DB to SMB to DB log (2)

Turns out you do get used to 70k+ a day, my body isn't as tired as before, the number one problem this time is salt-sore (lower back, butt, armpit, palms) and, well, lack of food. (And sunburns, of course.)

When I left my apartment, HKO was still hoisting the T1 signal.  So I thought I would probably just paddle out to Lamma and then come back to get back to bed.

Then I called Siu-Ming, his wife picked up and told me the group will go ahead with the trip, so that means I have to go to SMB afterall =_=  I tried to hurry then, because I mucked around quite a bit along lamma, and the strong headwind puts me way behind schedule already.

When I got there, Siu Ming and his KPG kids were already by the beach ready to launch.  I made it there just in time to be briefed about the route plan.  Turns out we can't go to Po Toi afterall, I knew WSC managers banned Po Toi long time ago, I thought Siu Ming knows, and was going to do it under the table.  Imagine my shock when he just blatantly walks up to the manager and told them "we are off to Po Toi today." =_=;;;

So Chun Hum Kok it was.  Which means no restaurant; we had to munch on our emergency rations.  I had nothing but a granola bar, ho hum.  Siu Ming shared his bread and sport drinks with me but still, I mean, you just don't try to survive a 70km trip on bread alone... 

I'm starting to believe I am solar-operated, because I managed to go home afterall, despite an intense hunger pang that wouldn't go away.

I felt good during the first 30km, despite very strong head wind.  Progress was slow but I wasn't tired, my right armpit got a little sore from rubbing against the PFD, which I took care of by, well, taking it off.

Crossing the WLC in the morning was okay, total darkness plus the large boats parked between the WLC and ELC made navigation a challenge, but traffic was very quiet and so it wasn't particularly stressful.  By the time I was ready to cross the ELC though, sea liners and tankers were running at full throttle, I wasn't terrified, but it was definitely stressful.  I definitely felt relieved when I finally got to Bluff Head.

On my way back, traffic wasn't too heavy at ELC, I was a little worried about sunset by the time I crossed WLC, and again, navigation was complicated by all the large boats anchored between the channels, but otherwise, it was uneventful and only very mildly stressful.  I was able to zone out a little, because I was surprised when I suddenly realized I was at Tai Lee, before I knew it, I was nearly at the end of my 70km journey.

When I was crossing the WLC, a yacht sailed by and asked if I needed help.  Funny, when I paddled to SMB last month, I really wished I would run into someone who could give me a lift home.  This time though, I felt fine, and I told the sailors as much.  But that just goes to prove, the DB sailors are a friendly bunch.  I should really get to know them better.

The trip log:

0412 DB Tai Pal

0425 DB "pincher"

0438 Tai Lee

0445 Peng Chau SW

0659 Lamma (Beacon 132) 懐かしい〜

0728 Luk Chau

0805 Lamma Wong Chuk Kok

0912 Wong Ma Kok

0939 Lo Chau

0955 SMB

* * *With KPG group * * *

1334 Chun Hum Kok 

1452 Wong Ma Kok (turn around)

* * *solo again * * *

1606 Lamma Wong Chuk Kok

1657 Luk Chau

1722 Lamma (Beacon 132)

1901 Peng Chau SW

1912 Tai Lee

1932 DB Tai Pak

DB to SMB to DB route plan (2)

My second crossing.  Expecting really heavy sea tomorrow, so there is a chance that I'll have to turn around at some point.  Worse yet, I may have to call the trip off all together.

[Solo]

Boat: Martlet

Paddle: Kiska

planning to wear the yellow PFD

Will have my cell phone handy for distress calls and weather updates.

The Kau Yi - Green Is. crossing is too intense for my liking; so I made up a new route:

DB  0 km

Tai Lee 2.5km

Peng Chau SW 3.5km

Sunny Is. E 6km

Lamma PKT 13km

Lamma Wong Chuk Kok 19km

Stanley Bluff Head (aka Wong Ma Kok) 25km

Lo Chau 27.5km

SMBWSC 30km

The idea is that I won't have to cross the East Lamma Channel at all if I have to turn around at 0700. Plus, I'm familiar with the Lamma coastline, so I'll know where to find an emergency ditch site and plan an escape route if it comes down to that.

DB to SMB to DB log

Would write more but my whole body aches... especially my hands.  So...

0542 DB Sam Pak (launch)  

1022 SMBWSC (land)

1350 SMBWSC (launch)

1634 Magazine Island

1724 turned NW just in front of Victoria Harbour channel 

1918 landed (DB Tai Pak)

Remarkably few checkpoints, I know.  To busy dealing with the channel traffics and stuff to really memorize the time for each check point.

Must sleep soon or die hard.

DB to SMB to DB route plan

In the ideal world, the entire universe spins around me and all the sealiners in East Lamma Channel will get out of my way, in the dark, for my benefit.

(28.4km cruising)

Ha!  If pigs can fly.  So this is what I'll have to do instead:

DB Sam Pak (launch) 0 (0430 or so)

East Kau Yi Chau (North Beacon) 6.7 (0530)

Pok Fu Lam Beacon 12.1 

Cyber Port 13.6 

Magazine Island West Beacon 14.7 (0630)

Ap Lei Pai Beacon 17.8

Round Island Beacon 20.7 (0730)

Bluff Head Beacon 24.3

Lo Chau 26.7

WSC 29 (0845)