Paddle Articles

Change season. 9-man season. Whatever you call this amazing time of year for outrigger paddles, it marks the best part of the season in our opinion. And so we wanted to express our enthusiasm for all of you entering in to the dungeon of awesome because this part of the year is what truly makes you a bad-ass paddler.

Why? Because everything is fluid and you have to adapt and overcome. Traits that the best paddlers find themselves able to do. You have to be a pro out there and roll with whatever happens. What you might ask it so unique vs. sprints or long distance season? What makes it so fluid? Glad you asked!

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Without a doubt the most prestigious outrigger event in all of California, the Catalina Crossing is the US Championship race. Paddlers from all over the world travel to participate, and certainly from all over our great state.

We thought back to our experiences, and reached out to a few veteran Catalina Channel crossers who shared with us some tips for the first time crosser, as well as reminders for those who are doing the race a second, third, or thirtieth time. Enjoy...and we encourage you to share your tips in the comments as well (because we know there are more)!

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I'd like to think I have never taken paddling for granted. And the good health that lets me paddle. But I am sure over the years I have enjoyed this sport, I have done just that. Taken for granted our waters, the camaraderie of teammates, and the athleticism paddling provides me. So as you can imagine, when a back injury took away my ability to comfortably sit, stand, walk and paddle, I scolded myself for having not appreciated it even more.

Little did I know that a chance to paddle in a race I have dreamed about doing for 6 years would come along. And that I would be able to resume a paddling addiction that had been threatened in the year prior due to injury.

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[This was written by Team Writer Clarke after his Molokai Hoe journey across the Ka'iwi Channel in October 2014. Good luck to all the Cali Paddlers who will be taking on this special journey in the coming days and years. ]

I didn’t really set out to do this race when teams were first being discussed months and months ago. In fact it took some pretty amazing support and encouragement for me to even think it could become a reality. But it did. Conditions were described by several local Hawaiian clubs as “challenging” “fun” “rough”. I had some amazing teammates, some were in the canoe, some back home, help get me across. And I will be putting this down as one of those achievements that makes me a better person, nevermind just a better paddler.

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