The Sunday Paddles: Into The Wind

Another Sunday with a strong wind warning. I had been in Sydney and was glad to come back to a good southerly blow both to clear and cool the air - it was hot in Sydney - and because paddling into the wind is such good training. There were only three of us, that is expected on a day of strong winds, so we left the beach right on time at 8.30 am and started plugging south.

Well, Doug and I plugged, Nick sped along like a collie rounding sheep. He had not paddled for a couple of weeks and was feeling well rested and sprightly. I am never really rested because I train year round, week in, week out, every day of the week. Sometimes I think Nick has this idea that when we are not paddling we are laying back in our chaise lounges resting. I simply cannot do rest. I go snaky within a day of not getting out and doing something. So, most days, I have some festering low grade fatigue, which at some point, if all goes according to plan, will result in super-compensation.

At Jimmies Island we paddled through the inside passage, sneaking out between waves, and then slid into Guerilla Bay through a slot between the little islet and the bluffs at the north end of the beach. To avoid people, we landed through a narrow passage between rocks on the little islet. A good training mission so far into a steady 15 knot headwind and a fairly well developed sea. All the way down Nick had been saying "This is going to be fantastic going back if the wind keeps up."

After a quick break, we headed over to the north side of Burrewarra Point and poked along the gauntlets and caves there. I have paddled past this point dozens of times and yet we still found a new feature, a really cool arch through rock that you could actually paddle right through. Past that, we paddled a few more gauntlets and passed some fur seals lying on rocks and resting in the sea. I think the population of seals must be increasing as they seem to be spreading further up and down the coast.

Then out into the heaving seas at Burrewarra Point and finally turning downwind for the run back. Doug and I were struggling a bit to get on the waves. The sea was pretty lumpy and the runners not that clean, plus, it was very easterly conditions so it was a bit beam on most of the time. Still, I think we got back from Burrewarra Point to our home bay - a distance of about 12 kilometres - in 1:15. Speed is not over-rated.