We departed the corniche and set out into the Persian Gulf for the first paddling leg after completing the adventure triathlon in the morning.  Two kayaks per team were provided with Peter and Julia in one boat and Paul and Jenn in the other.   The boats provided by the race organization were sturdy and well equipped with sails, which were used as the winds kicked up out in the open waters.  Our first leg was paddling out to an island where we would camp for the night.  It was quickly evident how strong the Kiwis were with their paddling expertise as we watched their sails move off into the distance.  We set a moderate pace and focused on moving forward with each stroke.  As a team, we knew the paddling leg would be challenging, but didn’t quite expect the swells and rough waters we would encounter.  I knew when Paul said to me “Jenn, when I tell you to brace, you have to hit that stroke or we’re going in” that we had to stay alert and steady.    Thankfully, we made to our island camp without incident and set up camp for the night.  This first day of the race was my birthday and unbeknownst to me, my teammates had packed a Claxton, GA fruit cake (with candles) to celebrate.  Not many people can say they have celebrated a birthday on a remote island in the Persian Gulf eating fruit cake with friends.  They even gave me a fun new bike bell as a birthday present.  What great teammates and friends!

We had a restful night camping on the beach and awoke the next day for the longer leg of the paddling journey.  I have to say that Peter and Julia made a great choice to bring along the Therm-a-rest lite seat for a comfy cushion in the boat.  I was wishing I had one as we set out for another big day paddling in the open water .  Thankfully the wind was not a strong and therefore the waters were a bit calmer as we set out.  As we paddled towards one of the checkpoints, we saw a huge flock of flamingos taking off in flight right in front of us.  Not a sight you see everyday!  During this leg, we stopped to evaluate our progress on the map and realized that we were not moving as quickly as we had hoped.  We made a decision to skip one of the optional checkpoints in favor of getting back to the corniche and resting up for the desert trek that was to commence the following day.  It was a tough call, but necessary given the situation.  The paddling leg was a bit discouraging for us as a team, but the stage format meant that we had a fresh opportunity to start over again the following day.  We made it back to the beach and were greeted by Yak.   I know now that if I make it back to race Abu Dhabi, I’ll be in the boat much more often.

-Jenn