Watertribe North Carolina Pamlico Challenge

Friday at 0700 is the start of the Latest Watertibe race. I am packed and ready. This year is the first time for a 300 mile race in North Carolina. The winds are not looking good.

I have added some double dodger protection that also doubles as my on the water sleeping tent.

 I cut up a old tent and re-sewed it into cockpit shelter.

EC Practice to Thimble Shoal Light

With the Watertribe Everglades Challenge getting near I went out today to put on some practice miles. The weather was warm with very little wind.

My destination was the Thimble Shoals Light House. The total distance was 26nM.

Fishing Rudee Inlet

Last weekend I did some fishing with Cory Routh of Ruthless Outdoor Adventures.

It has been several years since I have taken any time to fish. I must make some effort to get back to this fun activity.

Rappahannock River Trip Pictures

This weekend did the Rappahannock River from Fredericksburg to Urbanna, Virginia. It was a slow painful trip. Both the wind and currents were agains us. The southeast wind were funneled along the long ridges straight into out face. Average speed was 2 knots. The scenery was spectacular.

North Carolina Challenge Video

I have completed the video for the Watertribe NCC:

Rappahannock River Trip Coming Up

October 12th I will be doing the Rappahannock River and lower Chesapeake with couple of Watertribers. We will start in Fredericksburg and run down to Grand View Island. I will have my SPOT on.

Some more NCC Pictures

Watertribe NCC Practice Time

22 days until the start of the Watertribe North Carolina Challenge. This weekend I will do a practice run with several North Carolina Kayakers. Starting in Oriental we will cross the Neuse River and enter the Harlowe Canal. I am not sure what way we will continue but the final destination is Shackleford Island. Total distance only 30 miles. You can follow my progress on my SPOT or the Watertribe Mapper Page. 

Bucket List: West Neck Creek

As I approach the Double Nickel (55) this year I think about all the things that I always wanted to do and have never done.
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When a fellow Watertriber Eric, e-mailed me about doing at least a part of his round Norfolk/VA Beach loop with him I declined due to work. Approaching lunch time I checked on his progress. Work was slower than expected. Meetings got canceled due to the three day weekend coming up. "What am I doing here that can't be done later". I decided on the spot to take off and meet Eric as he would pass the Princess Anne Boat Ramp. The West Neck Creek to the Lynnhaven River has been on my to do list for years now. It has been traversed only by a few people. This one a chance that I could not pass up.

One hour to get home, load a kayak and get to the ramp. From past experience I knew that the West Neck Creek had a lot of submerged logs and weeds. A Hobie AI would tear up a Mirage Drive in these conditions. I took my wife's kayak because it was the easiest to grab and go.

I arrived at the ramp at 12:30. No Eric? The SPOT page does not pull up well on my i-Phone. You can not zoom in. I did not know if he had past or still not arrived. Looking at the green leaf matter floating on the Creek I determined that it had not been disturbed by any passing boats. I decided to  back track down the creek.

The creek was relatively clear for the first half mile from the bridge. The current was running up stream against me. I came up to a patch of clogged creek. The weeds started overtaking the area due to a number of logs that had dammed up the section. It took some energy to get through about quarter mile of weeds, logs and downed trees. Most of the smaller logs you can run over. I had to use a lot of hip motion to move the boat forward. When I got past the obstruction I still could not see any signs of Eric. I pulled over to the shore, or what could be considered a shore in the middle of a marsh.

While playing with my i-Phone, trying to figure out where Erick is, he suddenly came out of nowhere coming up the creek. He was glad to see me. Apparently the reason for his delay was that he came up on to the same obstruction earlier and thought that he was in the wrong channel. He had turned around only to find no other passage.

Together we crossed the barrier heading back up stream toward the Lynnhaven River...

SPOT Adventure around VA Beach

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0CvbfFdC5PWziytb9sP4S4FkuSMSWPhZL

A Watertriber WaitForTheWestWind is doing a 60 mile loop around Virginia Beach and Norfolk. Overgrown canals to come. This one is on my Bucket List. I am thinking of bailing out of work early and joining him...

Photo Shoot on the Lynnhaven

Local photographer, Steve Earley asked Chris and me to take some picture on the Lynnhaven River for a magazine article that he is doing. Steve has a very nice Blog of his own, "The Log of Spartina" The morning started very early to catch the colors of the dawn. I brought my Tandem Island and my wife, Ruth. The weather was great and we all had fun. I have not seen the results...

Grand View Round Island Race

The weather has been hot, close to a hundred degrees each day. During the Round island race there was very little wind. The Sunfish sailors suffered and only four finished.

GVI To Mockhorn Video

It has taken me some tome to publish the first video of the GVI to Mockhorn trip. Attached is the first part to Mockhorn Island.

GVI To Mockhorn Island

This past weekend there were three boats that left Grand View Island, in Hampton VA and sailed across the Chesapeake Bay to the Eastern Shore and a barrier island called Mockhorn. Sailed might not be the correct term since it was very calm and hot. There were three Hobie Adventure Islands, a Triac Sailing Kayak and a Prindle 18 Catamaran. In these light conditions the auxiliary power kayaks kept up with the big cat.

Two members were from Watartribe, the rest were practicing for the next North Carolina NCC event.

A Video Adventure will follow...

Back Bay Nor'easter

This weekend the winds were blowing much too strong from the North East. The Chesapeake waves were 4-6 feet. We decided to seek the more sheltered Back Bay, on the border of Virginia and North Carolina. This area has different challenges: shallow, choked with oriental invasive weed, with plenty of poisonous Water Mocassins.

Sailing on Grand View Island

This weekend I went to Grand View Island to sail with some Sunfish sailors. We ran a couple of courses in windy conditions. The bay water temperatures are starting to come up.

2012 EC - A Hobie Adventure Island Race

The #3, #4 and #8 boats to finish the Watertribe Everglades Challenge were all Hobie Adventure Islands. Tells something about the capability of this design...

Virgin Sail with SEABOWZ

 Seabowz, a new Hobie AI owner took his brand new AI for her maiden voyage this weekend. I accompanied him to document  and help him settle into his new boat. It is good to have another Island Sailor in the area. He is already talking about Watertribe. Looks like a double hit...

http://youtu.be/i0ORqgILPvE

Watertribe Everglades Challenge Damage List

1) Garmin Colorado GPS: Thumb Wheel circuit board shorted out. Unusable;
2) Garmin GPSMam 78 SC: Water got into the Battery Compartment, Dead;
3) Sanyo VPC-CA9 Video Camera: Lost in Chokoloskee Mud;
4) Mirage Drive: Bent Rods & V2 Drums worn on shaft causing Pedal wobble;
5) Sail Tell Tails: deformed into spirals from the high winds;
6) Main Hull: White plug in front of Mirage well torn off. What is the purpose of the Plug??? Bottom Oyster scratches;

7) Left Click and Go Assembly spring broke: This was a pain because drive kept on popping and jamming;
8) Mirage Cassette Plug: Lost at sea when broken Click & Go launched it over the side;