Sound Breeze

My mention of the Sound Breeze the other day has had some of you asking for more information about it. So I'm going to try my best...

If you've ever started out, paddling on a calm, warm summer day, only to find yourself in the midst of windwaves and whitecaps, it was likely the Sound Breeze. Though late fall, winter, and spring weather patterns typically bring us wind and storms from the south and west, summer delivers winds from a different direction entirely.

During the summer, the weather is dominated by moderate temperatures and relatively benign patterns. One distinction that surprises many is the occurrence of the Sound Breeze, which are relatively strong northerly winds that arise on warm summer days. The basics of the Sound Breeze are that the sun heats both the water of the Sound and the land of the Northwest. The water is able to absorb more of the sun’s heat energy and warms relatively slowly. The land, however, warms much more quickly and radiates that heat, warming the air above it. This causes the air to expand, creating a low pressure system as it rises. The higher pressure air over the water then moves in the direction of the low pressure area. We experience this as wind. The greater the pressure gradient, the stronger the wind velocity. Rapid warming can create stronger pressure differences. Often, Sound Breezes occur in mid- to late-afternoons and are calmed by late evening. Wind direction is often dependent on localized areas and the terrain nearby. In Budd Inlet in the Sound Sound, wind typically blows in from the NNW.

The graphic below depicts the typical afternoon rise in temperature, drop in barometric pressure, and rise in wind speed...

Swantown Marina Weather Station

As the weather gets warmer (and eventually it will) we'll see more and more of the Sound Breeze. Perfect for upwind training, great for downwind fun, they often settle down just in time for beautiful sunset paddles.

Clouds and Weather Patterns

If you're going to spend time on the water, it's a good idea to learn and understand some basic meteorology and weather patterns so that you're able to make well-informed decisions while on your next adventure. 

Here is a succession of cloud patterns that reveal future precipitation and possibly an increase in wind:

Cirrus

Cirrus clouds are very high, thin clouds that have a delicate appearance. They appear streaky and are often referred to as mare’s tails. They contain very little water vapor and are actually six-sided ice crystals. They may be in small groups or cover the entire sky.

Cirrostratus

As a warm front continues, you will begin to see cirrostratus clouds. These clouds present themselves as a thin, white layer that begins to cover much of the sky. They will often cause the sun or moon to produce a halo. When these layers thicken, one can expect rain within 24 hours.

Altostratus

The next clouds in this progression are altostratus. They are flat, pale gray sheets that cover large sections of the sky. The sun or moon will often take on a ‘watery’ appearance. Precipitation may now be 3-6 hours away, and often comes with a drop in temperature.

Nimbostratus

Precipitation finally arrives with the presence of nimbostratus clouds. These are thick, dark gray, shapeless rain clouds. Viewed from a distance, the landscape will appear to be washed out as precipitation blurs visibility.

After a nimbostratus front, one will see stratocumulous clouds, post-frontal layered and lumpy low clouds.

Nimbostratus

Other clouds you may experience include altocumulous clouds that are high clouds that appear to be large quilted sheets and may indicate rain showers if they progress in much the same way as cirrus clouds do.

Lenticular Clouds

Lenticular clouds are wave- or lense-like clouds that are born from mountains. By looking towards mountains and observing lenticular clouds one can assume that precipation may develop within 24-48 hours.

Yesterday's Evening Paddle

Heading North

The anticipated Sound Breeze never really made an appearance this evening. This probably upset a few sailors during the Wednesday night race. Paddled north to the Olympia Shoal to get a better vantage point for the start of the race.

Shoal Caution Marker

Moments Before Racing

On the Treadmill

I was out recently in 20 knot winds and had a fantastic time. It's not that 20 knot winds are incredibly difficult to paddle in but they aren't easy either. Slow going is a great way to describe it. And at the same time, it's such an incredible workout. Intense would be another great description.

When I step onto the 'treadmill' I know it's going to burn. Intentionally paddling upwind is great for conditioning because, strangely and more often than not, you'll end up paddling upwind in the South Sound. Many times I've paddled upwind with the promise of exciting downwind blown waves, only to make the turn and have the wind drop down to a gently breeze. 

Into the wind, I'll find my upper body more angled, my hand position wider, my legs bent, and my reach modified so that I can take quicker, shorter strokes. When I get stuck paddling on one side and the fire of lactic acid begins to set in, I'll quickly transfer to the other side for two or three 'soft paddle' strokes so that I maintain both direction and ground while resting my fatigued side.

Ultimately, we're all going to have to paddle into the wind. Having experience and conditioning from previous rounds on the treadmill makes it a little easier, or at least more tolerable. Training in the wind forces us to use muscles and body positions we might not otherwise and those challenges present our bodies with the opportunity to adapt. And adaption is what it's all about.

I suppose we all have different speeds we're comfortable with on the treadmill. I like to think I can handle a lot, but I also keep the thought in the back of my mind that the wind can always crank the speed up even higher.

Canoe Journey 2012

Save the date for Sunday, July 29th because we may be witness to one of the most amazing paddling experiences in Steh-Chass (Budd Inlet) in our lifetime. On that day, more than 100 tribal canoes will make their way from the Squaxin Island reservation to the Port of Olympia, with a soft landing along the way at Priest Point Park. 

The destination for the Canoe Journey changes every year and this year belongs to the southern tip of the Salish Sea. Canoes and their paddlers will represent First Peoples from all over the Northwest, including Washington, Alaska, and British Columbia. Also participating are indigenous peoples from Japan, Hawaii, Mexico, and New Zealand. Each year's Journey includes a theme, and this year's theme is "Teachings of Our Ancestors." Squaxin Island Museum executive director Charlene Krise said “It is our ancestors that teach us that we must care for our elders, each other, our children and the earth because each is a part of our past, present and future.”

From the Squaxin Island Tribe's website: "Cedar canoes are the traditional mode of transportation for coastal people of the Pacific Northwest.The resurgence of canoe journeys began in 1989 during the Suquamish Tribe’s “Paddle to Seattle.” Then, in 1993, the Heiltsuk Nation in Bella Bella, BC challenged all canoe nations to travel by canoe to their village participate in the Qutawas Festival.  28 canoes answered that challenge.  Today more than a 100 canoes from as many as 90 US Tribes, Canadian First Nations and New Zealand and an estimated 12,000 people participate in the annual Tribal Canoe Journeys. We pull together; we sing and dance; and we share our culture – everything  in honor of our past, present and future generations."

For those of you who are familiar with the Port of Olympia and Swantown marina, it will appear very different on July 29th. In addition to staging more than 75 canoes just off of North Point, on the upper parking lot and surrounding area, there will be seating for several thousand people, a media tent, and the rowers' public dock surrounded by canoes as a take-out. You can see for yourself on the Canoe Journey Aerial Map.

It will be an impressive sight to see and experience...and I'm looking forward to seeing it from the water.

Northwest Fireflies

Those of us originally from places in the country outside of the Pacific Northwest remember fireflies. Catching those benevolent creatures in jars and falling asleep to their illuminations, only to discover the next morning that sometime in the night they had made their escape through the oversized air holes in the lid. To children (and some adults) they are both magical and a mystery, deserving of their own folklore. Where do they come from? Why are they here?

In the Northwest, those of us fortunate enough to live near saltwater are able to experience a different kind of firefly. The trick to seeing them is getting out on the Sound in the dark of night, preferrably under a New Moon and clear skies. Then all you have to do is stir the water...and watch the stars of sea known as Noctiluca Scintillans glow.

Bioluminescence occurs when particular cellular chemicals interact with oxygen. In the case of the Sound, this reaction happens in dinoflagellates. Blooms occur between April and September. It's hard to imagine a number that would accurately reflect the populations of these creatures that are mere micrometers in size.

Watching the illuminations as a paddle slices the water, waves splash on the surface, fish dart like undersea rockets and fireworks, or if you're lucky, a seal swimming beneath you, are all reasons to pause and remember the magic of the sea.

Summer & the Sound

Saw our first lion's mane jellyfish of the season a couple of weeks ago. And fried egg jelly's too. Mats of moon jellyfish are beginning to appear. I've heard that increased jelly blooms are evidence of ocean acidification. I hope that's not the case here.


Bioluminesce are glowing in the water after dark.



Low, low tides appear during daytime and we have enough daylight to either paddle before work or until late in the evening. 

It may not feel like it right now, but summer is definitely on its way...and the Sound is letting us know.

Dude, Don't Waste It!

Transitions, switching from one side to another while paddling, are often one of the most overlooked elements of paddling technique and efficiency. Whether you change sides while paddling after three strokes, five, or ten, moving the paddle to the opposite side of the board and stroking still represents a significant amount of paddling time. And if you aren't making the most of it, you're wasting it.

The transfer itself, or moving the paddle from one hand to another, is itself critical. Unlike a quick paddle stroke, such as the Tahitian, moving the paddle from one side of the board to the other takes more time and allows the board to slow. So practicing to improve the speed of the side-to-side transfer is key to minimizing your board's stall.

The second important part of the transition is getting as much out of your first 'set and pull' as possible. If, for instance, you typically tend to switch back and forth between paddling sides after five strokes and your first stroke (the one in your transition to that side) is sloppy and ineffective, then you are wasting roughly one-fifth of your paddling potential.

When I try transfer to a paddling side, I try to reach as far as possible without upsetting my balance, while setting the paddling as cleanly as possible for a strong pull. My recovery then sets me for multiple effective, strong pulls. Those first strokes on each side aren't the full length of my reach, but fairly close, and allow me to get as much from those efforts as possible.

To maximize your full potential, don't waste side-to-side transfers with a weak first pull. Like all aspects of paddling technique, it requires concentration, but practice and focus on quick and efficient hand transfers.  Follow this with a stable, relatively long reach and clean paddle set before pulling. After a few thousand times, this will imprint into your biomechanics and feel as natural as the rest of your stroke.

Don't Make a Splash

Aside from pulling paddle far beyond the feet, one of the more common mistakes I see paddlers make is incorrectly, or more accurately - sloppily 'setting' the paddle into the water. A twist, a splash, a slap, it's all bad.

When the paddle enters the water, it 'grabs and holds the water' for the remainder of your stroke. Though it may appear that you are pushing the water behind you and your board, you are actually pulling yourself and your board to that chunk of water you grabbed with your paddle blade. If you don't take the time (milliseconds really) to cleanly and effectively set the paddle and grab water, you're going to be far less efficient in pulling yourself through the water toward it.

As a visualization, I recommend thinking of Olympic divers as they strive to enter the water with as little splash as possible. Cleanly enter the water, then pull. It takes practice and concentration, but if you do, your efforts will be well rewarded.

My Gym Can Be Your Gym...

Ah the joys of working out inside a gym. Fluorescent lighting, the permeating smell of locker rooms, the bad rock workout music, and of course, the people. No wonder so many of us love it so much.

That's why it always fills me with so much regret whenever I make it to my gym. The open sky, broad vistas, clean salt-scented air, calls of surf scoters and kingfishers, and barely a person in sight. I just try to take it all in, put my head down, and get through it until I have to face the next workout. Of course that's just a big ol' serving of sarcasm. 

I'd challenge almost anyone, once they learn to unlock the fitness benefits of standup paddling, to honestly say they prefer training indoors over getting outside on the water for a workout. I still workout at a gym from time to time. But even then, I prefer calenthstenics and bodyweight exercises to machines. But 99 times out of 100, I'm going to workout outside, and most likely you'll see me  paddling. When asked about his training, Eddy Merckx, five time winner of the Tour de France, and considered by most to be the best cyclist ever, simply said, "Ride lots." I'll borrow from Eddy and say "Paddle lots." That's all you need from a workout and all you need from a gym.

I don't own the rights to my gym. It can be your gym too. Fortunately, there aren't any membership dues or initiation fees. No confusing equipment with pulleys and weight stacks. Just a board and a paddle. I'd love to see you there, enjoying the outside. My gym can be your gym too.

Plus, can you remember the last time you made a friend like this in a weightroom?

Getting Serious About Getting Serious

In training, it's called the preparation phase and/or the base phase. The idea is simple, you're ready for more. You've been thinking about it for a while and now it's time to get started. But you don't want to jump into it headfirst, all-out. That leads to an increased risk of injuries and burnout. To put it simply, you wouldn't want to build a house by adding all of the trim and fixtures first. No, to build a house, or a successful training program, you need a solid, strong foundation. It's time to get serious about getting serious. 

In any endurance sport, this is a focus on strength, flexibility, and all-around conditioning. You're laying the groundwork for the tough training that lies ahead. You'll spend more time in the gym, or participating in sports and activities other the one where your focus lies. For endurance athletes other than paddlers, say cyclists, runners, or cross-country skiers, that may mean paddling. For paddlers, you may want to try one of those other sports.

It also means a long, slow build-up. There are plans and tricks to get one into race shape faster, but their rewards are short-lived and limited. If you have a season of racing ahead of you, or just want to continue building on the benefits of a sport such as stand-up paddling, you'll want to break into your season slowly with a strong focus on technique and efficiency. Be patient. You'll be able to finish building your house. Speed, force, power, and intervals will be there...waiting for you.

Just make sure you're ready for them.

Why You Should Train Even If You Don't Race

I've heard this before. Training does not have to mean that you focus on being race-ready. It can allow you to maximize the benefits standup paddling offers. Some of the benefits that drew you to standup paddling in the first place. Fitness from standup translates to other sports and life-related physical challenges. It's been said many times before that stand-up paddling strengthens your core and back. With a focus on training, it also aids in weight management. It enhances balance and supports flexibility. These are all components of multi-dimensional fitness.

 

As much as can be said about the physiological benefits of paddling, training and conditioning also allow you to get more out of your paddling experience. You'll be able to paddle further, faster. You'll make it around that next point. You'll be stronger in rougher conditions.

And that leads us to possibly the most important benefit, it may save your life or someone else's. Having the strength and fitness to manage most conditions may mean the difference between making it back home in one piece or requiring a rescue or worse. In the Northwest, conditions can turn at anytime. What seemed like a calm, sunny morning can quickly turn into a windy disaster. Currents can surprise us and a subtle mistake in timing can result in a 3 knot treadmill until you reach the next eddy. Have you ever had to tow a friend who was injured or unable to paddle?

Racing certainly isn't for everyone but if you enjoy getting out on the water for more than just a stroll around the marina, training and conditioning should be for you.

Standing at the Intersection of Water and Air

Though I've been standup paddling for more than four years in the South Sound, it still amazes me how great it is. Not too long ago I was out, standing up in the middle of Budd Inlet, practically alone and looking north towards the Olympic Mountains when I laughed out loud. I was struck by the awesomeness of the moment. Me, standing, above and surrounded by, all this water.

It's easy to look out from the shoreline and see a flat plane of water. Even on the water, it appears to be an impervious surface. It's also easy to forget the world that lives beneath the surface. Low tides are a great reminder and glimpse into that world. From the vantage of standing up, we can look down and see into the depths, ten feet, twenty feet, sometimes even more. Seastars, crab, fish, anenomes, seals. It feels like 'dry' diving or snorkling. And above the water too. Waterfowl such as surf scoters and kingfishers welcome me back and remind me why I love to be near the Sound.

Paddleboarding has really shifted my perspective and I have so much gratitude for all I'm able to experience, both above and below as I stand at the intersection of water and air.