maiden voyage: single fin yeller
It’s funny how I can never get enough when it comes to surfing. Or maybe it’s not funny when I get a bit cranky from not going in the water for a several days. Today I did something that I wanted to do for a long time but just never got around to it. I went for a long paddle. Flat water, clam wind, low tide, I paddled from the point, across a wide bay and to the other point, then around the headland ‘till I reached the adjoining bay. I would tell you where but…
My decision to go for the hour and a half paddle was inspired partly by a need to get past a foggy head and partly because I wanted to put the log in the water and see how she felt. The longboard I’d been riding all summer is the same length as the new ‘ol yeller only completely different in every other respect.
The new board is a 9’6” x23.5” by 3” Rocky McKinnon single fin log. It’s got a flattish yet flowing rocker with a bit of kick in the tail. The rails are egg shaped, a characteristic that makes the board feel like it’s partly submerged, unlike the feeling on a hard-railed board. It paddled great both prone and knee paddling. Actually, I put the first pressure ding in it from knee paddling.
The paddle was amazing. One and a half hours of meditative strokes, fingertips grazing the kelp in the shallows. No leash, no gloves, no boots, summer is coming to a swift end and taking advantage of the warm water makes me feel like I’m on top the here and now. Off to make some Vietnamese salad rolls for dinner.
I'll leave you with an appropriate tune for today's occasion.
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6 comments:
forget the board (j/k) but i would love that bumper sticker!!!
It is not reggae, but Josh Ritter is playing in your neck of the woods in October. Do you know his music? When I first saw him I knew nothing about him at all, and he blew me away. That was an acoustic solo show. Not sure if this is with the band or not, but may be worth checking out.
Oct. 21st
"Halifax Pop Explosion"
@ St. Matthews United Church
Halifax, NS
Colleen
Always good to throw an LSD (long slow distance) day in. An excellent opportunity for stroke analysis & contemplation.
;-)
oh...
Beautiful board.
I just totally relaxed to that song. The board looks happy and fun.
A long paddle on a warm day is good for the soul - I used to do it a lot while recuperating from a broken arm. I couldn't yet push up but I could paddle.
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