Last week I was in San Francisco for business and extended the trip several days with my wife Betsy to take in the sights. We had a fantastic time, taking many tours and walking for hours each day, seeing the many attractions. What an enjoyable city!!

We took the Alcatraz night tour, which was very neat. I enjoyed the ferry ride over as much as the tour itself, knowing that I was going to paddle on the bay the next day. Betsy and I also took a boat tour that went under the Golden Gate Bridge so I was able to see more of the Surfski Championship course that heads out toward Bonita Point. The green buoy that was just past the bridge was heeled all the way over from the massive current. On the way back you could see sailboats inching slowly along against the current, appearing as if they were on a treadmill going nowhere.

The previous day however, was the highlight of my trip. I made arrangements with Mike McNulty and Kenny Howell to paddle on the bay. We were joined by Vineet Buch. Mike, who for a few years lived in the Boston area before moving back to the West Coast, picked me up at the hotel.

I must digress a bit to share with you Mike’s influence on many of us here in the local Boston area. Mike was one of the first paddlers to get a surfski besides Mike Tracy and Ed Duggan, who have always paddled skis. Seeing Mike’s Huki S1X for the first time at the Snow Row and paddling it for five minutes, encouraged most of us to later get high performance skis as well. However, after getting our skis, most of us could not match Mike’s speed or penchant for big water. Mike placed 2nd or 3rd in the Blackburn from 2003-2005, and has had many notable performances in the local California races, as well as the Surfski Championships.

I remember paddling with Mike, Mike Tracy, Ken Cooper, and Tim Dwyer at the mouth of the Sakonnet River where it empties into the ocean. Short, steep waves were stacking up over a reef before rebounding off the shore. I wanted no part of this action but before I knew it, I was in the fray. I turned around with my tail between my legs, but not before I capsized. Mike was not too far behind me and pulled up right beside me to help me get back in my ski. I immediately capsized again, and Mike patiently put me back in my ski. I remember thinking how calmly and smoothly he handled his ski in these conditions. I was thankful he was there that day. I don’t think I could have remounted in those conditions back then without some assistance. This is just one of the many paddling stories that most of us had the good fortune to share with Mike.

So, with Mike there, I felt in capable hands for our paddle on the San Francisco Bay. Kenny Howell of California Canoe and Kayak, was kind enough to let me borrow an Epic V10 sport, paddle, and p.f.d. I was looking forward to meeting Kenny, having watched his Molokai video many, many times on Montero Fog. I told Kenny several times to treat me as an intermediate paddler because I had heard how big the water can be.

Vineet met us at Crissy Field, the start of the Surfski Championships, and suited up. Mike, Kenny, and Vineet discussed the current and conditions, and off we went toward Alcatraz. Kenny briefly mentioned a tidal rip at Alcatraz, and that you could get out of it easy enough if it was too rough. Although I paddle most days during the winter, we search out the calmest conditions due to the water and air temperatures here in New England. I was not warmed up yet and I was in the tidal rip getting bounced around in the biggest conditions I had paddled in all year. In New England, we progressively build to bigger conditions as the temperatures climb, so I was not quite prepared for the tidal rip so soon into our outing. To my relief, I handled it fine in the V10 Sport, but I was also more than ready for a break in the eddy close to the shore of Alcatraz.

I took some pictures on the water and we headed to the bridge. With the wind and current opposing, as Kenny had said: “There is always something happening here.” I had to concentrate on paddling the whole time, while it was just another day paddling on the bay for Mike, Kenny and Vineet. We took a few more pics near the bridge and the group was up for another run down to Alcatraz. The wind picked up, so this downwind leg was the most fun. After making sure Vineet and I were fine, Mike and Kenny were off. Within minutes, they were a quarter mile ahead. We regrouped again at Alcatraz and began the last leg toward Crissy Field. Having learned my lesson the first leg, I all but avoided the tidal rip by taking a more strategic line. By this time, there were white caps and the conditions had grown bigger by New England standards. We reached Crissy Field and I was ready to get off the water after 2 hours and 22 minutes.

After paddling these waters and taking three ferry tours, I have a much better appreciation of the volume of water in the bay. The San Francisco Bay dwarfs my own Rhode Island Narragansett Bay. I can’t imagine going under the bridge and mixing it up in the real stuff beyond the bridge. Only two of our local paddlers have done the Surfski Championships: Mike Tracy and Alex McClain. I have talked to both Mike and Alex about possibly doing the Championships one day. After experiencing the conditions, I’m not sure if I would ever be ready to do the long course, except on a calm day. However, one step at a time…

So my paddle with Mike, Kenny, and Vineet may be the closest I get to paddling even part of the course, at least for the time being. Seeing Mike, meeting Kenny (two time Molokai finisher), and paddling with Vineet, were the highlights of my trip. Thanks guys, for making my trip to San Francisco a memorable experience on the water. The pleasure was all mine!!!!! ~ Wesley