Sunday, September 10, 12023 Human Era (HE)
- Backstory
- Wait, There is a Schedule‽
- Not So Simple After All
- Sunday Sternwheeler Surf in the Seas of Səl̓ilw̓ət
- Positioning for the Paddlewheeler
- Three Little Birds: Don’t Worry About a Thing
- Waiting in Vain
- Get Up Stand Up
- Could You Be Loved
- Pimper’s Paradise
- Pursuit Route
Backstory
I first tried to catch the wavey wake of the MPV Constitution in the spring. That attempt was unsuccessful due to my time conversion error of Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) to Pacific Standard Time (PST) rather than Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). Since then my schedule has not seemed to coincide with the paddlewheeler. But last Friday, September 1, a window opened up. It would be the first day of meteorological fall which I took as a potential omen. A paddle partner and I planned to launch from the Vanier Park Boat Launch and attempt to rendezvous with the vessel around Ayyulshun (English Bay Beach). However, as we set up our kit in the parking lot we realized it was not to be as there was no sign of movement of the MPV Constitution on the Marine Radar App.
The fine first of fall sunset paddle was a nice consolation prize with spectacular cirrus clouds scattered across the evening sky.
Wait, There is a Schedule‽
A few days later, while conversing with my neighbour, the topic of my minor obsession with pursuing the paddlewheeler came up. I was explaining the difficulty of not knowing when exactly the MPV Constitution would launch as part of the problem for my lack of rendezvous success. If I could determine the scheduled sailing date in advance, catching the vessel would be so much easier to plan. Later, reflecting on his skepticism at the lack of a set sailing schedule left me wondering as well. It did not make sense that the sailing would be so random. I decided to recheck Harbour Cruises‘ website for more information. I was dumbstruck by my discovery and how destitute my detective work had been.
My recollection was that I had made it to the booking site in past searches. However, from memory, I had not clicked on the “Book Now” button, believing that the booking schedule would be blocked by a banking bucket brigade barrier (i.e., a paywall). In hindsight, that seems so illogical. This time, when I clicked the “Book Now” button, I was presented with the future sailing schedule for the “Sunset Dinner Cruises.” I was flabbergasted by my failure to find this frequency plot. To bandage my bruised ego, I’ll believe that their website was upgraded. Either way, now I was armed with the future schedule of the MPV Constitution, so we were destined to meet!
The upcoming schedule had several sailings, with Friday, September 8th, and Sunday, September 10th, as my best options. Unfortunately, I had dinner plans on the 8th, so I set my sights on Sunday.
Not So Simple After All
In the interim, I continued to monitor the Constitution’s sailings to confirm its calendar course. The results revealed that despite an apparently scheduled sailing, the MPV Constitution did not sail. As far as I can tell, the schedule reveals that one of the three Harbour Cruises’ dinner cruise vessels will sail on that night. But there is no way to tell (at least that I can see) which vessel it will be. I have in the past and did in the present consider calling to request a dinner cruise on the paddlewheeler specifically, but I decided against it.
Why Not Call?
First, I had an irrational fear that calling would somehow reveal my paddlewheeler pursuit plan and that the call representative would inform me that my plan was illegal or ill-advised. At this point, without such a warning, I feel I could plead ignorance if, in fact, pursuing the paddlewheeler is a prohibited past-time. So I am selecting to stick my head in the sand while searching for the sternwheeler.
Second, I find it much more exhilarating and adventurous to feel like I’m truly tracking down the sternwheeler. So, while the set schedule is not a guarantee that the MPV would be out on the sea, it was still a huge increase in the probability of a paddlewheeler encounter. My tracking stats from before seem to suggest that the sternwheeler sails some three times per week. My rough probability of an encounter just more than doubled from 14% to 33%. I liked my new odds!
Plus, on Friday, the paddlewheeler did not sail, so I thought my stats were stacked for Sunday.
Sunday Sternwheeler Surf in the Seas of Səl̓ilw̓ət
My excitement was building as Sunday evening approached. A group of friends wanted to take me out for a belated birthday beverage, so I was able to piggyback that party onto my plan to pursue the paddlewheeler. My wife has been reluctant to approve my plan, due to her safety concerns, but with my passing birthday, she gave her averse approval.
From home, I checked my marine radar and saw that the MV Britannia was already out. My heart skipped a beat, as I assumed this meant my odds of catching the MPV Constitution just jumped from 33% to 50%!
My Plan
My plan was to launch from the Vanier Park Boat Ramp shortly after 1900 hours and paddle northwest along the West End/X̱wáýx̱way (Stanley Park) peninsula coastline toward the oncoming paddlewheeler. My clockings of the vessel reveal it typically passed underneath the Lions Gate Bridge around 1930 hours, so I assumed I would rendezvous with the sternwheeler shortly thereafter. Sunset was predicted to be at 1936 hours with the civil twilight extending from then until 2008 hours. I predicted I would meet up with the boat around Second Beach and then make my decision on whether to drop into its wake or wait for another occasion. I was paddling solo, and thus a little less cavalier than if I were with a crew. And if the paddlewheeler was not out, then it would be a calm sunset paddle pre-pints with pals.
Launch Time!
Upon arriving at Vanier Park, I checked my Marine Radar App and saw that the paddle wheeler was on the move. The MPV Constitution had left its dock in Coal Harbour (Harbour Cruises)! My heart began to race. I started to get my kit in order.
My Kit
Clothing
I was fully anticipating taking a plunge on this paddle as it was my first paddlewheeler wake ride. But given I would be working hard and not far from shore with little to no wind, I decided to dress lightly. Shorts and swim jammers, topped with a T-shirt, along with a Vaikobi reflective-rimmed hat for increased visibility.
Paddle. Board.
I was using my BlackProject Adjustable Lava paddle and riding an NSP Carolina (12020 HE model).
Accessories
For safety, I wore my Onyx inflatable belt pack PFD and packed my cell phone attached to a floating lanyard inside a waterproof bag inside a Seal Line Seal Pak® Hip Pack. Given that my paddle would extend into the twilight I topped my board with an inflatable waterproof lantern. This would make me more visible to the sternwheeler and other vessels and meet the criteria for operating a paddlecraft on the water after sunset.
Positioning for the Paddlewheeler
Launching from Vanier my legs were shakey with anticipation as I departed from the dock at 1920 hours. I crossed over to the east shore and began heading up the coast. Despite there being minimal wind there were waves piling up at the entrance to Sen̓áḵw (False Creek) as I exited. A little while later the waters were flat and I found myself paddling out with no worries.
Three Little Birds: Don’t Worry About a Thing
But as I scanned the waterline I was surprised that the sternwheeler was not in sight yet. I continued on, mistaking a light flickering beyond the trees due to my oscillation on the water as the approaching sternwheeler on the far side of the point. After a while, my lack of worries started to change and I began to worry that I would be waiting in vain. I decided to pause and check my Marine Radar App. Earlier in the week I had clocked the Constitution cruising the West Vancouver coastline sailing toward Point Atkinson rather than into Sen̓áḵw (False Creek). I started to worry that this was the case tonight too.
I paused to check my radar app and inflate my light. Much to my delight, the paddlewheeler was en route and had already rounded Prospect Point. I felt butterflies flutter as my system surged with the secretion of stress hormones. I searched the waterline again and then spotted the sternwheeler in the distance. I had missed it earlier as it was further offshore than I anticipated and was quite faint in the overcast light.
Waiting in Vain
Slowly I continued on toward the sternwheeler, slightly unsure of how far up the coast I should travel, but thankfully, no longer waiting in vain.
As I patiently paddled on toward the paddlewheeler I took stock of my surroundings. A surfski was quickly covering distance up the coast slightly inland. I suspected that they were coming in pursuit of the paddlewheeler too. Especially, since after sharing my search of the paddlewheeler with another Jericho Wavechaser SUP racer who thereafter spotted surfskis surfing the sternwheeler wake in the last few weeks. His account had given me reassurance that surfing the sternwheeler was still a thing. I was not sure since the video that served as my inspiration was posted in 12015 HE (see below).
Looking back over my left shoulder I could see a vessel exiting Sen̓áḵw (False Creek) and heading toward me. A pinch of paranoia popped up from a prohibited past paddle, and I worried that it was a police boat approaching ready to put an end to my paddle plan. It turned out that neither of my premonitions was correct. The surfski continued straight onward and the potential police boat was a civilian craft.
Get Up Stand Up
With a bit of time to kill, rather than sit idle, I decided to ride the small stern wake of the passing civilian craft in preparation for the paddlewheeler. An article I had read by Rob Casey from Salmon Bay Paddle suggested riding waves in front of the pilot whose path you plan to paddle to prove your proficiency and project your intentions. The same article goes on to suggest that you make eye contact with the captain and even wave to let them know that you see them before attempting to ride their wakes. So after riding my mini-roller, I positioned myself in plain view for the pilot of the paddlewheeler to peep, prepared for pursuit.
As the paddlewheeler passed, I made eye contact (as best as I could) with the captain but stopped short of waving. Then I started to accelerate toward the vessel, at first with a perpendicular approach and then more parallel, eventually drifting in behind the sternwheel.
I was tentative to ride the main sternwheel wake (the technical term for this wave is transverse wave). Could [I] be loved? I entered only the boat’s stern wake (i.e., the divergent waves) to test the waters before turning inward to ride the second bump behind the sternwheel‘s wake. Then, it was bracing to stay on board in all of the literal and figurative senses.
Could You Be Loved
I lowered my centre of gravity by bending my knees to reduce my metacentre (the theoretical point around which a SUP and its rider pivot in space), increasing my stability on my board. I kept my paddle in the water as an extra point of stability, in a high brace stroke, and in an attempt to steer as I found myself being directed to the starboard side of the sternwheeler’s wake. But before I could make any adjustments, I was on the other side of the sternwheel wake aimed away from where I wanted to be and floundering in the wash of the boat’s stern wake (see the long play video below for the full view).
I dug my paddle in on the starboard side to redirect myself back to the left and re-entered the sternwheel wake two bumps back for a second shot at surf.
This attempt was slightly better than my first, as I was able to momentarily hold a straight course before the nose of my board dove into the water, redirecting itself and me with it, for a second wake trail exit. This time port side.
My mind momentarily panicked that the paddlewheeler would get away. Turning on the wave was proving to be a challenge and I worried that I would run out of wake before I could figure it out. No time to waste. I turned back to my right and made a third attempt. No good, I thought. I exited faster than my second try, nearly nosediving off of my board, as well as noting the MV Britannia to my right in the process. It was on the return leg of its journey.
Pimper’s Paradise
Perhaps it was the added pressure of a potential audience. Though more likely it was that the bumps were flattening out further afield from the force of the sternwheel. Whatever the fortune was, I figured something out for my fourth foray. It took me a little longer to get back in line so it may even have been having a greater hull speed. Whatever it was, I was on the wave wake and it was wickedly wonderful. A pimper’s paradise one might say. I was able to stay in the wake for several minutes, even after the touch screen of my camera was tripped by the wash and zoomed inadvertently.
After one long run, I caught a few shorter runs before the sternwheeler was too far ahead for its wake to give me enough wave power. I continued to cruise into Sen̓áḵw (False Creek) assisted by favourable currents and high off of my summer success. I had been in pursuit of the sternwheeler since the spring so I was stoked and soaked in satisfaction!
I contemplated catching the Constitution on its way out of Sen̓áḵw (False Creek). But with the dimming daylight and daunting distance of the detour, I decided to end on the high note of my first successful sternwheeler surf into Sen̓áḵw.
Long Play Paddlewheeler Pursuit
Pursuit Route
Extended Play Paddlewheeler Pursuit
For the original video on Instagram click here.
I SUP Explore 
How was your belated birthday drinks with friends 🙂
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So good!
Failed at tiki-bar, but The Main and Alphabet were great consolations. Plus, its all about the company you keep 😁
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