4/30/11 SUP Training Paddle 10.6 Miles around Caladesi

I couldn't make it to the Carolina Cup so I created my own Epic race course. Training Partner Jason Grace met me at my house on Clearwater Beach and we drove to my secret parking spot on North Beach. The goal is to head north and go all the way around Caladesi Island and travel south back to my dock. I approximated the course to be between 10-12 miles and take around 2:30 hours to account for breaks and the fact that Jason is on a stock board.

Gear Checklist
Garrett YOLO Prowler 14'
Jason YOLO Eco Trainer 12"

Hydration/ Nutrition
Camel Bak 50 oz Flash Flo filled with Power Aid Power Option -Green
Lara Bar
Shot Blocks

The conditions were glorious. A Cold Front had recently pushed through and it was actually kind of cool by FL terms when we started. The gulf was mostly flat with a predominant ENE wind that was blowing between 10-15 mph. It was absolute sserenity on the wateras we headed north towards the pass between Caladesi and Honeymoon Islands. There were no boats and only a few dominant souls walking the state park beach, as my friend Dave Matthews says, "It's good for the soul when there is not a soul in sight" We were set in a tempo pace with a focus on form. My only stroke thought was to pull my feet to the paddle not the paddle to my feet. I had been getting a little lazy with keeping my arms perfectly straight so this stroke thought really helps. Thanks Dave Kalama. It felt so good to finally have my own paddle back. I felt my normal stroke for the first time in a month. It is truly amazing how much comfort plays a role in performance.

Going through the pass can quite treacherous as there are usually some really funky tidal flows. This time was no different as we said hello to the Eastern Wind. It was almost treadmill conditions as we made it through the pass, but we powered through and took a 5 minute break at the beautiful point of Caladesi Island. The East wind absolutely kicked our ass as we headed south. The wind was a steady a 15mph plus gusts. Jason said he wanted to work on paddling on his right side he got what he asked for. The back side of Caladesi is equally as beautiful as the Gulf Side. We took another break around the 6.5 mile mark to explore some mangroves.

The rest of the paddle was mostly a blur as fatigue set in. I couldn't wait to find the opening to get relief from the east wind. Once protected from the wind I sped up and got a little closer to my race pace. It was nice to actually paddle on the left side. I left Jason in my wake and left him to fend for himself against the pirate ship as we got closer back to my dock. My wife was waiting for me on the dock when I returned with a nice cold beverage. What a great wife and what a great life to be able to knock out a beautiful paddle like that.
We covered around 10.6 miles in just under 2:30 of paddle time.