On the SF Bay yesterday, the swell offered me a gift: a fast ride, the most-sustained push that I can recall in a decade and more of kayaking.
Sure, I've gone faster on a single wave or on a swift swell-driven current in a Mendocino rock garden, but just paddling and riding, being pushed along . . . this ride was unique.
On the way back from beyond Emeryville and heading to the Berkeley Marina, the swell and wind conspired to carry my kayak quite quickly once I shifted angles and my paddling rhythm to get the most from the flow. My kayak, Sofia, is a beamy Scrambler 11 from Ocean Kayak, a fine platform for freediving, but not a speedster. The waves were moving slowly enough that we weren't overrun or outrun, but also the waves were moving strongly enough so that my kayak would be picked up and carried forward for a good long distance before the waves moved on. I only had to use my body weight for proper balance and some paddle strokes for a touch more speed or better positioning.
Once I had Sofia in the groove, we were flying.
