Weather weather weather-that is so the biggest concern on this paddle! Kinda no different than other paddles, actually, but the threat of thunderstorms and the appearance of gnarly looking puffy dark clouds adds a certain tension to the atmosphere. Fortunately, it seems like good spirits and amazing press events complete with even a visit from Congressman Pallone and the amazing mayor of Bradley Beach kept the angry clouds from working their worst. Or I like to think that, anyway. It was just one amazing event after another. Or maybe the SUPzilla that kept appearing all over the place-once with COA crew on it and Driscoll, of Surfer's Environmental Alliance, and his son Liam joining us in kayaks and another time the Pirate Booty folks-scared the storm away. What a great day to have company on the water!
I was totally stoked to see such support for the Clean Ocean Zone (no tar balls on our beaches or LNG terminals carrying water destroying natural gas, please) from the beaches-kinda funny to be cheered on from the beach and have amazingly enthusiastic lifeguards and others come paddle out.
There was so totally no surf that getting in and back out again from the beach was cake. So it was a total no brainer to come in and to be able to meet the amazing kids at the Summa Love Surf Camp in Deal, NJ, and see Chris Macioch and Richie Lee, also of SEA. This little stop was followed by a "paddle-by" at the Stella Maris house where you could hear the drum beats that Sister Suzanne Golas and Water Spirit had organized blocks away. They amazing crowd there exuded a completely palpable amount of energy you could feel on the water. It as amazing!!!
I unfortunately totally missed the SUPzilla paddling "pirates booty" gang making their way north. Fortunately I got to meet up with them in the end-what an amazing bunch of folks-we truly are so lucky to be able to play in and on the best playground on the planet!
As luck would have it, the wind cranked, as NOAA said it would so I was able to fly up and around the hook-just making the last of the incoming tide, which was still running extremely strongly. Of course I had to face that wind heading back down to the COA offices, but for sure it was not a long distance. And it's always good to get some wind in your face time- someone once told me "wind makes you strong."
Today is going to be a relatively short paddle-a nice little break as I hop around the Raritan Bay. Too bad I have to go around that munitions thing but of course there's no real option. And of course storms and rain are part of the forecast!
Woohoo!! For the Ocean!!
-Margo
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