These days we just paddle right out into the rough stuff. Wind and waves certainly qualify as “where angels fear to tread” in my book, but in time we get over it. We launch right out there. I still can’t quite nail down why we do it exactly. I’ve been told many times over the years that I’m a bit crazy and maybe that’s so. Funny, I don’t feel crazy. . .

Saturday the wind started building early in Rowley’s Bay and beyond. The night before they were predicting 2-4ft waves building to 4-6 on the outside, Winds 15-20 and gusting maybe to 25. Our morning classes went well under blue skies and a sharp breeze but as the day progressed conditions did deteriorate just a bit.

That afternoon I found I had a rolling class with no students. The sky was turning dark under heavy clouds and the bay was going black and lumpy. I knew this was a good opportunity to get my Acuta out and work on all those fancy little rolls in conditions that would test their practicality. An hour later sitting there dead center in the bay while black wind waves rolled over my deck, conditions were also testing my bravery. Not that the waves were all that big mind you, but the wind was incessant and all the world took on the feel of quickly done charcoal drawing. Facing out of the bay into the open water you feel pretty alone out there. Without the sunlight, the water seems to drop into eternity. The white caps contrast to make the waves seem much steeper than they actually are. So in conditions many non-kayakers (and some kayakers) would call crazy, (and the brits would call comfortably placid) I fell over into the water holding my black Beal paddle. . . just a bit more tightly. . . than usual.

Suddenly upside down in the bay, I remembered it how warm the water actually was. Under the surface it was cozy and calm, relaxing and peaceful. I couldn’t hear the wind. Sure I could feel my body being bounced around as the inverted Anas Acuta was slapped around by the waves above, but below the surface the thumping of the hull seemed miles away and quietly rhythmic. I hung here for a moment and enjoyed the solitude. Then as my body began to remind me of it’s need for air, I put my paddle out into a simple pawlatta and rolled back up.

Instantly I was greeted by a roaring wind that threatened to put me right back into the water! I quickly recovered back over my deck into a bracing position. The wind was lifting the water off my deck and tossing it back into my eyes that were just now trying to find focus. The sleeves of my jacket were snapping like playing cards in bicycle spokes. I wanted to go back under. I set up for an angel roll and dropped into the next on coming wave. This time I learned a lesson. It’s no easy task doing an angel roll against wind and waves. Way too finessey for conditions! I re-set and rolled up. Lesson one.

This went on for quite some time as I worked through the rolls I knew. Loud-quiet, din-death, on and on. I’d try each roll in series into the wind, then sideways with and against the wind & waves. I was getting quite tired. Before I called it a day though, I needed to try my hand rolls. I was practically knocked over in my twitchy white angel just trying to stow my paddle under the bungies! By now, I had been practicing too long too hesitate. As soon as my paddle was secure I dropped and rolled with the wave. Again, again, again. I knew I was smiling. It felt damn good to come back up! I laid back on my deck. At some point in the day I found that if I laid back, the wind would quickly spin my Actua almost all the way round to face the other direction! Then I worked on hand rolls against the waves. I found quickly it was all a matter of timing! Ocassionally I’d reach out and find only air!! I had to pull the paddle off the deck a couple times to recover before I got that one right!

Exhausted I paddled back to shore. I felt pretty good. I was able to get out and do all my calm day, warm, pool water rolling in a bit of conditions. I hadn’t even thought really about the conditions other than in a technical sense for over an hour. So maybe that initial fear was finally gone. I tossed my paddle in the cockpit and took a quick look back out over the bay. I thought to myself, “You were out rolling in that? You’re crazy!!”

- bye sid