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Bay to Beach
After a car-shuffle and a time talking to other paddlers at
the start of the Bay to Beach Race it was soon time to get
on the water. There didn't look as if there was as many paddlers
taking part as previous years and the kayak section was really
depleted. Why was it that there were few sea kayakers taking
part when there were heaps of paddlers in Perth with sea kayaks?
I know it wasn't your usual sea kayaking social paddle but
here was an opportunity for sea kayakers to go for a slightly
faster social paddle and have a good time and show off their
craft.
CDU staff member Samantha Pilton was
paddling an Epic V12, Josh Kippin was paddling an Epic V12,
I was paddling an Epic 18 sea kayak and T2 and Spencer King
were paddling an Epic V10 double. Alaine was moving house
so she wasn't paddling yet again!
Paddling to the start. Photo:
Jane Hilton
The day seemed pretty perfect when we took off. The sea kayaks
and plastic kayaks left first. The usual faster paddlers sped
ahead leaving average paddlers like me behind. Although there
were very few sea kayaks in the field I still had to worry
about Darryl Long, Anthony Mee and Dave Tupling. But really
every paddler on my grid was my competition, but I knew I
had no chance to beat the ones that were already in front
of me.
I could see Darryl Long some way in front and Anthony Mee
just slightly ahead, over on my right, . I latched on to Gary
Kilian in a long plastic which helped me to catch up with
Anthony in his Epic 18 kayak and Dave Boldy who was in a Finn
Molakai. I expected Anthony and Dave to latch on to us when
we passed but they didn't, and we started leaving them behind.
There were a lot less power boats motoring along this section
than there were when we paddled this way in the Classic Race.
I followed Gary across the shallows at Point Roe Park but
it was tough to keep up with him. I was hoping to stay on
his tail until we got out of the harbour. The first pack of
single skis passed us by. I saw Josh in his V12 amongst the
pack. With so many of the fast skis passing I lost my ride
and it wasn't long before Dave Boldy caught up. I was slighly
demoralised by the sight.
As we turned the corner at the Swan Yacht Club, the current
literally swept us off our feet. For a few minutes it was
hard work and with the headwind the race just got that little
tougher. Dave started creeping away from me, I became worried,
I didn't want to lose him but when you don't have the strength
there is nothing you can do about it.
John Wilkie and Ash Nesbit lead the doubles. Jane Hilton
Near the Water Police
Headquarters Anthony came along-side and a few minutes later
he got in front and steamed away. We were in the same Epic
kayak so I didn't have an excuse about him in a faster kayak,
but I could use my age, that seems to help a lot when I lose!
Moments later I caught back up with Dave. I felt happier,
but as we approached Queen Victoria Road Bridge and the harbour,
another batch of paddlers started passing and Dave got away
again. Bugger!
Josh Kippin. Jane Hilton
As we moved under the
bridge it was like paddling up a rapid. The current was so
swift I could feel my kayak stall but the longer slimmer skis
seemed to be less effected. Once in the harbour the wind was
particularly strong and with the chop and the tide, it was
a nasty stretch of water. Paddlers were spread across the
harbour fighting the conditions and most likely trying to
get out of the main current.
Craig Sands and Walter Chalupsky 3rd place just beating Dave
Walter and David Martin. Photo Jane Hilton
Dave had gone off with
a group of paddlers and Anthony was toughing it out by himself
more to the right. I was toughing it out alone as well and
unfortunately I was watching both of them get further ahead.
It was demoralising, and I didn't want to let any other plastic
skis pass.
Peter Johnson and Nathan Chandler 5th place. There was only
1 second difference between 3rd and 5th place.
Photo Jane Hilton
I paddled in the middle
and then to the right of the harbour. Paddlers on faster skis
were passing, but none close enough to foster a lift. I noticed
another group of paddlers over to my left and amongst them
I saw a white PRS. From this distance I didn't really know
who it was but I knew I didn't want it to beat me, so I had
to keep going. I got more of a shock when I saw an Endorfinn
behind me.
T2 and Spencer King.
Spencer was trying to finish as fast as he could because his
wife, Melissa is due to have a baby any day now.
Photo Jane Hilton
I reached 2 large ships
anchored near the end of the harbour on the right. Here 2
big outriggers with 6 paddlers in them started to pass me
which was a little concerning as they didn't seem to track
a straight line and they were like huge tanks ploughing and
zig-zagging through the water. I felt safer when they passed
me.
Mandurah Ocean Outriggers:
Photo Jane Hilton
I was told later that
there were some paddlers purposely paddling over to power
boats and using their wash to get a free ride. It is one thing
to get an advantage from a passing power boat wave but another
thing to paddle to a power boat and try to ride it as long
as they could. Surely these paddlers should be disqualified!
Jason Wallington leading another pack of paddlers. Photo Jane
Hilton
With the main harbour
behind me the worst part was to come. We had to leave the
channel and paddle around the north moll which traditionally
was the roughest part of the race. Paddlers were now struggling
as the swell, the boat wash and the rebound waves from the
rock wall were wallowing a very uneven pattern. I was in a
much more stable boat than most of the paddlers around me,
so I feared little about the deteriorating conditions. Most
paddlers did extremely well.
Me paddling out of the
harbour in an Epic 18 kayak: Photo Jane Hilton
One female paddler seemed to be having
trouble and was being pushed towards the wall. She straightened
up and paddled parallel and close to the wall. I soon passed
her by but I never did find out if she managed to get around
the point. Another female paddler on my left was in the water
and about to leap back on her ski. She was the first capsized
paddler I had seen, but as I reached the North Moll 2 more
paddlers were in the water. I was told later by an onlooker
that a woman on the rescue boat kept leaping into the water,
held onto the ski of a capsized paddler until the paddler
got back on board and then she swam back to the boat. I didn't
see her, but apparently she did a few times to help capsized
paddlers.
Ray Smith who is in
his early seventies and probably one of the oldest paddler
on the course paddling out of the harbour on his V8 and being
chased by a power boat. Photo Jane Hilton
Paddling through the harbour took a lot longer than I would
have expected. It could have been partly because of the current
and the strong wind. I moved around the north moll without
a hint of a capsize. After paddling thousands of kilometres
in the ocean much rougher than this, it would have been embarrassing
for me to have capsized. As soon as I my bow pointed north
the conditions became much easier as the wind and swell was
helping me along. I caught my first set of waves and the kayak
skidded along at a high speed until the wave eventually faded
out. A few more paddle strokes and I was off again on another
wave. How quickly the conditions had changed! The rudder was
doing a great job, my kayak was tracking well so I didn't
broach at all. At the pace I was going I thought I would soon
catch up with my opposition, but they were probably going
as fast as I was and also having a great time.
We had to head for a red buoy that was about 400 metres off
the shore near Leighton so as to ensure that paddlers kept
within the maritime rules. Paddlers were now spread well over
the field. Samantha passed me. She was over on the right but
she didn't see me, she just slid passed me on her V12 like
I was standing still. I called out but she didn't hear. I
surfed several more swells and finally reached the red buoy.
Sam Pilton. It was the first time Sam had paddled the Epic
V12 on the ocean. She came 5th. Photo Jane Hilton
Unfortunately, from the
red buoy we had to paddle across the swells and it was harder
to get the same amount of rides. It was really messy, but
then I saw Derek Amy and Frank Patterson on plastic PRSs ahead.
Seeing them boosted my resolve to pass them, but with the
waves not really working in my favour it took a while to catch
them up. When I caught Derek I smiled to myself. It was always
good to beat Derek, like many of the paddlers I paddle against,
they are good sports. Derek just loves competing, he gets
joy from having a good tussle and he is never down when he
loses. When Derek started paddling it only took a year to
get as fast as me and over the last year he has improved and
now leaves me behind, so you can understand my joy when I
passed him.
The finish:
We zig-zagged along the
coast trying to work the waves whenever we could, but it wasn't
easy. We juggled and criss-crossed each other's path and eventually
I managed to catch up with Frank. Then he managed to get a
wave and off he went. I worked hard to keep up with him, my
breathing was laboured and at times I felt a little jittery
so I just knew that I had to take care and not to get too
exhausted or I just might capsize. I looked back and saw Derek.
He shouted out, "I'm still after you". I smiled
to myself but I knew I couldn't let down my guard or let him
pass.
Frank had been paddling for several years. He is a bit of
a dark horse. He is quiet and he just gets on with the job
and always gets a good result in his age group. Although you
don't see him training every day, when he does paddle he does
alright.
I passed the Cottesloe groyne where it was rougher, just a
little behind Frank. He was now too far ahead of me to pass
him before the finish, so I didn't know how I was going to
accept being beaten by him. I could put my head in the sand
I suppose or I could accept he was a stronger paddler. I probably
wouldn't sleep tonight just thinking about being beaten!
I watched the waves creeping up from behind as I approached
the beach. I didn't want to get pummelled and thankfully I
came in without incident. I hit the sand and as I got one
leg out of the kayak a wave pushed the boat. Samantha grabbed
the bow and I leapt to my feet and ran across to the finish
line only four seconds behind Frank. Derek was only 15 seconds
behind me.
Me at the finish and I wasn't feeling too tired!!
Although I was beaten
by many, at least I beat Mick Mantell, Dave Tupling, Derek
Amy, Mark Hogan, Simon Haywood, and Anne Harris, all paddlers
that I usually duel with. But Frank beat me by 5 seconds,
Ken Smith beat me by 11 seconds although he was in a composite
ski, Anthony beat me convincingly by over 4 minutes and Dave
Boldy by just under 2 minutes, so I didn't do so bad for an
old guy.
After walking our boats about 700 metres back to the vehicle
we returned for the presentation at the surf club where we
received a free hamburger. Waiting for the results gave us
time for a drink and a talk about the race.
The big winner was Brendon Sarson (1.10.48) who was about
1 minute 30 seconds ahead of Reece Baker (1.12.19) and about
2 minute 40 secs ahead of David Graham (1.13.28). Josh Kippin
came 7th. Not bad for a river paddler who has only paddled
on the ocean a handful of times!!
In the over 40s Skis, Kevin White (1.22.18) beat Alan John
(1.22.22) and Craig Brooks (1.22.44).
In the Over 50s Skis, Richard Eadie was first (1.23.08) with
Rob Jenkinson (1.24.58) and Lindsay Wiland (1.27.14).
In the Over 60s Ski Norman Miller (1.24.29) beat John Whitehand
(1.43.49).
In the Under 19 Josh Maurice (1.20.38) beat Locky Armstrong
(1.23.41) and Timothy Coward (1.45.36).
In the Open Womens Ruth Highman (1.24.29) was far superior
and well up with the best men, with Libby Lecoulte (1.32.58)
and Jaime Roberts (1.33.14). Samantha Pilton came in 5th (1.47.05).
In the Plastic Open Peter Tomczak (1.33.57) beat Andrew Heartcliff
(1.38.40) and Warren Southwell (1.41.01).
In the Plastic Over 40 Tim Rowberry (1.42.13) beat Dave Boldy
(1.47.57) and Dallas Rodgers (1.56.31).
In the Plastic Over 50 Gary Kilian (1.46.52) beat Andy Medland
(1.47.13) and Frank Patterson (1.49.46).
In the Sea Kayak Darryl Long (1.40.04) beat Antony Mee (1.45.11)
and Terry Bolland (1.49.51).
In the Double Ski Ashley Nesbit and John Wilkie (1.11.56)
beat Rhys Bradley and Matt Zoeller (1.20.51) and Craig Sands
and Walter Chalupsky (1.22.01). T2 and Spencer King were 8th
(1.29.15).
In the Womens over 40 Tricia Gilbert (1.39.15) beat Sally
Scaffidi (1.43.07) and Julie Jenkinson (1.45.02)
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