As Mike and I were finishing up our Memorial Weekend paddle, I thought it would be neat to capture some of my best pics of Mike and my most memorable races and training paddles with Mike. Beside Tim, I have put in more ocean time with Mike than any other paddler.  My earliest memory of meeting Mike was as the Old Wickford Race many years ago when I asked Mike if I could try his surf ski after the race.  I was still paddling a thunderbolt at the time if I recall correctly. I could not put more than one stroke in the water and over I went. This was my earliest introduction to surf skis. I then bought my 1st surfski a Mako XT.

Mike has been paddling surfskis for almost as long as anyone in New England.  He never paddled a sea kayak, just started on a futura 2 then he has been on Fenns or Huki skis every since. Mike maybe the only person in New England able to paddle the Mako 6 or Fenn Elite in any kind of conditions.  Mike has  had a long time reputation as the best rough water paddler among us. The rougher it gets the more Mike likes it.  I often wondered if I would ever be as good as Mike in rough water.   am still wondering.  We have shared some memorable paddles most of them with myself and Tim Dwyer in rough water. I will tick off a few in no particular order. 

Mike at Nahant Race

-Mike, Tim, and myself(S1R) get caught in 40mph squall in Rhode Island Sound. We turned around with the wind just minutes before the squall came through otherwise it would have been disastrous.  This was the scariest time ever for me on a ski. Thank God I chose to be in my S1R and not my S1X at the time. 

– Early spring years ago, we launch south of Gloucester with group made up of Tim,Mike,Mike McNulty, Ken Cooper and a few more I think. I remember Mike capsizing approaching the Glocuester Harbor in the very cold waters. In seconds he was back on his ski. 

-The infamous 3rd beach race that got moved to Mackeral Cove in a gale storm.  I remember flying out Mackerel Cove with Mike just ahead of me in his ski. I was in my Epic Endurance.  He capsized and in seconds he was back on is ski. Wow! That race was a miracle no one drowned.  Rob Flanagan and I cut the course short both in sea kayaks. Mike McNulty the only one to dare to finish(4 hours of 4-5ft seas in a Looksha racing kayak.  Still to this day Mike McNulty  is forever held in New England Lore about his paddling skill and endurance. Mike Tracy after coming off his ski 10 times, waved for the chase boat to pull him from the course along with every other paddler.  Mike gets dropped back off at Mackeral Cover shivering with hypothermia. I told him to go change and get in his car with the heater on. 

-Mike and I launch from 3rd beach 3 years ago and paddled around Sakonnet Point to Westport, another 3 hr paddle with some rough water training.

– Mike and I have had numerous downwind paddles on the Sakonnet. I remember turning around at 3rd beach and racing back to McCorrie, me in my Legend and Mike in his Mako 6. 

-Years ago on the day Tim gets his V10L, Mike, and myself in my S1R go around Ocean Drive. Tim does an amazing  job for never being on the twitchy v10L.  I capsize reaching for my drink tube. My first time to capsize and remount in 3ft seas.  Mike is having a blast in his Mako 6. 

-There was a time most of us were doing K1 racing and surfskis. Mike gives a K1 a try at the New England Championship one year.  Never again he says!  Give me a surfski any conditions anytime. 

-Mike does the Surfski Championships 2 or 3 times before any us dreamed of doing it.  I use to pepper Mike about how big the conditions were.  Could I ever be able to do it.  Even with Mike’s low key delivery, my anxiety would still start to rise as he told me his stories about the course. 

-Mike has made some excellent video on Vimeo of his a few of his surf ski outings. 

-Mike, Tim, and I travel down to the Majors Cup.  This was the year the race was canceled after about an hour into it.  I remember looking at the times of paddlers before they called the race.  I happened to be slightly ahead of Mike in my Legend.  It would have not lasted long. I was squeezing my paddle so tight my left hand was cramping.  I was exhausted already trying to keep the boat upright. Mike was having fun even on the way back surfing in the middle of the Hudson River.  

Mike at entrance to Mackeral Cove May 2012

Mike and I did an excellent rough water training course today(May 26th) launching from Bay Voyage Inn in Jamestown, past House on Rocks over to Mackeral Cove(always lumpy,refractory stuff), then we cross to far side of Mackeral headed to Short Point(very,very lumpy with refractory waves, swells,etc) then we turn into Hull Cove to Lion Head point before turning around. We came back the same way but we get the joy of a major Sailboat Race happening  just outside of Mackeral Cove where the turn marker is, boat wake added to all the other stuff.  Fun!! 

Mike McDonough, Mike Tracey, Francisco Urena, Marblehead Race

Tim/Mike/Wesley after 20 mile from Narragansett Boat Club in Providence to Jamestown

Last summer Mike and Tim in a double, and myself in a single along with a group of rowers from the Narragansett Rowing Club,  launch from Providence, make a pit stop at Hope Island so everyone on the water can regroup. I keep up with Mike and Tim for 10 miles than after Hope Island they flew to Jamestown in the double they would eventually go on to break the course record at the Blackburn. 

Chris/Wesley/Mike L2L Race 2011

Mike, Joe, Wesley Top 3 Beavertail 2011

At one of the Double Beaver races a few years ago,  Marcus DeMeuth before he became an expediton paddler, drafts Mike the entire race bumping him at least 25 times before out sprinting Mike at the end.  I would have been upset, Mike shrugs it off.  I have never known Mike to draft anyone  to his credit. He is pulling all the time.  

Post Double Beav Race

Mike/Tim Practicing Remounting 2 weeks prior to Blackburn

Last summer weeks  before the Blackburn, Mike and Tim in a Double, and myself in single headed out in the reverse direction of the Blackburn Course.  It was very rough that day and we lost sight of each taking different lines out of the harbor.  3 miles outside of the harbor we had know idea where each other were.  They had turned around headed back while I continue to paddle thinking I would eventually see them since they were ahead of me.  I had just paddled some of the roughest conditions solo trying to hold it together. I made it through the roughest section and debated about just continuing on and doing the entire course solo. I figured Mike/Tim were fine. But I decided to turn knowing they would be worried about me. Well, it did not get any better on the return trip back to Gloucester Harbor.  I finally made it back to the beach(the finish of the Blackburn). I asked a guy on shore if he had seen a double come in and he said YES!  I felt relieved. Phone reception is lousy so I called Tim many times on shore but the calls were always dropped.  Meanwhile Tim/Mike paddled up the Annisquam and hailed a Coast Guard boat to be on the look out for me.  Knowing where they were, I got back in my ski and paddled around the harbor for a few miles when a Coast Guard Boat comes headed right for me.  As we know, the first thing they do is take a visual and ask how you are doing.  I told them I was fine.  They told me my friends had hailed them to be on the look out for me.  In hindsight it was poor planning on our part. Next time we will plan accordingly. 

Mike/Tim hold Blackburn Doubles Record 2011

Mike/Wesley at Finish Blackburn 2010

Lastly, Mike has done the Blackburn Challenge since 1997.  About half of his times have been well under 3 hours, most in the 2:51-2:56 range.  Last year Mike and Tim shattered the doubles record with a time of 2:38:40.  Mike still one of the most consistent, fastest, and certainly still the best rough water paddler among us!!

Mike at finish of Sakonnet River Race