Bridge and Island Program: Coast Guard Island
On Saturday, February 24, ten Ohana members braved temperatures that dropped to 70 degrees and glass-like water to complete the first of Coach Mike's Bridge and Island Program: Coast Guard Island edition. We departed from Grand Street Marina and paddled counterclockwise around Coast Guard Island, encountering almost no wind and several crew teams and dragon boats along the three-mile trip.
Coach Mike also showed us a soon-to-be finished public dock. This inlet is just a bit south of the Grand Street Marina launch ramp and on the same side.
To access this inlet we got to go under another bridge so we had a bonus bridge on this trip!
The Bay Area Bridge and Island Program (B & I) is the brainchild of Coach Mike, and was inspired by his own trip under and around every bridge and island in the entire Bay Area (https://www.mikespaddle.com/blogs/paddling-bridges-and-islands-of-san-francisco-bay/bridges-and-islands). Coast Guard Island was the inaugural trip in the B & I Program, and the conditions were ideal. Here's hoping that this is a good luck charm that follows all subsequent trips! Paddlers who complete each B & I segment will receive a sticker to mark the auspicious occasion. Fill up your board with B & I stickers of glory! The next trip is on March 16 - Treasure and Yerba Buena Island. See below for other dates (and more will be coming; it could take up to two years to complete them all!).
What Did You Find on the Water?
The sunshine brought all the folk (human or otherwise) to the yard! Seals! Crew folk, in groups of 4 and 8! The estuary was a free for all for sun-loving creatures with multiple methods of getting across water!
Other Ohana Events
- Escape From San Francisco
Tentatively planned for Saturday, March 16, keep an eye out for another Escape from San Francisco trip. Escape leaves from the city and arrives back to Mike's all safe and sound. Stay tuned for further details (and check TeamSnap for updates).
- The Return of Fitness and Race League!
The Ohana FRL offers a series of fun training paddles to work on skills and fitness. To elevate all members that attend, we try to stick together as a large group, but sometimes split off into different groups for different skills, paces or to have sessions with a visiting coach. All levels are welcome, but highly recommend taking the Level Up Clinics if you are a newer paddler.
Tuesday Evenings from 5:30pm to 7:00pm (arrival time: 5:00pm) - Mike’s Dock. Please sign up on TeamSnap. First 2024 meeting is April 23.
Sunday Mornings - See upcoming events below or Ohana Paddle Club calendar events for dates and locations. Please sign up on TeamSnap.