Konstantin suggested that we go out again to get in shape for the Baja trip. We met at Goat Rock beach and launched into mild waves behind the rock then turned north. We paddled past the long sandy beach and eventually moved into the rock garden north of Jenner. The rock I call Cathedral Rock has many caves in it, but the tide was so low that most of them had rocks exposed in them and we were only able to paddle through the largest cave.
Around the first point we came to a rock with a cave I call “Mikes Cave of Doom”. I went through this cave once just before a large set of waves came by and closed the cave out. Roger Lamb was watching that time and thought I was trapped in the cave. He predicted that “You will never go through that cave again”! But on this day with Konstantin, the water was so mild that the two of us went through this cave with no problems and no qualms!
Around the next point is a shallow area that I have often paddled through. One time Maryly was knocked out of her boat here, only to discover that the water was so shallow she could stand up and climb back into her boat. This “shallow” spot was several feet above the water level at low tide and we were not tempted to try any paddle over it. The water was so mild we could have gone anywhere we wanted if the water was deep enough to allow it. It was a glorious day on the water!
Just north of Russian Gulch I lead Konstantin into the U channel in the rocks that Roger discovered a few years ago. We turned into the start, which looks like a dead-end. Then we turned left with the shear cliff on our right. And on the other side another left turn takes us out a different channel and back to sea. Konstantin suggested that we turn back so we headed south. We sprinted back. Actually I sprinted and Konstantin went at a slow to moderate rate (for him) so that I could keep up with him. But we did go straight back to goat rock without ducking behind any more rocks that were not directly in our path. Behind Goat Rock I started doing a few practice rolls. The water remained mild for my landing in the mild surf on the sandy beach.