Friday, June 7, 12024 Human Era (HE)
- Last Time on Paddlewheeler Pursuit
- The Logistics
- Conditions and Kit
- Constitution Confirmation
- Bumpy Launch
- Passing Me By
- Paddlewheeler Pursuit Route
Last Time on Paddlewheeler Pursuit
Last time, on paddlewheeler pursuit, my ride was shorter than planned. I missed catching the wake on the southerly trip but made up for my mistake on the northerly leg. With the ease of riding the northbound wake, an idea percolated post-paddle to pursue the paddlewheeler from the proximity of Prospect Point (or more accurately around Slhx̱í7lsh [Standing Man Rock]) all along the coast to Sen̓áḵw (False Creek). With the right conditions and a lucky ride, I figured the 4.5-kilometre section could be surfed. A solid SUP surf session to be sure! Then, after a rest, my vision included surfing back in the sternwheeler’s slipstream.
The Logistics
Backstory
For details on how I came to the challenge of chasing the paddlewheeler, check out this post from last year. Since then, I have had three successful rendezvous with the vessel with varying degrees of surf success. My last attempt left me confident that a long run was possible.
Launch Sites
My intuition to catch the Constitution has always been to launch from the Vanier Park Boat Launch. Paddling up along the Stanley Park peninsula, I have attempted to rendezvous with the vessel around Second Beach. But after my last long successful ride, and wondering if you could surf the wake along the entire coast, I realized a launch from Second or Third Beach might be more functional. I could ride the wake to Sen̓áḵw (False Creek) and then back to my launch site and not have to paddle back to Vanier Park at the end.
I settled on Second Beach as the middle ground. That way if either of my rides were less successful than planned it would be a shorter somber send-back SUP.
Conditions and Kit
Conditions
Given the conditions the night before at the Thursday night Jericho Sailing Centre Wavechaser were choppy, it was an ambitious wish to push for sternwheeler surf for Friday, as the forecast was similar, with only slightly lighter winds. But I was not about to pass up the window that had opened from our kids’ request for one of their favourite sitters for the night. My wife had plans to canteen after her conference, and I had been asked to find an evening time activity. The inclement weather was not enough for me to pass up the opportunity, especially since it seemed the sternwheeler was scheduled to sail.
Clothing
Considering the conditions meant a high chance of submersion I edged to the warmer side of kit. I wore board shorts along with a dry-fit top, and a Vaikobi reflective-rimmed hat for increased visibility.
Paddle. Board.
My paddle was the BlackProject Adjustable Lava and I was riding a 12020 (HE) NSP Carolina.
Additional Accessories
For safety, I wore my Onyx inflatable belt pack PFD (which has a whistle attached) 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 might extend into the twilight I topped my board with an inflatable waterproof lantern to meet the legal criteria for operating a paddlecraft on the water after sunset.
Constitution Confirmation
After arriving at Second Beach I checked my Marine Radar App. The MPV Constitution was in motion and my next emotion of notion was what was happening on the ocean?
Bumpy Launch
With my kit in order, I set out from Second Beach, greeted by medium-sized waves. Things were not looking good from the start as I was jostled to-and-fro making my way out toward Prospect Point. I started to second guess my chances, but buoyed my spirits with my old basketball philosophy, “You can’t make ’em if you don’t take ’em.” The follow-up philosophy was, “You better make ’em if you take ’em.” There was zero chance of catching the Constitution on shore, but a greater than zero chance on the water.
Making my way out toward Ferguson Point I anxiously checked my radar to ensure the MPV Constitution was coming out of the harbour. Perhaps with the wind and waves, the Constitution would not exit the protection of First Narrows. As far as I could tell it was on course to come out. I made a few zig-zags riding the waves inland before deciding to make my way further north toward Third Beach. En route, the paddlewheeler came into view and I set a course to rendezvous.
Passing Me By
The northwesterly wind and waves I hoped would whimsically whisp in did not manifest. Instead, the winds and waves remained southwesterly, peppering my starboard nose and testing my balance against my leg fatigue from the previous night’s Wavechaser. As I approached the sternwheeler’s port side, I tried to make eye contact with the captain to let him know my intentions. Then I pulled into position to drift into the wash of the wake. In hindsight, I was too distant with my approach resulting in a late entry. Then once in the wash, the first bump I encountered passed me by. I struggled to stay upright while trying to dig my paddle in for the next bump. But it passed me by as well. As subsequent bumps rolled past, my anxiety rose, fearing that my chance would pass by.
Being bumped around in the bigger bumps, my assumption was that the conditions were too chaotic to catch a clean wave. As the bigger bumps passed by, I patted my bruised ego with the same belief that the bumpiness made catching a clean wave inconceivable. But with hindsight, I now believe that my inability to catch a wave was my slower speed rather than the conditions (I have since had some successful chases and board speed entering the wake is critical).
However, for this run, it would seem that my error of entry was to be un-expedited. After a few more unsuccessful attempts to power up onto a wave, I gave up on my chase. I contemplated following the Constitution towards Sen̓áḵw (False Creek). However, believing there was still a long time before the Constitution turned around, I decided my consolation would be riding a few upwind/downwind runs into Second Beach.
As luck would have it, turning to head back out after my first run, I saw that even the Constitution was having trouble in the conditions. Rather than sail up Sen̓áḵw (False Creek), the MPV made its turn before entering the channel. I assumed the conditions had slowed its sail, and the captain had decided to shorten the distance to stay on time. Now, the question was, should I SUP out to meet it for a second surf attempt? With the headwinds and no guarantee of success, I decided to hedge my bet and stick to the small inland bumps. Tonight she would pass me by.
Paddlewheeler Pursuit Route
The full ride along Lord Stanley’s peninsula will have to wait for another session.
I SUP Explore 
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