last day – CTA
Published August 27, 2007 | 
The sea does not care about last days. It goes on living and breathing long after we have turned to dust. We are of no consequence. Our petty accomplishments mean nothing to the sea.
We launched for the very last day from under the shadows of condominiums and just north of an old cemetery that now seemed so oddly out of place in this tourist’s playground on the outskirts of San Juan. I paddled out and swept my paddle on top of a small wave to again turn west. I looked over at Taino, now with his canoe paddle perched on the deck of his orange impex kayak. I thought about how different we were as people and as men. This was in many ways a solo journey for both of us. One we paddled together. Our reasons, our experiences, even our paddle styles were very different. Yet we could share the joy accomplishing our goals, traveling the same roads for a time, even if we would get off at different exits.
The ocean floor north of Puerto Rico comes in from the deepest trench in the Atlantic, then quickly rises to the island. The sea builds quickly before slamming into the rocky shoals guarding the pristine beaches. As the old forts came into view the waves began to steepen. 8 foot waves became common with 10 to 12 footers beginning to show themselves. Ahead we could see the ocean breaking on the many hidden rocks. The sound of the water crashing into stone always causes a bit of a shiver in my mind. Often you want to cling to the shore, but you must go further into the sea for calmer water. We paddled north, further into the open ocean. Beyond the green water and into the midnight blue the flow turned from south to west the waves eased into a quick but relaxing 4-5 foot sea. We moved light lightning on what I estimated to be a 3 kt current and were soon just outside of San Juan Harbor, the busiest in the Caribbean.
San Juan Harbor is deep but it’s mouth is only a bit over a mile wide. The east side was bordered San Felipe del Morro upon high stone cliffs, the west side by rocky waters and rocky shores. We paddled right up to the edge just as a large cargo ship eased out behind the cover of the fort. We paddled slowly giving the behemoth time to pass, and then we began our crossing. The water inside the channel was wild and jumping densely after the passing of the ship. We worked our way through a 4-6 bubbling cauldron catching the occasional bigger wave that would overpower everything else to push us further across the channel. To our right two large cargo ships passed, the one we had just waited for and another that was now on its way in. As we reached the other side of the channel the water swallowed again and the waves rose.
With just over a mile left we crossed the last big shallow bay. The sea came into us from our back quarter at 8-10 feet and quite steep. Still they weren’t breaking and we could easily just ride the escalator up one side, then with a quick flick and a couple quick strokes, race down the other allow gravity to do the work. We approached the last little island where we would turn and ride into the protected beach at Punta Salinas. This time around we would have to get across the breakers. Rain was spitting down from a storm that had been shadowing us all day. As was our habit, we both chose our own lines through the breakers and with a combination of surfing and back paddling we soon slid into the relaxed 2 foot rollers of the calm bay. I heard the voice of a crazy woman yelling on the back of a racing ATV taking an angle to meet us on shore. In front I could see the yellow “KayakScuba.com” tees standing out starkly against the dark trees behind the beach. I paused and let Taino go in first. I was not quite ready to leave the sea. I sat out and rolled and played for a few moments, then let the surf slide me in.
Many more stories to tell yet for the moment I want to also thank our sponsors, Carrie & Jose for traveling all over the island to provide water, food or whatever else we needed. Also for putting us up before and after the trip. It would have been a much harder task without their constant support. Special thanks to Jose as well for bringing back my gear, driving me to the airport and letting me set up a tent on his roof. Thanks to Nydia K. for her help and driving us around as well. Also thanks to Yvonne for posting pics, bringing supplies, and letting us fill her garage with sand. ( 4 buckets I’m told). Teamwork is the only reason an adventure like this works. Sure, you can go it alone. . but it’s just not the same.
Now. . . WHO was afraid of the sharks?
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