Pat got a chance to do a nice Hawaii Kai run. Winds were up, but the tide was going out...kinda sloppy, but warm and the worst day in Hawaii is better than the best day at home.

Took the kids to Hawaii while school is out this week. Pat had his first good downwind from Makai Pier to Hawaii Kai alone in 20 knots wind..whoo yooo.The kids and I saw him go by at Sandys beach. Swell was pretty good....Hayden and Reece got hammered in the shorebreak.

In a fitting tribute to dad, we took out the new Elite double on the coldest, rainest, wildest ocean day ever here. Out through the surf and Newport Pier..not big, but storm surf. Then paddled about 2 miles out to where dad could have seen us from his deck with his binoculars..and we threw some flowers and said goodbye. A seagull came so close I could almost touch him as I threw the pedals in the water. As Pat was taking some pictures, we flipped and swam...then I cried a bit more and had a most outstanding downwind run back to the harbor entrance. If Papa was watching he was saying, "Why on earth would you want to paddle in this, you guys are nuts." I would have answered like I always did when he asked that..."Dad" I would say, "We are living." and thats the truth of it.

Rainy day, but a fun race for all. Eva and Christina raced double this year. I stayed on the beach with Hayden and demoed the Synergy. Nice to see everyone and shed a few more tears. Dad loved to watch this race from his deck.

A big thank you for everyone for your comments and calls. My next paddle will be with Patrick in the double out toward Catalina with some flowers for Dad. As many of you know, he watched our group gather and paddle from the NAC off his deck across the bay. We often waved at each other as the work out started. He would check the time and go back out on the deck to see us return..and he always was good for a wind update...it only seems fitting to give him one last good paddle out toward the view he cherished everyday.
He was my biggest fan(still) and even when the paramedics took him to the hospital he pointed to my kayak photos on the wall and bragged about me to them about the Olympics. When I packed up his VCR from his home last week, the NBC broadcast of the K4 race at the Atlanta games was in the tape deck.
He will be profoundly missed in my life..but as John put it there in the comments below...death teaches up that life is so very precious and we must live it well. I thank you all for your friendship and support.