When the trades are blowing 15 knots, paddlers Michelle Jackson and Rico Pettigrew head for Po‘ipu Beach Park to do a “run” down to Port Allen. First, of course, they leave one vehicle at their destination and shuttle the boats
When the trades are blowing 15 knots, paddlers Michelle Jackson and Rico Pettigrew head for Po‘ipu Beach Park to do a “run” down to Port Allen.
First, of course, they leave one vehicle at their destination and shuttle the boats back to their point of entry.
These two longtime friends are paddling different crafts today. Pettigrew is on a traditional one-man canoe and Jackson is paddling a surf ski, which is basically an outrigger without the ama.
“It’s a little trickier to balance,” said Jackson. “I like the challenge, though.”
Even more than the challenge, she likes the boat’s simplicity. “I don’t have to put it together,” she said.
The one-man canoe comes in four pieces: the boat, the two akus and the ama. With a surf ski, the paddler only has to lift it off their truck and set it in the water.
Pettigrew said of paddling on Labor Day, “It’s me on my stand-up surfboard this morning.”
Jackson as well made this holiday a mini-biathalon, water-sport day. “I go with the conditions,” she said. “When the wind picks up I paddle, and if it dies down tonight I’ll surf.” The Po‘ipu resident had already been out on the water that morning on her stand-up surfboard.
Pettigrew said the stand-up is good for one-manning too. “The long paddle has more torque, so it requires more musculature to pull.”
The two friends play in the water together regularly. Sometimes Pettigrew brings his surf ski, but today he was paddling his Pegasus.
“The essence of this sport is the joy,” he said. “I remember when I first saw guys coming out of the water with canoes on their shoulders. They had this stoked expression on their faces.”
He knew then it was something he had to try. That was seven years ago. “The first year I was pretty timid. There’s a learning curve.”
“Once you start surfing,” he said with a nod, “Well, when you are on the outside, it’s like surfing a nine-mile wave.”
“Just don’t look behind you,” he said laughing as he described the frothy fangs of a big outside wave.
One other thing the seasoned paddler discloses, is his fear of equipment failure. “It can be scary out there when something goes wrong.”
These two friends are on the water daily, holiday or not. “I have to do something on the ocean every day,” said Jackson.
• Pam Woolway, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681, ext. 257 or pwoolway@kauaipubco.com.
