The New York Mayors Cup Doubles Surf Ski Race.
November 4, 2009 No Commentsby: Derick Bezuidenhout
The New York City Mayor’s Cup Kayak Championships were held on 18 October in a very cold and miserable New York City. The reason for staging the race so late in the season is the race organizers anniversary of being diagnosed cancer free.
The race is 29 miles around Manhattan Island. Most of the kayakers and canoeists that enter the race have been screened extensively and have a higher level of competence than the average paddler.
Below are excerpts from my journal.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009.
Service trailer, in preparation for trip to NYC, had trouble trying to find a spare wheel for the trailer. Murphy’s Law kicked in, and the trailer lights were not operational. I needed a new bulb and would get that en route Thursday morning.
Thursday, October 15, 2009:
9:00 AM leave Clearwater for the Big Apple. Drive to Daytona Beach to fetch Bruce Gibson and James Bryant surf ski. Then on to Gainesville to fetch Ed Joy and his boat. We left Gainesville at 4 PM.
Friday, October 16, 2009.
After driving all night. We arrived in Pennsylvania to drop off Karen Merlinbrink’s ski. It was my first time in rural Pennsylvania. It was a sight to behold.
Arrived at our hotel next to Newark international Airport at 11 AM. I decided to ride the ferry tour around Manhattan Island to familiarize myself with the course. I was covered from head to toe, insulated from the bitter cold. Early to bed as I was really tired.
Saturday, October 17, 2009.
Ed Joy and I awoke to 37°F and realized that we needed more cold weather gear. We were scheduled to meet Lex and Carol at Battery Park for a warm up paddle. We eventually fetched Bruce Gibson and James Bryant from Newark international and went straight to Manhattan for our warm up paddle. When we eventually found parking for the trailer and vehicle. It was unanimously decided that there would be no “warming up” in this frigid climate. We decided to drink coffee and discuss the course for the impending challenge the following day. I called the race organizer to see whether the race would be run. Ray assured us that we would be in the race. To clarify, only entrants with a red elite bib would be allowed to start with the race. Ray assured, Lex and I we would race.
Sunday, October 18, 2009.
Ed, Bruce James and myself left, New Jersey at 5:30 AM on a rainy windy, cold morning. Lex and Carol registered us and it was to our dismay, that we realized we did not have a red bib in our registration package. Lex and I approached Ray about the oversight. Ray later accused me begging him for a red bib that would enable us to start the race.
On hearing that the race had officially been canceled. Everyone that did not have a red bib would need to justify why they deserved to paddle the race. The conditions were very quickly deteriorating, 28 knots gusting to 40 knots with a current of 3.5 knots
The race never seemed to start as we waited for all the paddlers to get into their boats. Lex and I had a fair start, and once we got into our stride opened up a lead at the compulsory buoy marker.
We knew we had to stay in the middle of the Hudson River to Maximize the Benefit of the Helping Current. More Importantly, We Needed to Eliminate the Challenge of the Strong Head Wind. The Hudson River Was a Real Mess Due to the Wind and Current Opposing Each Other. There was a Clear eddy Line between the fast flowing current and the dead eddies.
Lex and I tried to stay in the middle of the Hudson River. But due to the double skis length. We kept being swamped by waves and wind chop. The foot well bailers that rely on the venturri effect to operate were completely inoperable. After plugging away with cockpits to the brim. We conceded, and headed to the, slow eddy that allowed the foot wells to drain. Our speed in the middle of the Hudson was around 7 1/2 mph until the boat swamped. Then we would be going at 6 mph with a full boat of water. Our speed, near the bank of the Hudson River was also around 6 mph. We eventually decided to paddle on the eddy line between the logs leaves and debris to keep the foot wells dry.
We estimated the trip to the entrance of the Harlem River would take us just over an hour and we took nearly two hours. By this time my right shoulder, had started to cramp, and I was favoring my left side heavily. Lex at this time had lower back pain that was very uncomfortable.
To our dismay, we encountered a following wind, and opposing current in the Harlem River. We weaved our way under and between the remaining 19 bridges that cross into Manhattan Island.
Ed Joy, and Rami Zur eventually caught up to us and we stayed together doing around 6 mph average.
The milestone dreaded by boaters and kayaker all round was Hells Gate, this is where the Harlem River and the East River meet causing turbulent unstable conditions.
Lex and I had been cruising along at around 6 mph for the first 3 1/2 hours. Once we joined the East River the GPS told us we were floating a long act 12 1/2 to 13 mph. Even though it felt as if we were still going along at 6 mph.
When we reached the last three bridges, namely, BMW, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg. We were still doing around 10 1/2 to 11 mph. Once we rounded the south end of Manhattan Island. We encountered the same headwind we had battled at the start except now we had a current of 4 knot against us as well.
The bounce back from the Manhattan Island, walls created a very unstable platform. At this stage, we only had three quarters of a mile to the finish line. We decided to try a line next to the wall as it seemed better. Lex’s back took major strain in this unstable time, his back began to cramp up and was forced to lie back in his seat as his back muscles screamed for relief. At this stage, we were going at 2 1/2 mph. The finish never seems to come closer.
Once we had crossed the line and stopped paddling my shoulders, decided they would strike. I had to rest my arms on my stomach as it felt like the weight off my arms was dislodging the sockets. I had not been cold at any stage during the race, but soon after we stopped. I began to shiver and shake like a reed. Carol found a restaurant that had a propane heater. The heater, and I became great friends.
Bruce and James came in about an hour after we did. Bruce and James had capsized 100 yards before the finish line and had drifted 400 yards away from the finish line, Due to the strong current and wind
After the awards Ed and I dropped Bruce and James at the airport and begun the journey home at 5 PM. We stopped in DC to pick up a paddle board for Lex.
Monday, October 19, 2009.
Arrived home at 6:30 PM.
In conclusion:
Note to self: I will not do the race again, if the date stays the same.
Thanks to Ed, Lex, Carol, Bruce James for a great experience.
http://www.blip.tv/file/2735462
News & Results
