Kayaking to Catalina - The Crossing

As the sun rose, navigating from Cabrillo Beach to Catalina Island by compass gave way to transit navigation - the mainland providing one fixed point, the island the other. After postponements due to weather and illnesses, the early morning sky was clear, the sea was flat, and the 10 UCLA kayakers were ready for the experience. They had trained all summer for this day. 

"What I wasn't anticipating was the sheer beauty of the crossing itself," says participant and UCLA Marina Aquatic Center instructor, Steve Goldman. 

Another surprise was a blue shark sighting: "It wasn't threatening or aggressive at all," says kayaker Mary Drenick. "He was happily swimming along the surface and could have cared less about us. We, on the other hand, were thrilled to see him!"

Staying close, the kayakers debated the dawn sighting of a whale. Blue whale? Fin whale? Orca? "Considering the dorsal fin size and length," said lead instructor Brendan Nelson, "I think it was probably an orca from the pod that's been seen in the channel." Regardless, it was something none of the kayakers would forget.

The kayakers also saw dolphin pods, flying fish, and a great number of sea birds. A large school of bait fish attracted a feeding frenzy of activity with the dolphins herding the small fish into a tight ball.

"Ocean conditions couldn't have been better," remembers Mary. "It was like glass when we launched and stayed that way for several hours. When the winds picked up slightly, we had gentle swells and winds in our favor."

Avoiding the afternoon winds was the reason for the pre-dawn launch and "point" kayaker, David Salper, worked with Brendan and the other instructors to maintain their course. "Folks alternated keeping me company as we went along, so I wasn't totally alone," says David. "My work was in adjusting our course to the subtle but persistent rightward-push of the west swells."

As the day progressed, making those adjustments became even more important. "One thing that should be mentioned was the sheer amount of training that went into this paddle," says Steve Goldman. "While those training sessions were rigorous, with some practice runs in excess of 20 miles, they were also as rewarding as the trip itself - the opportunity to paddle for an entire summer, improving skills and confidence on the water and, more importantly, the time to make some great new friends." 

Stroke after stroke, occasionally resting to rehydrate and snack, the paddlers pressed on. Even in a group, kayaking can be a solitary sport, where each person spends time with their own thoughts. For some, this was one more long-distance expedition. For others, it started with their first kayaking class at the UCLA MAC.

Behind them, their wakes slowly disappeared into the brightening ocean waters. Ahead, their goal and destination -- Catalina Island -- slowly grew larger, glowing in the morning light. 

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