The Crossing

The big paddle, Pender to Friday Harbour. Left Beaumont Park at 0900, arrived Stuart Island, Charles Point at 1015.

Felt like I was maintaining a good clip though I took time for rests. Took me an hour and fifteen, distance was 6 nautical miles, according to my scratch that's a 4.8 knot average speed. Ducked inside Satellite Island for some peaceful paddling and to get out of the 10 knot southerlies for awhile. Wind waves, two to three feet coming across Boundary Pass. no freighters to dodge this time 'round - whoosh. Slipped through Johns Pass to find myself being pounded by four to six foot wind waves roaring in from the south - Haro Strait. Lots of fetch and winds in the 25 knot range. Persephone handled them with grace, her bow punching into waves and then coming up and then gently lifting up and riding over. Very smooth ride these SOF's. I'll have to admit that there were a few sphincter tightening moments, but they were mine not the kayaks. Once I loosened up and tried to relax things went much easier. Rolling with the punches is easier than taking them face on. As I got close to Speiden, and out of the wind a bit in it's lee, I changed my direction and rode those beautiful big refracting waves all the way down New Channel. WoooooHoooooo!!!!!!





The crossing from Green Point to Limestone Point on San Juan was uneventful - thankfully. Heading across Rocky Bay was a bit of a slog, calm enough with Point Caution in the visible distance UNTIL the wind turned and I was now fighting a 25+ knot South Easterly headwind, I've a suspicion it reached 30 knots a few times as I was paddling and barely moving. I could feel the force on my paddle so I was forced to slip into a low angle 'Freya stroke'. Three foot, short period, cresting wind waves against the current... I was forced shoreward, taking these things on the side for an uncomfortably long time. Found a little Bay to hide in and rest before continuing onwards. My legs were aching for a stretch by this point but no landees on US soil before clearing customs. Did the coastline crawl, taking shelter where I could get it until I came up on Point Caution and the wind mercifully dropped, so that I could round it and cruise into Friday Harbour in peace.



It took me just shy of two hours to clear customs. Brutal. I don't think they believed I paddled there from Canada in one day, they definitely didn't like that I was a farmer and kayak instructor, they hated the fact that I could give them no fixed itinerary. I stood there in my Tuilik, dripping on their office floor, cold, wet, exhausted, weak-legged and off balance, while I answered questions questions and more questions. I walked out the door, went back down to the docks, changed out of my wet gear, knelt down, hung my head over the sea and vomited... I was done. I tried sleeping by my kayak for a few hours but the bitter wind kept picking up and my hands and toes were needling me so I broke down and went to find a hostel dorm-room for the night. Wayfarer's Rest in Friday Harbour. Nice place and affordable. Today is a rest and recuperation day - catching up on email, the LBSB blog and eating.



Ciao!

~d