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[bob budd]

Ah, Pebble Beach. Thought we knew ye. Seems you're shy a few pebbles. And those rocks that appear in the shallows...

Roger, Dee, and I embarked on a clear and sunny day with a brisk wind that would persist into the early afternoon. As a skill building exercise I chose to launch backwards into the moderate, dumping surf. As the first attempt began to degrade and Rodni began to succumb to the waves, turning ever closer to broach, I received some advice from chore. Bad time to turn away from the problem at hand and swim I did. Next I thought I'd swim out a bit and jump in from the water. After the first attempt at this slid into the water I returned to shore and managed to back in the second time. Unbeknownst to me, my spare paddle making its last voyage thereas slid quietly into the water. Only as we rounded Thacher's did we realize this and by the time we returned it was not to be found.

Having luck with seal spotting before we chose to travel outside of Milk Island and were greeted by a seal before we reached the near end. The northerly winds had had time to built moderate waves that combined with an easterly swell to generate confused seas. Roger found his new ride less stable that he had expected.

Around the far side of Milk we set out for Thacher's, taking refuge behind a few rocks to allow Dee to change her handware and regain feeling in her fingers. Further around Thacher's we poked into the rocks. Dee poked her bow between a narrow pass and was sad to disturb the sunbathing of a small number of seals. I found a way through and rode over a few waves then set about waiting for the other two to make their way around. Whilst waiting one or more harbour seals and one grey occassionally sought a closer look at Rodni.

On the northerly side of Thacher's I thought of Bob Burnett for a moment, who would like nothing more than to make the trip to the Salvages more or less into the steady wind an exercise for the assembled. We instead sought the shore and began our way to Straitsmouth Gap. I poked into another rock garden and rode a wave a bit further over the rocks than I had planned, electing to slip out of my boat to collect myself. I found the intermittent slippery rock and generally slippery bottom made for difficult walking and was still seeking sound footing when Dee made her way in. We found a sheltered area where I quickly cleared the boat of water and hopped back in. The rest of the trip to Straitsmouth was uneventful, and we took refuge for lunch.

Returning more or less over our original path in scant hope of finding the spare paddle we nevertheless enjoyed the sun and missed the wind that would then have been at our backs, having instead followed the forecast and dying to a light breeze.

[markstephens]

@*#&!!