and must have figured I now transcended such imaginary limitations. The next wave of pain came on like a tsunami, and I dragged a brace and lifted my butt out of the seat to try easing the discomfort. The double put another length on me, then another…
What had been a very strong-yet-relaxed first half of the race had now become nothing short of survival paddling. I couldn’t link 25 good strokes without rolling around in the seat, sticking a leg straight out, leaning fore or aft, all while letting out a grunt or whimper. “Good God!” I said out loud as I stared ahead to what looked like about a thousand miles of paddling to the next point on Guemes. I wasn’t having fun anymore, not by a long shot, and my smiles while picturing Hayden’s comical antics had turned to gritted teeth and shipwreck-survivor-like promises to myself and my family that, “I’ll make it home, honey! I’ll make it, I swear!!!”
My Perpetuem bladder went dry around mile 20, and I pounded a Clif Bar and a shot of Hammer Gel, followed by half the Gatorade. I felt under my butt for the golf balls someone had put there, but they eluded my grasp and I was forced to paddle with them in place, pressing tortuously into my gluteus-horrificus.
Finally, the nightmare ended to cheers and airhorns, and despite winning the singles class and finishing a not-too-disappointing 11 minutes or so behind Jeff and Katja, I had none of the pride-swelling feelings of victory or a job well done, but instead I could only mutter, in a state of near shock, “Good God!”
Mike Gregory and Traci Cole duked it out for second, Mike edging her by a length. Tracy Landboe came in just a couple minutes later, followed by Halpern on his OC-1, if I’m not mistaken. Final results are still pending as of this post.
As recovery begins, the pain is already forgotten and feelings of nostalgia and tremendous gratitude to Jimmy and Nadja flood in. Thanks for bringing back a classic, you guys. I’ll be there next time, too, though hopefully I’ll remember that the San Juan Challenge is, for me, a kayak race, not a Surfski race!!!

In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure…

Tour De Indian Arm Surfski Race

2009-05-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

For Mother’s Day we headed up to Canada and I competed in the Tour De Indian Arm surf ski race while my boys ran crew. What a lucky Mama I am!

The 19KM race was Part II of the US vs Canada THINK Kayak International Challenge. The rules for the race:

***The 10 fastest solo surfskis and the fastest double surfski including a minimum of 2 female participants make up the country’s team.
***The team with the lowest cumulative finishing places from both races is the winner of the Think International Surfski Challenge.

After Part I, the Dan Harris Challenge on our home turf, the USA was in the lead by nearly 50 points. But Canada had the home court advantage this weekend, and our small pod of 10 racers needed to make every point count!

At 1PM the start horn blew, and the field was off at a blistering pace. I tried to hang with Jeff Hegedus, who apparently had his Wheaties for breakfast. I managed, after several sprints, to catch Jeff’s draft, and hung with him as he reeled in a tandem and solo ski just ahead of us. Reivers also joined our little peloton.

After paddling upwind for about 3 miles, Jeff and Reivers both made their move just before we reached the first turn-around buoy; and left the tandem, single and myself in the dust. With the wind now at our backs, I tried to take advantage of every little bump and quickly passed the tandem and solo ski. Then, Reivers stopped to fiddle with his drink system, and disappeared behind me.

Jeff, still ahead, seemed to be having the race of his life. He had picked off another 3 or 4 racers and was quickly becoming a red dot in the distance.

The course seemed to jump from here to there… along this shore, across that channel… and, I admit, I had no idea where I was most the time. So, I focused on a racer dressed in a bright green race jersey, greener lifevest, and neon green race hat. I was pretty sure this was Daryl Remmler, and figured he knew where he was going! He was paddling alongside a guy in a blue Speedster who, unfortunately, I never got a chance to meet. I reeled them in in my mind… and it seemed in real life they truly were getting closer and closer.

About 2 miles from the finish, they were within my grasp. We rounded the final island and were cutting back across the channel to the finish. Daryl’s stern was right there, but to our left, I realized, we were right in a sailboat’s path. The sailor looked directly at us, and he did not look pleased. He made a 90 degree turn while eyeing us with a nasty look the entire time. I caught his eye, and gave a cheery ‘Thank you’… hoping that would simmer him down a bit. Daryl and the Speedster were apparently shocked to hear my close-proximity voice, and turned into overdrive without ever looking back. Hmmmmm…. I didn’t seem to have that same gear. Nonetheless, it was fun chasing them to the dock, and Hayden and Brandon were waiting for me at the finish line.

All in all, an AWESOME race, and an incredible Mother’s Day!!!

After the final tally, we learned that USA held of the Canadians by a mere 12 points. And my time of 1:44 got me a Mother’s Day blue ribbon!

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Surfski Review: V10 Super Elite

2009-05-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

V10 Super Elite, Part I

All other things being equal, lighter is faster. Since last fall I’ve been training and racing Heather’s old fiberglass Epic V10, a boat we’ve both gained tremendous affection for primarily because it can take a beating and not let out a whimper. We hauled it to Baja with us this past winter, paddled it daily – it adjusts to fit either of us – and never once worried about the effect that 4000 road miles might have on it – much of it off-road through the desert . It is one…tough… boat!

The weight of that boat may’ve also played a part in the 20 pounds I dropped from my own frame while in Baja, despite sampling EVERY fish taco stand we crossed paths with. Down to a prize-fighter-ish 231 pounds, I’ve been having the fastest spring race season of my life, and I decided it was time to splurge on a new craft. I’ll cut right to the chase: One week ago I took delivery from Bob Putnam of Deep Cove Outdoors, BC, an Epic V10 Super Elite. Same lines as the fiberglass tank we’ve been training with, same fit and foot pedal system. But like me after Baja, it weighs 20 pounds less, and tips the scales at a ridiculous 19 pounds!

The Super Elite made its debut in 2007 just in time for the Molokai Surfski World Championships, which we were at so Heather (see our Molokai Blog Posts here) could race to a nice 3rd place finish. 11-time World Champion Oscar Chalupsky, fellow S. African phenom Hank MacGregor, and Hawaiian Mark Sandvold each had a brand new Super Elite to race in that event, and to show off to us drooling admirers. I’d never seen such a boat, both in stiffness and mind-blowing lightness. Despite flat conditions and an increased distance – variables that would favor younger, ultra-marathon-skilled distance paddlers – Oscar paddled his Super Elite to an amazing 4th place finish, giving the boat a level of instant renown.

Still, even Epic predicted that sales of the Super Elite would be minimal if at all, considering the ‘ski sports a $6500 US price tag! The reason is its construction. The Super Elite is made of “pre-preg carbon fiber.” Here’s the basic principal: When you build a boat with standard vacuum bag resin infusion technique, the ratio of resin to cloth is impossible to tightly control while still getting adequate distribution to all parts of the mold. You end up resin-rich in some areas, and extra resin adds only one thing, and it’s not strength… it’s ‘weight.’

Pre-preg, however, means the cloth is “pre-impregnated” with just the right amount of resin, before the cloth is even put into the mold. The pre-impregnated cloth is kept in a freezer until used, then it’s placed in the mold, vacuum bagged, and the whole assembly is slipped into an autoclave – a big oven – to bake off. The result is a boat with perfectly proportioned, evenly distributed resin content that, in theory, has no redundant weight from extra resin. 19 pounds, baby!

Back in February when I started shopping for a new boat, I VERY briefly considered a Super Elite, but clicked over quickly to the more “affordable” non-pre-preg “V10 Elite” pages of Epics website. The “standard” Elite is all carbon, just not pre-preg, and at 21 pounds it tips the pocketbook at a mere $4395.00 US.

Then, back in late March, I got an e-mail from Don Kiesling – a V10 Super Elite paddler himself who’s been a dominant Pacific Northwest racer these past two seasons, letting me know of a slightly used Super Elite for sale at Deep Cove.

“Paddled only 5 times” the ad read, “and with a professionally-applied hull paint identical to what is used on America’s Cup racing sailboats.” Bob Putnam, who’d taken the boat in on trade, posted pictures of the ‘ski on the web, and as soon as I saw the carbon black and fire engine red coloring, I was in love. A few weeks to put some real estate deals together, followed by a quick call to tell Bob to “Load it up!” and the next thing I knew the red-and-black water-weapon and I were one!

Next blog… Paddling the V10 Super Elite!

5th Annual Dan Harris Challenge

2009-04-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

It felt more like a Saturday morning surf session with the gang than a race. In fact, as I paddled into 3-foot wind waves and 10 – 15 knot winds… I kept wondering, “Why didn’t we put in at Larrabee?”

The nearly 10-mile Dan Harris Challenge was, for me, not only fun, but a good test of my fitness. I had a solid race. It wasn’t my fastest, but it was steady.

I have been asked over the past year, “How has motherhood affected your racing?” As I sat sucking up the post-race sun, and watching Hayden play with his good friends Maddy, Abby, Nora and Zach – the children of our closest friends – it was all quite clear. I live and breathe racing and fitness and adventure. Brandon has supported me fully in helping me create a training schedule and watching Hayden during those times.

But, it is Hayden and his sweet innocent love of exploring a world that is brand new to him; it is him that truly defines me. And the pre-Hayden bonds we had with our friends have now become as tight as if we were one big family.

I would love to say that racing and training has been easy, that I just need to set aside the time. But that would be a lie. It is hard. After a day of chasing around a very energetic little boy, followed by a night of being up every 2 or 3 hours to nurse, it takes a lot of motivation to hit the water for an early morning paddle. It is even harder to make it a good, hard workout. And, I am plain tired! Even after a 3.4-mileWednesday Night Race… I need a recovery day!

In the bigger picture, though, it is those same Wednesday Night Races, seeing Hayden run off with a posse of ‘future paddlers of Bellingham’ to play on the playground… and seeing that same little posse smiling with pride as their Mommies and Daddies cross the finish line… that makes all seem perfect in the universe.

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Questions From the Field: Kayak Fishing

2009-04-19T14:24:00.000-07:00

Hey Heather,

I'm getting a kick out of watching Hayden discover the world. It looks like everyone is having a lot of fun.So, I've got a sea-kayaking question for you. I'm about to head out on a week trip around the Exumas in the Bahamas and am hoping to do a lot of fishing. I think I've got the shore set-up pretty figured out, but I'm curious if you guys have ever done any trolling. It seems like a good idea, but as I think about it, I'm not quite sure how it'd work, both from the logistics of setting up the line and actually trying to land something. Anyway, I'd be curious to hear what you guys have thought about the idea.Looking forward to the updates. See ya!

Hey Mike, GREAT to hear from you (through Heather, as it may be!

Kayak fishing is the fastest growing niche within the entire world of fishing. It's exploding, because it's so easy, and when you hook into something HUGE and go for a ride... you'll be 'hooked' for life. It couldn't be easier: Just rig a fishing pole holder on your boat. I prefer going in front of me just out of reach of my paddle stroke, so I can watch the pole. I see guys rig it just behind their seat and near the gunwale, though, so it's out of the way. You'll hear it when you get a strike. Use a a regular fishing pole, and pull whatever they're bighting. I've had exceptionally good results with Rapala split minnows and spinners, like Mepps spinners. If the fishing's good it doesn't seem to matter what you're using for lures or bait. If you're going after big game, drag a chicken back there! Just strip out 50 feet of line or more and go for a paddle. Don't worry about speed, just set a course and cruise. Whatever you hook into, grab that pole and get on with the fight. Don't be scared... UNTIL you're ready to pull it up onto your boat. That's when it gets scary. Keep a club on your deck to brain the fish when you've landed it (assuming you're fishing to keep it), keep some needle nose pliers to remove the hook, and that's it. Be wary of getting a big fish, or a particularly toothy one like a barracuda, up on your deck. They'll go nutty sometimes, and it's dangerous if you get gashed. Like I said, be prepared to club ol' flipper in the noggin' until he's good and still. Another trick that works is holding them by the eye sockets, as in your thumb in one eye and your finger in the other. Push hard enough and it paralyzes them. Just don't do that unless you're keeping them for sure. Put yourself in their shoes, you know? Good luck, Mike. Let us know how it goes...

Comments from the field:
I’ve never had any luck trolling; my line always twisted up so tight it was ruined, never did figure it out. Even with expensive swivels. Always ended up jigging. But most important, I always took a pair of leather gloves. The left one for handling thorny fish, and the right one for camp.
~ Larry Bussinger

~In the Spirit of Compassiona and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

A Necessary Expedition... 81 Miles

2009-03-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

A Necessary Expedition: 81 Miles

81 Miles of paddling separate the Mt. Fairweather, currently resting high and dry at Belcarra Regional Park in British Columbia, from Boulevard Park in Bellingham, WA.

81 Miles out through Burrard inlet, under the Second Narrows and Lion’s Gate Bridges, past Stanley Park and into English Bay. Past Jericho Beach with views of the downtown Vancouver skyline. Southwest around the Fraser River delta, past the Reiffel Bird Sanctuary and Westham Island. Then swinging southeast past the Roberts Bank Superport, the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, and pointing for the beach at Point Roberts, to clear customs.

Then a big crossing, perhaps to Birch Point, perhaps to Point Whitehorn, depending on winds. Then south past Cherry Point, Sandy Point, past Point Migley on the north end of Lummi Island and into Hale Passage. Wrapping around the south end of Portage Island, then a straight shot northeast across Bellingham Bay, and onto the beach at Marine Park. On paper, 81 miles. 81 miles of pure adventure.

The crux of this project, though, is this: Where is the Mt. Fairweather kept and displayed once it reaches Bellingham? On this note, we need ideas… suggestions… connections. Where is there a place big enough, accessible enough so hoards of people could see the legendary boat and experience its scale and significance, photograph it, and read a story board about it and its creator, George Dyson?

When it initially arrives, we’ll need a workspace to make some repairs – not an overhaul, by any stretch – just a fix-up of some minor damage and to restore a bit of luster. An indoor space at least 50 feet long, that we can haul it to when it arrives in Bellingham, and do some work on the boat.

Do you have any ideas for this type of space?

A storage condo sitting empty. A hangar, a pole barn or workshop?

Send us your ideas… we’d love your involvement.

e-mail Brandon at brandon@nwhomes.net or Heather at heather@chargelife.com

or just hit the 'Comments' link at the bottom of the page. Thank you!!!

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Nelson

GO FAST: 100 Tips for Ski to Sea

2009-03-09T15:38:00.000-07:00

***Click HERE to read our latest article in

Adventures NW magazine... ***

GO FAST: 100 Tips for Ski to Sea

With Lots of help from some of the Pacific Northwest's most passionate racers

"Ski to Sea, the 'Bellingham Olympics', irrefutably the greatest multi-sport relay race the world has ever known.... No matter what division you're in, or how many times you've done the race in the past, they're are multiple ways you can shave seconds or whole minutes off your time."

Tom Lowell knows when you are trying to win the Rec Open Division, every second counts! With 123 out of 400 teams entering the Rec Open, this is the biggest division... and don't be fooled by the term 'rec'! He makes sure he and his mountain biker have a clean and fast hand-off!

Traci Cole assists Tracy Landboe running her boat down to the start of the paddle leg.

Brandon, looking loose and relaxed, running up the beach to the finish line bell... and the 5th fastest paddle performance of the race... in front of a crowd of 1000's.

Heather, working her arms, pushing through the sand, because every second counts!

Tracy Landboe ringing the famous Ski to Sea finish line bell for the 1st place Open Women's Team!!!

Team Kulshan Cycles wins the 2008 Whatcom County Women's Division and perpetual trophy.

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Baja Road Trip: The Final Days...

2009-02-06T20:49:00.000-08:00

After a round of hugs and promises to meet up with our new “beach family” again, we left Playa Coyote and crossed the peninsula to the Pacific side. We had 5 days to reach San Diego where Hayden and Heather would be getting on a plane to fly straight home to Bellingham – a brilliant $68 solution Heather had come up with to save Hayden the agony of an extra 26 hours in his carseat.

Ninety percent of our time in Baja has been spent on the Sea of Cortez, and we’ve been longing to find some more special beach on the Pacific side, so we were stoked to hear about Laguna Ojo de Liebre, or Scammon’s Lagoon, the busiest whale birthing area on the entire Pacific seaboard.

Accessed through the salt evaporation ponds south of Guerrero Negro,

the beach at Scammon’s consists of low sands dunes, bird-filled estuaries, and a Joshua Tree-filled desert landscape that has a peacefulness about it all that won us over immediately. It’s a protected area, and campsites are spaced generously so two dozen-or-so sites span well over a mile of beach.

Still, the first night we were the only ones there, and we filled our time birding on the beach with binoculars and a field guide (Whimbrels and Marbled Godwits are ubiquitous), turning the binocs toward the lagoon’s south side to see, at any given moment, a dramatic display of gray whales spouting, spy-hopping and leaping so huge splashes erupted out from under them, and chasing a tireless Hayden through the dunes as he crawled and belly-slid over the sand through fits of laughter. Needless to say, we were smitten with the place, and vowed a longer stay next time.

Next we set out for a surf beach we’d discovered back in ’99, Santa Rosalillita – just a few hours to the north. Miles of dunes stretch to the south of this perfect right-hand break, and miles of tide-pools, near-shore islands and sea caves stretch to the north. It is a surfing, paddling, hiking, snorkeling, and-on-and-on-playground of the highest order, and we were immediately transfixed. For all its charm, there’s no shortage of heavy wind and blowing sand, and for two days we relied on the “don’t bite all the way down” rule to avoid grit-grind in our teeth.

When the tide is out on this beach, it’s WAY out, leaving a perfectly groomed, flat, hard-packed runway that Hayden just couldn’t get enough of.

We played kickball for hours. And when we pulled out two days later, we vowed to spend the better part of a week there next time as well.

Our date to get back to the States was upon us, and we cruised north for the border. We always enter and exit Baja at the Tecate border crossing, Tijuana’s infinitely less frightening, less crowded, and in fact downright pleasant sister-crossing a few clicks to the east. It fed us into the desert wilderness about 45 minutes out of El Cajon, where we holed up at a Best Western that first night for hot showers, a carpeted floor for Hayden to crawl around on, and close proximity to several dozen stores and restaurants.

While on the web one morning in Baja, Heather had brilliantly discovered an option for her and Hayden to skip the 26-hour drive back to Bellingham, and booked a $68 plane ticket that would take them both from San Diego, non-stop, right into Bellingham. We had only to kill the early Sunday hours basking on a beach until I could drop them off at the airport at 4:30 p.m., then I’d “dirt-bag” my way home with the van. Easy enough…

We drove through San Diego straight for the water, and hung a right when we saw a sign that read “Beach Access.” Pulling up to a security guard stand, I told the guard “We’re looking for the classic ‘San Diego Beach!’”
“This is it,” he said. “Free parking, too!” Yahoo… this was going to be easy.

With 23 feet of sea kayaks sticking out the stern of our van, I always back-in park to keep our boats from getting crushed by a passing truck. I’d just shifted into park when the guard came roaring up in his golf cart… “No back-in parking!” he said.

What the hell?

“You’ll be ticketed unless you turn your van around.” I pointed out the 8 feet or so of protruding kayak, and how it would seriously interfere with the flow of traffic in his parking lot. He wasn’t buying it, and it was with a twinge of sadness that Heather and I looked at each other with the realization that, “We’re not in Baja anymore.”

In the next few hours, our first full afternoon in the U.S. included such “re-entry” follies as:
o Hiking unsuccessfully for over a half mile in search of a simple bathroom on our “classic San Diego beach” only to have to eventually load back into the van and drive to find one;
o Finding a parking ticket on our windshield for parking in the boat launch area with our excessively long load of kayaks, (the ticket indicates, “Vehicle is without required trailer for this parking area.”)
o Collecting a photo montage of half a dozen different “NO” signs followed by such restricted activities as:
o “Launching or beaching vessels of any kind” (on the beach, 100 feet from a boat ramp)
o “Practicing golf” (???)
o “Smoking” (on the “public” beach – the one without bathrooms!)

Nevermind, though. We ultimately survived re-entry, Heather and Hayden made it home safely on the plane, and I pulled in yesterday morning without a hitch (after making it out of San Diego). The rejuvenating, empowering experiences we had in Baja outweigh the quirks of re-entry a million times over. And as we get back in the groove of life in Bellingham, gear up for this next race season, and plan some closer-to-home adventure trips this summer, our feelings can be summarized in three short words: “Stoked on Life!”

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden

Baja Road Trip: A Few Favorite Photos....

2009-01-22T08:20:00.000-08:00

Bahia De Concepcion

Lighthouse in Loreto... watch that first step! (That door is about 2 stories up!)

Kisses!

Full Moon reflecting off the water

Baja Full Moon

Fish Village

1 year-old Carlito and his Mama

Look what Papa taught me!

Evening by the campfire

Pelican on the beach

Mission San Javier

A few locals loving Hayden's kayak!

Christmas on Playa Coyote

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Tormentito

Baja Road Trip VI: Camping with a less-than-year-old baby

2009-01-17T12:56:00.000-08:00

How is it camping on the Baja beaches with a less-than-year-old baby?

It’s literally wonderful … as in full of wonder… a total awareness-amplifier.
The birds, the sand, the sea life, the people… everything is an exciting new curiosity. Everything is something to point out or touch or taste. If it were just Brandon and I, we would miss 99% of what Hayden has taught us and shown us this trip.
But day to day life is like juggling or plate-spinning… 24-hours a day. If one of us wants to go for a 2-hour paddle, or climb out of the tent to go for a pee in the night, or just grab a drink from the cooler… the key phrase is “Can you watch the boy?” At least one of us is always “on”, which can be exhausting!
We have, however, discovered a few key items and ‘structural concepts’ that have made Hayden a happy camper! The biggest being that babies – or at least baby Hayden – loves routine. When we were driving to new camps and new destinations every day or couple days, we found Hayden was tossing and turning and what we call ‘sleep crawling’ in the night. He grew anxious any time we got near the van, screamed in protest if he was put in his car seat, and needed Mommy nearby for security ALL the time!
Once we started setting camp for a week at a time or more, our happy, easy going little boy returned. He is on a 3-meal a day schedule and has a regular bedtime and morning routine. He sleeps well, only waking up to nurse. And, to our great relief, when we put him in the car seat for day trips, he happily babbles and amuses himself the entire drive!
In addition, there are some items that, time and again, we are so grateful to have! Some we brought, some we discovered and picked up along the way.

Here are our Top 10 Camping-with-a- 9 – 12 month-old MUST Haves:

1. Mini Kayak – Not only does Hayden love to be towed around in his kayak on the water, he can spend hours climbing around on it on shore. And, an added benefit is that if there are other young families on the beach, they are immediately drawn to the little kayak. Hayden has made lots of new friends this way!

Here, Hayden shows his new friend, Faulker, a correct Forward Stroke technique...

and discusses properly outfitting the cockpit of your kayak.

2. Pack-N-Play – Sometimes we need to contain Hayden somewhere he can’t get into any trouble for a few minutes. He can amuse himself in his Pack –N – Play for about 30 minutes – long enough for one of to do something like prepare a meal.
3. A BIG tent – Before we left home, we bought a 7 x 12-foot tent. There is plenty of room for all of us, our clothes bags, toys, books, and the Pack-N-Play! Or, during the day, sometimes we clear it out and use it as a giant rec room for Hayden!
4. A 2-month supply of Cheerios – One of Hayden’s favorite pastimes is eating Cheerios one-by-one and feeding them to Mama and Papa. They are definite lifesavers in a pinch, like when Hayden is melting down towards the end of a long drive. I have not seen them in any of the markets down here yet, so I’m glad we brought plenty from home. Above, Hayden proudly shows off his special 'O container.

Below, Hayden shares a Cheerio with Mama.
5. ERGO Baby carrier (Let’s Mama wear Hayden front or back like a backpack) – Hayden and I walk… A LOT! He is often up by 5:00AM, ready to play. To keep him from waking up the neighbors, I load him up and we go exploring. Also, grocery shopping, packing the van, hiking, doing dishes, nursing… I would be lost without the carrier! Hayden, sleeping in the ERGO on my back while I enjoy the view of Bahia de Conceptcion.

6. Tub – We bought a little $2 dish tub, just big enough for Hayden to take a bath in. We warm the water with our solar sun shower, then dump it into the tub. Hayden loves playing with his toys in the bath!
7. Diapers and wipes from home – Hayden’s little bottom is important to us! We brought a brand of diapers from home we knew worked and that didn’t give him diaper rash.
8. Safety 1st Folding Booster Seat and extra beach chair – We have all our meals together, and having Hayden in his booster seat, the tray filled with finger foods, is just precious. We also bring the booster seat to social functions or to restaurants so he can eat in style! Hayden's, like Mama and Papa, LOVEs to eat and gets giddy when we put him in his booster seat!

9. A First Aid and Toiletry kit from home – Good sunscreen, teething medicine, his little toothbrush, nail clippers, baby Tylenol, shampoo, Q-tips, … it feels good to know you have what you need when you need it.
10. Flap Happy and iPlay sun hats – they have been awesome! They stay on in the wind (if Hayden doesn’t rip them off himself just for fun!) and cover his ears and neck.

It wasn’t hard paring down the list to come up with these essentials. Hayden uses them every day and they’ve added to the enjoyment of the trip immeasurably. If we were to do this trip again, every one of these Top 10 items would be coming along!

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Baja Road Trip Part V: Baja Off the Grid

2009-01-07T10:06:00.000-08:00

Despite its smattering of 5-star hotels and plethora of $6 a night, sea-side palapa rentals, where vendors bring by piping hot tamales and fresh papaya every morning, and one can’t help but think, as juice drips from the chin, “I wonder what the rich are eating this morning?”, despite these and countless other manmade luxuries awaiting any and all who visit this giant desert-and-sea playground, Baja has a hard and fast “meant-to-be-experienced” rule. Although it’s written nowhere and left to each individual traveler to police on his or her own, it’s as true and important as the desert air we breathe: Baja is meant to be experienced off the grid.
It’s the beaches, arroyos, canyons, nooks and crannies that only hikers, paddlers, and the most enthusiastic 4WD’ers gain access to. It’s where, when your camp is pitched and your cooking fire is flickering and glowing on the beach, the pelicans and ravens do an actual double-take and maybe even circle back once as if to say, “I don’t remember that being a camp spot!” It’s where you’re finally, truly “disconnected” and you feel part of the rhythm of the wind, desert and sea. It’s something we felt almost daily on our kayak exploration of the entire coast back in 2000, (aka: C2C), but only just now have experienced on this road trip.
We’re camped for the 3rd day in an arroyo, where it meets the beach, north of Loreto and inland from Isla Coronado. During C2C, we’d camped for two nights on Coronado, tucking into one of its sandy bays and undoubtedly waiting out a strong north wind. Now, with experience and a much, much faster boat in the quiver, we each set the goal of sneaking through the wind out to the island, circling it to get a glimpse of its every inch of coast, and back to camp. In a sea kayak touring state of mind, we would likely budget 3 days of time and sustenance, weather permitting, for such a stunt. Now, as we laid the plan Sunday night for a Monday paddle, we aimed for 2.5 hours each.
Alas, the Sea of Cortez had another gift in mind: we woke early Monday to dark skies and a steady 15-knot north wind, building. Not even close to ideal for the circum-Coronado, but ideal indeed for some fist-in-the-air downwind surfing.
I went first, motoring upwind through increasingly bigger, warm, beautifully shaped swells. Three to four feet was standard with the occasionally 6-foot “rogue” gliding by. Upwind-ing is like riding a chairlift to the top of the biggest run on the mountain, (only sweatier), and after 35 minutes it was time to step off and start the descent.
Three of 4 swells would race by, moving too fast to catch while making the mouth water with their perfect, rip-roaring form. But the combination of speed and shape of that 4th swell would align perfectly and the ride was on. Paddling on the face of that type of swell would be like poling your way down a slope when you’re already in a tuck – best to just keep the paddle out of the way and enjoy the sensation! And once into it, with a little luck, trough after trough magically form beneath the hull and the ride continues on, smile growing wider by the second.
After an hour and a quick trade off of Hayden-for-surfski, it was Heather’s turn. My envy at the still-building wind-speed was only lessened by the fact that, due to our camp’s orientation, I could almost reach out and high-five Heather as she zipped by.
An hour and a thousand smiles later, we lashed down the boat and the rest of camp from the still building wind, and set off hiking for some church-like “ruins” we’d both seen from the water. An hour and a quarter later we arrived at what we learned was an attempt at a stone and concrete, dome-roofed restaurant some 20 or 30 years ago. Situated on a headland jutting out into the unchecked-from-the-north Sea, it gave us a full view of what the lee shore of Coronado would’ve had in store for us had we attempted circling it that day: white, white, whitewater as waves pounded its cliffs and refracted back onto themselves. Certainly entertaining paddling (during a race, with tons of other boats and even a handful of safety boats around), but not during an off-the-grid adventure like this.
Returning to camp for a feast of roasted sweet potatoes and chicken, we were awed one final time as the day’s storm clouds collaborated with the mountains to the west and the setting sun to create one of the most mystical sunsets in my memory: deep orange rays were projected like lasers toward our camp and beyond, framed by the leaden, coal colored clouds and the green-brown of the desert landscape before us. A typical “off the grid” day in Baja.
Tuesday dawned glassy and clear – the exact conditions we’d hoped for for the circum-Coronado exploration. Heather went first, disappearing from view in a quick 15 minutes as she aimed for the island’s south point. Out of view from Hayden and I, she paddled by sea lion-covered rock formations, below Bluefooted Booby resting ledges, beside trios of shark(?) fins lurking along, and through – even on this calm day – challenging, refracted, confused waves off that lee shore. She came back into binocular view still 3 miles from camp, as Hayden and I pointed and urged her in for a safe return and an early lunch.
The weather held for my following her wake exactly, including being shocked into attentiveness by those barking, belly-flopping sea lions on the east side. A light afternoon wind and low swell picked up where my energy tapered off, and carried me home to our campo en el arroyo.
Yes, the $6 a night palapa accommodation with hot tamales and papaya for breakfast has its allure and is a lifestyle we’ll return to in another week or so. But for now, off the grid Baja has won us over.

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Baja Road Trip Part IV: Ensenada Blanca

2009-01-04T08:21:00.000-08:00

Grandma, Grandpa, Brandon, Heather and Hayden Storm

We spent the past week in Ensenada Blanca where the company and paddling were both phenomenal! My parents are also traveling in Baja this winter. Ensenada Blanca, a favorite spot of theirs, was our chosen meeting place.

Grandma and Grandpa returning from a snorkeling adventure on one of the nearby islands.

And it looked great to us… long sandy beach to walk on, and Islas Danzante and Carmen lurking in the distance, beckoning us to paddle their way.
It was here that I had my favorite paddle of the trip so far!
I set off at 9AM for a circumnavigation of Isla Danzante. The day was still, the sun shining high in the sky as I pulled off the beach and waved goodbye to Hayden and Brandon. Before I left I had told Brandon I expected to be back from the 14-mile paddle in 2 ½ hours. He replied, “Give yourself three hours, you may run into someone you know.”

Heather (the dot between the cactuses) heading out to Danzante. Isla Danzante on the left, and Isla Carmen on the right.

With a shrug of my shoulders, I headed out. The 3-mile crossing from our beach to Danzante was a great warm-up. By the time I reached the island I was feeling strong… and a little giddy at the new adventure. The island is a mecca of hidden coves and sheer rock cliffs. When I wasn’t gazing at land, there seemed to be thousands of fish just below the surface and pelicans, seagulls, and osprey going about their business above the surface. The miles flew by.

Heather paddling

In what seemed like no time at all I was almost back at the southern tip where I had begun my circumnavigation. There was a group of about 6 paddlers just ahead of me, and I could see they were all taking turns Eskimo rolling their kayaks. I assumed they were cooling off.
As I got closer, I could also see they were surrounded by moving sections of turbulent, splashing water. One of the paddlers began to cruise over to me. “I saw your ski, had to see who you were,” she said. I asked her what the splashing was; she said it was 100’s of feeding mobula rays, and that they are totally friendly. After introducing ourselves… Ginni Callahan is a sea kayak guide and instructor on the Sea of Cortes by winter and the Oregon coast by summer… I paddled into the middle of one of the feeding frenzies. I was too afraid to take my feet out of my ski, so with my paddle in one hand and camera in the other, I tried to take pictures as the mantas flew under my boat, some bumping right into it at mach speed. The pictures didn’t come out, but it sure was fun!
As I sat mesmerized, another paddler from the group came over: Norm Nielson – a paddler we know from W.A.K.E (Whatcom Association of Kayak Enthusiasts) in Bellingham!
By the time I made it back to the beach I was bursting with tales from my paddle. And Brandon was right, I ended up taking the full three hours.

Heather returning from Isla Danzante

Brandon repeated the trip the next day and returned with stories of a school of flying fish being chased by a hungry, leaping barracuda!

Brandon heading out on a paddle

Hayden has also been getting in some quality time on the water. His favorite is when we tie a tow line on the bow of his kayak and run through the shallow waters as fast as we can! And, when the surf is just right… and 6 inches, he loves to ride the waves!

Hayden Storm out for a afternoon paddle

We are now in Loreto showering, shopping and regrouping… and deciding which way to go next….

Baja Sunrise

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Merry Christmas from Baja!!!

2008-12-23T12:47:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

from Bahia de Concepcion, Baja!

With much love,

Brandon, Heather and Hayden Storm

Baja Road Trip Part II

2008-12-22T12:58:00.000-08:00

Bahia De Concepcion

There is a moment in the course of every trip when you realize, regardless of time lapsed or distance traveled, that you have quite clearly “arrived.” It’s a feeling; an energy. And for Heather, Hayden and I, on this 2-month road trip in Baja, it occurred yesterday when we pulled into the south beach of Playa Coyote, in Bahia de Concepcion, on the Sea of Cortez. We had absolutely arrived.

The sand is white and clean; the water crystal blue. A single row of 10x10 palm-frond palapas line the water’s edge and welcome a mere handful of over-night campers to 6-month home-away-from-home “residents.” Staring out across the water, you see a series of wilderness islands with their own secluded, sandy beaches. Our beach is bordered by peninsulas to the north and south that create a “private” bay, and perhaps 10 miles distant is the peninsula that separates Bahia de Concepcion from the greater Sea of Cortez. It’s over that mountainous ridge that the impossibly beautiful sunrise electrifies the sky every morning.

Closer to shore, pelicans, cormorants, great egrets, terns and osprey harvest breakfast, lunch and dinner from the water – the Baja food chain. They expertly ride the warm desert wind, which when we arrived was blowing straight out of the north, pushing waves before it that wrapped invitingly right into our beach.

We made camp in the northernmost palapa, setting our quiver of boats in the sand, their bows not 8 feet from the water’s edge. With the tent pitched, kitchen assembled and sunscreen slathered, I grabbed the Surfski and paddled out for an exploratory of the nearest islands. Within 15 minutes I was cresting 4-foot, warm, blue waves, which I bounded through for another 20 minutes before making the turn. The reward was linking trough after trough as I surfed straight for our camp. Within 200 yards of the sand I was laughing like a kid as I held the paddle over my head for a series of 4 or 5 interconnected troughs that married into a 20-second ride. Pure Baja bliss.

Heather took her turn, doing two out-and-backs and catching equally good rides. Then Hayden took to his own kayak and, with a little push-start from Mama, surfed 1-foot waves from 15 feet out right up onto the sand. It was an epic session to celebrate his 10-month birthday. And although he can’t speak the words yet, the look on his face carried a message as clear as the Baja blue sky: “We have arrived!”

In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Baja Road Trip Part I

2008-12-17T13:47:00.000-08:00

It was eight years ago that Brandon and I loaded into our mustard yellow ’77 Westphalia pop-top and road-tripped our way through Baja for the first time. It was love at first sight. A year later, wanting to get to know every nook and cranny of the Sea of Cortez side of the Baja peninsula, we built wood sea kayaks and paddled the entire length of the coast. We have made a few short trips since then, but these have just whetted our appetites to re- immerse ourselves in the Baja magic once again.
This winter, with Hayden as our inspiration, we are back for two months of paddling, walking long sandy beaches, enjoying a little sun, and letting Hayden feel the energy of our favorite playground on earth!
So far, the trip has been adventure-filled… but not without hitches. To name a few:
1. Call the bank to tell them you are leaving the country BEFORE you leave… or they may cut off your access when you try to use your debit card for the first time.
2. Once in the country, get money at the first bank you get to (not at the town in which you plan to sleep and re-fuel – they might not take credit or debit cards – even if they haven’t been cut off!)
And 3. Start off the trip with more than $20 American.
To defend my obvious blunders: Imagine preparing and packing for a two-month trip while chasing around a highly energetic 9-month old, then, entertaining the same highly energetic little fella for a 1500-mile drive. Yes, it has indeed left my brain a little mushy.
Anyway, the adventuring has been phenomenal!
Day one we crossed the Mexico border in Tecate and headed south. About 6 hours later we stopped for the night into El Rosario. After a good night’s sleep, we belted up for an off-road drive for the hardy that would take us to the Pacific, and to Hayden’s first Baja beach! Brandon handled every bump, rut, and car-eating pothole like a champ and we arrived to a completely deserted mile-long stretch of sandy beach. Rocky points jutted out at each end like bookends. We walked to one end, then the other. Hayden was mesmerized by the waves crashing on shore and the water rising and falling on the beach. Suddenly the stress of packing, long days in the van, and things forgotten disappeared. For the next 2 months… this is it!
After a picnic lunch we headed to our favorite desert getaway in Baja, Catavina. Giant car and house size boulders seem to have landed here from nowhere. Stacks of these rocks combined with giant Cordon cacti, and what we fondly refer to as “Dr. Seuss Trees”, and left us drop-jawed taking it all in. We found a camp spot hidden amongst one of the giant rock piles, set up camp and spent the next few hours hiking between and over the geological wonders.
After a gorgeous, star-filled night in Catavina it was time to get to what we were here for: the Sea of Cortez. Our day’s destination: Bahia de Los Angeles. And a quick 100-mile drive would take us there!
Back in 2000, when we first paddled the Sea of Cortez, we arrived to the “Bay of LA” on water that was calm as glass, only to be pounded by winds for the next 5 days. The island-choked entry of the bay, combined with its steep surrounding mountain range make it as beautiful as it is dangerous. Mild winds have greeted us so far this trip, allowing Brandon and I to get out on training paddles in the surfski. But the highlight has been carrying Hayden’s little wood kayak down to the beach with its new ‘outrigger’ stabilizers Brandon rigged. All three of us laughed as he sat smiling in his little, and with a push gliding back and forth between Mama and Papa. He loved it! And later, when he sat in the sand looking out across the bay, pointing at the birds flying overhead and picking up rocks and shells at his feet, his smile said it all.
We plan to stay here, adventuring with Hayden, taking long walks on the beach and training on our surfski, for the next week.

In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure
Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Hayden Storm's 'Yin Yang' Birthday

2008-11-22T10:52:00.000-08:00

Hayden Storm's 9-Month 'Yin Yang' Birthday

and Video....

Friday was a very special day in Hayden Storm’s young life. It was, what we have named, his ‘Yin Yang’ birthday. 9 months in the warmth and comfort of the womb, and 9 months experiencing the world with wide-eyed wonder makes for a day of perfect symmetry worthy of celebration!
And celebrate is what we did. Papa stayed home from work for the day, grabbed the video camera and captured a typical day in the life of Hayden Storm. From shopping at Fred Meyer, going to the gym and doing laundry, to adventures with his mini kayak and a hike with Mama and Papa… Hayden has a zest for life that is contagious!
Enjoy the video… and if you are like me, you will get teary with what an amazing, ‘stoked-on-life’ little boy Hayden is.

To see Hayden's 9-month 'Yin Yang' Birthday Video Click here:

http://www.viddyou.com/viddstream?videoid=46872

If you don't have Adobe Flash Player, you can download it online for free.

http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/about/

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Double Dipper Day...

2008-09-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

Double Dipper Day....

It’s not very often two epic races are scheduled on the same day… and at times that allow us to get to the starting line for both of them! But that’s exactly what happened yesterday here in Bellingham, and it couldn’t have been more fun.

We started the day at the 2008 Lake Samish Salmon Roe – the biggest paddle and rowing race in the NW. Over 100 boats lined up for the 5.5-mile drag race around the perimeter of Bellingham’s Lake Samish. As Hayden played on the beach with babysitter Jessica and her 3 kids, Heather and I teamed up in the 2-person outrigger canoe class. We smoked through the course in a time off 45:27 taking the blue ribbon. Afterward, organizers Peter Marcus and the Howat family handed out piles of shwag and prizes and we all stuffed ourselves with fresh BBQ salmon, potatoes and salad – the perfect “recovery meal” before driving 15 minutes to the next event, the Bellingham Traverse.

The Traverse is the first race Heather and I did when we moved to Bellingham in ’03, and its organizer Todd Elsworth is the first person we met in Bellingham. It’s been a symbolic event for us that we always enjoy, and it brings out the most fun-loving and dedicated athletes from this area and beyond.

Heather teamed up with her Ski to Sea women’s team, Team Kulshan Cycles, and throughout the 4-mile paddling leg was able to pick up 3 spots. The Kulshan ladies walked away with that race’s blue ribbon, too, finishing 5th overall.

I had teamed with a Realtor buddy of mine, Tyler Byrnes, his wife Jenna, & their friends Anna and Jeremy. Racing as team “Ed Zachary” (don’t ask), we laughed our way to a middle of the pack finish with more interest in the beer garden than the podium. The highlight for me was running the last 100 yards to the finish line with Hayden on my shoulders giggling and squealing as we bounced along.

It dawned on me about halfway through the Lake Samish race, as Heather and I cranked out the strokes, that there is no other way of life I’d rather see Hayden growing up around. The people of racing, the places, the fitness, the energy and athleticism, and more and more the number of kids we see at all the races… it’s almost unimaginably good. Whether Hayden decides if it’s for him later in life remains to be seen. But as he grows up, he’ll do so seeing mom and dad in an element that brings extraordinary happiness, healthfulness and pride, and a true love for the area we call “Home!”

~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~

Heather, Brandon and Hayden Storm