Journey’s End
Team Of One became the second human-powered competitor to finish the Race to Alaska with a prodigious leg that covered over 60 miles in 17 hours. After stopping at Dundas Island Friday evening Dameon pushed off around 2 am and kept going until he stood on the dock in Ketchikan. Now out of the contrary currents of the narrow channels of the Inside Passage he made steady progress throughout the day.
Congrats Dameon! Finishing Stage Two in 17 days as a single rower with almost three days sitting due to winds is an impressive feat.
Timing Is Everything
Team Of One approaches the USA after 3 days of rowing the two narrow passages of the Inside Passage. After pulling within 10 miles of Team Wave Forager Dameon experienced the frustration of hitting the narrow Grenville Channel just a few hours behind fellow rower Wave Forager but missing the following current while Wave Forager cruised at 7 knots. This led to a gap that proved to be too much to close again as Wave Forager approaches Ketchikan while Dameon is 70 miles from finish. It seems inevitable that Wave Forager will be the first non-sail team to finish and Dameon second. Despite his fast start in the first week, kayaker Sea Smoke has little chance of catching Our Man from Belfast. Most likely Dameon will push on to the Alaska mainland tonight leaving 30 to 40 miles to finish on Saturday. Tune in tomorrow to watch streaming video of a finish to a great solo row…
Sunrise
Shooting Princess Royal Passage
After last night's post, Dameon pressed on for 13 more miles into the late evening, sleeping in until 7 this morning. Since then he has made over 30 miles, attempting to time the tidal currents in the narrow passage next to Princess Royal Island. Interesting to note that in the past 3 days Team Of One has closed the gap between Wave Forager, another solo rower, and himself. Wave Forager for most of the race has been around 30 miles ahead but Dameon has closed within 10 miles at time. While Dameon might not gauge his success by passing Wave Forager, one can't be disinterested in the progress of the two teams leading all human-powered teams. Also, Solveig, a two person rowing/sailing boat, has made the interesting choice to venture out along Queen Charlotte Sound where the little boats generally don't play, but perhaps sees a chance to employ the sail. Lastly, Sea Smoke, a kayaker, has turned back from the Passage and appears to be heading backward to open water.
Will Dameon continue to close on Wave Forager? Will he time the tides in the Passage to derive a well-deserved break? Tomorrow will tell.
Sunset at Klemtu BC
Fighting Wind and Tide
Another smaller day in terms of distance, with 35 miles gone after departing at 0330 to catch the ebb tide. After steady progress into a 5-10 knot north wind Dameon was slowed considerably and laid up on the south point of Swindle Island for a few hours, perhaps in hopes that currents would become favorable. But the water is fickle in the labyrinth of passages in that part of the coast, and Dameon has pulled up again after slow progress. Will Team Of One be able to time his row tomorrow to shoot the narrow channels?
The beauty of rowing in the wee hours up the Inside Passage
Slogging into Bella Bella
After a slow first half of the race due to high winds and forced idleness it is only fitting that Dameon pulls into Bella Bella after a slow day against the wind. As of 6:30 pm he's made 30 miles instead of the 40 to 60 he often rows. As icing on the pain cake he is bucking an ebb tide the final several miles. Other paddlers/rowers had the same slow progress, with Team Of One maintaining spacing behind Wave Forager and ahead of all other human-powered craft. Of note, Sea Smoke, after a few days of light kayaking has turned it on and has passed the three-ship of other padders who have traveled together for the past week.
One hopes Dameon takes advantage of the last bit of civilization prior to Ketchikan and stretches his legs in Bella Bella, but knowing Our Man From Belfast he will head out into the wilderness portion of the race without stopping for a single ice cream cone.
Update: Dameon has checked in from Bella Bella, one of the last few cell towers between there and Ketchikan. He reports that today a humpback whale 3x the length of Dilly surfaced only 20 feet from him, then swam beside him for the next hour, repeatedly coming back to look at Dameon and the boat. This encounter can only be a good omen for the rest of the journey.
Proceeding With Caution
Yesterday Dameon pushed from Foster Island toward Cape Caution on a course that could have been drawn with a ruler. While other human-powered craft hugged the shorelines Team Of One went straight down the middle of Queen Charlotte Sound. The goal was to round Cape Caution but fighting the steady headwind made Dameon pull up in Skull Cove Friday evening in prep for today’s crossing. Today’s row goes as planned, with the most exposed crossing of the race, Cape Caution, already in the rear view mirror well before lunch. The other paddlers and rowers in the race have progressed as a group spread over 40 miles, with Wave Forager well in front.
Yesterday’s straight-forward row was enlivened by an unexpected hitchhiker; a small sea bird that Dameon scooped up sputtering in the sea. It rode with him for two hours, hopped on his shoulder to dry its wings, then flew away. May it and Dameon find fair winds in their journeys.
Dameon and New Friend
Finally Moving
Our man from Belfast is making wake after two days of enforced idleness. Launching at 0430 he had 10 miles behind him by 0630, aided by the ebb tide and calm winds. Plowing through a counter current by Hardwicke Island and the flood tide, Dameon picked up the ebb tide again as he rowed out into Queen Charlotte Strait. Distaining the shelter of Malcolm Island even after 55+ miles, will Team Of One put in at Foster Island for a merely huge day or make a prodigious late night run to the north side of the Strait?
Patience Has Limits
After 48 hours of sitting on the same beach, Team Of One rowed our in the early evening to try his luck against the wind. Dameon spent almost a second full day waiting out the strong NW winds and waves and finally launched around 1730 PDT. It's obvious from his speed of 1.5 knots over the first hour that conditions were still difficult. Dameon bowed to nature by cutting north (and doubling his speed) toward the lee shore of West Thurlow Island and is now hugging the shore westward. Will he make significant miles tonight?
Other paddlers and rowers in Johnstone Strait also hunkered down all day with one group of three paddlers creeping around one point and beaching again.
Thankfully Thursday should bring the lightest winds of the week and likely spark big miles.
Day of Reflection
As forecast, winds stayed high out of the NW for Dameon today resulting in a rare day with no movement. At least Dameon reports that he has a beach to walk on to stretch his legs but will sleep aboard Dilly to lessen the bear risk. He is in good company as virtually no boat advanced up the Johnstone Strait today.
Unfortunately, Wednesday looks like more of the same. Maybe more leg-stretching is in order.
East Thurlow Island
Long Slog Upwind
An old canoe carry, where First Nations people cleared the beach stones to make a path
As expected from the forecast, Dameon has faced a long slow row into wind on Monday, traveling only 15 miles in his first 10 hours, and only 9 miles in the last 8 hours. Twice in the early evening Dameon pulled out into the Strait and into the wind only to give up and row back to shelter of East Thurlow Island. Many others made the same choice, laying up on a lee shore. Will Dameon make another push when the tide changes or wait for morning?
Unfortunately, tomorrow's forecast is for worse winds, and not dropping into single digits until Thursday morning. Team Of One's stoicism will be tested but prove up to the task.
Through Seymour Narrows!
Despite a detour into Campbell River Harbor to purchase a tarp for extra rain protection, Dameon shot through Seymour Narrows well before slack low tide. He got going early as usual and while high slack tide was not achievable, he placed himself within striking distance of the Narrows for low ebb tide. He reports that it was still challenging going through. Once established in the Johnstone Strait Team Of One faced 20+ knot winds and opposing tide. After a 29 mile day against wind and tide Dameon wisely laid up in Deepwater Bay on Quatra Island to wait for better conditions. One glance at the tracker shows groups of boats doing the same as the NW winds increase, some boats backtracking to seek shelter.
Tomorrow brings gale warnings in the Strait up to 35 knot winds. Will our man from Belfast be able to make headway on Monday?
Straight And Steady
Saturday was the biggest day yet for Dameon, covering 54 miles from Mistaken Island to Oyster River. While other paddlers/rowers threaded through Hornby Island, Team Of One rowed a course that could have been drawn with a ruler. Again, an early start and 10 pm stop kept Dameon past the pack of most paddlers. However, Dilly needs additional rain protection as Dameon reports a wet Friday night. He faces a decision on Sunday; pull into Campbell River for a tarp purchase and lose a window to get through Seymour Narrows, or push on and sleep soggy?
Copied from R2AK website is a spot-on account of meeting Dameon on the water:
“Of One is rowing around like it’s a weekend at the lake. There’s almost nothing that’s not in a hatch, he’s wearing light clothes, no hat, and spoke with us almost as if he was about to get up and grab another drink. He exhibits a positive, subdued nonchalance that is bafflingly understated.”
From the R2AK reporter:
"This checks out with every interaction that anyone has ever had with Dameon, solo rower of Team Of One, and 2019 R2AK veteran as half of the double rowing Team Backwards AF. Talking to Dameon is like to an extension of earth, we’ve never met a more grounded person"
Dameon on a very different sort of trip
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Team Of One continues his strategy of rowing long days without the need to make or break camp. Day 2 out of Victoria began at 4:30 and ended at 9 pm, covering another 45 miles. Dameon laid up short of Dodd's Narrows to allow the tide to turn and took a nap, ending the day on Mistaken Island near several other paddlers. Dameon reports that while his speed is similar to the two-place boats, he can't power through current or winds as effectively. Expect to see more stops during adverse conditions and rowing at odd hours when seas are favorable.
A disappointing note: Team Zen Again Dog, who travelled from the UK, pulled out after hurting his arm while making camp. This follows his withdrawal last year for injury.
Dameon bunking in DILLY
Off To Ketchikan!
The field departed Victoria at noon Thursday with moderate SW winds helping all participants, especially the sailboats. Taking advantage of his strategy to sleep in the boat to save camp set up time, Dameon put in a late day, rowing until an hour and a half past sunset to lay up inside Walker Hook on Salt Spring Island. This 45 mile day seems like a big one, but Team Of One has the long range experience to pace himself. While another solo rower and a kayaker went another 5 to 10 miles yesterday, it will be interesting to see if that pace can be maintained.
After going until 11 pm, how early can our Belfast rower get moving today?
Across the Strait
Dameon rang the bell in Victoria Harbor today with a smooth crossing of the Juan de Fuca Strait. Light winds and almost calm seas made for an enjoyable if boring row in stark contrast to his last crossing in 2019. "I almost felt a little bad for the sailboats" said Dameon about the winds dying to nothing by the afternoon. Four years ago Dameon and Leigh were the only human powered boat to make it past Stage One; this year he will have plenty of company with a fleet of paddlers and rowers making the cut.
Dameon heading off across the Strait of Juan de Fuca
The Eve of Departure
Dameon in our driveway in Maine, about to head west with DILLY
Our Belfast entry in the Race To Alaska 2023, Dameon Colbry, is positioned in Port Townsend WA for tomorrow's start. An intriguing aspect to this year's race is the high number of solo competitors including Dameon: 12. Two no-shows, a sailboat, one hybrid rowboat/sailboat, a stand-up paddle board, three rowboats, and 4 kayak/surf ski. Among them are a kayaker forced to drop out last year due to hand injuries from paddling and a rower who dropped out at Bella Bella. Who will persevere this year?
Tomorrow's crossing of the Juan de Fuca Strait looks to be light winds for a change. After last year's disastrous start the US Coast Guard attended the captain's meeting this year, presumably to threaten any imprudent crews.
At least one solo competitor knows what it takes to wake up every morning and finish rowing 750 miles. Here's wishing Dameon fair winds and following seas.