3rd Annual Deception Pass Dash, December 7th

Many thanks to Rick and Nancy (the Ramblin' Lambs), and to our buddy Sean Watson, for the pics you see here.

And huge props go out to Ruby Creek partners who sent out mucho schwag for the racers' raffle:

Stohlquist Waterware

Eddyline Kayaks/ Swift Paddles

Costa del Mar Sunglasses

CRG Rec Repair

Danuu Kayak & Canoe Covers

Cascade Creek/ YakGrips

A week since the Dash... and it seems some of the racers are still basking in the afterglow. Ahhhh, the afterglow...

... Of 124 paddlers leaving Bowman Bay in a sweet, gentle west swell that was to build into something amazing... of a confused clapotis (don't make fun til you look it up) off Deception Island... of a long push through the Pass, jumping the eddyline at the head of the island, and another mile on to the far turn at Strawberry Island, thinking hey, the worst is over, I'm rumblin' with the current now......

...of a mile back in calm waters, looking ahead at standing waves as high as ooohhhhh ssss(*&!!! ...8 feet or more... of all hell breaking loose running through Canoe Pass...

...of John Sindelar riding the building ebb like a roller coaster through those standers...

OK, looking pretty good...

Whoa... half of me is gone...

Uhhh... I'm invisible!

Cowabunga!

OK, gimme more of that!

...of rescues by jet ski, power boat, safety kayakers and fellow racers, of chaos at Deception Island on the return trip around...

...and of 93 racers actually finishing the course but everyone coming back to the beach safe and sound, for a hearty BBQ from our friends at Outdoor Adventure Center. Oh yeah, the afterglow is fine!

Huge thanks to the Corson family and to Outdoor Adventure Center, and especially to the safety crew and all the volunteers who helped pull this one off. Next year, Saturday December 12, 2009, the 4th Annual Deception Pass Dash goes off at 11am. Come be a part of it!

Division winners who finished in the top-20 overall of the 3rd Annual DPDash, hosted by Outdoor Adventure Center:

• Jean Rillard, Rennes France, 51:41, 1st overall, 1st in High-performance kayak-Men
• Larry Goolsby/Shaun Sullivan, Bellingham WA, 55:12, 3rd, 1st in double HPK
• Alan Goto, Seattle WA, 57:22, 5th, 1st in outrigger OC1-Men
• Heather & Brandon Nelson, Bellingham WA, 57:43, 6th, 1st in double sea kayak
• Brian Boatman & David Williams, Bellingham WA, 8th, 58:30, 1st in double outrigger
• Chuck Curry, Seattle WA, 63:44, 11th, 1st in Fast Sea Kayak-Men
• Sherri Cassuto, Seattle WA, 69:40, 18th, 1st in Sea Kayak-Women
• Matthew Nelson, Orcas Island WA, 70:03, 20th, 1st in Sea Kayak-Men