The last Friday of August and Monica and I were the only members of the Piraguismo club to turn up for the early session. However, the Adventura crew was packed meaning my number one choice canoe was unavailable. I went for the smaller version, fatally without any water covers on it.
Damning evidence of no water covers on canoe!
The sea was rough and the winds were picking up. Still, we launched from Burriana with little problems and set off for Carrizal. The trip was a little like a roller coaster, sea water crashing over the canoe and beginning to fill the boat. Monica decided it was too risky to land at Carrizal. There was nobody there to help. We turned back for Caleta where the Adventura group would be.
With the waves crashing into the shore it proved to be a great test of my exiting skills. A couple of monitors from the Adventura group watched closely as I prepared to exit. Wait for the right wave and go. Nice one! Our problems started when we tried to leave.
The waves were the biggest I have seen since we started with the kayak club. My first attempt almost proved successful. I got into the sea but the boat was very unstable. I had taken a lot of water onboard as a big wave crashed over me on entry. I had to exit and empty the boat. The second attempt was disastrous. A big wave wiping me out and completely flooding the canoe. I tried to pick up the boat and "Crack" my lower back went.
Stranded on the beach with the Adventura group already departed. How were we going to get back to Burianna? We spotted a canoe further up the coast but no canoeist. A few minutes later and a double kayak was heading to the beach with Marco, one of the monitors with Adventura, in it. He was coming ashore to collect the other canoe. Monica dashed over to explain our problem.
So I was gently lowered into the other canoe with the water covers on it. If only mine had had them we would be sat comfortable in a bar watching the sea now. Marcos helped me launch and then got into my stricken canoe. Then it was a case of attaching the toe rope and heading back to Burriana.
The trip back was more shameful than painful. The embarrassment of being toed in a canoe! Marcos was great and effortlessly paddled back to Burriana. I was left thinking about the wrecked weekend. How many days would I be out of action? Things couldn't get any worse. Then I saw the later group paddling towards us. Embarrassment now complete.
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