[CKF Info] Day #64, Refuge for the Gulls

[Mark Sanders]

7/26/08

After "sleeping" at the Hotel Ford Focus the night before, I was ready to
stretch my legs out under my kayak for our trip to Gaviota Beach. Dave,
Duane and I had spent the night in our cars at the boat launch. We were
pretty early getting to the gate at Refugio SB after the hour drive from
Oxnard, but Mike and Patrick were already waiting for us and we were soon
joined by Scott, Win and Carol.

Refugio was a nice place to launch from and this would be my first paddle
anywhere above the Pond. On the water, if I didn't get waylaid by chatting
with the folks, I tried to hug the coast to appreciate the varied coastline.
Being that on my last paddle my boat was leaking like a sieve, I decided to
keep it out of harms way in hopes the epoxy I had gooped on the most
prominent holes would get me through the 16 NM trip. Still, I hung out close
enough to have to avoid the occasional larger set and to dart out to avoid
the occasional naked man.

Our landing went smoothly and I enjoyed this paddle for the fact that we
spent a long time just hanging out on the beach. On our usual paddles,
landings always seem an abbreviated affair, so it was nice to be able to
relax, sit, munch and watch the folks cavorting on the beach. Gaviota Beach
has a bit of an industrial vibe with the no nonsense pier and the giant
railroad trestle spanning the beach. Duane, Dave and I being the speedsters
that we are, we gave the rest of the group a couple hour head start for the
trip home so we wouldn't have to pass them too early!

I was ready to hit the beach back at Refugio after the long paddle, when I
heard some commotion back at the point. I got back just in time to see Mike
jettisoning his boat out to sea before swimming out to meet it. Patrick got
him towed out to where Dave helped him get back in so he could hurry on to
his next carnage site back at Refugio. The beach at Refugio was abustle with
people enjoying the water, but we avoided taking out any children on our
landing. The ocean made a nice backdrop as we chatted, cleaned, ate chips
and imbibed of various liquid intoxicants that seemed work amazingly well
after an all day paddle.

One by one folks said goodbye and headed off till it was just Dave, Duane
and I on the beach and then even Dave had to head home to catch a flight in
the morning. Duane and I enjoyed the cooling sea breeze until the ranger
came by to tell us we'd have to leave in ten minutes. I figured it was time
to load my boat and head back to the Hotel Ford Focus. Sadly, no mint on my
pillow.

Mark Sanders
www.sandmarks.net

#
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://list.ckf.org/pipermail/info/attachments/20080727/f2010c4a/attachment.htm