I want to paddle my OC-1 from catalina to redondo and I have a few quick questions.
1) Is it correct that catalina to redondo is generally the easier direction to go?? I will need all the help I can get.
2) In terms of training and considering the relative flatness of southern cal during much of the year, can you say that 20 miles of paddling along the coast would confirm a level of fitness to make a run or is it a different animal crossing the channel?
I paddled for a two hour stretch this week without any hydration or gels. I felt pretty good other than my left hip hurting from my "huli phobia" causing me to lean left. I am going to get a camelbalk "flashflo" and rig up a collar to put the bit valve near my mouth and do some hammer gel every 50 mintues and I think (other than my hip) I will be good for 3 hours. Of course for all I know I may be going 4 miles an hour, LOL.
I am not going to go unless I am over prepared so it will be several months but I like to have my goals clear in my head with as many details as I can get.
Thanks for advice!
Submitted by Shawn Michael on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 1:23am
Eat and drink more.
#1 Sat, 02/23/2008 - 11:19am
Seriously, drink constantly. Just a bit every 15 minutes or so. And for the time and distance you're talking about, calorie intake every 15-20. Practice eating and drinking like you will for the actual event.
#2 Sat, 02/23/2008 - 11:35am
shawn,
curious what your motivation is for this course? is it:
1) you want to paddle from catalina to the mainland, might as well be as close to home as possible.?
2) a challenge, conditions be damned?
3) since the big paddleboard race is to manhattan beach, this course must make sense?
4) Palos Verdes has beautiful scenery and you want to see it coming from catalina?
5) You're waiting for epic unseasonal S. winds from a storm system that you're tracking.
6) You want to coincide with the grey whale migration and you're sure to spot them with this course
otherwise, the course is not that attractive. AT ALL. but that's just my opinion... if you want to paddle from catalina, you can do the catalina challenge to dana point (40 miles) in april, which at least has the possiblity of some prevailing west winds to get some bumps. of course you can do it on your own with your own course... just keep in mind that the prevailing winds are from the west, and depending where on catalina you launch from, it'll most likely be most logical to head towards somewhere behind the orange curtain.
if you have flexibility, you can wait for some storm systems to kick up some south winds and pull the trigger on short notice and do the course to redondo- that would be pretty sick in fact- i'd hitch a ride over with in that case.
you're doing the work so you can go anywhere you desire, but you asked for advice... good luck
#3 Sat, 02/23/2008 - 12:30pm
I just had that as a goal stuck in my head, for no other reason than it being there. I look at the island every day driving to work.
I was talking to some paddleboard guys who said it is easier to come back than to go out.
40 miles sounds way too far but in terms of the effort, I do not have an understanding of the currents etc.
If there is a better route I am open to it, and any advice about a course.
I was curious to ask persons who have made the crossing if the frist built up similar milage along the coast and then went for it.
Thanks!
#4 Sat, 02/23/2008 - 3:16pm
I was under the (maybe mistaken) impression that this would be a roughly 5 hours trip, but I might be way off...I seem to pace myself to joggers on the strand pretty well but I dont know what I will turn into in the last hours.
#5 Sat, 02/23/2008 - 3:26pm
I definitely wouldn't recommend crossing the channel without an escort boat. Snap a cable, pull a muscle, pop a seam....all reasons for being on the 5 o'clock news as a "missing kayaker." If you get in trouble alone in the channel, its going to be life-threatening, especially in the winter.
Cross with an organized race, or as I mentioned above, at least with a support boat.
#6 Sat, 02/23/2008 - 5:48pm
You could have entered 3 races today at the lanakila klassic in Redondo Beach .
$15 with food.
Mini as in +- 1 mile
short as in 4-5 miles
and +- 10 miles for the long course.
No guess work, safety boats, you name it. Sanctioned race, great workout (training, if you will)
Go to the community that races and you will be better off. You'll see what it's all about. Make some effort.
Right now you look to me like a blind man who doesn't want to see, because it's easier to ask others to see for you.
#7 Sat, 02/23/2008 - 6:50pm
I dont understand what my question about a goal of crossing the channel has to do with lack of effort or "not wanting to see"
I have to work today. My unusual schedual locks me out of a lot of normally schedualed events. I would have liked to come down.
#8 Sat, 02/23/2008 - 8:26pm
My inlaws are very involved in the Long Beach rowing program and I have been aquainted with Angela Madsen, a wheelchair user who just rowed the Atlantic so I have been feeling inspired as of late :)
#9 Sat, 02/23/2008 - 8:02pm
I will get saftey set up, I just like to have things clean in my mind in advance.
Thanks for your help
#10 Sat, 02/23/2008 - 8:05pm
Some friendly words of encouragement from the SoCal paddling community! Nah, nah, nah-I think your question has generated this response because these experienced paddlers know how difficult and dangerous such a crossing could be. Most people paddle for many years to build up the muscle memory necessary for your endeavor. That doesn't mean it's impossible for a novice, though. Kai Bartlett used to solo the Hoe course in his first few years of paddling, but he's not exactly your typical beginner, He'd already been building the muscle groups w/ many years of surfing, and a couple years of paddling. Give it some thought, try a few 6 hr. plus runs along the coast, and you'll find out if you really want to do something like that. Guys up here in the marathon community compete in races of 60 miles plus in one day, so it's not like it's imposssible. It just takes alot of practice.
#11 Sun, 02/24/2008 - 5:15am
I'm not saying I will be able to do it this year or even the next but I like to write year goals down so I can figure it out and break down a plan. I was under the mistaken idea that it was 27 miles (maybe from the tip of palos verdes) and did 14 miles so I wanted to get a plan in mind.
My Dad is pretty sick and he wanted to follow me with his friend in a powerboat so I want to try it while he is around.
#12 Sun, 02/24/2008 - 11:17am
I meant no discouragement by suggesting an escort boat...I respect your goals and creative thinking. If you have an escort boat, go for it. However, from experience, I've never had a stellar Catalina crossing - 6-man or 1-man. It's always been a grind - few bumps, side wind, washing machine chop, etc. It's not a run for fun.
But its do-able with the right training. Laird Hamilton did it solo two years ago on a stand-up paddleboard (Catalina to Dana Point...41 miles) It took him about 8 hours I think.
If you want a long run that's fun, drive your boat up the coast, catch a northwest wind and ride it down...you can go for days. Plus you're never more than a few miles offshore.
#13 Sun, 02/24/2008 - 11:50am
speaking of missing kayakers....
couple of our guys were doing a run and got some people excited.
http://cbs2.com/video/?id=31080@kcbs.dayport.com
#14 Sun, 02/24/2008 - 12:20pm
Was that painteur's red Kaimana? Looking solid, guys.
#15 Sun, 02/24/2008 - 12:25pm
Does look like his red and yellow. Damn kayakers. And if its not kayakers, its those rowers.
#16 Sun, 02/24/2008 - 3:10pm
nice...i got on the news for paddling once too, same day the coast guard rescued 16 rowers who swamped their eights (the big crew boats) inside the harbor.
one of those super windy days and nbc is cutting to shots of signs and trees blown over etc. after the announcer gives the brilliant advice of don't go outside in this weather the news cuts to a shot of us paddling out of newport harbor.
#17 Sun, 02/24/2008 - 3:18pm
nah, this was last year.. todd smith and sheriff
#18 Sun, 02/24/2008 - 5:23pm
That's a bad mamma jamma video dacho...outiggering outlaws!
#19 Sun, 02/24/2008 - 6:44pm
Working at the PV Marathon you talk to so many formerly out of shape middle age sacks of sh#t who couldnt jog across a football field who decided that running a marathon was on the "bucket list" and by god a year and a half later they limp aross the line after five hours. There are a dozens of groups for such folks and training calculators down to the final taper. It start with an idea, even a stupid one. Catalina to land is a concrete destination.
A lap around the inside of Naples "island" is 4040meters per the long beach rowing association so roughly 2.5 miles. So at least I can have some idea of speed and milage and I am slow as hell...29 minutes per lap if I average the 4 or 5 laps I do. Looks like at the santa barbara return to the pier 9.5 mile course winners are finishing in 1:07!!
But I love it. Even the slow monotony of going around in circles I love being out there.
#20 Sun, 02/24/2008 - 7:58pm
You paddling around Balboa Island in Newport?
#21 Sun, 02/24/2008 - 7:29pm
Sorry, I meant Naples island in long beach....DUH. I will fix it in my post.
#22 Sun, 02/24/2008 - 7:58pm