CC2DB (Martlet home coming)

Today (Tue 31-Mar 2009)

Arr CC at 1050 (by ferry)

Socialize till 1330

Launch at 1340

Check Points:

1. 0.0Km: Cheung Chau Tung Wan (launch) 1340
   
2. 2.0Km--> CC NE tip 
   
3. 3.6K--> Hei Ling Chau Shelter Southern most tip (break)
   
4. 6.7K--> Man Kok Tsui  (break)
   
5. 9.7K--> DB Marina (break)
   
6. 12 Km> Tai Pak Wan  1540

*Didn't have a watch so couldn't mark the time in detail.  

**Forgot to stretch before I launch, in the excitement of paddling familiar territories.  My right shoulder and forearm began to ache before I even left the swimming area and bothered me through the whole trip.

*** Rich's paddle is a lefty paddle =_=;;;

**** Felt very dehydrated the whole time.  Kept stopping to drink.  I need to buy a camel pack.

***** Turns out I'm not nearly as scared about paddling the channels as I thought I would be.  Was still very nervous about sunset but I handled the channels just fine.  Visibility was excellent.  Got very close to many of the high speed ferries but was not nervous at all.  In fact I really enjoyed the "surfs" offered by the ferries-generated waves.  Was very alert the whole time despite lack of sleep (don't think I zoned out at all) so that's excellent.
 

I think, making mistakes is an important way to learn to be a competent seafarer.  But it serves no purposes when you keep making the same mistakes over and over again. 

Yesterday, I was paddling solo near shore and forgot to bring a paddle leash, a PFD, AND a paddle float.  It made me nervous, and I thought I would be better prepared next time.  But alas, today, again, I paddled without a paddle float, while crossing channels.  Not to mention, using a lefty-paddle for the first time.  That's just ... stupid.  I was lucky the water's so flat today.

Brought (and used):

Sun Screen

Water (2L, but only drank 1L)

Clipboard with pencil

Cup for bailing

Paddle leash

Cell Phone for safety calls

Compass

Map in a clear plastic jar O_O;;

Also Brought (but did not use):

Change of clothes 

Towel

Shampoo

Sun glasses

Snacks, granola bars, chocolate

windbreaker 

extra jacket

towline

Apart from the sore arm/shoulder thing, the trip was really nice.  Went with the wind/current the whole time so it was effortless.  Was favoring my right arm/shoulder though so I didn't manage to pick up the speed (except during the surfs).  

Lesson learnt:

1) Always stretch before launching.  If you forget, it's better to return to shore, stretch, and launch again, than to suffer the entire trip.

2) Need to bring wrist watch AND paddle float.  =__=

CC -> DB (bringing Martlet home)

Today (Tue 31-Mar 2009)

Call Richard to confirm equipment list

Arr CC at 1100 (by ferry)

Socialize till 1330

Launch at 1430

Bring:

Sun Screen

Change of clothes

Towel

Paddle Leash

Sun glasses

Cell Phone

Octopus, house key, cash

Compass (Oh shit, I don't have a laminated map!)

Route Plan:

0.0Km: Cheung Chau Tung Wan (launch)

2.0Km--> CC NE tip 

3.6K--> Hei Ling Chau Shelter Southern most tip 

6.7K--> Man Kok Tsui 

9.7K--> DB Marina 

12 Km> Tai Pak Wan 

Easter Trip: Circumnavigation of Lantau

Logistic Tables courtesy of Dennis, all rights reserved.

Members: Dennis, Cordelia

Date: 10,11,12, Apr, 2009

Trip Briefing: 30-Mar-2009 (Central), 9-Apr-2009 (DB)

Pre-trip Rescue Practice: 5-Mar-2009, Disco Bay

Area: Disco Bay -> (counterclockwise) Lantau, Sokos, Shek Kwu Chau, Cheung Chau, -> DB

Distance: 75 - 90 km

Check Points (To be updated)

Gears:

(A) At Home/ just before trip:

• Leave a route plan
• Contact info
• Arrange Safe-Calls
• Buy bread, bottled water (4L)
• Call to arrange for replenishment services in Tung Chung
• Check weather FC + Tide

(B) Both (Personal Gears):

• Paddle Float
• Spray Skirt
• Paddle
• PFD
• Cell Phone
• Whistle
• Cash, House Key, Octopus
• Partner's phone number and emergency contact number written down on a water-proof piece of paper in case of cellphone failure
• Space Blanket
• SPF lip balm
• Personal Hygiene Items (toothbrush, towel)
• Change of clothing
• Dry bag with lanyard
• Cap/ Hat with lanyard
• Earplugs
• Sunglasses with lanyard
• headlight for dark landing
• Insects (mosquito) repellent

(C) Cordelia's List:

• Kayaks ^_^;;;
• Pencil, clipboard
• 1x cup (for bailing)
• 1x sponge (for bailing)
• extra batteries
• paddle leash x 2
• Tow Line x 1
• Short-Tow line/ lanyard x 1
• Instant Pasta x 2
• Granola Bar (1 meal x 2 persons)
• M&M's, nuts, dried fruit mix in 2 separate small Nalgene bottles with lanyard
• 1x brand new 10L dry bag for fresh water
• ziploc bags for small items
• extra nalgene bottles for cellphone etc
• Swiss army knife
• Toothpaste
• Toilet Paper
• First Aid Kit*
• Small note book, pencil, eraser for trip log
• Repair Kit (Duct Tape, Lighter, Dry Cloth)
  
• elastic/ bungee cord with clip for emergency repair of spraydeck
• bobby pin for repair of spraydeck
• Painter Line
• small radio for forecast =_=;;
• candles for emergencies
• emergency fire-starter 
• survival kit **

(D) Dennis's List:

• strobe light
• camp light (Dennis)
• Map
• Compass
• Tent, fly sheet/tarp, ground sheet
• Cook Set
• 2x plates, 2x bowls, 2x cups
• Stove
  
• Utensils x 2 sets (fork, spoon, chopsticks)
• Fuel
  
• Power Gel
• Emergency Blanket (Orange Color)

(E) Extra:

• Beer
  
• Cards for games
  
• gilnet for fishing
  
• FC (signal flags, Q-code, ham radio) for studying/ drinking game penalties :p~~~
  

* Home made FA Kit:

• Oral re-hydration therapy 
  
• meditape
• sterilized needles x 2
• size 15 surgical blade x 1, new
• hibiscrub
• gauze
• vetrap
• scissors
• anti-itch cream
• Syringe, 10mL, x1
• latex gloves
• lighter
• hand-warmer

** err... need to repack that =_=;;;

will update later.

Just a quick one; paddled my first kayak trip since 2008 sabbatical AND spend 3 hrs studying Japanese.  I'm exhausted. >_<

0750 -- left DB (Choi Hung -> green top)

0900 -- arr. Sai Kung, picked up lunch and dog food with Dennis

1100 -- launched from Fred's

1135 -- arr. Grass Is. (made a beeline for it, didn't bother to paddle along the coast, so we trimmed distance but suffered more head wind -- which was mild anyway)

1230 -- (guestimated it, not sure what time we landed actually) landing (Grass Is.) and lunch (Where is the doggie??)

1400 -- launch

1440 -- arr. Fred (mucked around in the river and stuff)

Perfect condition -- mild wind, cloudy, low UV index, not too cold (except for during lunch time when we stopped paddling,) couldn't ask for more.

N.B. this was the original trip plan.  We started late, which is mostly my fault (my iMac failed to wake me up.  I need a less expensive, more user-friendly alarm clock.)  But everything else was perfect.  Well, everything else except that I got an owie on my index finger, and Dennis had to rub in that he is in much better shape than I am...

Next trip with Dennis would be 21st or 22nd, from Fred's -> Nam She Wan -> Mai Fun Tsui etc.