Everything was planned, orgainized and confirmed. All weather reports presented the opportunity I needed as it was a big one. The biggest two day paddle adventure I have done to date. Between 105-110k. 50k or thereabouts per day.
The idea was to not only circumnavigate Goat Island on Powell Lake but to go bottom to top then back again while going around the island and, saying hi to the missus and friends on a friends house on the lake.
Well, human ingenuity and forecasting failed me. As soon as I took off from the beach at the Shingle Mill I could feel the wind increasing and starting to push me along. By the time I got to Cassiar Island I was flying.
I flew all the way down the south shores of Goat Island. Past Fiddle Head Point and the west most point of Goat Island. After catching some glides that had me step way back on my fully loaded board I made my way north.
After the short distance that was crossing the east side of Goat I decided it was too early to head in so I headed up further. And further. Finally come to the islands I thought were habitable for hammocks were not. It was getting late and I had to set up and get to bed so, I slung my hammock up in the old post frame of a shack the loggers must have used when it was crappy weather. It was 5 inch diameter posts that were framed simply. The only roof or walls left were remanants o tyvek and tarp. Bits in corners that hadnt rotted away like the other 95%.
The small group of trees behind me braced me from the onslaught of wind that buffeted me till 4 am. Which concerned me greatly because I knew I had to travel in the direction of where the wind was blowing from. Upwind. Most athletes least favourite hindrance.
I slammed a little taco I made and one beer and hit the hay!
I awoke to calm winds! I hurried myself to strike the site and get it on. I knew it would be a long day! Friday was 54.37k and my calculations had me pegged at at least 50k home, but, mostly upwind, fully kitted board. I didnt drink hardly any of the beer I brought so I had some extra dead weight that was really unneeded.
The first 15k were good, actually nice. Though I was weary and apprehensive. The wind let fought me many times before. This could be 30k head on and I knew it.
Sure enough going around the top of Goat Island the wind came at me, hard. Really hard. For a paddle boarder to look at their gps and it read 1.3k then you know you are in a losing battle that will fatigue you and beat you. I did about a k of it before I saw the task ahead and that I would not have relief from the winds furry for at least 3k.
I choose to go on my knees and quicken up my stroke rate. It feels cool to paddle that fast unfortunately this time was out of need and there was no humour in the air. All bizness.
Even when I got to north side of the island the wind still hit me hard and kept my pace slower than. I put my head down and went on. Travelling slowly down the north shores of Goat Island and heading by Olsens Landing which, is where was near to where I was supposed to go. But, there was no way I would cross that water and then take a break and then start up again not knowing if the wind would die down.
I kept going. I passed the house and waved silently to no seeing friend. I sighed and plugged on. Passing the area and moving more south I got hit with constant wind in the upper twenty and low thirtys.
It was a slog to say the least. I got a bit of respite from the bays most northerly bits as I looked further for more of them before I had to head down the channel between Island and mainland. The narrowest section.
After crossing the most north west point I decided to cross the water and try to get a bit of protection from the shore of the west side as I made a break for Cassiar. It was tough going across and up through the channel. The waves and wind were testing me. My gps died at 18k and I was easly double that and then I had at least another 10k more down the main body of Powell Lake.
The wind and waves were holding me up against the ropes but I pushed on as they made my board dance in the chaotic conditions. Finally passing the shores of the west coast and making my way had me fight arguably the worst conditions. The wind stayed the same nasty intensity but the waves had more power and were a little bigger.
I fought on. I had to get home and I was withing a distant eyesight of home. Roughly 15k. I passed the widest section and tried my best to hug bays but all the deflections made that gruelling as well. I reached Cassiar Island and the hope was real. So was the wind and waves. I tried my best and pushed on. Head down and bent too it.
Finally with approximately 5k as I was getting seriously depleted I called out and said, Come on now, can I get a bit of a break please? And within a short matter of time the winds died and the waves lost their intensity. I still hugged the shore from less consistent gusts. I plugged on and happy.
I finally got to the beach at 9:40pm. I left at 7:20am so that made it 12.5hrs of paddling. The distance when I went home and calculated it as well as I could was 51k which would make the whole trip 105k. It was a total of 21 hours of paddling and roughly 16000 calories and 63000 paddle strokes. Probably a bit more with that section on my knees.
I am very proud to have made that successfully and relatively safe.
Awesome.
#sup, #standuppaddleboarding, #suptouring, @Fanaticsup, @fanaticnorthamerica, #ryderseyewear, @sotooutdoors, @thesouthsidediner, #lookpal,
