Category: Paddles

Ruby and I pulled into a nearly empty parking lot at Kualoa Campground A to be greeted by a mama duck and her large brood of fluffy ducklings. We hoped that the sparse crowd meant that the large group campsite would be unoccupied for the weekend. Tim had arrived a little before us and he quickly dashed that hope as he told us that one of the park workers said it would be a full house with the Boy Scouts occupying the large group site. (They also told him that mama duck was named Aflac.) Oh well, at least the Boy Scouts would be quiet neighbors and we got a good parking spot.

We quickly setup club HQ under a small beachside ironwood grove. With the steady beach erosion, as evidenced by several ironwood stumps below the high tide mark, I wondered how much longer this little grove would survive. We’d enjoy it’s shade at least one more year. An unfortunate confluence of club members on travel, a few battling colds and those turned off by a not-so-rosy weekend weather forecast resulted in a sparse number of campers. The Hui’s petroman and I watched a beautiful Saturday sunrise in relative solitude.

On Saturday, after the main gate opened, people began to slowly arrive for the paddle to Kahana. While breezy, the wind had dropped below advisory levels and seven paddlers showed up for the journey. Stan Dalbec was able to get our new club banner printed just in time for camp and he delivered it before paddling off. Mahalo for taking care of this Stan! Unfortunately for Stan his paddle was cut short by a nasty wave that dumped him and cracked his hull. I won’t go over the details in this story, but his experience validates our advice to always paddle with a buddy.

One of the reasons we held camp the weekend before Easter Sunday was to take advantage of the full moon. Norm was going to lead us on a Saturday twilight paddle around Mokoliʻi under the magical light of the full moon. Pakaʻa, the Hawaiian god of the wind, had other plans, however, as he summoned a strong, steady wind along with a thick cloud cover that lasted most of the afternoon and into the early evening so we had to abort the paddle. Pakaʻa might have been hanging out with the trickster Maui as the wind calmed back down soon after we finished dinner and the mahina began to play peek-a-boo.

Conditions were just right for a nice campfire courtesy of Kelly and James. James, a Washington state transplant, had his first taste of fire-roasted papio that he caught right in front of camp an hour or so before. Ono!

While the campers were sparse, we had a good turnout for Sundayʻs activities. About a dozen people attended Kevin and Joeʻs “Introduction to Kayaking” clinic. The clinic ended with a good session of kayak reentry practice on the water.

One of the nice things about Easter Camp is that several of our long-time members who no longer attend regular club paddles show up for the Sunday festivities. One of those members is Susan Girard who created our kayak paddle wielding petroglyph man logo in crayon on a t-shirt silk screen in 1983. Susan still looks forward to pumping up her inflatable to chase down Easter eggs.

Around twenty boats scrambled on the water to hunt for floating Easter eggs. This was our inaugural hunt with decorated wooden eggs and there was a question of whether they would float high enough to be spotted from a kayak. The answer was a resounding, “Yes!”, as 119 or 120 eggs were recovered. As people filled their plates from the potluck buffet President Bill began awarding prizes. The club’s first president, Mark Rognstad, scooped up the golden egg and claimed a large dry bag for his prize. The silver and bronze eggs were found by my neighbor’s daughter and a friend. They received bonus chocolate Easter bunnies to go along with their kayak gear prizes.

Mahalo to Tim for leading the Kahana paddle and for scattering the eggs, Stan D. for getting our new banner made, bringing the paper goods and for providing a dramatic moment, Kelly and James for the warming campfire, Kevin and Joe for another excellent clinic, Bill for getting and distributing all the prizes, everyone who decorated wooden eggs, Sandy for signing in all the egg hunters, Ruby and Katrena for setting up the potluck, Katrena for bringing garbage bags and for storing the eggs for next year, everyone who brought tables and canopies and those who helped with cleanup and breakdown. A great team effort by all!

On Sunday, February 23, a group met to do the “Weed out the Wimps” paddle. The morning was clear and calm, the forecast was for light wind and chop, or so we thought. We must have missed a late breaking update somehow, but more on that to follow. Here’s a picture, by Sandy, of the group getting ready to launch at Makai Pier:

There were seven in the group, two of the boats were doubles, Katrena and Randy in one, us in the other. Sandy, Stan, and Steve were all in their Scupper Pros. It was so beautiful out at Makai Pier when we started, and it was Victoria’s first time to do this paddle. Stan even sang the first line of “Oh what a beautiful morning” from the musical Oklahoma as we left Makai pier. But, as we left the pier and passed Rabbit Island on the left, it got windier and the swells started to get bigger and rougher. Victoria didn’t have any prior expectations about what the paddle would be like, and so just kept paddling, trying to keep perpendicular to each swell like Paul had taught her. It seemed very challenging, but doable, and only seemed scary or raise doubts when Paul would occasionally blurt out, “It wasn’t supposed to be this rough!” But we just kept churning along. Paul said that it would get calmer once we turned the point at Makapuʻu, and would continue to get calmer the farther we went. It did gradually, so that the hardest slog was the first part. We stopped at 2 Beer Beach with Stan and Steve for a little rest and snack. Sandy, Katrena, and Randy kept going.

After we turned the corner at Makapuʻu Victoria had thought the next point of land in sight would also be a corner, but it turned out to be a long stretch of walls along the shoreline of Koko Head. It seemed to go on for a very long time. Victoria decided that she could only focus on the next little bit, so would find a landmark (a shape or puka in the next bit of wall just ahead) and then just set the goal of paddling toward it for the next 5 minutes, until we were level with that landmark before choosing another one a little farther ahead. Paddling downwind towards Koko Head, we passed Sandy Beach and the ‘Eternity Beach’ shoreline without trouble, though the following seas and breeze made for a bouncy ride. We passed Hanauma Bay and saw this famous shallow sea cave as we started around Koko Head.

We finally turned past Portlock, and then into Maunalua Bay, toward our landing destination at Hawaii Kai Beach Park. The beach park didn’t seem to get closer for a long time. We had headwinds that were pushing us back out to sea. We tacked against the wind, paddled hard, and surfed a small wave which helped us get a little in toward the beach. We had kept in radio contact, and everyone made it to shore.

Despite the challenge and it being a little daunting, the experience was really amazing. Despite the wind and the swells, it was such a beautiful day out on the water, and it was very satisfying for a novice to be able to accomplish the paddle. It was inspiring, and makes Victoria want to go out and paddle more.

This was a once in a lifetime paddle. Every single trip is once in a lifetime. Seize the day and do it!

Psst! It’s a secret. The best time to find parking at the Kailua Boat Ramp is when everyone else has the Super Bowl on their mind. But, we know life is not a spectator sport!

There were 13 kayaks present to catch Kevin Ching’s Surf Clinic before heading out to the Mokes. He gave an informative overview of how to catch and stay atop of the wave, including parts of the wave, bracing with your paddle and timing is key. He also touched upon surf etiquette and the don’ts of drop-in and cut-off.

There were familiar faces on the paddle: President Bill, Treasurer Sandy, Vice President Stan, Steve, Paul, Mark, Roger, Carolyn, Marie, Denny and a newcomer, Angie. She had stopped in and introduced herself at our Meet & Greet at Magic Island earlier in the month. This was Angie’s first trip to Mokulua Nui where she joined us watching the surfers practice their skills on the SW shoreline. They sure made it look easy, but then that’s the finesse of timing the wave which comes from practice.

Sandy and Paul hiked to the backside of the islet where the water was frothy.

We were able to get mug shots of sleeping monk seals who also enjoyed the “uncrowded” spot. All in all, a “super” way to spend the morning and still make it home for the final score.