Jewell Island SUP Camping Trip

Jewell Island is a 221 acre island named for George Jewell and sits on the outer edge of Casco Bay, an eight mile paddle from Portland, ME.  According to history, he traded a bottle of rum to the local indians for it in 1636 and used it a fishing base.  After George Jewell drown in Boston Harbor the island became home to many settlers who continued to fish and farm on it and by the early 1700's settlers even tried to mine gold, silver and salt on this rugged coastal island.

During WWII, 400 troops were stationed on Jewell Island to watch for the enemy and protect Portland Harbor, the closest US Harbor to Europe.  Island infrastructure included watchtowers, searchlights and anti-aircraft guns.  Casco Bay was never threatened but a German U-boat was spotted off the shore in 1942.

The state of Maine acquired the southern end of the island in 1972, the northern end four years later and has administered it as an undeveloped recreational use island since.  In 1988 Jewell Island became one of the first islands on the Maine Island Trail.  Last week it became our base for a 3-day paddling vacation.

Since an injury in April and surgery in May, I've done very little paddling.  In the past couple weeks I've tested the arm on a few short and moderate trips and felt stronger each time.  This paddle was another test for me since it would be the longest paddle since surgery with the most difficult conditions.  A loaded board, an unsettled weather forecast and an unprotected route had me a little concerned.  But, I was traveling with some strong sea kayakers and felt ready.

In the end, conditions turned out better than anticipated with some fun wind on the third day.  The highlight of the trip for me was spending a day exploring the island on foot.  It's a really cool destination with beautiful forest and walking trails.  Nine large campsites dot the island along with bits of history in every direction, from fallen down buildings to old foundations to underground bunkers to chimneys standing tall and straight.  The pictures below begin to tell the tale.

Goodbye Summer.  Hello Autumn.  Thank you Drew, Sara, Emily, Ashley, Zack & Mitch from the Portland Paddle crew for a relaxing yet challenging sup camping trip back in time.

Traveling SUP setup

I've been working on a system for SUP traveling for some years and at every step I've made changes to improve it.  My parameters are simple.  It needs to be 50 pounds or less, it needs to hold everything I need for a trip and it cannot include any unnecessary equipment.

THE GEAR:

• Red Paddle Co 14' Elite (14' x 26" x 6")
• HP Pump with gauge and hose
• Werner Nitro M 3-piece adjustable
• composite fin
• repair kit
• FCS leash
• Watershed Ocoee drybag
• PFD
• Camelbak Molokai Hydration Vest
• MSR 3L dromedary bag for additional water capacity
• Seal Line 115L Pro Portage Pack to hold everything while traveling and then double as an on-deck drybag for camping gear.

IMPRESSIONS:

• The 14' Elite is hard to beat.  It continuously exceeds my expectations for performance & durability.  If I could own just one board, this would be it.  The only thing I've had to do is trim the battens, add deck attachments & repair the fin box. 
• The Werner Nitro M is pretty great.  I do plan to shorten the two longer pieces by about 1" in order to make packing easier and more streamlined.  Right now, those are the longest pieces in my kit and are a bit too tall for the pack.  
• The Seal Line 115L Pro Portage Pack is awesome.  It's well designed, well built and very comfortable with a 50lb load.  I am disappointed that I've worn two holes in the bag after just one flight, but I blame myself for bad packing.  Holes are easily repaired anywhere since the repair kit includes everything necessary to do the job quickly.  

packed

packed

unpacked

ACA July Instructor of the month

I've been working hard in the paddle sports industry for 15 years.  In that time I've never considered it a career, although it has accounted for a large percentage of my income each year.  I've met many wonderful people through this sport including many of my best friends.  I've helped people achieve paddling goals and it's felt wonderful.  I've had paddlers injured under my watch and it's felt terrible. I've failed and succeeded.  I've won a couple races.  I've taken trips to incredibly beautiful places and pushed my paddling limits over and over.  I've guided.  I've coached.  I've managed events.  I've worked hard on my personal skills all these years.  I've been mentored.  But most importantly, I've learned. I've learned a great deal about myself and about others while working in this industry.

So, I'm honored to have been awarded the American Canoe Association July instructor of the month.  Kokatat sponsors the program and has graciously sent me a new PFD as a gift.  I'm proud of this award and of all the work I've contributed to the paddle sports industry.


ACA: What drew you to become an ACA certified instructor?

Palmariello: In 1999 I was finishing an internship in the ski industry and looking for a summer job on the coast. Without experience, I was positive I'd like sea kayaking so I bought some equipment, taught myself the basics and talked my way into a guiding job for the summer. I quickly realized how much I didn't know and sought out the best training I could find. That led me to the ACA. I was hooked after that first course and on a mission to become a competent well-rounded paddler. That summer job was the beginning of a new lifestyle and my introduction to the ACA and paddlesports.


ACA: Do you have any memorable trips, events, or stories that stand out as your ‘favorite paddling moment?’

Palmariello: One of my most exciting and most memorable padding experiences took place in 2013 when I entered a 100 mile river race in California. In a field of one hundred twenty paddlers, five of us accepted the 100 mile, 1 day challenge on standup paddleboards. I approached the race with the goal of finishing but just 25 miles into the race my competitive side took over. A paddling colleague, Michael, was clearly racing hard and took a lead over me by a few minutes. I chased him for a long time and thirty miles later I was only thirty seconds behind him. For another fifty miles we battled downriver within a minute of each other. In the end we finished that 100-mile race in 12 1/2 hours and just five minutes apart. The real enjoyment, however, came from the paddling community that embraced each other and the people I met that weekend. I bonded with Michael on the water that day and was so impressed with the camaraderie that I became involved with the non-profit group that runs the race.


ACA: Have you participated in any particularly meaningful paddling programs, outreach events, educational sessions, or projects?

Palmariello: From 2009 to 2014 I managed the Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium. Bringing an amazing community of paddlers together once a year to celebrate sea kayaking made me incredibly proud. Witnessing all those people paddling outside of their comfort zones and achieving success was very rewarding to me. More importantly, a diverse group of people with various backgrounds were making friends and memories on and off the water. I've met some of my best friends through paddling and it has been such a meaningful piece of my life.

Last paddle on San Francisco Bay

I'm leaving town soon so when I got the call from Gretchen to do one more paddle before I left, there was one particular paddle I had in mind.  Looking at currents and weather, everything appeared perfect for a trip going west and then east.  I'd always wanted to paddle to Angel Island and hike to the top so it seemed the perfect day to give it a try.

We met in Berkeley at 5:45am with Shanna surrounded by fisherman and power boats.  By 6:50am we paddled out of Berkeley Marina right into a quartering chop.  Winds weren't strong yet, but were showing signs and it was the chop that slowed our progress.  What I predicted as a two-hour crossing turned into three hours.  Not big deal though, because we still made the island before the wind turned on.

Taking our time on the beach, we changed into dry clothes and proceeded to hike to the top of Mt. Livermore, 781ft above sea level in the middle of San Francisco Bay.  It was my first time to to the top of Angel Island and on a great day with great company.  It really couldn't have been better for my last paddle in the area.  But wait, it got better.  While we ate and relaxed, the wind did pick up and was blowing about 20mph when we re-launched on the east side of Pt. Blunt.  This was exactly what I wanted, although the wind didn't line up for perfect straight downwind rides.  It lined up well enough that we could catch some bumps, paddle south and repeat.  We zigged and zagged right back to Berkeley in ninety minutes with a bumpy mix of 2ft wind chop and swell.  We spent about 8 hours on the trip and covered 16.7 miles of paddling and hiking.  So fun to mix paddling and hiking!

Bay to Bay - San Diego, CA

I haven't paddled this route since, I don't know, 2006 maybe?  It's been awhile and I've been wanting to standup paddle it for a long time.  It's a gorgeous stretch of coastline with beautiful waves & scenery.  Since Federico recently finished restoring his classic thirteen foot prone paddleboard from the 70's/80's, it was the perfect time to partner up and make the trek.

I've been staying with him in San Diego for about a week and a half now.  I've had two paddling courses back to back weekends so it's been hard to find a time to do this.  We decided Monday would be our best option and if swell and weather aligned we'd give it a try.  Come Sunday night, the wind looked good, tides were perfect and the swell had dropped to 2 feet.  It's a go.

beach break

nearing Point Loma

rounding Point Loma

SUP Instructor Certification Workshop May 1-3 San Diego

When three days disappear in a blink, you know it's fun.  We had a solid group of eleven made up of eight candidates and three Instructors.  The real kicker for this weekend is that every single person brought something to the course, most notably their fun personalities and willingness to learn and contribute.

It's difficult to measure the outcome of these courses.  You can't just say he or she got certified.  The certification shouldn't be and isn't the most valuable piece of these workshops.  It's really about improving skill, learning new teaching methods and becoming better instructors for our future students.  Candidates dial-in their personal skills as much as possible.  They practice with coaching models, they learn and review safety & leadership.  They gain awareness and become safer, stronger paddlers.  Hopefully they leave the course inspired and stoked for more.

I get better at delivering these courses each time, but I still ask myself 'were we safe?' 'Did we improve our measurable performance?' 'Did we have fun?' 'Was it valuable to the candidates?' 'What could I have done better?' Yes, yes, yes & hmmm.  That's the question - what could I have done better?  After every course I run, lesson I give or trip I lead, I'm immediately reflecting on the experience and taking notes on what worked, what didn't work, what will I change next time, what could I have done better.

We have a new group of ACA certified SUP Instructors in the US and I'm pretty certain everyone left the course with new paddling friends and a renewed appreciation for the SUP community.  That makes me feel pretty good, even though there are lots of things I'll do better next time.

Thank you Mitch for assisting, thank you Tim of Try Standup for assisting and thank you Jen of Aqua Adventures for hosting the course.  Fun times!

Chris, Alex, Matt, Paul, Erin, Tara, Dylan, Mitch, Tim & Wendy.  photo by Erin O'Malley.

double trouble

Tomales Downwind Camp

Months ago I got an email from Jeff Burton that basically said "we should put on a downwind camp."  Time passed and we brainstormed, put together a basic curriculum and eventually evolved the idea into a 3-day Tomales Bay Downwind Camp with friends who were interested in learning more, getting some focused practice, sharing ideas and having some fun.  It was an unofficial beta test for any potential future courses offered to the public.  What actually happened did not got to plan, but it didn't matter because we ended up having just a fun, refreshing weekend with a handful of dedicated paddlers with positive attitudes and a willingness to go with the wind, and the flow.

On Thursday evening I arrived to the hostel to realize there is no phone service (expected) and no wifi (not expected).  So I backtracked to Point Reyes Station and camped at the library for a few hours to finish some work before focusing my long weekend on paddling.  We approached Friday without an outline but with a general plan of collaboration and peer-coaching among the group.  Since the first run took way longer than anticipated and the wind sort of blew out while we were on the water, our 2-run intentions turned into a 1-run day.  The tail end of the wind passed and the calm before the storm came in.

It rained hard that night and we woke to increasing winds on Saturday morning.  We blasted through run 1 pretty quickly and everyone did really well.  Everyone is at a different level and was working on different things, but we still managed to function as a group.  At the Marconi Cove takeout we had some lunch in the sun, sang Gretchen a song (Happy Birthday Gretchen!) and shuttled back to Nick's Cove for a second run, this one with faster wind and bigger conditions.  Later we found out that others didn't fair so well on the bay that day and the Sonoma County Sheriff's Dept pulled off two separate rescues, helping 5 people in distress that day.  marinij.com/general-news/20150425/five-rescued-in-two-separate-incidents-at-tomales-bay .  Over pizza and drinks we discussed goals, attitudes, paddling theory and how much fun the bumps were.

Sunday was mellow with just four of us left on the water and small, defined bumps to chase.  Since we were all solid, I went all out and paddled hard until Marconi, gliding as much as I could along the way and linking some good ones.

Overall, we learned quite a bit about the venue and the logistics of offering such a course to the public. Tomales Bay has great wind, but little protection.  Not a great place for beginners, but an excellent location for paddlers with solid fundamental skills, proper equipment and the desire to get better and learn to downwind.  Future course or not, this was a fun weekend and a great chance to bond further with some good people and good paddlers.  I was just stoked to spend some time with friends and to see people improving their paddling skills in the wind.  Next April we'll be back.

Thank you Jason, Rosebud and Mister for shuttling our asses.  Photo: Jeff Burton

Marion aka 'SUP Glider'

of course there was some hooping by Gretchen - she rocked it this weekend.  Photo: Jeff Burton

It was a pleasure to paddle with Craig.  Photo: Jeff Burton

Jeff Burton of paddlestandingup.blogspot.com

Alameda SUP Circumnavigation

I arrived in Oakland at 7am and we were to meet at 8.  I was co-leading an intro to SUP touring trip around Alameda Island for California Canoe & Kayak.  8 participants, 2 leaders and 15.5 miles of paddling in absolutely ideal conditions.  We hit the currents right, wind was next to nothing and the sun was shining warm.  Not until we passed the bottom of the island and began our return trip up the Oakland Estuary did we hit a bit of action as wind picked up some and sailboat traffic was moderate.

All the participants were well-skilled and ready for the challenge and did fantastic keeping pace and energy up until the end.  Nice paddle CCK.

Whitewater SUP Road Trip

It's 6am and I'm in the backseat of my station wagon, wrapped in a sleeping bag at a rest area in Weed, California.  I'm as happy as I've ever been in my life.  I'm on the road, traveling with paddling equipment with a very loose itinerary and it feels great.  I love traveling by car and I love roadtrips and this one will bring me to Portland for a 3-day American Canoe Association whitewater SUP course put on by Next Adventure.  I got a last minute notice for the course and quickly jumped on it, as these aren't offered too often in the West.

I was already scheduled to be in the Redding area on Nov 1st, so adding this to the trip seemed logical.  Monday morning I slowly got my act together, got a few hours of work done at the local Starbucks and drove a few hours north.  Without any rush, I stopped at just about every rest area to stretch and take in the views.  Lassen and Shasta were snow-covered and this beautiful day was coming to an end.  Wanting a sunrise view of Shasta in the morning, I opted to sleep close.  Unfortunately it didn't pan out and I woke to clouds and rain.  Shit.  May as well head north.

Without coffee or breakfast, I began driving north towards Portland with no particular destination in mind.  Again, stopping at most rest areas and taking my time, I enjoyed the drive probably more than any other time on this route.  Going slow is pretty rad and easier on the body.  After a few minutes on google I picked my stop, a state park just southwest of Portland on the Willamette River.  Arriving in the afternoon, I booked a yurt for two nights and made myself at home.  Now, as I sit here snacking on hard cider, cheese & bread I'm reflecting on my present life.  I'm happy.  A bit directionless, but happy.

At the very beginning of 2014 my twelve year relationship came to an end.  Five months ago I moved out of my apartment in the Bay Area, put everything I own in storage and have been living on the road ever since.  New Hampshire, Tomales Bay, Pebble Beach, Arizona, Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Maine, Canada, Sacramento and now Portland.  Work and play have kept me busy.  I'm living out of three pieces of luggage - a duffel with paddleboard and full paddling kit, another duffel full of clothes and camping gear and a backpack that serves as my office with computer, internet, chargers, cameras and notebooks.  It's simple and I'm loving it.

Every couple weeks or months I make it back to the Bay Area to visit storage, re-pack for the next leg of my trip, check my mail, visit my cat and see some friends.  It's fun, but California isn't home anymore - it's just a place to keep my stuff.  I still find it incredibly beautiful, but I desire to live somewhere I belong and I don't belong in the bay any longer.

Fast forward to 11:30pm on Saturday.  I'm back at that same exact rest area in Weed, California. Quick stop for a stretch and a 2-hour nap in the backseat.  I wish I could've stayed in Oregon longer, but I'm committed to a course in Oakland and need to get back for it.  On the 10-hour overnight drive, I'm still buzzing from a fun weekend and a future filled with standup whitewater.  I passed the course and got certified to teach ww sup.  There is a whole new venue opening up for me and I'm excited to think about new places to go and new challenges to take on.  Standup paddling the river makes me feel like a kid and that's an awesome feeling.  I'm now thoroughly hooked and looking forward to more.  But first I need to make it to Oakland by 7am.