OK ESN:0-7376388

SPOT check in. Everything's OK and here is my location:
ESN:0-7376388
Latitude:49.2603
Longitude:-126.1334
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:07/30/2009 16:15:26 (US/Pacific)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=49.2603,-126.1334&ll=49.2603,-126.1334&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

OK ESN:0-7376388

SPOT check in. Everything's OK and here is my location:
ESN:0-7376388
Latitude:49.3519
Longitude:-126.2415
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:07/30/2009 06:31:25 (US/Pacific)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=49.3519,-126.2415&ll=49.3519,-126.2415&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

OK ESN:0-7376388

SPOT check in. Everything's OK and here is my location:
ESN:0-7376388
Latitude:49.3175
Longitude:-126.0781
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:07/28/2009 17:06:42 (US/Pacific)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=49.3175,-126.0781&ll=49.3175,-126.0781&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

San Juans

On Thursday I paddled through the Tacoma Narrows at max flood around 5 knots, on Friday I hit Deception Pass (video below) topping out around 7 knots, and today I rounded Cypress Island, riding a 3 knot current on the backside. It's nice letting the water do the work for you - something we don't get that much of down in California. Pictures here.

It has also bee great to see and paddle with old and new friends and get to paddle. In Tacoma I met up with my old friend Gary who ran the UCLA kayak program which is where I learned to paddle. When he moved away several years ago he left the job to me - a significant step in my paddling career.

I'm afraid that the video from Deception Pass is low quality since I don't have access to high speed uploads at the moment...

OK ESN:0-7376388

SPOT check in. Everything's OK and here is my location:
ESN:0-7376388
Latitude:48.5779
Longitude:-122.7396
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:07/26/2009 10:12:25 (US/Pacific)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=48.5779,-122.7396&ll=48.5779,-122.7396&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

OK ESN:0-7376388

SPOT check in. Everything's OK and here is my location. 3
ESN:0-7376388
Latitude:47.3127
Longitude:-122.5287
Nearest Location:not known
Distance:not known
Time:07/24/2009 11:52:09 (US/Pacific)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=47.3127,-122.5287&ll=47.3127,-122.5287&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Let the paddling begin!

I've mostly been on the road driving the past few days (including going past my favorite lonely mountain to the right) but I have now reached Washington and will be paddling here in the area through the weekend. I'm staying with an old friend who was one of my first kayak instructors - he use to run UCLA's kayak program before leaving that job to me when he moved to Tacoma. We plan to paddle the Tacoma narrows today, Deception Pass tomorrow and then a day or two in the San Juans. Good practice dealing with currents and navigating on the fly.

On the way up I stopped in Oregon to visit Brian Schulz of Cape Falcon Kayaks. He teaches workshops in building skin on frame boats including his own designs. He took me out surfing and let me try his latest design - a hybrid boat with a pointy sea kayak bow and the flat tail of a surf boat. The waves weren't great but the boat sure was fast once you got on one. The whole Oregon coast is an incredibly beautiful and rugged place, but hard to find a convenient launch spot.

Then on my way through Portland I got to stop and talk with my friend Dave at Alder Creek Kayak. He paddled out of Prince Rupert, BC a few weeks ago and was full of useful information. Always good to get some beta that makes it sound like your plans might not be too crazy after all.

Hopefully I'll have more paddling pics to post in the next day or two, but here are some shots from the road.