I Married A Mermaid!

My wife Kirsten is an awesome swimmer. She's joined a masters' swimming group and is now working up towards the Butternut Challenge, which is a 500 yard swim only doing the dreaded butterfly stroke. She recently took our new camera into a swimming pool and took some self portraits:

Classic self-portrait with goggles, although a little bubbly.

Rising to the surface now.

A nice view of her face, although she looks a bit frightened here perhaps? Kirsten, there are no sharks in this pool.

More purposeful here, as if she's ready to free-dive twenty-five meters to the bottom of the sea. (Or two meters to the bottom of this pool.)

Ahh, here's my favorite. She looks so lovely and mermaidish here, more Darryl Hannah than Ariel. The sun over her shoulder makes Kirsten look even more mysterious. Guys, you have permission to be jealous now.

Dangers of Shark Diving

There's something about shark diving, deliberately diving around sharks, that bugs me. I have nothing against sharks or diving, but it seems that the whole idea treats sharks like the killing machines of our worst fears. After the dive, people can boast, “I was in the water with a Great White!” Now I might boast that too if it happened during one of my outings, but if I had deliberately sought the sharks out, then boasted about it, that's a different story.

I have been in the water with sharks, BTW. As long as you treat them with respect and keep aware of their behavior, they're not that big a deal.

Now let's also be clear, sharks, especially Great Whites, are no joke to be around. Here's an video of a shark dive gone wrong, which comes from News 24, a South African news service:

Now this is a scary situation, and that's the problem with dives like this. Things can always go wrong, especially when you're dealing with a very large and powerful predator. I want to do some SCUBA diving, but not go thrill-seeking.

Long SUP Session

I was  the lone SUP ranger on the Hudson. I paddled my wife's Amundsen 11'3" SUP board. It has lousy graphics but it's a sweet board to paddle. I think it has about 180 liters of flotation and is 75 cm wide. It's wider and thinner than the Kona board, which makes it a better board to paddle.

I decided to head to the Bear Mountain Bridge. There was no wind out in the bay but one I got into the neck below Bear Mountain there was a fair amount of wind, pushing against me, of course. I had my new waterproof camera with me and took a bunch of shots from the water. It's got a nifty, bright-orange, floating strap, so if I drop it the whole thing will float. The water was choppy at times and, wouldn't you know it, the waves were almost always flowing the wrong direction to surf.

The scenery is absolutely fabulous. I love the exposed rock faces reaching down to the water. They look raw and barren, but also beautiful.

I made it to the span in about 1 1/2 hours, then headed back. Returning was much easier. Surprisingly I saw very few kayaks for such a gorgeous day. One I met was a double in the middle of Peekskill Bay. We greeted, then one of the guys in the kayak said, "We thought you were Jesus walking on water!" Funny, but I understand why he said so. From a distance a person on an SUP board can look like someone standing on the surface of the water.

I was on the water for almost three hours and I paddled about 7 miles. (How did I know it was 7 miles? Google Earth told me so.) Not a bad session. Of course, after I pulled up on shore, the wind picked up.

I turned my pictures into a video slideshow. Enjoy!

Interesting Wetsuit Concepts

For those of you tired of your typical wetsuit, here's something new from an outfit in Ansterdam called Diddo. This company, a design firm, has designed a way to print textures onto a typical wetsuit, creating something interesting and occasionally beautiful.

The first is a wetsuit with a rust texture, kind of like you're wearing a wetsuit that's been in somebody's attic for say, fifty years. This is a very steampunk look.

Next is a muscle suit for all those who wish to show off how buff they are. I will certainly not wear this suit. I get enough laughs after I peel off my wetsuit.

This next one is my favorite. It's a wetsuit with a whale shark pattern. Now how cool is that? Heck, I sail the biggest board on the Hudson, now I should get a wetsuit with a design of the biggest fish!

Okay, here's when things start to get a little ... interesting. This is a wetsuit with a shark bite pattern. That's right, the wearer looks like he's just been attacked by a shark.

Oh my God! Call the ambulance!

Here are some of the textures the studio was able to map onto the wetsuit. I'm not sure how I feel about this one. On the one hand, it's kind of funny. America has been shark crazy for so long (since 1975 to be exact) that I think this makes fun of that. People are way too afraid of sharks, and this suit mocks that a little. I wouldn't wear it, but I appreciate the statement.

On the other hand, it's a little gross.

Kowawese Sail

Sailed out from Kowawese park today. Winds were from the east, which meant the east side of the Hudson was a bad place to be. It was only a half-hour drive from home. I should check it out more often.

The view from Kowawese, looking east. That's a nice schooner across the river.

Winds were about 10 mph so I rigged my trusty 7.0. When I got out, the winds were more like 6 mph, so I resigned to some comfortable sailing near Bannerman Castle. After sailing for about an hour, the winds picked up, then they picked up more. I was told iWindsurf said the winds were about 20-25, which meant my 7.0 sail was way too much sail. After planing serously on the fin alone, I took one of many spills. I though I was being clever, taking time to fall, but I ended up putting my hand through the main panel of my sail. Damn.

You know, sails get really heavy once you punch holes in them. Combine that with the 20-25 mph winds, I was in a bit of a pickle. After falling a few more times, I uphauled and scudded back to the beach. I had a short walk of shame, but I didn't mind that too much. I got back.

After chatting for a while with some of the kayakers I rigged my trusty 6.5 and sailed again. The winds were pretty variable and I fell a lot after committing to the harness. Not that I'm complaining: Every day on the water is a good day.

It occurred to me that this was a perfect day for a longboard. You needed a board for wind conditions between 5-25, including chop. I had a lot of fun, but man am I sore.

Got Booger #3

I got the last of the four-legged, furry-tailed boogers eating my Kona board.  I brought the second booger to Garrison yesterday. I let it out of my car while a few other teachers were in the parking lot. To quote one: "Ian, what did I just see? Was that a squirrel in your car?" I was the joke of the morning.

It's terrified. I almost feel sorry for it. Then I remember the carnage it and its breed visited upon my precious Kona board. Its kind must go.

Now I have to go clean the squirrel poop from my windsurfing gear.

Update: Booger #3 was released this morning in Garrison, NY. Here's the video.

Good riddance. I don't know why I sounded so affectionate towards the squirrel in the video. He/she ate my board.

Squirrels vs. Windsurfers

This is the lesser known sequel to Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus. So, I've had a squirrel in my garage for some time now. I promised Kirsten I'd catch the little booger as soon as I got a trap from my neighbor. Last week I got the trap and trapped it. Guess what: it was a nursing female. I'd either have to let it go or deal with the fetid smell of dead squirrel babies. (The nest was pretty inaccessible.) I let her go.

I went sailing yesterday at Swamp Hole in Croton. I rigged and got my board out, and the board was freaking chewed up! Who knew squirrels liked the taste of EVA padding?

The area around the end of the daggerboard slot and the entrance to the mast track seemed pretty tasty to a rodent.

This is the worst of it.

More here and some more by the nose.

Man was I mad, especially after I'd let that female go! Yes, I know this is cosmetic, but the Kona is my baby! Argh!

I trapped the squirrel last night and brought her to Garrison this morning. She shot out of the trunk of my car like a rocket. Felt good about the whole thing, even with my chewed board. At least I could just repair the damage now, maybe make some postings to the Kona website to get directions. That would be a good project.

Today, when I went in the garage to get the lawn mower this afternoon, I saw TWO MORE SQUIRRELS!

I'm in Windsurfing Magazine Too!

With all the other bloggers sounding off about how they're in Windsurfing magazine, I might as well chime in too. I conducted the interview with Trey Flemer on page 18. Trey is the inventor of the Expedition Windsurfer and a good friend of this blog. His website is at http://www.adventurewindsurfing.blogspot.com/.

Absolutely Cheezetastic!

Sometimes a movie comes out that combines so many deliciously stupid ideas into one that I simply must see it. So, I'm not talking about the latest Star Trek movie! (That was so good! Thank you, J.J. Abrams, from the bottom of my geeky heart!) I'm talking about this new ocean-going masterpiece: Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus! Coming straight to DVD this month!

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Watch the trailer and relish in its grand stupidity. (I mean, how many dumb ideas can you combine into one movie? What are these guys, Godzilla's pets?) Then watch it with a bunch of friends, preferably after a good sesh on the water. How can you resist this?

Hey, don't people windsurf right where that shark is?

BTW, I'm working on the width of this video. You can get the original video here.

Swell Session

The big problem with windsurfing alone is that there's nobody around to photograph your (mis)adventures. I went out yesterday to Swamp Hole. Nobody was there, and no surprise. The forecast wasn't predicting much. There was some indication that winds might pick up later in the afternoon. but that was unclear.

I rigged my big 8.5 o the Kona and headed out into the river. It was misty out and there were surprisingly few boats. At a couple of moments I played chicken with some sailboats, both of us on opposite tacks. One had a huge, blue spinnaker.

As  sailed, the wind started to pick up. Within half a hour of launch I was almost on a plane. Ten minutes after that I was planing occasionally. Then I was planing almost continuously. It was fun to especially ride the swells on a plane.

This was a greats session for learning control while on a plane. I was also swinging around in the harness, getting a good feel for holding the sail, even taking a hand off the sail at times. (I know this is standard stuff for advanced sailors. I'm not one yet.)

Then I started to get overpowered. The nice thing about an 8.5 is that you can plane when the wind is about 10 mph. The bad thing about an 8.5 is that it's pretty damn heavy. About 100 yards from Swamp Hole I started to get knocked down a lot. That wasn't fun. But I eventually scudded in.

I'm sore. I'm also very clear about the advantages of a longboard. With my Kona I was able to go out in mediocre winds and enjoy it picking up. All the sailing was fun, even when I wasn't planing.

The breeze went from 4 mph to about 13. You can see the branches of the willow tree bend. Surprisingly, the water was very flat.

Swamp Hole is right next to the Croton Yacht Club.

There's a fair amount of debris in the water. I hit something big near where that floating barrel is.

Longboard vs. Standup Paddleboard

I got my wife an Amundsun 11'3 Standup Paddleboard last year. It was a present for delivering twins. (She's not into jewelry.) I wanted to do a nice comparison of the Amundsun with my Kona longboard, which I also use as a paddleboard.

Length and Width: this picture is a little deceiving. The Kona's fin is bigger so it pushes the back of the board up higher. Both boards are within a couple of inches of length. The Amundsun is a little wider. This makes it more stable.

The Kona has a much more cluttered deck with footpads and the daggerboard knob. The mast track n the Kona is about twice the length. The Amundsun has a smooth, padded deck. I just wish the graphics weren't so boring. (I know. I know. Graphics have nothing to do with the board's performance.)

The Kona fin is clearly longer and thinner.

You can see here just how much higher that Kona fin holds the board. That's the difference between a wave fin and a free-ride fin.

Rocker thickness is quite different. The Kona is almost twice as thick as the SUP board. This makes the Kona worse on the waves, I hear. This also makes the Kona is a little tippier to paddle because you're standing a little higher.

The bottoms of the boards are dramatically different. The Kona has that “step tail” which most other SUPs don't have. This is probably a good thing because the step tail, I hear, slows the board down in paddle mode.

Besides the step tail, the Kona also has a pin tail while the SUP board has a much flatter tail.

I really want to try Kirsten's board in the waves. I did a little surfing when I was younger. I'm also a fair bodysurfer and boogieboarder, so I know I can handle at least the small stuff on a SUP board. Can't wait!

Absolutely Gorgeous

For those of you with wave lust, check out this wave slide show on the Treehugger website. It's some of the most beautiful wave photography I've ever seen. I wish I could post it here.

I'll have some more events tomorrow. Winds are predicted pretty mild for Saturday (5-8) but good on Sunday (15-20). The only wrinkle is that Sunday is Mother's Day. Probably won't get out that day, even though I did, as a mother's Day present, take Kirsten to see the B-52's. They performed here in Peekskill last Tuesday.

I have seen “Rock Lobster” performed live. (It's the only B-52's song which could possibly have anything to do with windsurfing.) I can die a happy man. Fred Schneider even said, “This is a song for Peekskill Beach.” (Where I windsurf, in case you didn't know.) This video is from the late 90s. 

Whales in New York?

I should have mentioned this earlier, but a few weeks ago an immature Humpback Whale was spotted in New York Harbor, right at the base of the Hudson.

Whales in New York. Brings a tear to my eye. Sniff! (Sorry, feeling a little faklempt.)

The Adventurous, the Brave, and the Stupid

Saturday was turning into a wash for windsurfing. Winds were light and I wasn't in the mood for yet another light-wind sail. So, I decided it's time for another standup paddle, Kona style. I strapped my Kona board onto the roof of my CRV, got my paddle, wetsuit, PFD, camel pack, booties, gloves and a cereal bar. Seems like a lot, but that's nothing compared to going windsurfing. I only forgot one thing -- to check the tide tables.

I headed to Annsville Circle, where there's a kayak launch. I've launched from there before, and it's a nice location. I like mingling with the kayakers and answering their questions about SUPing. Kayakers are people who like nature: my kind of people. When I arrived, there were no kayakers in the water. If my brain had been screwed on correctly I would have considered that a sign of something. But apparently I had left that portion of my brain at home. So I got ready, walked down the floating launch and placed my Kona board into the water.

The tail stuck up above the surface of the water. The water was too shallow to float the board. The fin was resting on the bottom. “No problem!” I thought. “I've been in this situation before. Just walk the board out until the water gets deeper.” So I did, but the only thing that got deeper was the mud. After I was about 100 feet from the launch, I was still in one foot one water but I was sinking knee-deep in the mud. I tried a little more to the east and sank even deeper. Several people watched me flounder. Walking through mud is really exhausting, especially in a wetsuit.

Annsville Circle is in the upper right portion of the photo. The kayak center is on the peninsula sticking out into the cove. The yellow arrow is my first expedition into the mud. The blue arrow is my second. Both were dismal failures.

I waited around for about twenty minutes, watching the time come in. This got boring quickly so I went back to Peekskill. I launched from my usual spot and poked around the coves south of me. Peekskill Landing is at the top of the map.

I saw some nice cormorants and seagulls. In Lents Cove, just north of Indian Point (at the bottom of the picture), were some neat paddlewheel ships. I want to go further down those waterways but I'll need a kayak with a shallower draft (and no fin). On my return I visited the navigational beacon on the upper left corner. I was hoping there might be some bird nests. Instead there were about six cormorants and a horrendous stench. There must be dozens of years of guano layered on that pile of rocks.

I need a good waterproof camera so I can take pictures on the go.