The Watch and Learn Seat
Aerial photo of BBOP practice on the Puget Sound by Sean Stimac
"Oh, well that's the watch and learn seat" one of my teammates casually retorted as I joked that seat 5 was my designated spot. Neither of us knew each other, but he began to walk away, unaware of the fire he had lit in my competitive spirit. I happen to like seat 5, I'm a proud member of what some call the "engine room". We're the work horses, we have only three duties: paddle hard, paddle harder, and paddle so hard you want to throw up because there's a boat right on your stern and you better cross that finish line ahead of them. In seat 5 you have the steers(wo)man right behind you, watching your every move. You can't hide from their scrutiny and you don't want to let them down, so you reach further, pull harder, dig deeper, and of course, keep in time with everyone else.
I joined Bellingham Bay Outrigger Paddlers (BBOP) a few months ago for two reasons: to train for the Yukon 1000 and to find an outlet for my competitiveness. It isn't easy finding people who love canoeing in Washington State. We are few and far between, falling behind the great number kayakers and SUP enthusiasts. The group of people I paddle with are incredible. These men and women are devoted enough to practice several times a week, and when we practice, we practice hard. Some of us come straight from work, some leave to go to work tired and salty. Many have children, some grandchildren, and have to coordinate kid pickups. Cars are swapped around depending on which one has roof racks, schedules are arranged and re-arranged, all for the love of being on the water. They've helped me get stronger physically and mentally and I look forward to training more with them this summer!
