We are so fortunate to call the Clearwater Community Sailing Center (CCSC) our winter watersports home. It’s a fantastic place to meet new friends, sail the wide open bay for fun or for racing and to observe the commitment of staff and members to the next generation of sailors. Here’s a refreshing Polar Seltzer toast to all!

(Photo Credit: Eddie Shasek)

In spite of the unseasonably cool – and often rainy – weather today, twelve well-sailed races took place in a wide variety of wind conditions. Two things were constant: big smiles on every face and the most excellent hydration. Why the great hydration? The event was sponsored by Polar Seltzer.

Zale and Jake represented the Polar Seltzer booth with a bounty of enthusiasm. We were encouraged to sample our favorite flavors (cranberry lime and mandarin orange for me) and to explore newer flavors – you have to try orange-vanilla!! Check out the Polar Seltzer story and learn about “surprise” flavors here (hint: Mermaid Songs and Unicorn Kisses).

But Polar Seltzer provided CCSC with much more than tasty, wholesome beverages!

The Hobie Wave fleet is one of the most used and most versatile of the sailboats available there. The constant use definitely causes plenty of wear and tear on the sails. In support of CCSC and all they do (LEARN MORE HERE), Polar Seltzer has donated new sails for the entire Hobie Wave fleet. CCSC sailors are eagerly awaiting the arrival of that generous gift.

The majority of the sailors in the regatta today were adults, with many in their 60’s and above. What struck me was the hustle and bustle of a much younger group fully immersed in their Optimist Pram (IODA) lessons, skill building and technique development out on the water with no thought of the cold or the rain.

These two young sailors usually sail in their Optimist Prams but made the choice to sail in the Hobie Wave Regatta today.

They really caught my attention. From the skippers meeting at 9 am until the completion of after race reviews at 5 PM they were fully engaged. There they are right at the very front of the group hanging on to every word at the skippers meeting. And they were just as committed to the experience at the end of the day.

And that’s one big benefit of class racing. We are all in the same boat and age doesn’t make as much impact as it might in almost any other sport. If you love wind, water and a great community resource be sure to visit CCSC when you are in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area.

In my part of the world a palette of gorgeous fall leaves is blanketing sidewalks, river paths and backyards. We are enjoying the last days of summer-like weather before the welcomed rains of Fall quench the thirsty high desert and forests. Our paddling days will be cooler, and beautiful in their own way.

But as we tend to spend more time indoors this time of year, DIY projects sound inviting. Just in time too. October marked another phase of an opportunity to earn a digital social currency called Blue Tiki while doing what we love (paddling) and making a difference in our community (beach and waterway cleanup). If you haven’t yet participated, take a look here.

In the past seven months as I completed the regular challenge activities on Blue Tiki (thanks Starboard) I mostly cleaned up larger pieces of plastic and other litter. But a recent trip to the coast remined me on the tiny microplastic pieces that have inundated our beaches, waters and even our own bodies. I decided this was a good time to search out a some DIY directions for building a microplastic sifter.

A google search rewarded me with plenty of instructions. One in particular caught my eye because it was both easy to make, easy to make a few to share with friends and portable enough to bring along on a paddle. I found the directions on the Kailua Beach Adventures website. Click here to learn more.

Are you inspired to be a Future Fighter now? If so, simply go to Blue Tiki and sign in. You can feel good as you earn Blue Tiki currency – and also learn how to win some great prizes while being part of a global community.

After a 40 year hiatus from surfing it was the third fall I’d been SUP surfing, 2011. My husband Ed and I had only planned to sit on the beach at Pacific City (Oregon) with a coffee while we watched the brave “dawn patrollers” heading out. We strained our eyes to peer through the light fog. Almost like a mirage, about 1/2 mile offshore, a set of big fat and beautiful glassy waves wrapped around the point at Cape Kiwanda and solidly marched through the deeper water. Rather than crashing or closing out, they simply diminished before re-building on the more shallow reef closer in. We couldn’t miss conditions that rare. Ten minutes later, wetsuits donned, we paddled out.

Have you ever been schooled by a wave just a degree or two (or 3) above your skill level? One that held you down, knocked the tar out of you and was fodder for stories for weeks after? For some, that wave is calf high, for others a triple overhead at Pipeline.  I found my personal limit that cold October morning doing dawn patrol with Ed, and our buddy Randall.

As much as I love the ocean and am thrilled by surfing – I am a bit of a chicken. My imagination tends to go a bit wild.

Holy cow – heart in throat time…I wondered what was lurking under the glassy beds of seaweed out by the haystack rock? Would I have the nerve to really go for a wave that seemed to swallow up Ed and Randall as they disappeared behind the overhead walls they took?  Then, the third swell of a set loomed up. I was bit further in than the “safe” zone – having tentatively tried for the first wave of the set.  My location made the wall and takeoff a bit more steep then I would have preferred – but something made me dig for it and GO!

My skills at the time were very limited and bottom turns – not so much.  Yet something clicked on that wave, I dug my KIALOA paddle hard into the face and powered a nice right that lofted me up the face at a speed that  I’d never felt before. The board vibrated under my feet with a shuddering sound that serenaded with whistling wind, and filled my ears. “Wooooohooooooo!” Yeah! There was nothing but an amazing rush. In a few seconds when time stood still that was a ride to remember. Then the shoulder flattened out in a deeper water channel close to shore and I cruised over the top and paddled back out. I caught two more waves before reaching the edge of my “courage envelope.” I went back to the beach way before anyone else – but the experience had been both brilliant and – enough.

My SUP surfing has consisted of knee to shoulder high waves for the most part. Once on Maui and once in Punta Mita, Mexico I was fortunate to catch some overhead waves. But none were ever as perfect, glassy and magical as the few I caught that day off the Oregon coast. anything like that since.  

In spite of my relative inexperience, it is cool to have some understanding so when I see someone tackling a nice sized wave, I I have a small sense of what’s so incredible.  Surfers everywhere and at every ability level share a common set of awe and love for the waves they’ve ridden and waves they’ve been thrashed by. 

One aspect of our innate connection to the ocean is that we explore it. It’s our source and where we’ve evolved from — it’s spectacularly beautiful, and it’s really, really powerful. Whether we ride the big ones or live extreme moments vicariously, we share a common energy.

Respect your skill and respect your ocean – love your moments and your abilities on your waves. A very wise surfer, one whose spirit of aloha graces all he does, is Gerry Lopez. In his book, SURF IS WHERE YOU FIND IT, he shares five rules. The fifth and final Lopez rule, “The best surfer in the water is the guy having the most fun.” Like Gerry, we can all try to remember that one.

Okay, grab your paddle and your board – have some fun and dream of waves! Then share your stories with us – via e-mail or on Facebook.