For the first hour or so, the group paddled swiftly over calm seas. With the soft murmur of support boats and quiet morning conversation, the day began very zen-like. We headed west, in the direction of the sun, to our destination in Wellfleet, 34 miles across Cape Cod Bay.
One of life's simple joys is watching the sun rise over the ocean. The horizon is both infinite and anchoring. We were probably 5 miles out when the sun came up, immediately warming our faces and giving that offshore wind second thoughts.
Within the 2nd hour of paddling, we started getting a following sea, which gave us some great downwind conditions and surfable bumps. I even recall a ride that was longer than any wave I had all summer (it's been a very flat, waveless one). We were whooping it up and stoked for the wind to be at our backs, but we all sensed it was fleeting.
As the morning hours ticked away, that nice offshore wind began turning North West, and eventually North. Once the sea started coming from the rear port side, things started to get pretty interesting. We were making the best of it, though. Keeping the first few breaks short, we tried to get as far as we could before the wind predictably turned North. The support from the boats was great, and the 60 other paddlers are some of the best people in the world! We were paddling for a great cause, which united us through this brief yet difficult adventure. It's one thing to be in misery and pain for a day, but it's a whole lot more when you think about the children at Christopher's Haven (and all over the world) who are fighting cancer. If I could manage a fraction of the courage and fortitude those kids have, I surly could make it across the Bay.
By hour 5, or roughly 20 miles in, the wind was really becoming a pest. It wasn't the most difficult conditions I've been in, but with 2-3' side chop, and a 10-15mph crosswind, we were going pretty slow to say the least. For most of us who've been training for the Crossing, our average pace is around 5 mph, given the conditions. Today we were making about 3mph. And the hardest part was yet to come.
Around 2:00 in the afternoon, we had a much needed rest break, with plenty of water and snacks. I had packed a few PB&Js, KIND bars, Powershot Blocks, GUs, and some trail mix. I think I burned close to 6000 calories that day! Every chance I had, I would try and eat something, but if we were not stopped at a formal break, I would drift a considerable distance from the pack due to the fact that my board loves to go downwind. When the wind is blowing perpendicular to the path of travel, it becomes a one-sided paddlefest. For us, we pretty much paddled for 9 hours on the right-hand side! My entire right hand was swollen, the blood vessels under my fingernails had popped, and I had blisters all over my fingers, including the tip of my pinky finger! What else in life gives you blisters at the tip of your pinky finger?
So, another hour of paddling brought us to the mouth of Wellfleet Harbor! Awesome, except for the fact that the tide was dead low, and dry sand was blocking the most direct route in. So, instead of paddling an additional mile out of the way to find the harbor channel, we beached it for a half hour and took another pleasant break. Once the water rose high enough, which does happen very quickly in the Bay, we were able to regroup and paddle the last remaining 4 miles to our loved ones at the finish line. Those 4 miles were easy since we were in the harbor, but it still took as over an hour to get in.
The mission of the CCBC is to support each other across the bay. Start and End as one large group. We did it. We made the journey together. We motivated each other on the water, and persevered through the challenging conditions. It took us 11.5 hours to make the Crossing, but when we landed, we all had that stoke of finishing a great session. Seeing my wife and kids brought tears to my eyes. The physical part of the Crossing had been completed, but my emotions emphasized the significance of what we had just done. I am grateful to my wife for being such an amazing supporter for me- taking care of my 3 and 1 yr old when I was out training, traveling, preparing logistics, etc. I'm blessed.
SO, considering this was my 3rd Crossing, I have more confidence and experience to easily say I'll be back next year. The training is necessary, at least for a guy like me, who has a wife, 2 kids, dog, mortgage, 2 jobs, life… There were a few young studs who admitted to having not paddled at all, yet they all made it. If there's a will, there's a way, and the CCBC Ohana is very strong and supportive for anyone to make the Crossing.
Here's a link to the CCBC website: CCBC
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