Diversions from boat projects

Despite my best intentions of launching directly into boat projects plenty of diversions have kept me away from C'est la Vie.

The first full weekend in June, Anne and I drove to Western North Carolina to attend the North Carolina Outward Bound School's All Staff Training.  The annual event is the one time of year when the school attempts to gather its entire staff at one location.  The three day "training" does include some professional development, but it more resembles a giant pep rally for the start of the busy summer season for NCOBS  We enjoy the time to celebrate our successes, honor our peers, and  catch up with distant friends.

Returning to the OBX on Wednesday night and a full day of office work on Thursday did not allow for any boat time before my parents came down for a visit on Friday.

Saturday June 11, the nearby community of Pine Knoll Shores hosted its fourth Annual Kayak for the Warriors Race.  The fundraising event benefits programs for wounded service men and women and their families.  

This is the first time I have participated in an official kayak race and must have benefited from beginners luck. In the image above I'm out to an early lead.  Over the 5K course I was able to hang on to the lead and finish 1st overall.

My intentions for participating in the race were not entirely philanthropic.  NCOBS is now offering courses specifically desgined for veterans returning from recent conflicts.  Theses "Veterans Courses" are free for any US Military Vets.  NCOBS greatest hurtle with the courses thus far is connecting with participants.  I  made a couple contacts at the event that hopefully will lead to future enrollments.

The next day the Lovett's were eager to hit the water. We launched their dinghy, a Chesapeake Light Craft Passage Maker, at Marshallberg Harbor.  They motored the dinghy and I paddled a kayak across Core Sound to Codds Creek along the South Core Banks.

 The skinny water and low tide made the Codds Creek egress a bit tricky, but the day long journey went smoothly.

So here I am at the ides of June.  The Lovett's have continued on to their boat in Wilmington, NC and Anne is back to work in Beaufort.  Time to refocus on C'est la Vie projects.