So today is the official last day!! Woohoo!! Can't
believe it-seems like it was so long ago we left Cape May-so many folks
we got to meet, so many wonderful committed organizations and local
politicians, and of course the fabulous SEApaddleNYC. Next year I must
do that event plus volunteer-it is an amazing thing to be part of.
And now we are at the ritzy East End of LI-going to have a short paddle today-because paddling around the point is a 42 mile endeavor from the mouth of Shinnecock Inlet and because it's best to have the last day's paddle be a "sure thing" no matter the conditions, we opted to have me do the long paddle around yesterday with today being the "sure thing" to combine with the Century Ride to Montauk (from Babylon). So we will be at the lighthouse together!
The paddle started out with a huli at the dock at the press event-heehee, thought that was gonna happen as the boat was way way out from the ladder I had to get to, shoulda grabbed the rope and just lifted myself off the dock-silly me!! I wanted to go for a swim anyway since I was wearing my 3m top to keep me toasty. Total overkill but I wanted to stay warm in the wind around the point, so i kept diving off the boat for swim breaks.
As I paddled by one of the more private beaches a cop SUV came out and parked across from me. It was pretty obvious that someone had made a phone call about me, because there was not a soul on the beach-the only being out was me in my boat. Unless he was going to swim out to me, there wasn't anything he could do...let's just hope these powerful people (one of the Koch brothers has a house somewhere on the beach) don't try to pass some law that restricts mariners of the self-powered kind from a certain distance of the beach... Considering who doles out the money that controls Congress it's totally not inconceivable nor would it be a total surprise as we watch our individual rights slipping away.
One of the highlights of the day was running into stand up paddler and kayaker, Mary from that area-I'd first met her at the Mayor's Cup when she and her partner in a tandem kayak took over for me in helping a capsized paddler during that gnarly race. Later I ran into her again in North Carolina at the Carolina Cup-a total "must do" for any stand up paddler or any paddler, for that matter!! Another highlight was running into Jim Moore of the Hackensack Canoe/Kayak club. He had started out after a night of camping close to the lighthouse and was heading to Shinnecock. He was circumnavigating Long Island-quite an accomplishment and adventure! Know he had current against him going in, wonder how he fared-I had current against me as well and wind at the point, but wow-that poor guy was battling wind probably all the way down. And then that strong inlet current! In a fully loaded kayak, to boot! Yikes! Wish I could've hooked up with him to get him a beer!
Know he's probably not going to want to go into Jamaica Bay/Broadchannel, but he's missing the best mojitos on the planet if he doesn't. Go to the Bayview Inn an check it out yourself, if you dot believe me!
Am stoked to get to Turtle Cove at the point to cheer in the bikers for the Century!! Hope we have a good crowd out there-the COA team and the partnering organizations have been knocking themselves out!! Rav of Concerned Citizens of Montauk has been getting our signs and message out there-lotsa good folks out here-and I wish I could remember the fabulous groups and people I met yesterday at the press event by the inlet. Loved the homemade signs cheering me on-and cannot forget to mention the family that started chanting "go margo!" at the lighthouse where Cindy had alerted them to what we were doing.
So today is it-and one of the bigger challenges is gonna be traffic! We have lucked out with the weather in the end. What a beautiful day! Woohoo!!
For the Ocean!!
And now we are at the ritzy East End of LI-going to have a short paddle today-because paddling around the point is a 42 mile endeavor from the mouth of Shinnecock Inlet and because it's best to have the last day's paddle be a "sure thing" no matter the conditions, we opted to have me do the long paddle around yesterday with today being the "sure thing" to combine with the Century Ride to Montauk (from Babylon). So we will be at the lighthouse together!
The paddle started out with a huli at the dock at the press event-heehee, thought that was gonna happen as the boat was way way out from the ladder I had to get to, shoulda grabbed the rope and just lifted myself off the dock-silly me!! I wanted to go for a swim anyway since I was wearing my 3m top to keep me toasty. Total overkill but I wanted to stay warm in the wind around the point, so i kept diving off the boat for swim breaks.
As I paddled by one of the more private beaches a cop SUV came out and parked across from me. It was pretty obvious that someone had made a phone call about me, because there was not a soul on the beach-the only being out was me in my boat. Unless he was going to swim out to me, there wasn't anything he could do...let's just hope these powerful people (one of the Koch brothers has a house somewhere on the beach) don't try to pass some law that restricts mariners of the self-powered kind from a certain distance of the beach... Considering who doles out the money that controls Congress it's totally not inconceivable nor would it be a total surprise as we watch our individual rights slipping away.
One of the highlights of the day was running into stand up paddler and kayaker, Mary from that area-I'd first met her at the Mayor's Cup when she and her partner in a tandem kayak took over for me in helping a capsized paddler during that gnarly race. Later I ran into her again in North Carolina at the Carolina Cup-a total "must do" for any stand up paddler or any paddler, for that matter!! Another highlight was running into Jim Moore of the Hackensack Canoe/Kayak club. He had started out after a night of camping close to the lighthouse and was heading to Shinnecock. He was circumnavigating Long Island-quite an accomplishment and adventure! Know he had current against him going in, wonder how he fared-I had current against me as well and wind at the point, but wow-that poor guy was battling wind probably all the way down. And then that strong inlet current! In a fully loaded kayak, to boot! Yikes! Wish I could've hooked up with him to get him a beer!
Know he's probably not going to want to go into Jamaica Bay/Broadchannel, but he's missing the best mojitos on the planet if he doesn't. Go to the Bayview Inn an check it out yourself, if you dot believe me!
Am stoked to get to Turtle Cove at the point to cheer in the bikers for the Century!! Hope we have a good crowd out there-the COA team and the partnering organizations have been knocking themselves out!! Rav of Concerned Citizens of Montauk has been getting our signs and message out there-lotsa good folks out here-and I wish I could remember the fabulous groups and people I met yesterday at the press event by the inlet. Loved the homemade signs cheering me on-and cannot forget to mention the family that started chanting "go margo!" at the lighthouse where Cindy had alerted them to what we were doing.
So today is it-and one of the bigger challenges is gonna be traffic! We have lucked out with the weather in the end. What a beautiful day! Woohoo!!
For the Ocean!!
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