A Paddle Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Paddling
Sit back and enjoy your visits from the Ghosts of Paddles Past, Present and Future to remind you to Paddle Ya Ass!
Ghost of Paddles Past
Coach Jen Fuller led an enthusiastic group of 16 OPC members for a weekend Race and Fitness League on Saturday, May 11. Coach Jen had everyone start out doing strokes on their knees (for those with cooperative knees) to get a feel of how they push the board as they paddle, and then transferred that sense of pushing when they stood up. In small groups, they also did a series of 20- and 30-second sprints. Once everyone caught their breath, Coach Jen then led them past the wave attenuators and had folk pair up and throw plastic balls to each other in a drill that turned into a fun melee. They ended the day with a leisurely paddle around the island.
Sausalito Paddle and Par-tay
Summoned across the bay, Ohana Paddle Club took a field trip to check out OG Sea Trek in its ancestral homeland in Sausalito on Sunday, May 19. After skirting some sleeping seals, 14 Ohana members along with trip leaders Jo Kwas and Annie explored Richardson Bay by SUP and kayak. They paddled to the Trident Restaurant and back, about 3.5 miles in total, made more challenging by the windy and choppy conditions.
After SUPing, everyone joined together to sup on oh-so-tasty food brought all the way across the bay.
Some local Sea Trek folk also joined the gathering for a bit to add to the festive nature of the day. Hopefully, this was only the first of many such adventures.
Tuesday Night Race and Fitness League
Coach Mike Wang provided some technique advice useful both for paddling and pole dancing: ALWAYS BE THRUSTING! on May 14, and Coaches LeeAnn and Annie provided more helpful guidance concerning paddle strokes on May 21. Everyone practiced reach out further for the catch and then "falling" on the paddle for more power. The perfect paddle stroke, if such a thing even exists in nature, is the result of much practice, and the RFL continues to offer the ideal opportunity to really get your stroke on!
First LUC of 2024 . . . ran out of luck in the weather department
2024's first Level-Up Clinic (LUC) on Friday, May 24 was forced off the water due to high winds, but the show did go on via the calm and warm confines of Zoom. Karen Miller took the lead in discussing trip planning and current/tide predications and where to find this information on the web. Helen Horvath highlighted wound care and first aid tips while out on the water.
Ghost of Paddles Present
On Sunday, May 26 a pair of pirate paddlers (Karen and Helen) went out at very low tide - ever wonder what the orange buoy in the lagoon was attached to? Wonder no more!
Tuesday RFL, May 28
Coach Maddy Richards led the RFL in footwork techniques, including learning to weight shift and move about your board. The quest for paddle perfection continues!
First In-Person LUC, May 31
Upcoming ACA Instructor Certification: May 31 - June 3
Ever wondered what a flip rescue was? Now is your chance to learn and practice it, along with lots of other technical skills en route to becoming an ACA Certified Level 1 or Level 2 Instructor. Even if you do not want to teach others to SUP (it's lots of fun!), this training is an excellent chance for you to improve your own skill set on the water. Reach out to Coach Mike Wang if you have any questions or see
ACA Courses - Sea Trek Kayak & SUP - Sausalito and Alameda, CA. The first two days are Level 1 and the second two days are Level 2. Good luck!
Ghost of Paddles Yet to Come
Get your calendars out and mark down these upcoming trips! I will type slowly so you can get it all down!
SF Waterfront Paddle (Saturday, June 8)
Join Coach Jie Jiang and paddle along the beautiful San Francisco waterfront on what will hopefully be a lovely day to take in the spectacular sights of the city. See below for details.
Nutrition and Endurance Training (Monday, June 10)
Coach Jen Fuller will lead a Zoom meeting (6:00p-7:15p) on nutrition and endurance training considerations for longer paddle tours and races. Start laying the groundwork for those long summer and all paddles. Full circumnavigation of Alameda Island tentatively scheduled for late September.
Rock Wall 5-Mile Challenge (Sunday, June 16)
The Dynamic Duo of Karen Miller and Helen Horvath will lead a paddle along the Rock Wall. Arrive at Sea Trek at 8:30am for a 9: 00am departure time. Let this be part of your strength and stamina training - and enjoy a good time with great people!
Sea Trek Summer Solstice Party (Saturday, June 22)
After all that work on technique and stamina, you deserve a break! Free rentals for Ohana guests, so bring a friend who is new to paddling or does not have their own gear. Let's drum up support for Sea Trek and the Ohana Paddle Club!
Bridge and Island Program (Sunday, July 14)
The formerly canceled paddle around Brooks Island is back on the calendar, pending ideal weather conditions, of course (make it so!) Coach Mike Wang will lead the next leg of the Bridge and Island Program. Arrive at 9:30am for a 10:00am departure at Ahn's Restaurant and Bar, 1950 Esplanade Dr., Richmond 94804. Details will follow.
Just a reminder - the Bay Area Bridge and Island Program 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).
Alameda West End AKA the "Hard Half" (Saturday, August 10)
Coach Jen Fuller will return to lead the "Hard Half" of the partial paddle around the entire island of Alameda. Coach Jen will have already given you many helpful tips about nutrition and endurance, so now will be your chance to see the results of your hard work! Details to follow.
Brannon Island Campout (Friday - Sunday, August 16 - 18)
Camp Counselors Jo Kwas and Joey are spearheading the first-ever group campout and paddle trip at the Brannon Island State Recreation Area in Rio Vista. A campsite has been reserved for Friday afternoon through Sunday morning for up to 30 people. There will be a paddle on Saturday on 7-Mile Slough. Way more details to follow, but don't make any other plans that weekend!
Ghost of Ongoing Ohana Events
- Tuesday Race and Fitness League
The Ohana RFL 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.
Coach Kristine Blike-Morales will be the guest coach on Tuesday, July 9.
Tuesday Evenings from 6:pm to 8:00pm (arrival time: 5:30pm) - Mike’s Dock. Please sign up on TeamSnap. Please note the new time change.
- Weekend Race and Fitness League
Remember, June brings Coach John Hadley (June 1). In July, we welcome Coach Shirley Heinemann (July 7). Please note the date change for Coach Shirley. This RFL will focus on beach starts and other fun things Coach Shirley learned in Punta Mita, Mexico. We will go down to Crown Beach or Encinal Beach depending on conditions.