70Forty-eight – Going Our Own Way

The day has arrived! This year’s SEVENTY48 race may have been cancelled, but that won’t stop us from hitting the water and challenging ourselves (while respecting social distancing and state closures, of course)! Teams Rogue Kayaker, Paddle on… Paddle on, and Good News: I Saw a Seal! have loaded up their kayaks and taken to the water in an event we’re calling 70Forty-eight.

The Plan

Just yesterday, we received official word that our Vashon Island campsite reservation had been cancelled, which means we’ve moved to Plan B: Two separate days of paddling with an overnight break at home in between. This way we can get the same amount of paddling in as the original SEVENTY48 route, while respecting closures in the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Prep

As with previous years’ SEVENTY48 races, we spent a lot of time preparing… both in terms of practice paddles (we’ve paddled around 166 miles this year while training), and organizing the gear we’ll need to safely make the trip. This year’s race is unique in many ways, including the precautions we’re taking while preparing. Because our three teams come from two separate households, tasks we’ve shared in the past (like food prep and maintaining/packing gear) need to be done separately to maintain proper social distancing. It’s a challenge for sure, but what’s the point of this race if not challenging yourself?

The Paddle Begins

We’re certainly sad we can’t take part in the actual SEVENTY48 race this year, but we’re still excited to get out on the water for the first (and hopefully last) 70Forty-eight! Check out pictures from this morning’s launch below, and be sure to track our progress via our SPOT tracker map! And of course, keep an eye on this blog and NC Kayaks social media for more updates!

Track Our Progress