Tobagganing

Plodding upwind

I remember when I was a (younger) kid pulling my toboggan uphill with the reward of the downhill ride. It was considered play then and it went on for hours.

Yesterday was something like that. Gary and I paddled for almost an hour into a steady headwind of 15 knots with gusts to 20. The sea was fully developed with wind waves of almost a metre. The key to paddling upwind I've found is to keep a constant rhythm. Occasionally larger waves rolled in and the bow would plop down into the trough to break the rhythm. It was invigorating.

Flying downwind

Within sight of Topsail the sun came out as we turned to paddle broadside to the waves out into the bay to get the waves directly behind us for the ride back. The surf rides downwind were the reward for the work upwind. I felt like a kid again but with more expensive toys.