Brave the Wave

Being the summer baby born in the middle of a heatwave in July, is no wonder that I have always loved all things water, and that I was attracted to aquatic sports. Looking at the start list of the 2019 Hudson River Cup, I was a little nervous registering as the only surfski woman. This event is a race in Hoboken, NJ for experienced paddlers; due to the potentially treacherous conditions all participants must submit water/race experience to a safety board for review prior to being officially admitted. I've raced and paddled outriggers, canoes, and dragon boats on many occasions. However, I could literally count on my fingers how many times I’ve paddled in a surfski. None of those times included a distance quite that long (10 miles) or conditions as challenging as the choppy waters I would be faced with at this race. My usual OC2 (tandem outrigger canoe) partner was unable to attend this year, but I knew I would have my fellow Wanda Canoe Club “Loons” nearby racing in outriggers, so I decided to accept the challenge.

It took a couple of miles before I finally started to settle into a rhythm and became a bit more comfortable. I got super-excited when I saw the Statue of Liberty standing there in her glorious glow of green oxidized coper, because it meant I had almost made it to the halfway point. The turnaround was at a big green buoy in New York Harbor, just southeast of Lady Liberty. It welcomed me with its cacophony of clanging bells, which were being rung by the motions of the wind and tide.

After circling the buoy, I quickly realized that the return trip to Hoboken was going to be more difficult than I'd anticipated. Now battling the force of an outgoing tide combined with the Hudson's downriver current, fatigue started to set in. With about 4 miles remaining I became caught up in a large boat wake, and fell into the water. The waves churned back and forth around me; I felt like a rag doll being tossed around in a washing machine. There was a brief moment of panic, but I noticed my friends were close by on their OC2, and they stopped to make sure I remounted safely.

It took a lot of energy getting back into my boat. Being tired and with my technique starting to fail I fell in a second time. My leg leash attaching me to my boat got pulled off, and I became entangled in my hydration system tubing. I briefly envisioned myself being strangled by the tubing and drowning in the water. I spotted the safety boat nearby, and I almost considered calling it quits. It was then that I recalled my training partner describe a difficult race once, and saying that she was not going to let a race defeat her. So I told the safety boat I was ok, found the energy to climb back in, and made the grind through the last few miles to the finish at Hoboken Cove.

This was one of the most challenging and nerve-wracking races I have ever completed, but it also turned out to be a fun and rewarding experience that can only help make me a better paddler. I also learned a lot about myself that day in general. Sometimes waves are going to get thrown at you, and I’m not just talking about in water sports. At that point there are two options… either you can call it quits and let the obstacles take you down, or you can find the strength and courage to brave the wave to overcome adversity.