Kayaking at Deception Pass

Playing at Deception Pass from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

From practicing peel outs in a tandem Necky Nootka Plus, to surfing standing waves to sea caving and then being surrounded by Dalls porpoises...

You just never know what adventures are possible until you spend a few hours playing at 'the Pass'!

Tight race, every stroke of the way!

Many thanks to Gary Luhm for these great DPD race photos,

of our tightest, funnest race yet as tandem team;)

For more great paddling photography 

visit  http://www.garyluhm.net/.

Deception Pass Dash 2010 ~ Race start video

Deception Pass Dash 2010 ~Race Start~ from Island Paddlers on Vimeo

A trailside view of this years Deception Pass Dash race start with 150+ paddle sport competitors sprinting out of Bowman Bay on one the finest December days of the year.

A lot of fun was had by all at this years Dash.  For the second year in a row, marine weather conditions couldn't have been calmer for this 6 mile popular, paddling sprint race through these notoriously turbulent currents...

In my first kayak race in over a year since requiring two back-to-back spinal surgeries for a paddling-related injury,  Jim & I were pretty excited to be able to duke it out together again in our trusted Chiquita Nootka in a tight race in the mixed doubles class against Werner Paddle's Andy Bridge and his paddling partner, to finish 36th overall in a time of 60:38. 

Debbie feeding the gratefully hungry masses!

We extend a big thanks to Bill Walker, OAC and all of the awesome volunteers who make the Dash possible!

*Race photos & video courtesy of one of the youngest 'Island Paddlers', 11 year old A.V.

Final Countdown to the DPD 2010 race!

Final Countdown to the Deception Pass Dash 2010... from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

T minus one week to go!

Glassy Dash through the Pass !

No wind and barely a ripple of current,

meant flat, calm conditions

for this years big race turnout, as the 2009 Deception Pass Dash

will go down as

one of the fastest Dashes through the Pass...First male and female overall wins were both

well-earned by former Olympians, Greg Barton and Sherri Cassuto,in this years record-setting heat

of 158 boats and boards of all varieties....

Giant Thanks to Bill Walker (on the left below), OAC crew,
and all of the awesome volunteers and sponsors who make the Dash possible~

Check out more race photos at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/expeditionpaddlers/DeceptionPashDash2009#

Final Countdown to the Deception Pass Dash !!

Less than a week to go until the most popular winter paddling race in the Pacific Northwest takes place right here in our backyard in the infamous swirling waters of Deception Pass...

the Deception Pass Dash !!

Last year while racing tandem

(in the wrong boat for those rough o' waters)

we finished 17th overall outa nearly 140 participants,

while the "Perfect Storm" conditions forced another 30 racers to DNF!

~~~

This year, Jim & friends have been training hard...

2009 Dash racers- Debbie, Greg, Jesse & Jim-

chillin' out after practicing the course...

~ ~ ~

~With over 160 racers signed up already- it's going to be an exciting race weekend!

Fall circumnavigation of Fidalgo island

Every few months we like to test our endurance levels by going on a one-day Paddling Circumnavigation of Fidalgo island ...

We start in Anacortes, launch from mid-Guemes Channel, go with the currents down Rosario Strait, around Biz Point and through the powerful waters of Deception Pass... weave across Skagit Bay, up the Swinomish Slough, (always stop for bakery treats at the Calico Cupboard in La Conner:), continue along the slough & under the Twin Bridges, cross Fidalgo Bay and finish back in Guemes Channel....

In past laps, we've averaged this "ultra"-island circumnavigation distance in 34-37 miles, with paddling times between 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours, while pushing a tandem, kevlar sea kayak which weighs approx. 80 pounds...

Last weekend we rallied our friend Jesse to join us as we excitedly set out for another fun-filled day on the water.

Pockets and hatches stashed full of energy treats, cameras & extra clothes (just in case). We used the swift currents to aid us paddling as we passed by numerous islands, under a couple of cool bridges, past several sea caves, enjoyed the company of playful seals, bald eagles, & river otter...with the added bonus of magnificent fall colors painting the island shorelines all along the way!

All in all, according to the handy dandy GPS, we ended up spending a total of 7 hours and 8 minutes going the distance of 33.4 miles...reaching our Top Speed of 11 mph while going through Deception Pass (yee-haw is right!!)

~Where will next weekends winds & currents take us in the Salish Seas?!.....check back soon to find out!

Deception Pass Dash- newspaper story

Jim & Nadja lining up for the start of the race

The Skagit Valley Herald did a story on the already legendary 2008 DPD....check it out!

http://www.goskagit.com/home/article/recreation_kayakers_dash_through_the_pass/