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 John Hadley put a group of OPC members through their paces and offered more helpful technique tips for strokes and everything paddling on Saturday, June 1. This instruction can help with day-to-day paddling as well as preparing for races at PaddleSpash later in the summer. Alan Y. was so caught up thinking about by Coach John's suggestions that he walked away without his paddle!
First In-Person LUC
The weather was more cooperative this week and Coach Jo Kwas led the first in-person Level Up Clinic of 2024 on Friday, May 31. LUC students warmed up with yoga poses on their boards and then discussed balance and counterbalance before doing some drills, including bracing techniques for the waves. They also practiced reverse sweeps and cross nose draw strokes. Shirley and LeeAnn happened to paddle on by and were enlisted to demo some of their best moves. Lots of learning and laughter abounded!
Ghost of Paddles Present
Tuesday Night Race and Fitness League
Coach Michael Richards lead the June 4 RFL for folks looking to escape the h-e-a-t! The evening was warm with a moderate wind. Paddlers had the choice to head out along the Rock Wall to the gap for some paddling into the wind practice, while another group followed Tanya back to the Lagoon for stroke and footwork practice in more protected conditions
And that is DR. Level 1 SUP Instructor to you!
Big congrats to Heidi Hartston, Ph.D. for earning her Level 1 SUP Instructor certification over the weekend! Good job!
Ghost of Paddles Yet to Come
Get your calendars out and mark down these upcoming events - four in four days! I will type slowly so you can get it all down!
Day 1/4: Second In-Person LUC (Friday, June 7)
Draws, Sweeps, Footwork, Oh My! Join Coach Jo Kwas in taking your paddle skills to the next level and ushering in four straight days of paddle-oriented fun! Don't miss out!
Day 2/4: 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 from Crissy Field to Crane Cove. See below for details.
Day 3/4: Weekend RFL (Sunday, June 9)
Get ready for PaddleSplash races with Coach Shirley Heinnemann as she helps you elevate your buoy turn game. Steve from Sea Trek says you can use Sea Trek boards, which would help with your progression. Dress for success (or whatever you prefer to wear while submerged in bay waters). Come on out -- these buoys aren't going to turn themselves!! Sign up on TeamSnap, as usual.
Day 4/4: 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, we welcome Coach Shirley Heinemann on Sunday, June 9 and again on Sunday, July 7. The July 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.