Killer Kelp

Killer Kelp
by Linda
August 21, 2010

Yes, we got there (Cabrillo) at 2 which is when we should have gone out, but we were hungry and had Roxy with us so went up the hill and had lunch (sat outside with her, so nice). We decided to sail, got on the water about 4, which is right when it started to back off. It took me about 5 tries to get out through the swell, very humbling, got tossed around, up and down and actually wound up on my belly UNDER my rig at one point, but finally made it out just to get 2 reaches and came in due to marginal wind. Kevin got right out, of course and sailed an hour straight but said it was hard work although he was planing every time I saw him. So, he suckered me out, or rather, suckered me into attempting to go back out, but this time I got so worked in the swell, my rig got buried in the sand and if not for Joanna coming out to help me, it would still be there, I’m sure (notice, I said Joanna, not any guys standing around.) Come to realize a giant strand of kelp had wound itself around the clew at least 5 times, I have no idea how that happened, but it was anchoring the rig under the water, so it took 2 of us, plus little Chikako to get it out of the water (notice, again, no guys, and I’m sure the lifeguards, who have no love for windsurfers were watching the whole dance laughing hysterically). I literally had to unwind it out from between the clew of the sail and the end of the boom like 5 times, until, finally, one person owning a Y chromosome (read male) came to help get the kelp off once we had dragged it out of the water. All in all, not a very fun day for me, but at least Kevin sold a trophy!

I hope I remember never to attempt sailing at Cabrillo in a south swell.

Linda