Fall 2012

1
New Jersey Windsurfing and
Watersports Association
Newsletter
Vol. 4, Issue 3. Fall 2012
Learning SUP, Kayaking and Windsurfing at the 4th Annual NJWWA FunFest at LBI
Editing and Layout:
13.
Contributors:
13.
Special Feature:
Clean Ocean Zone Shore Tour
14.
16.
On the Water
Sea Nettles in Northern Barnegat Bay
16.
Members’ Page
Thanksgiving (a windsurfer’s prayer)
18.
Sponsors
Photographs:
Contents:
Alasdair Gilfillan
Alasdair Gilfillan, Corinne
Gilfillan, Tom Latham, Margo Pellegrino,
Bill DeStefano
Thermal Bob, Alasdair Gilfillan, Corinne
Gilfillan, Guy Juliano, Tom Latham,
Eillen Pfaffman
Page
Article
1.
2.
3.
3.
4.
From the Editor
From the President
Club News
7.
8.
10.
11.
11.
11.
12.
NJWWA Event Schedule
4TH Annual Fun Fest @ Bayview Park,
LBI by Tom Latham
Fun Fest @ Lakes Bay
by Tom Latham
Paul Smith Memorial Regatta
by Tom Latham
NJWWA website: Forums 101
2013 Watersports Calendar
Other News
World’s #1 SUP racer visits LBI
4th Annual Island Surf and Sail Ladies
Paddle challenge
Congratulation to ISS staff and
associates
by Margo Pellegrino
by Tom Latham
by Bill DeStefano
From the Editor
This past year has seen the demise of two of the sport’s
major publications: “Windsurfing Magazine” in the U.S and
“Boards” in the U.K. Although it may be argued that this just
reflects a perceived declining interest in windsurfing, it
should also be pointed out that the Kiting magazine has also
suffered a similar fate. The decision to terminate publication
of these magazines thus likely reflects the increasing cost of
production and the switching over to electronic-based
circulation of periodicals that has been a recent trend in
publishing. Even though “Boards” can still be found on line,
reading online versions just does not have the same
experience as reading hard copies of these magazines.
Fortunately “Windsport” (http://www.windsport.com/) which
happens to be one of our sponsors, is still going strong.
Windsport is a really excellent magazine and, for those of
you who do not currently have a subscription, we suggest
checking it out.
2
For our sports (windsurfing, kayaking, SUP etc) to continue
to thrive and even grow, we feel that it is necessary to not
only support our sponsors, but also our clubs, events, local
instructors, and local windsurfing and watersport stores. It is
all too easy, (and often cheaper) to buy new gear on the
internet, or used gear on ebay, but is this always the best
way to go? Purchases on line require shipping and handling
charges, which can often narrow the differences in costs
between purchasing electronically and buying locally. Local
shops such as Island Surf and Sail (http://www.islandsurfsail.com/)
on
LBI
and
Extreme
Windsurfing
(http://www.extremewindsurfing.com/) at Lakes Bay also
provide invaluable advice about the best board/sail, SUP
board or Kayak to buy to best suit local conditions. They can
also help to set the gear up to ensure that the equipment is
performing to its best potential. This can avoid a lot of
disappointment when gear purchased on line does not live
up to expectations. Unfortunately, it is not an economically
viable model for local stores to have a large inventory of the
latest gear, but they can certainly order in equipment for you.
Nevertheless the local shops do carry spare masts, booms,
sails etc that can allow for a quick replacement to ensure
that equipment breakdown does not result in a lost session.
So next time you are contemplating buying new gear –
SHOP LOCAL!
Speaking of local events and instructors, NJWWA held two
of its annual Fun Fests during the past few months: one at
LBI and one at Lakes bay (see reports in “Club News”). One
of the major aims of these events is to provide members of
the general public a chance to learn or improve upon their
windsurfing, SUP and Kayak skills. These events are largely
run by NJWWA volunteers, but the events have greatly
benefited from the help of professional instructors: Jack
Bushko at LBI (609-494-5553) and Petra Kanz (609-6414445) at Lakes Bay. Both of these highly enthusiastic
instructors are greatly proficient at getting beginner
windsurfers going and more advanced windsurfers improving
their skills. H2Windsurfing (732-642-2834), Jersey Shore
Windsurfing (201-527-8892), Aloha Guides (732-735-2156),
and Green Hat kiteboarding (888-kite-001), all provide
professional watersports instruction in NJ. If you feel like you
are stagnating at your skill levels or know some people
interested in learning the sport – why not give them a call, if
not before the end of the season this year, then next
summer.
In addition to the Fun Fests, a number of other club, and
club-sponsored events, took place over the past few months.
NJWWA recently provided sponsorship to two charity
events: the 4th Annual Island Surf and Sail Ladies Paddle
challenge held at Bayview Park, LBI (see page 12), the
proceeds of which went to benefit “Piece of the Puzzle” and
“Girls on the Run” and; more recently, the Clean Ocean
Zone Shore Tour, which supports the mission of Clean
Ocean Action to educate people about the need for “Clean
Ocean Zone” legislation for the NY/NJ bight. One of the
central participants of the Shore Tour was local adventurer
and out-rigger canoeist, Margo Pellegrino. She kindly agreed
to provide an account of her experiences on that trip for this
edition of the newsletter (see page 13). One of our own,
Marah Shiels also took part in this event on a giant 14
woman SUP board affectionately called SUPzilla
(http://cleanoceanaction.blogspot.com/2012/07/tour-forshore-supzilla.html)
Finally, earlier this month NJWWA took part in a memorial
ceremony for one of its founding members “Paul Smith” who
unfortunately succumbed to a heart attack exactly a year
ago while enjoying what he loved to do most, windsurfing at
Bayview park, LBI. This was not only a chance to recall and
relate fond remembrances of Paul but also to take part in a
fun regatta in his honor (see page 8).
More club activities are planned in the coming months:
particularly the next Fun Fest held at Sandy Hook on
September 22nd and the 4th annual NJWWA gala to be
tentatively held at the Brant Beach Yacht Club on November
3rd. MARK THESE DATES!!. Further details can be found on
page 3.
From the President
by Tom Latham
Tom modeling the brand new NJWWA T shirt
This past Labor Day weekend has taken on a new meaning
as many of our members took the time to honor a fallen
comrade by attending the Paul Smith Memorial Regatta.
While this event is local to Bayview Park, Paul’s influence
extended to all of New Jersey, where epic conditions can be
found from any point of the compass.
windsurfnj.org/sites
This summer I got to experience both freshwater and
saltwater locations while windsurfing alongside my daughter.
While many times I was underpowered in an effort to match
her speed, I was proud to be able to nurture her exploration
of various sites. The thermal winds prevailed for most of the
summer and got us out on the water more often that not. But
let’s face it; autumn signifies the real windsurfing season.
Free access, faster commute, affordable lodging; cold fronts,
isobars, and high winds. Let’s hope some 15-20mph
forecasts inspire some flip, flop & fly slalom windsurfing
throughout the region.
windsurfnj.org/racing
Fall also brings colder water, and less rescue opportunities.
This past summer, I experienced “extreme mast failure” with
a light NE wind, ¾ mile out on Barnegat Bay in Lavallette.
Summer boat traffic allowed me a courtesy ride back to
shore on a 30’ cabin cruiser. This would have been a
different scenario if it were blowing 20 knots in the end of
September. In an effort to boost safety, I encourage you all
to not only use the buddy system and sail in onshore winds,
but also take advantage of the Internet and post when &
where you plan to windsurf. You may just find some new
friends to windsurf with.
windsurfnj.org/forum
3
See you on the water!
November 3, 2012:
Annual NJWWA Gala
To order new NJWWA shirt visit:
http://windsurfnj.org/store/store.htm
Club News
NJWWA Event Schedule
nd
Sept. 22 , 2012:
Fun Fest at Sandy Hook
rd
MARK YOUR CALENDER! – November 3
th
2012 - 4 annual NJWWA Gala at Brant Beach
Yacht Club, LBI – Fun, Band, Food (BYOB),
Raffle, and more - Be there or be square!
Fun and Food at NJWWA Gala 2011
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Now through Oct 2012, 2012:
2012 Slalom Race Series
4TH Annual Fun Fest @ Bayview
Park, LBI by Tom Latham
July 15th 2012
Forecast: SW winds 5-10 mph, mostly cloudy with a chance
of
scattered
showers
and
thunderstorms.
Consensus: Lets go for it!
Tracy and Eileen at Check In
As we arrived to setup, the sun was shining and the beach
was heating up. An assortment of equipment was provided
from our sponsoring shop - Island Surf & Sail. Just as high
tide peaked, our first wave of students made it out to the
water for their first introduction to windsurfing. We had an
excellent accompaniment of volunteers who were able to
provide personal instruction for 1 or 2 students for up to an
hour at a time. All in all, we had 43 people show up in the
morning for what proved to be great watersports weather.
Sunday July 15, 2012
SPONSORED BY:
68th St. & Long Beach Blvd.
9am-4pm
Cost: $25 non-members
$15 NJWWA members
Picnic lunch included
CHOOSE FROM:
Information or to
REGISTER Online with PayPal:
WWW.WINDSURFNJ.ORG
Questions? call 862-268-3033
Marah teaching first windsurfing lesson of the day
5
With many of us having just attended an instructors clinic
with Jack Bushko, our newfound knowledge found our
students practicing turning the board around several times
before actually windsurfing across the water.
Corinne helping a budding young windsurfer
It was fantastic to see some 9-year-old kids learning on a
2.5m² junior sail, and loving every minute of it. Witnessing a
family bond as both parent and children learn to windsurf is
awesome.
As the next wave of students started arriving, the stand-up
paddleboards started people on yet another journey across
the surface of the water.
Kay finishing SUP race
SUPing is a great core workout, and can earn you more
water time when it isn’t windy. As the wind did start building,
the race committee opted for a short upwind/downwind
course for the SUP Relay Race.
Tom directing SUP race
Beginners’ windsurfing session
We only wish we could spend more time nurturing these
future windsurfers
Trying SUPing
SUP Relay Race Results:
1st Place - Michel & Jimmy Larkin
2nd Place - Tom Madsen & Eileen Phafman
3rd Place - Jeff Shaeffer & Diane Pasterkiewicz
Michael and Jimmy winning SUP race
6
Just after the Noon hour, Joey's Pizza & Pasta fulfilled our
appetites and fueled us up for the afternoon windsurfing
session. Island Surf & Sail provided an assortment of prizes
that were raffled off at lunch.
Michael & Ally close behind. These pre-teen and teenage
kids out there in the middle of us on the bay- nurturing these
kids and mentoring them are a top priority! (We need a
committee boat out there for this reason alone!)
The afternoon Advanced Windsurfing Clinic found
professional instructor Jack Bushko hitting the water
alongside a handful of progressive students. This included
both kids and adults who all had more than a few years of
windsurfing under their belts. Jack tailored the instruction
right to their level. I observed sail handling, beach starts,
jibing, and duck jibing, while the increasing winds found
them all flying across the water with Jack.
Guy with Thermal Bob demonstrating tacking
All of our efforts were rewarded with SSW 15 mph winds in
the afternoon. As the two buoys were towed out to designate
the race course, a 2:30 start afforded the opportunity to rig &
get accustomed to the conditions. With summer boat traffic
navigating through the boat channel, and low tide limiting our
sailing area, the race committee set up a starting line across
the channel and just SW of Sand Island. The figure 8 course
put sailors on a beam reach to the WNW for about a ½ mile
and into 5’ waters. 13 racers congregated at the start/finish
line in 3’ water for a LeMans beach start.
Laurie going retro on a windglider
In an effort to even the playing field, a quick start was
implemented. This now found Alasdair, Steve, Guy & Marah
leading at the first lap. Both Alasdair & Marah dropped back,
while Wallace & Bill S made some good ground. Thermal
Bob finally showed up for a late start, and worked his way up
to a 6th place finish. Congratulations to our fairly new racers,
Marah, Kay, and Thermal Bob.
With the racing now ended, a new race to de-rig and pack
up was implemented by the warning of an approaching
thunderstorm. Amid the mayhem, awards were given out as
follows:
Windsurfing Race Results:
Men’s Fleet:
1st Place - Alasdair Gilfillan
2nd Place - Steve Acunto
3rd Place - Bill Steber
(Wallace DaPron graciously conceded third place as
both men had identical scores of 2nd, 3rd & 4th places)
Women’s Fleet:
Alasdair and Tom after windsurfing race
The first race found Alasdair, Bill S., Wallace, and Steve
leading at the first lap, while Ally, Michael and Jimmy quickly
finished their race. While the frontrunners held their lead,
Steve managed to get ahead of Wallace to take third place
for the first race. The second race found Wallace, Alasdair,
Bill S, and Marah now leading at the first lap. By the finish,
Alasdair & Wallace swapped positions, and Marah missed a
jibe mark and earned a DSQ. The junior fleet held steady for
the last 2 races with Jimmy now leading the way, with
1st Place - Kay Chiang
2nd Place - Laurie Cox
3rd Place - Marah Shiels
Junior Fleet:
1st Place - Jimmy Larkin
2nd Place - Michael Larkin
3rd Place - Ally Latham
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The Après Windsurfing Destination of the Thermal Café
found us gathering for a final raffle for even more prizes
provided by Island Surf & Sail. We cannot say enough for
their sponsorship of this event, and the provision of a full
array of watersports equipment. Complimentary issues of the
New England Windsurfing Journal were provided to
windsurfing participants, and our Junior Fleet 1st Place
Finisher won a 1-year subscription to Windsport Magazine.
Our second beginner windsurfing session found us greeting
Suraj, who recently got hooked with a lesson in Florida, and
brought 4 of his friends along to introduce them to
windsurfing. This is a true testament to the addictive nature
of windsurfing, and something that we, as a club, like to
nurture. Brian continued mentoring these 5 guys into the
lunch hour, until he was satisfied with their newfound
capabilities.
Its has always been a task to promote this event locally, and
Joni Bakum really came through as Park Director and liaison
to Long Beach Township. And of course, there is our army of
NJWWA volunteers-18 in all- to make this event run
smoothly. Thank you all for making this event so successful!
Fun Fest @ Lakes Bay
by Tom Latham
August 4th 2012
Petra and intermediate clinic
After a delicious lunch catered by Jo Jo’s Italian Grille, 8 of
us gathered for the advanced windsurfing clinic featuring
world-renowned instructor Petra Kanz. This Q & A session
covered the topics of waterstarting, jibing, harness &
footstrap use, and more. It was very informative, and a good
pre-curser to the following weekends full day advanced
windsurfing clinic on the water.
The race committee soon began distributing numbered vests
and recruited 10 slalom racers. A simple ¼ mile back-andforth figure 8 course was officiated by our race committee of
Brian and Mr. Larkin. Following a LeMans start (on your
mark, get set, go) Jimmy Larson has a big lead approaching
the first mark, followed by Jesse Sander. Somehow, they
both took turns in the drink as Tom Latham widely jibed
around them. With the juniors required to complete 1 lap,
Jimmy beat everyone to the line to take first place junior,
followed by Michael and Ally. Tom was able to hold the lead
through the second lap to earn first place, followed by Jesse,
Petra, and Rich Lees.
The flags were blowing from a light southerly breeze as we
arrived at Lakes Bay with the cloudy skies. Ally got the
registration table up and running efficiently. Our first 2
students lucked out and were given a full hour of 1-on-1
instruction by Tom, Bill, and then Brian. This made for a
tremendous day for them, only to be topped by trying standup paddleboarding, compliments of the Extreme Windsurfing
crew.
Women’s top finishers
8
The wind remained light, with gusts few and far between, so
there was minimal planning and footstrap use. We have
found that most contestants are decked out for slalom,
freeride, bump & jump conditions, so we like to keep it
simple to encourage participation.
memorial “glass inscribed” plaque, which the NJWWA
originally displayed at last year’s gala.
The second race found Jimmy once again first around the
mark, with Jesse finding his zone and blowing the doors off
of the rest of the fleet. Between races, some flowstyle (aka:
freestyle) action could be witnessed with Jesse, Rich, and
Petra handling their sails impeccably. /p>
For race 3, I found my daughter trying to take me out. That’s
what I get for implementing PWA Slalom “No” Rules. I don’t
know how she was able to hold onto both her own boom,
and mine, for such a long time? I was able to recuperate and
work my way through the pack in the light winds, thanks to
my “longboard”.
The awards ceremony soon followed, with raffle prizes for all
present. Special thanks go out to Jim Karabasz at Extreme
Windsurfing for his generous donations of accessories and
apparel. Additional thanks for the provision of New England
Windsurfing Journals and Windsport Magazine prize
subscriptions.
Lakes Bay is a top notch windsurfing destination, complete
with on-site shop ( Extreme Windsurfing ) and hotel (Comfort
Inn & Suites ). Wondering if it’s blowing? Bookmark the new
Lakes Bay Webcam for visual confirmation.
Thanks to all of our tireless NJWWA volunteers who ensure
the success of our Fun Fest program. (Unfortunately, my
new GoPro helmet-cam misfired)
Eileen recounting fond memories of Paul
The plaque was inscribed with words from the poem “Sea
Fever” by John Masefield which Bill D. read to the attendees.
Paul Smith Memorial Regatta
by Tom Latham
Paul’s Plaque
This past Labor Day weekend marked the 1-year
anniversary of the passing of founding member Paul Smith.
As family and friends planned the installation of a plaque in
Bayview Park commemorating his life, this has inspired the
creation of the Paul Smith Memorial Regatta. With over 40
people in attendance, family, friends and NJWWA members
and associates including Bill D., Brian, Eileen, Joni and Jack,
shared memories reflecting his life. Following a brief
ceremony, Paul’s Widow, Kathryn was presented with a
Bill reciting “Sea Fever”
9
Following the ceremony, attendees scattered white and red
carnations on the bay in Paul’s memory.
Kayak Race Results:
First:
Second:
Laurie Cox
Thermal Bob
Carnations scattered on the bay
A superb luncheon was served in the pavilion, while Jack
directed his beginner windsurfers to sail back and forth on
the bay. With a very light ESE decreasing breeze, the
celebration of Paul’s life concluded with a simultaneous
Kayak/SUP/Windsurf race around the island, while Brian
regaled spectators with a variety of guitar solos.
Medal winners: Corinne and Laurie
SUP Race Results:
First:
Second:
Third:
Alasdair Gilfillan
Jack Bushko
Corinne Gilfillan
SUP: race for the finish
Windsurfer Race Results
First:
Second:
Third:
Bill DeStefano
Bill Steber
Joni Bakum (honorary)
Tom with windsurfing champ: Bill D
10
NJWWA website: Forums 101
For instance, under the Who’s Sailing, Where? Forum, Each
launchsite is broken down as a “topic” which you can
subscribe to.
Throughout the summer, there always seems to be other
windsurfers at the beach rigging their 6.0 and 7.0 sails. Now
that autumn is arriving, it can be a challenge to find a partner
to windsurf with.
The NJWWA Member Forum is the answer:
First you will need to pick a username and password
Maybe it’s your email handle? Or windsurfing stage name?
Duckjiber, Windfix, or Chophopper all come to mind.
Just avoid non-sensical names such as devghcjiklyop, as
this will surely get flagged as spam.
If you want to subscribe to a forum, you will need to click on
the Subscribe forum area. (it is a little deceiving in that the
check mark DOES NOT mean that you are subscribed)
Click it and you will see for yourself.
Once you are logged in, you can check our first 3 primary
forum choices.
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Once you are already subscribed to a forum, it will then offer
you an Unsubscribe forum area. This means that you are
now SUBSCRIBED. As other windsurfers post when and
where they are going windsurfing, you will be immediately
sent an email notification. Confirm the forecast, logon, and
notify others of your own windsurfing intentions.
Other News
World’s #1 SUP racer visits LBI
During the summer months, Island Surf and Sail (ISS) have
been running free SUP clinics on Friday evenings at
Bayview Park, Brant Beach as part of the summer events
series which Joni (Bakum) has played a big part putting
together. On Friday May 25th during the Memorial Day
weekend, there was a special visit from the world’s #1 SUP
Racer Travis Grant, see link:
http://www.c4waterman.com/2012/2012/02/25/travis-grantaus-wins-gold-at-2012-isa-world-sup-championships-inperu/.
If you were subscribed to the Trixies Landing forum, you
would have gotten an email on Friday, July 20th, notifying
you to join others at Trixies for an afternoon sesh.
Class dismissed.
2013 Watersports Calendar
We are looking to develop a watersports calendar to offer for
sale as a fundraiser for the NJWWA.
We will be accepting your windsurfing, stand-up
paddleboarding and kayaking photos for consideration in this
project. We hope to get this finished by September and offer
it for sale at the Gala and possibly through local shops.
We appreciate your photographic talents, and look forward
to your participation.
[email protected]
Travis and Terry touring the bay
Travis is from Australia but has close ties to LBI due to his
time spent here as a lifeguard and also as his wife is from
LBI. He was spending a few days in LBI to attend a wedding
but managed to find time to get out on the water and also
give those attending the Friday night ISS SUP clinic some
technique tips for getting improved speed on an SUP board.
Terry, Corinne and Alasdair subsequently put these racing
tips to good use (see pages 9 and 13).
12
4th Annual Island Surf and Sail
Ladies Paddle challenge
On Friday July 27th, ISS held its 4th annual charity Ladies
Paddle Challenge at Bayview Park.
Travis giving pointers to Corinne, Terry and Nick
Afterwards Travis and Terry and Nick from ISS took a not so
leisurely paddle round the islands at Brant Beach.
For the past couple of years, the weather did not cooperate
for the scheduled events with competitors having to deal with
a severe thunderstorm two years ago and, last year, the
event had to be postponed for a day due to strong winds
(which, of course, many of the windsurfers took advantage
of).
Nick watching Travis’s technique
This year, the conditions were ideal and there was a great
turnout with around 90 ladies taking part. The ISS ladies
made a particular strong showing with the ISS “twins”, Jacki
and Lizzy Sikkema, respectively coming in first and second
in the SUP event, Tina Carpenter 5th, and Zoe Deakyne 9th in
the All Round category.
NJWWA was one of the sponsors of this event and proceeds
went to two charities: “Piece of the Puzzle” and “Girls on the
Run”.
13
Special Feature
Clean Ocean Action (CAO)
http://www.cleanoceanaction.org/index.php?id=37
is an organization dedicated “to improve the degraded water
quality of the marine waters off the New Jersey/New York
coast”. During August, CAO organized a “Tour for the Shore”
http://cleanocean.wordpress.com/; an event sponsored by
various businesses and organizations including NJWWA to
bring attention to concerns regarding the coastal
environment.
The event involved a 15 day tour of the NJ/NY coastline from
Cape May, NJ to Montauk, Long Island, NY. One of those
playing a big part in this event was Margo Pellegrino a
coastal adventurer
http://www.canoekayak.com/canoe/outrigger-canoeistmargo-pellegrino-paddles-the-pacific/
who travelled the entire length in her outrigger canoe. Below
is her account of her exploits during this event.
Clean Ocean Zone Shore Tour
by Margo Pellegrino,
Medford Lakes, NJ
Congratulation to ISS staff and
associates
In addition to their success in the Ladies Paddle Challenge,
Jackie and Lizzie from ISS placed 1st and 3rd among the
women competitors in the Long Board Classic surfing
competition recently held on LBI (August 18th) and 1st and 2nd
in the Dog Day road race also recently held in LBI.
ISS staff members and associates also took part in the 6th
annual Sea Paddle NYC event held on August 17th. This
grueling event involves Stand Up Paddleboarding completely
around Manhattan; a distance of 26.5 miles. Those of us
who have tried SUP’ing in even moderate chop and currents
must appreciate the challenges associated with SUP’ing in
the strong currents and boat wakes in the Hudson and East
rivers in NYC. Despite these challenges, ISS associates/staff
finished in highly respectable positions with Billy Mehl
placing 2nd in the Elite division, Chris (Digger) Atley 1st place
in the Sea Paddle division and Terry Deakyne placing 28th
overall.
Congratulations go out to all those involved in
these events.
The cell phone rang as my family and I neared our
destination in Cape May. The number showed it was Cindy
Zipf, president and founder of Clean Ocean Action. I knew
exactly why she was calling. Thunderstorms had been
predicted for the entire coast of NJ, and from the threatening
looking clouds in the sky and the equally concerning red
spots on the radar, it looked like the start of the Shore Tour
was going to get a little wetter and more exciting than
planned for. She was concerned about whether the paddle
aspect of the Clean Ocean Zone Shore Tour, a mission to
educate people about the need for “Clean Ocean Zone”
legislation
for
the
NY/NJ
bight
(http://cleanocean.wordpress.com), would be a “go” or end
up grounded. I’d been involved in the planning for this trip for
a year, but Cindy and the rest of the crew at COA poured
blood sweat and tears into it for even longer, so the weather
certainly created more than a bit of frustration.
“Let’s wait and see,” I told her. “Even if I only do a mile, let’s
just get this going.” I figured that, worst case scenario, if I
was forced to cut the day’s paddle short, I’d make up the
miles the next day. More than likely, though, and what I was
hoping for, was to just ride with the wind and hope the
weather held. Mother nature had other plans, though, as
usual. The weather has always been the unknown variable
and it seems as if every year it gets harder and harder to
accurately predict very far in advance what a given day will
hold. Unlike the Pacific Northwest, where the wind honks out
of the north or northwest at 20k starting at ten every morning
during July, the East Coast is a total crap shot. Sure you
have a higher probability of good south wind for a few days
in a row, but one can never bank on that. Well, sorta kinda,
but not really. Three good running days of south winds will
turn abruptly into gusters out of the northwest. The day I got
caught in a squall off of AC I was stoked to at least have the
wind and swell at my back heading north, but Don Pussehl
of Baycats in Ocean City, stuck under the Longport bridge
decided to gun it for his home dock because he had the wind
at his back, even though he was going south. What’s truly
nuts is that we were within ten miles of one another.
Thunderstorms, though, really take the cake, as do those
crazy winds that we’ve been seeing lately. I’ve been caught
14
in a bunch of bad storms and always feel like I’m running the
odds. I start getting a little paranoid until I remind myself that
this is part of paddling in NJ. However, there is a real
difference between the “threat” of thunderstorms and actual
lightning bolts striking down yards in front of you, like they
did as I was paddling into Absecon Inlet at Atlantic City.
That’s happened enough times that I could fully appreciate
what these two guys who straggled into our kick-off event
must have gone through on as they prone paddled back to
the shore while watching lightning struck the water in front of
them. They were out about a mile when the storm hit and
managed to make it in right before press conference started,
right when it was howling like mad outside and you couldn’t
see a thing.
Sean Dixon, Clean Ocean Action’s staff lawyer who was
going to do the “peddle” part of the two part journey (one by
land, one by sea), was game to start in the rain, as was I.
We just really wanted to get this going-Cindy and the team
had done an amazing job organizing events along the coast,
and we certainly didn’t want to throw off the schedule on the
first day. Lucky for us, the storm cleared out enough so we
could start out shortly after the press conference. Jeff Martin,
who runs a kayak/SUP rental and tour place there in Cape
May and also sits on the COA board, helped me get my boat
launched, and so the Shore Tour commenced with a spot of
sun and fun downwind conditions, especially fun if you’re in
an outrigger canoe. The canoe itself is an intrinsic part of the
ocean mission. Hawaiian style outrigger canoes have a very
long history and tradition associated with them. They have
provided a means of transportation for the Pacific Islanders,
a means of getting food, a sense of community. Traditionally
they are paddled by teams of six paddlers, and the nature of
the boat is that it moves best when all individuals paddle as
one--driving their paddles into the water and exiting at the
same time. Today it is still a way of life, but of course the
focus is on the teams and sense of community as well as
taking care of the ocean, our most favorite playground, and
not so much for sustenance but for many of us still crucial to
our survival- albeit for different reasons. The ocean serves
as a welcome antidote to the distractions and traumas of
chaotic modern life.
The boat I’m paddling now is a “Pueo” by Kamanu
Composites. Hawaii is the scene of the sixth greatest mass
extinction on the planet. Mostly none of the plants or animals
is native to this chain of islands. The Pueo, though, is one of
the few remaining native species left. It is considered lucky
to see one of these little daytime owls. I’ve been to Hawaii
once and haven’t seen one, but I do feel incredibly lucky to
paddle this amazing one person outrigger canoe. It is pure
joy in the ocean, the rougher it is the more the boat shines.
The name of the boat was not without intent. It reflects the
desire of the company to impart a value on what we so often
take for granted, hold it dear, and take care of it. Kinda like
what we need to do for one another, and the ocean. Luke
Evslin, who lives in a yurt off the grid and is one of the
principals of Kamanu Composites, says it best in his essay
about the Liberty Challenge, an international outrigger canoe
race that takes place in the NY Harbor and rivers,
(http://kamanucomposites.com) “[t]ravel to a race like the
Liberty Challenge and it’s a quick reminder of why we do
this. It’s about being part of a community much greater than
any of us. And it’s about perpetuating an ancient, unbroken,
and living culture.” Yes, outrigger canoeing is so much more
than a team sport, it’s a way of life. The Pueo was the
perfect boat for the Clean Ocean Zone, which would protect
the NY/NJ Bight from the ravages of oil and gas
development which we know, for so many reasons, are not
“the right way to go.”
At this time of economic strife and uncertainty, it might seem
like a long shot to get decent protection for our greatly
impacted bit of ocean, but it would be a huge, significant
milestone that would lock in the safeguards against pollution
that Cindy and her colleagues have worked so hard for. And
after all, Cindy Zipf and her crew at Clean Ocean Action are
no strangers to hard work and uphill battles. Cleaning up the
coasts of NJ and NY and fighting the big interests that
benefitted from the status quo was no easy task. New Jersey
and New York ocean lovers and beach goers owe her and
her coalition of groups and individuals a debt of gratitude for
making it illegal to dump sewage and medical waste off our
shores, and because of her we now test our waters so we
can be sure they are safe enough to swim in. As a South
Jersey Chapter of Surfrider Foundation member, I’m stoked
that we continue to participate in Clean Ocean Action’s twice
yearly beach sweeps, among other things, and I was
completely honored to be a part of this amazing Shore Tour.
I hope we do it again, even if it does mean paddling in more
squalls! For the ocean!
On the Water
Enjoying a quiet late afternoon session
After discussing the “Science of thermals and the art of
predicting them” in the last newsletter, we are beginning to
wonder if thermals are a thing of the past at the Jersey
Shore. Over the last few years there have been fewer and
fewer days with what used to be reliable summer afternoon
thermals. The major reason for this is likely the unusually
warm ocean temperatures which this year have been
averaging an amazing 5 to 10 degrees above normal.
Learning windsuring and SUPing
15
With the average air and ocean temperatures over the last
few years being amongst the hottest on record, the concern
is that climate change (AKA global warming) may be
beginning to impact windsurfing (along with much more dire
consequences). We will have to wait to see what the coming
years bring, but at least in the short term, the fall should
hopefully bring nice westerlies which are more frontal than
thermal driven.
Michael navigating while Kyla sails
There certainly seemed to be an encouraging number of
newbies getting lessons on these days which have also
been ideal for SUP, a sport which is continuing to grow.
Jack with 3 generations of windsurfers:
Anne, Michael, Kyla and Eileen (L to R)
Having said all this, when the south winds did kick in during
summer, we did manage to get some tremendous sessions
in. Indeed for the second year in a row, we even managed to
get some windsurfing races run in planning conditions during
our Fun Fest at LBI (see earlier). Surprisingly, most of these
windy days came during August and early September,
normally a down time for winds in general. We even
managed to get some days with winds reaching over 30 mph
which brought out a good number of sailors to local
windsurfing spots.
The tranquility of SUP
A hopeful sign for the future of the sport is the number of
people resurrecting their former windsurfing activities and
also getting their kids involved. Now, as said many times
before, let’s see what we can do to keep them involved in
the sport. Some suggestions:
Jack teaching Michael
While the summer conditions failed to live up to the hopes of
the windsurfers craving routine 20+ mph winds, the
predominantly light wind conditions were ideal for beginners
wishing to learn the sport or those wishing to move improve
on their novice skills.
1. Stress how much fun, healthy, and environmentally
friendly the sport is.
2. Encourage them to get newer lighter, user friendly gear
3. Encourage them to get lessons from the Pros
4. Stress the social aspect of our sport
5. Encourage them to join our club and take part in our
activities.
16
Ally and Tom showing the Neo Sport lycra sport skin
Members’ Page
Corinne enjoying late day light wind sailing
Thanksgiving
(a windsurfer’s prayer)
by Bill De Stefano
Sea Nettles in Northern
Barnegat Bay
After encountering thousands of sea nettle jellyfish a few
years ago in Lavallette, I’ve been reluctant to return there…
until now.
Having returned to Lavallette this summer, I not only found a
new sponsor for our northern NJWWA Fun Fests, but Ken &
Eileen Hoff of H2Windsurfing.net introduced me to the Neo
Sport lycra sport skin.
While the sea nettle jellyfish are not overly abundant this
year, they certainly are not disappearing anytime soon. This
suit takes the fear out of launching in the infested waters of
northern Barnegat Bay. Equipped with this suit, I will now
venture out of my comfort zone, take risks, and try new
maneuvers, all while welcoming the possibility of falling in
the water. I love my wonderful wife.
Surprisingly enough, once wet, it actually keeps you cool on
a hot day, and it provides 50+ SPF. The savings on suntan
lotion alone justifies the $40 investment. Sizes run a bit
small, so order the next size up. NeoSportUSA.com
Give thanks for the sails
My surrogate wings
Alive with the wind
Truly magical things
Give thanks for the sun
Engine of the sky
Give birth to the wind
Make my wings fly
Give thanks for the wind
And its loud raucous song
May the gusts be few
And the thermals be strong
Give thanks for the board
Dancing with my feet
Wind, waves and chance
All call the beat
Give thanks for the sea
Rising to meet me
Give thanks for the fear
Which will never defeat me
Give thanks for my friends
Both here and gone
May our day’s last sail
Be sweet and be long
17
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18
Start of SUP race at the 4th Annual NJWWA FunFest at LBI
Sponsors
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