Paddle Day 45: Paddling to sweat out my cold

Cold day but warm in my NRS neoprene!

Stan and his son, Ethan, got me to the dock in time to catch a favorable tide 90 minutes before it turned.

Right after Stan and Ethan helped me launch.

I had a tail wind, and the current with me for most of day.  It was cold and dreary, but with my NRS hydroskins top and bottom, and tall neoprene boots I was cosy warm when I paddled hard trying to sweat out my annoying cold and fever.

The highlight of the paddle was talking with a boating birder in the marshes.  He had read about me in the local paper and offered me a cup of hot tea.  That was really tempting, but I was in a rhythm and didn't want to stop.  Just the offer warmed me up!

Warming offer of hot tea in the marshes..

Margo meet me in Avalon at the Avalon Anchorage Marina, where they were watching out for me and came down to help me land.  The next two days have another storm system coming through with high winds.  I can see why South Jersey is one of the windiest parts of the US.  There is no high ground and the winds just whip through here.  It's like paddling in the Arctic where the winds just build and build because there is little to break them.  The favorable paddling days are few and far between.  But when I look at the marine forecast further along my route, the winds are not nearly as high.  My cold is not going away, and I'm croaking along.  

If I was just doing this expedition for myself, like with my Arctic ones, I would just wait for favorable weather.  But since this an awareness and fundraising expedition, I have to keep to a schedule.  My only option in prolonged bad weather is to skip sections, even though that really grates.  Fortunately, Margo has a roof rack and helped to portage my kayak from Avalon over to Reed's Beach, directly across the southern peninsula of South Jersey.

Deb andCaptain Joel Fogel

Margo also took me to meet Captain Joel Fogel's wife where I was treated royally.  Sitting on a rocking chair in front of a fire, getting a shoulder and neck massage, drinking tea and eating cookies.   And to top it all off, hearing stories of the Captain's kayak descent of the Yangtze (no one had done that before), his multiple winnings of the IronMan, and his Miami to NY kayak expedition, way back when!

Stan, "Blue Belt" Ethan and Deb

Back to Stan's for a third night with an extraordinary host and his fantastic children  - all super athletes!  Stan was the one who arranged multiple media coverage here, as well and the four Rotary meetings in 2 days.  Thank you, Stan!!

Paddle Day: 45                                                         Date: October 10 2014
Start:  Somer's Point                                                 End: Avalon
Distance: 18 miles                                                    Total distance: 593.8 miles
Max speed:  6.8 mph                                                 Moving ave.: 4.2 mph
Kayak storage:  Doc's Place,                                      Host: Stan Malcolm
   Avalon Anchorage Marina                                       Onshore Angels: Margo Pelligino
   Daniella Nicole                                                            Captain Joel Fogel