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.

Most often, a GREEN paddle means one that has me scouring the water and the beaches for plastic and litter. This paddle was not different. I found several plastic items, a bathing suit, some lids and a discarded beach towel. But for this paddle, the GREEN was not only my eco-efforts. It references the actual color – GREEN.

After several weeks of unhealthy air quality due to wildfires across the Pacific Northwest, this morning dawned clear, smoke free and about 30 degrees cooler than the average 90 of the past weeks. I arrived at my favorite put-in along the Deschutes River to find glassy calm, an almost “autumn-like” tinge to the air and no other paddlers. It was a day to cherish – and I did.

My usual paddles are all about the BLUE. Blue skies, blue water and my brilliant blue 12’6″ Starboard Zen construction paddle board. But with a hint of Fall in the air and the day being so exquisite, I could not help but appreciate the GREENS.

These greens will soon become the myriad of colors that beckon in Fall. A few months later, the browns and whites of winter will color my favorite river sections. So for today, I savored the green. I hope you enjoy it with me – and get out on the water every summer gorgeous day you can.

You know the kid who always has to jump in a puddle (even when wearing shows and socks) or the one who begs, “just a little while longer.” when it’s time to leave the beach? That kids is – and always has been – ME!

And weather doesn’t really matter – sunny or stormy, hot or cold. With the right clothes, equipment and attitude, all days on the water are great days.

A recent Sunday morning delivered a glassy river paddle and a sense of happy wonder. It was truly a zen-like experience. And I was paddling my Starboard Inflatable 12′ 6″ Touring board with ZEN construction.

A few days later I paddled upstream in wind and a strong, rippling current. That intense effort switched to the bumpy goodness of a down stream down-winder all the way back.

Lake time can be no less diverse. My favorite local lake is bordered by Elk Lake Resort and boasts a number of great beaches to launch from. Early morning can usually guarantee a calm 4.5 mile meander around the perimeter of the lake.

By mid afternoon the wind fills in, often sporadic or gusty. Early morning thermals drift like lazy bubbles on a hot, summer day. The air ahead of these thermal bubbles is light and variable. But most afternoons these thermals create gusts–called cat’s-paws–50% higher than the true wind speed. Cat’s-paws appear as rough, dark patches on the water.

Hold on for the quick acceleration and set your wing trim for a lift as the gust arrives. I am using my FreeWing AIR V2 (5M). It’s one of the toys that add to my wonderland of fun on the water. Check out the full array of Starboard wing options here!

It’s a fantastic feeling to purchase a product for a sport you love – and know that our Oceans and environment are better for it. That’s the commitment Starboard has lived up to.

For every board, Starboard plants 3 Mangroves, offsetting the board’s CO2 emissions more than 10X over.

Starboard has partnered with Worldview International Foundation to undertake the project. Why Mangroves?

From the Starboard Blue website Each of us generates an average of 4.7-tonne CO2 emissions per year, the major cause of our climate problems. Mangroves are some of the most efficient green machines to help counter this, as one tree absorbs 673 kg of VCS CO2 over 25 years. Further, each mature tree produces enough oxygen for four people.

Mangroves also protect coastal lives and properties from extreme weather and increase ocean life by 50%, as well as the area’s general biodiversity. Starboard’s initial aim is to plant 100 million mangrove trees together with WIF, absorbing 67,3 million tons of CO2. There is a potential to plant over one billion mangroves on available land in Myanmar.

From the Starboard Blue website (you can also click the image below for more) The 3 Mangroves draw down a total of 2019 kg CO2 (3 x 673 kg) over 25 years. Half of this (1008 kg) goes to offsetting the board’s emissions 10X over; an average emission of a Starboard is 100 kg CO2. The other half gets sold as carbon credits, where the proceeds go to supporting livelihoods in vulnerable coastal communities.

Additionally to the 3 Mangroves per board, Starboard calculates and report Starboard’s total carbon footprint annually across scopes 1, 2 and 3. They then offset these emissions 10X over, as well as the footprints of events they have supported, leaving Starboard to be 10X Climate Positive. Through the footprint calculations and offsetting, Starboard aims to be completely transparent about its impact on the planet, as well as to showcase a way of turning negatives into positives.

Summertime at the lake. I was born and raised an ocean girl, 52 years living in South Florida playing in the Atlantic. The first few decades I resided in Oregon had me exploring mountain trails in a land-based plethora of fun. Then in 2006 I had the chance to paddle on a stand up paddleboard – tentative at first but HOOKED!

Over the next years there was barely a pocket of water – lake, river, stream or creek – that I didn’t paddle. My favorite spots were even more wonderful when the wind was light and the water glassy. The next eye-opener for fun was a wild 20-30+ mph downwind run on the Columbia River. Wind was suddenly my paddling friend! From there it wasn’t long before wind, waves and the North Shore of Maui beckoned me to explore the run from Maliko Gorge to Kanaha Beach Park, a gnarly 8 mile downwind adventure.

But there were still those exquisitely glassy paddles when clear alpine lake water or early morning dawn patrol paddles to love. In fact, when I would get to my favorite lakes and discover that the wind was already gusting, swirled by the mountains’ impact on air currents I would not be so thrilled. Then last summer I got the “golden ticket!” For my 73rd birthday in June 2022 I was thrilled to get the Starboard 4-in-1 10’4″ inflatable and a quiver of three Starboard AirRush V2 FreeWings. YES! I began to seek out the afternoon winds!

Over the winter exploring Tampa Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and other Florida waterways I had an exhilarating great time! My new routine is to head to the water with my 12’6″ Starboard Zen Inflatable Touring board while the wind has not yet picked up. Little by little as the day wears on – the wind usually becomes wonderful. Winging has given me ….. well, WINGS!!!!!

Summer is short here in Central Oregon. Every available opportunity to get on the water bare foot and warm is treasured. And now, wind or no wind, I am an extremely happy water woman.

We took a quick trip to the Oregon coast early this week and were greeted by waves and views that instilled wonder. From the protected cove sheltered by Seal Rock to the dunes at Agate Beach we hiked the beaches and exclaimed over the beauty.

It wasn’t until the last walk in the evening as we trekked up and down the rolling dunes that I noticed something besides rocks and sun-bleached shells crumbled in the sand. If you click on the photo of the massive beach log and look closely at the sand in front of it – it’s all microplastics!

Once I really SAW the microplastics, I couldn’t un-see them. They were truly everywhere. It would take a team of hundreds sifting the sand to clean even the amount in the relatively small are where we had walked. How did I miss seeing that earlier – after all, plastic debris is always on my radar.

Animals can mistake small, often colorful microplastics for food. This can lead to the introduction of toxic chemicals to the animal and has been known to lead to digestive blockage in fish, seabirds and turtles. . A Seaside (Oregon) based conservation group Sea Turtles Forever wants to make a difference.

They clean the sand using a unique screen filtration system. Developed by Sea Turtles Forever founder Marc W. Ward, the systems look like a cross between a medical stretcher and a flour sifter. Dirty sand is piled on a sheet of fine mesh stretched between two long poles, and the mesh catches plastic and other foreign material while allowing the sand to fall through. According to Ward, a static charge in the mesh can catch plastic particles as small as 100 micrometers across.

The result? An area of silky, pure sand free of plastic litter — especially the tiny bits that pose a threat to wildlife. You can watch the group in action here.

Besides making your own personal choice to bring re-usable food and drink containers when visiting the beach, picking up what you see, or maybe even making on of may types of sand sifters – you can learn about local groups you can assist in their larger strategies against microplastics.

Because we paddle and surf, it’s great to know that the brand we purchase can make a huge environmental difference. One example is Starboard Blue. As a producer of plastic-based products, Starboard introduced plastic footprint reporting after pioneering work with the Ocean Recovery Alliance. In 2017 the world’s first Plastic Offset Program was launched. Starboard offset parts of their plastic footprint through their POP initiative. Every day their own team collects beach/ ocean plastic litter. They have collected more than 657 578 kg over the past years and are continuing to expand and improve the program by sourcing recycling sites to process the collected waste. Starboard is working with VERRA to become one of the first projects certified under the Plastic Waste Standard.

Are the beautiful dunes of the Oregon coast doomed? Not if we add to the momentum of advocacy, sustainability and action.