Paddle Day 42: A Long Slog with a Happy Ending

Two SUPs met me and guided me into to my landing at Ship Bottom.

A long day's paddle: seven hours and 24.5 miles.
My longest paddle in duration started with loading the kayak, and then taking off an hour for a conference call for a Safe Passage finance committee, and finally meeting with a press photographer as the Seaside Rotarians helped to launch my kayak.

That first paddle stroke let me know that I'm back to the heavily loaded kayak since I'll need my camping gear and food for this next section.  But the current was with me until I reached the "Old Barnie" lighthouse at Barnegat Inlet.  Along the way I saw the "Good Luck Marina" and thought what a lucky omen.  But then I saw all the wiped out houses from Sandy all along Gook Luck Point.  Not such good luck after all.

Good Luck Marina, and then the Sandy damaged houses

At the inlet I crossed the turbulent water, fighting the wind.  But I was paddling over shoals full of large skate that would flap away as I passed.

Once I reached Long Beach Island, things quieted down.  I think my fairy godmother was looking down on me, and even managed to catch her in a photo.  (No not really.  Don't worry about my sanity, folks.)

Deb's fairy godmother?

There was a warm welcome when I arrived in Ship Bottom after seven hours on the water!  In the evening we went to a local night-spot to join some Rotarians, but had to drive on the wrong side of the road in places, as many streets were flooded with baywater.  There was no storm, only high tide, and not even the king high tide of October and not even a full moon high tide, and the bay was  already backing up through the storm drains.

Thanks to my amazing host, Mary Egan, I had two press interviews the next morning, and she showed me the front page story on the local paper from the interview the day before.  She's also found hosts for me further down the route!  What a go-getter!

Mary Egan with Deb

Paddle Day: 42                                                         Date: October 3, 2014
Start:  Tom's River                                                    End: Ship Bottom
Distance: 24.6 miles                                                 Total distance: 544.43 miles
Max speed:  5.1 mph                                                 Moving ave.: 3.5 mph
Kayak storage:  Mary's dock                                       Host: Mary Egan