May/102
Would building whitewater parks in California be a good investment? What do you think some of the benefits &/or drawbacks would be?
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Event Review: The Pura Vida World Kayak Surf Championships
US West Team Nor Cal surfers shine in Costa Rica
Story by Melissa Stevens • Photos by Jono Stevens
The 2005 World Surf Kayaking Championships were held in Costa Rica in late October. If you missed the highlights on ESPN, you’re not alone. There were plenty of high moments in this biannual international good vibes get-together and surf competition. And wave riders from Northern California got more than their share.
Approximately 150 men and women from 16 countries shredded the warm Costa Rican surf for nine days, competing in both individual and team events. Wave riders came from all corners of the globe, including Japan, Scotland, Ireland, Brazil and Spain. The USA was well represented by two teams, US East and US West. Members of the US West Team, predominately from California and in particular the Santa Cruz area, were on a mission to snatch the world title away from the Irish, who won the last worlds in 2003.
The contest was held at a break near the town of Esterillos Oeste, about 20 minutes south of Jaco, a fast-growing surf town on the central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. With a host of great sponsors, a team of professional surf judges, and a state-of-the-art timing system, the little beach was transformed into an Olympic-style contest site. The locals were very welcoming, observing the colorful gringos and their high-tech gear with mild curiosity. The children of the community even made flags for each country competing. After a great opening ceremony in Jaco and a thorough introduction to the Pura Vida (the “pure life,” the Tico anthem), the competitors were ready to slice up some waves.
Surf Kayaking Basics
Although not a new sport (history’s first wave riders rode in canoes or kayaks), surf kayaking remains low on the commercial-hype totem pole, which sits just fine with most of its low-key, eclectic, Pura Vida-guided athletes. In recent years, with the advent of edgier, shorter boat designs, surf kayakers have been able to reach new levels of dynamism. The best derriere surfers (to preemptively cast a lighter spin on the less flattering moniker, “butt surfers”) – many of whom are also accomplished board surfers, – are blending moves from whitewater kayaking and surfing to create some unique, sport-specific wave artistry.
In competition, there are two boat categories: International Class (IC) and an Open Class (also referred to as High Performance, or HP). Boats in the IC category must be three meters or longer, and no fins are allowed. These are usually rounded hull boats with more traditional designs. For the Open category, paddlers may choose any style of decked boat (round or flat bottom, fins or no fins, short or long). Though most of these boats are shorter and flatter, with fins.
Contestants surf in heats of four for 20 minutes, and their score is based on total points for their three best rides. Judges use the following criteria to keep score: wave selection (the better the wave, the better the score), length of ride (longer is better), dynamic (yet controlled) moves on the critical part of the wave (the green section adjacent to the pile), and overall style. So the idea is to get the best waves, have the longest rides, and show your skill and control throughout. The top two finishers in each heat advance to the next round, until only four remain.
Getting Wet
The first two days of the contest were filled with intermittent downpours sent from the hurricane-churned Atlantic. But that did little to dampen spirits, or the waves that came forth from the mighty Pacific. Although they varied greatly with the tide, there were rideable waves throughout the contest. The Individual event took up the first two days, followed by the Team Event. The contest wrapped up with the finals for both. There were eight full teams, and also a “Rest of the World” team comprising paddlers from countries without full teams (16 paddlers plus 2-3 alternates). In all, nine teams competed for the title. Paddlers acquired points for their teams depending on their place in each heat. Everyone paddled twice, and at the end of two days, overall team points were tallied to determine the four teams advancing to the finals.
The competition was fierce. Each heat would swing teams ahead or behind. At the end of the first two days, US West, US East, Jersey, and Ireland came out on top. It was a crushing dissapointment for Northern Ireland, who had tied for fourth place with Ireland. To break the tie, judges counted the number of first place finishes, which were again tied, and then second place finishes. Ireland had one more second place finish and thus advanced to the finals.
As the final day of the team event began, US East quickly pulled into the lead, with Ireland close behind. Gaining more points with each heat, US West eventually pulled into a three-way tie for second, then a two-way tie for second. The competition between teams was tight throughout the entire day, even more so when the waves picked up with the incoming tide. With each heat score announced, the four teams continued to swap for first place.
Paddlers were ripping up set waves and throwing themselves into end moves. In one of the last heats of the contest, US West team member Dave Johnston, a former World Champion, caught the ride of a lifetime. Dropping down the face and taking control of his ride, he cleanly executed two roundhouse cutbacks and, using the pocket’s energy, came screaming down the line with a wall of whitewater behind him. As the wave began its final pitch and throw onto the sand, he shot up, in a lip-slashing aerial maneuver.
The energy level on the beach exploded as every person who could appreciate his masterful skills burst into shouts and applause. The applause turned to frenzied chaos when a swarm of viscious bees descended upon the crowd, sending spectators scattering in all directions. The judges were forced to hunker down and continue as best they could to judge the final heat. It was not the sort of finale buzz anyone expected!
After all was said and done, the awards ceremony was held at the resort and a huge international party ensued. A jubilant US West team celebrated their new title as World Champs, sharing laughs and memories of the last week with fellow competitors. Although they will tell you they came to surf, it’s hard to be sure that they didn’t just come to see their distant friends. The camaraderie among this group is strong, spanning borders, genders and generations.
Rumor has it that the next Worlds in 2007 will be held in Spain’s Basque Country. Surf kayakers, it seems, prefer to compete in exotic locations. And if ESPN can’t make it, too bad.
Surf Kayak Instruction
If you are interested in learning to surf kayak from some of the best in the world, Northern California is home to a number of instructors who are members of the US West Team and available for private lessons:
- Dennis Judson, Adventure Sports Unlimited: 831-458-3648
- Dave Johnston, Venture Quest: 831-427-2267
- Mark Pastik, Kayak Connection: 831-479-1121
- Dan Crandall, Current Adventures: 1-888-452-9254
Oct/090
Team ASJ Race Report: Shooting Star Adventure
Race By Mike Erbe & Katrin Tobin • Photos courtesy of Shooting Star Adventures
Digging Deep
November 13th
Badger Cove, Lake Del Valle
We didn’t jump at the chance to race the Badger Cove Adventure Race on November 13th. After a long season of racing, Katrin, Tim & I worried that another six-hour race might plunge us into the deep-end of the dreaded “no recovery” abyss. The final consensus after two minutes of discussion: “What the heck? It looks like fun!”
That, however, was not the predominant sentiment at 4:30 AM on race day as we headed for Lake Del Valle in the Livermore hills. We knew that the steep canyons in the area were going to be a challenge, and with rain showers predicted for the area, we’d be playing roulette with Mother Nature.
The race was configured so that teams would ride to the transition area, kayak then run/orienteer or vice versa, and then ride back to the start/finish. The warning that there were not enough kayaks for everyone to be on the water at the same time (and that there were only two singles) dictated our strategy. By bagging fewer bike checkpoints on the way out, and getting to the reservoir first, we’d make sure we could get out on the water without delay. And given the unsettled weather, we definitely didn’t want to be in the deep-end of the lake if the wind came up.
We felt both clever, and a bit guilty for taking one of the only two singles available, knowing that there were solo racers in route. (While none of us would ever admit to having this self-serving idea, we all recognized it as a good one at once.) We jumped into the boats and paddled furiously for the three kayak checkpoints. Along the way, we were treated to spectacular views of the surrounding hills and clay cliffs along the lake that had been carved by the water. We also made mental notes of some of the inlets and pitches we’d revisit on foot.
After 90 minutes of paddling, the transition to waddling was traumatic. We opted to head straight uphill first, desperately coaxing our stiffened hamstrings and glutes back into service. Finding eight checkpoints on and among these steep knolls and deep canyons was going to keep us on our navigating toes.
The hunt for checkpoints got smoother and more rewarding when we hooked up with Thomas Bastis, who was racing solo. The extra set of eyes and maps made us more efficient and we began watching the altimeters and distances/pace more closely. Collectively, our energy was refreshed and inspired, and by now the weather had cleared up too. We were treated to sunshine and stunning views of the lake from every hilltop we scaled.
Back on our bikes, we had five more checkpoints to pick up on the way to the finish. A couple of them were tricky to find and, as usual, mediocre navigation skills created delays in our itinerary. We felt considerable relief as Tim sprinted up to the fire road after finding the last checkpoint buried in a creek bed. Katrin was back on her bike first, so we chased her all the way back up to the top of the ridge for the descent down the other side to the finish.
As the paved road into Del Valle was off limits, we struggled to find a legal route back home. We could see a fire road on the other side of a ridge and decided to bushwack over to it, rather than ride around it. Thomas had stayed in contact with us and we all took off down a steep, trail-less canyon. This turned out to be some of the most rugged country that we have raced in, and the canyon walls simply dropped away in places to a creekbed that was 200 feet below. We could see the road down at the bottom, and continued our hike-a-bike to it. We guess that this took more time than if we had ridden around it, but the experience sure was epic! Shortly after relaying our bikes down a six foot cliff, we squirted onto the road. Digging deep, Tim put the hammer down and led us across the finish line in just under six hours. This netted us a 3rd place finish in the three person, co-ed division.
Mike Murphy and the staff at Shooting Star put on a great event. The venue was terrific, the course was challenging, the mood friendly, and the barbeque was copious. And, when Mike Murphy dug into the deep–end of his schwag bag and handed out tons of prizes, everyone was a winner!
Team ASJ members Katrin Tobin (42), Tim Johnston (38) & Mike Erbe (49) work and train in Santa Cruz, CA. Tim lives in Los Gatos, while Mike and Katrin reside in Santa Cruz.
Oct/091
Baja Paddling: Kayak the sun-kissed Sea of Cortez this winter
By Pete Gauvin • Photos
by Danny Boyer
There’s nothing quite like spending a week on a desert island surrounded by turquoise water to recharge your batteries, recenter your priorities, and lighten your soul.
Throw in the adventure of getting there by sea kayak, camping on remote beaches, lots of Vitamin D sunshine, and a margarita or two, and you’re just about guaranteed one relaxing, memorable winter/spring escape.
This is no pipe dream. It’s as easy as booking a trip with an outfitter to the enchanted Sea of Cortez and surrendering to “Baja time.” Two Northern California outfitters currently offer trips to Baja: Blue Waters Kayaking (www.bwkayak.com) and Outback Adventures (www.outbackadventures.com).
Both companies run trips out of Loreto, the oldest town in Baja California Sur. Loreto, located about 750 miles south of the border, is set amongst the 4,000-foot escarpment of the Sierra de la Giganta mountains and the warm, blue Sea of Cortez. Aero California (800-237-6225), the only airline that flies into Loreto from the U.S., offers daily flights from LAX for about $280 round trip.
Kayak trips put in at Puerto Escondido (“hidden harbor”), about 15 miles south of Loreto, and kayakers paddle out to the protected islands of the newly designated Loreto National Marine Park, including Isla Carmen and Isla Danzante (“dancing island”).
Don’t forget to pack your mask and snorkel! These islands are famous for their sun-washed beauty and the proliferation of sealife in the waters around them. Sightings of manta rays, dolphins, roosterfish and sea turtles are common, and sometimes even a whale or two. Visitation is strictly controlled to minimize environmental impacts and maintain the wilderness experience for fortunate visitors.
Trips are eight days long and include five nights of camping out on the islands. The first and last nights are spent at a hotel in Loreto. Blue Waters will run six trips in March and April. Outback Adventures will run five trips from February through May. No prior sea kayaking experience is necessary.
Double and single kayaks are available through Blue Waters. Lead guides Roger Schumann, a noted author on sea kayaking, and Emily Beckwith, a naturalist and yoga instructor, are available for skills training. Trips are limited to 12 people. A Mexican chef cooks the meals, including plenty of fresh seafood.
A Whale of an Experience
As an alternative Baja adventure, Blue Waters will run seven whale-watching/kayaking trips to Magdalena Bay this winter from January to mid-March. From Loreto, “Mag Bay” is an hour-and-a-half drive across the peninsula to the milder Pacific side. A big base camp is established on a beach on a little island amid a mangrove at the north end of the bay, near the small fishing village of Lopez Mateos. The entrance to the bay between two sandbar islands, Isla Santo Domingo and Isla Magdalena, is a great place to see whales right from camp.
For closer views, pongas take campers out into the lagoon’s whale calving area, where you’re likely to see whales surface, breach and spy hop. In addition, there’s great hiking, bird watching, and calm-water kayaking in the mangrove, where you’ll see dolphins, sea lions and fish.
