An Apology to a Couple of Santa Cruz Paddlers

OC1 Driver

I need to make an apology to a couple of well meaning paddlers from Santa Cruz.
Right after I trashed my Vantage this weekend at Kalapaki Beach on Kauai, I was approached by a couple on vacation here that witnessed my act of stupidity.
We chatted for a few minutes about what happened and they mentioned they were fellow paddlers from Santa Cruz. I have to apologize to them. I realized the next day that I was a total ass to them. They just wanted to say â€˜Hiâ€™ and see if there was anything they could help with. I on the other hand just wanted to take my severely damaged boat, smash it into pieces small enough to fit into a trash can and swear off paddling for ever.
If any paddlers in the Santa Cruz area read this and know the couple here on vacation that I treated rudely, please tell them I apologize and that Iâ€™ll be in California for the next two weeks. So, if they would like to meet and tell me how big of an ass I was, I guess I have it coming.

Submitted by OC1 Driver on Sun, 05/04/2008 - 8:20pm

kdkoors

Joe,
What happened in Kalapaki? I know how it feels to destroy a boat.
Ken

#1 Sun, 05/04/2008 - 11:13pm

OC1 Driver

I was trying to get in the water with my boat between waves and just as I was about to hop onto the seat on a wave popped up, pushed my boat sideways and broke on top of it and me. It drove the ama into the sand and folded the back i'ako in half.
The boat has several hull cracks but the ama may be trashed. I posted some pictures with my other OCPaddler entery.

#2 Mon, 05/05/2008 - 6:58am

OC1 Driver

This subject got moved off the main OC web page without a reply from anyone in the Santa Cruz paddling community.
I though I'd resurrect this topic in hopes some one from Santa Cruz reads it and passes it on.
Joe
Lihue, Kauai
www.vrataric.com

#3 Tue, 05/13/2008 - 5:26pm

phgadd

You might try sending an email directly to the outrigger club in Santa Cruz. The url below should give you contact info.
http://www.akauhana.org/

#4 Wed, 05/14/2008 - 5:13am

[email protected]

Aloha OC1 Driver,
I paddle in Santa Cruz with Akau Hana OCC and saw your message. I sent it on to the club, I know some of our members were in Hawaii recently and I am sure they will appreciate your post. Sorry to hear of your canoe damage...bummer.
Mahalo for your amends!
S Ashley

#5 Thu, 03/19/2009 - 3:48pm

OC1 Driver

Sashley,
Thanks. I still get sick when I think about that bad, bad, bad day. But, I did learn how to fix a carbon fiber boat. Then I sold it.
OC1 Driver

#6 Thu, 03/19/2009 - 8:17pm

mooneytoons

Yo, Joe!!!
It was us! It was us! Joanie Rippe & Mark Mooney from Santa Cruz. Yep, we'll never forget it either! It was painful to watch a boat crack up.
We're members of Akau Hana in Santa Cruz, and a fellow member did forward your post to the entire club, so we got found.
No apologies necessary, really. We were as horrified as you were at the condition of the boat (and it wasn't even a big wave, it was just the perfect storm of circumstances) and we just thought that misery might use a little company.
I'm a part-timer in Kauai, with a home in the Wailua Homesteads. So next time you're in Santa Cruz look us up and if you can give me your contact info, we'll do the same next time we're on Kauai. We plan on being there for the Kauai Music Festival at the end of July.
Aloha nui loa,
Joanie

#7 Sat, 03/21/2009 - 7:19pm

OC1 Driver

Good to hear there were no hard feelings, Joanie.
I no longer live on Kauai. I fixed the boat and sold it. That was a sad day also. I moved to Southern California, so now it's back to mountain biking.
OC1 Driver

#8 Sun, 03/22/2009 - 12:16pm