Follow my journey over the next 22 weeks to a day in July 2011 where I will be taking part in one of the most amazing journeys in my calendar. The Molokai to Oahu Channel Paddle, Hawaii. The channel crossing is 32 miles of harsh swell, currents, winds and tides. Just when you think you have made it across the channel, Oahu's south east point, Koko Head, dishes up some choppy water and strong winds. Also known as "The Channel of Bones", this will be my biggest adventure yet. Follow my preparations for this epic paddle.

Monday, 18 July 2011

Yellow Submarine!

Before
 With the uncertainty of getting a 15 foot board on the plane, yesterday afternoon was spent packing up my board so it looks like a Yellow Submarine! 

Jason Hooker (documentary director) and I got the board (Bruce) all wrapped up and safe to send by an international freight company to Honolulu Airport. Now the tricky thing is to make sure that the 18cm rudder is protected. Luckily I had kept some polystyrene packaging so we could use this to protect the rudder. 



After = Yellow Submarine!
We started out filming and got the board out
garage to take out the fin water bottle cages and plan how to protect the rudder. Then mother natures pours down on us. Ugh! So we re-arrange and setup in the garage. Out of the rain we continue filming. We got through the majority of a 50 meter bubble wrap roll, and that just me putting it on like a dress and rolling down the drive way!!!


With the board wrapped up and rudder protected, we officially make it "The Yellow Submarine" with the kayak sock that Stew let me borrow - thanks S Man of Think Kayak (http://www.thinkkayaks.com/). Final touch was the red wrapping of FRAGILE tape. My Bruce is now fulling protected and will be waiting for me in Honolulu this Friday when I arrive. Hang in the Bruce! Play nice with the other boards and no playing with other rudders! Erm, this just got weird! Better get back to work and focus with Katy Perry on the iPod! Love it.

Drove to the freight company this morning and delivered Bruce and half my right kidney to pay to get the board flown over. Then the guy proceeds to tell me that the airline he is using to send the board is a passenger airline that would have taken my board as checked baggage = great start to Monday. Ah well, at least now I have a guarantee that the board will be there the day I land and that is the most important thing.Just means I have 1/4 less kidney and no new jeans and swimsuits!! eek! 


Final week countdown to departure: 4 more sleeps.
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