frosh/soph shenanigans

Double kayak + Tom + Jordan = Disaster!!!


If there were only a video camera rolling... we would speed up the pace and add hilarious fast-playing piano music - we would be You Tube stars!!!


It was amateur hour at San Clemente. Darren spoke of WSB and reef structure, so we set out.


Our first launch attempt: We loaded the kayak and strapped down the gear as best we could. Darren, BSB Exterminator, quietly removed all his gear from the kayak before we launched (Good move. He had a rough kayak experience a year or two back, and he knew what was about to go down). Jordan grabbed the front handle of the kayak, and Tom grabbed the rear handle. We thought we timed the rolling wave sets perfectly... we charged! As soon as we hit the water, my foot got trapped in the fish hook hanging off the back, I tripped and dove head first in the water. In the mean time, the kayak was turning sideways and trapping Jordan between itself and a crashing wave. Jordan went under, the kayak toppled, and gear went everywhere. We scrambled and gathered up the floating gear as quickly as we could. No lost gear at that time, but the Honzo sword's shaft was damaged - my gun was pinched between Jordan's leg and the kayak, and the shaft was totaled; the tip of the gun was split and chipped. D'oh!

Second launch attempt: We loaded the kayak yet again and secured the gear a little better. Calico in front, Jedi in back - we charged again. This time Jordan hit the drop off where the sand stops and went under. I kept running forward, and I too hit the drop off and went under. We had a floating, unattended kayak; we scrambled yet again with oncoming waves in sight. Jordan flops on top of the kayak like a seal and falls off the other side. I make an attempt and secure my seat on top and start paddling over the oncoming waves in fear we'd have a repeat tumbling. I make it over and wait for Jordy to swim out to me - no way am I heading back into danger. We made it out this time!

We had a hard time finding the reef where the alleged White Sea Bass dwell, and Darren is determined to find it, so he swims off on his own leaving the two unsupervised amateurs on the kayak. Jordan gets in the water and swims around and figures he wants to dive a bit. He swims to the front of the kayak where the fins are strapped down, unties the cords, and frees up all four fins. The fins start slipping into the water quickly - this alarms Jordan, and he quickly scrambles to gather up the sinking fins. He is able to grab three and notices the fourth is sinking like a brick of concrete, in a hurry to join Davy Jones' locker. Jordan tried with all his might to swim after it - keep in mind he is holding three fins in his arms (none on his feet to help swim) and has a weight belt around is waste. It sinks too fast, and the fin vanishes into the deep. I am unable to jump off and help, because I was holding the two guns and paddles, so all I could do is watch - where's the video camera?
We are beyond angry at this point - an inoperable gun, a lost fin, and shattered hopes, but the losses are not over. We decide to pack it in, and Darren offers to buy us breakfast at Pipes to boost our spirits. We approach shore and notice the swell has picked up a bit. We get closer and closer. We are as patient as we can be at this point, waiting for the right moment, timing the sets, waiting, waiting... ok, now!!! We paddle hard into shore. As soon as we commit, I look behind us and a huge wave out of nowhere approaches fast. It nails us before we're able to make it. We get toppled and gear goes everywhere; we scramble and grab whatever we can in our reach and make our way to the sand out of the ocean's evil grasp. We must have made ten trips to the shallows and back to sand within a minute and completely exhausted and out of breath, collecting as much gear as we possibly could. We were able to collect most of our possessions, but the ocean claimed my mask, stringer, bent gun shaft, and Jordan's fin. Total damage = $420, but memories and the experience gained are priceless.

-TJ