NYAA - Physical Recreation - Entry 6 - Kayaking Expedition VI

Entry for Physical Recreation
Kayak Expedition VI

Participants:
-Edmund
-Jia Wei
-Seth

Overview:
- Kayak from PRSSC
- Used single Bandit kayaks
- Went on round-Coney Island journey
- Passed the northern, western and southern tip of Coney Island
- Return journey back to PRSSC
- Completed 8.5km of mileage in 7 hours, from 1000 to 1700 hrs

Date: 11/3/2007
Hours Completed: 7 hours, from 1000 to 1700 hrs

We went back to the familiar Pasir Ris Sea Sports Club for our kayaking expedition once again. This time, after checking the tide-tables to plan a suitable route for our expedition, we decided to go on the same to and round-Coney Island journey and back but challenge ourselves to complete the journey in a shorter time and as compared to the last round-Coney Island expedition we went on. Also, two of us, Edmund and Seth have not gone on any round-Coney Island expedition before from PRSSC, thus this expedition will be something different and unfamiliar especially for us, enabling us to gain new experience.

After meeting at Pasir Ris MRT Station at 0930, we walked a short distance to a nearby bus stop and took a bus from there to PRSSC. We planned to rent 3 single Dancer kayaks but were told that there were no more Dancer kayaks available. There were then only Turbo and Bandit (almost the same as Turbo but bigger) kayaks available, which were harder to control (turns easily, difficult to travel straight) due to a rounder hull as compared to Dancer kayaks, and we were also not used to using them as we have always been using Dancer kayaks for all our kayaking courses and expeditions. We discussed for a moment and decided to go with renting Bandit kayaks, as a challenge for ourselves and also familiarize ourselves to the different kayaks. We prepared ourselves for the expedition ahead by packing the lunch that we bought, taking our buoyancy vests, spray-covers, paddles and adjusting our footrests from 1000 to 1030. As soon as we were ready, we got into our kayaks and launched out, paddling around the demarcated area to warm ourselves up and also familiarize ourselves with our Bandit kayaks which were new to us till about 1115. We left for Coney Island after a short break of 15mins. We first paddled to a nearby floating fishing farm and next to the yellow buoy which marks the passage for sand barges moving in and out of the channel, reaching there at about 1150. As the reclamation works going on there has intensified much as compared to that we came across during the last round-Coney Island expedition we went on, the channel was busy. We made sure we were close to each other before we crossed the channel as part of our safety precautions. As soon as the sand barges passed, we crossed the channel, paddling at our fullest speed to cross the channel as fast as possible so as not to encounter any other sand barges moving through the channel.

We managed to reach the southern tip of Coney Island at about 1225 and beached up there. We ate our lunch that we packed into the kayak and also took advantage of this time to rest and enjoy the peaceful and quiet nature environment of Coney Island. After lunch, we decided to once again go on foot, walking along the beach shoreline, retracing the land route which we took during the last round-Coney Island expedition. As it was low tide, we could see bodies of dead jelly-fishes lying around on the beach. Eager to take a look at living jelly-fishes swimming in the sea, we quickly made our way back to where our kayaks were and launched out at about 1345 after a short break. We stayed close to the shore and were able to spot some jelly-fishes swimming around. We took caution when paddling around these waters with jelly-fishes swimming around, keeping our hands and arms above water level, so as to avoid being stung by them.

Due to time constraints, being afraid we will not be able to reach back PRSSC in time, we continued on our journey back. By 1415, we reached the northern tip of Coney Island. The waves there were really choppy and rough and we experienced some difficulty in maneuvering our way through. Fortunately, the waves were much calmer as we approached the southern tip of Coney Island and we were able to paddle through much faster. We reached the eastern tip of Coney Island at about 1515. There were major reclamation works going on there. We had to paddle our way narrowly in between two sand barges. As we paddled on, about to reach the yellow buoy, we encountered three sand barges moving out, one after the other. We had to wait for quite a long time for them to clear before we paddled on again at full speed to avoid encountering any other sand barges. We managed to reach back PRSSC at 1600 and decided to paddle around in the demarcated area, practicing our kayaking techniques which we have learnt during the kayaking courses at our own pace till 1630, before washing up all the equipment and returning them. At about 1715, we packed up and left PRSSC.