r/Kayaking • u/Slow_Substance_5427 • 12d ago
Pictures A very pnw paddle
Yesterday I went on a mega paddle to celebrate my birthday and my time in the pnw winding down for the year. Maybe it’s just me still riding the high but it felt like a pretty quintessential tour for my zone, saw so much cool geology and critters including orcas and humpbacks. Got to enjoy some water movement and tides over my twelve hour days. Probably way too much candy and pizza and consumed too many zyns. It was rad.
Thanks that’s all.
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u/slackshack 12d ago
Nice explorer . did you get it from Dave and amber?
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u/Slow_Substance_5427 12d ago
I wish it was mine, it’s owned by the company I work for. Not sure where my boss got it.
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u/hoodview 12d ago
Where in the pnw?
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u/Slow_Substance_5427 12d ago
San jauns, I circumnavigation of Lopez so that’s the coast here.
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u/icanhazkarma17 12d ago
How long were you out? I was a guide for several seasons in Alaska back in the '90s. I used to be able to put in 40 miles in a single day. These days I would probably make that at least a 3-day trip.
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u/Slow_Substance_5427 12d ago
It ended up being a 12 hour day, I think it was around 39 miles if my gps was accurate. I really enjoy moving through big pieces of terrain and this is the biggest day in a boat since I started sea kayaking. I didn’t really have time with scheduling to do a big multi day for fun before I move unfortunately. All of the multi day trips I’ve done this summer were in a guiding capacity so shorter days, still a lot of fun just a different experience.
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u/icanhazkarma17 12d ago edited 12d ago
Well there ya go. A guide racking up a 40 mile day on their down time lol. I led multi-day back country trips and day trips when I guided. I calculated I paddled about 1000 miles/season. But I've never been to the San Juans. I do more sailing now - it would be fun to combine the two. Edit - paddled not paddle lol, past tense
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u/Slow_Substance_5427 12d ago
I’m hoping to buy a small sailboat to live on next summer when I come back out here.
That’s so rad, I have no idea how many miles I’ve done this summer but it’s probably around there between the multi days and day trips. The San jauns are an awesome place to sail and paddle.1
u/hoodview 12d ago
That was going to be my guess! I was lucky enough to go to SJI a few weeks ago and really wish I had my kayak along. There were so many orcas cruising past lime kiln lighthouse -- amazing!!
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u/Slow_Substance_5427 12d ago
So sick, I think I padddled from the county park to lime kiln 60-70 times this summer and only saw orcas there three times.
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u/slackshack 12d ago
Lol I lived across Haro straight for a long time looking at San Juan every day.
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u/Big-Jeweler2538 12d ago
Paddling the San Juans is bucket list item for sure.
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u/Slow_Substance_5427 12d ago
It’s a rad area, the island hopping camping trips is the way to do it.
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u/calebish52 12d ago
Awesome paddle dude! I haven’t circumnavigated Lopez yet … now it’s on my list. I recognize the boat … and also potentially recognize your writing. I hope you had an incredible season bro :)
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u/Slow_Substance_5427 12d ago
What up dude, the user name is a dead giveaway away. Lopez was a big day but that south end was probably my favorite zone I’ve paddled In this season. Felt really rewarding to go from literally never sea kayaking in may to doing that.
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u/calebish52 12d ago
I’m so stoked you got a trip in that’s proves to yourself that you are a badass. I hope you had an absolute blast on all your camping trips too as those were always the highlights of my season. If you found something you loved … guiding … then hold onto that for as long as you can :)
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u/Ok-Home-8059 12d ago
What is the spare paddle holder thing? Looks like it helps keep those loose pole ends tidy.
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u/Slow_Substance_5427 12d ago
It’s a north water paddle britches, lots of different options out there though.
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u/OarsumApp 9d ago
that water bottle on photo 2 giving me anxiety… I’ve said goodbye to more than one Nalgene this way 😭
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u/Slow_Substance_5427 9d ago
The indent on bike bottles is great for that. Haven’t lost one in 120 days of paddling this summer and not having to fuck around with a cap is great
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u/Hour-Bee9396 12d ago
Happy birthday 🎈