Mr. X rides again!

Hi NCKA Buddies,

Share something might new, maybe you want to watch this 3 minutes video if you like, this is introduction about R2AK( Maybe you watched before)： https://r2akthemovie.com/

There are 37 teams in this year, they are from Australia, Israel and USA/Canada, one team even from Canada Navy:
https://r2ak.com/2024-teams/

This is me, my team name is Mr. X who participating as a solo:
https://r2ak.com/2024-teams-full-race/team-mr-x/



R2AK has two stages, first stage is so called Proving Ground, meaning even the racers was selected from many applications, they still need to prove their capability to the organizer to take the whole course of  R2AK

First stage is from Port Townsend of Washington State to Victoria of Canada within 36 hours no need rescue. Someone disqualified at first stage, I passed. The attached picture show the start moment, the image is so beautiful like a postcard.

Second stage is from Victoria all the way to Ketchikan of Alaska, which already started today noon.

Total distance is 750 miles. After start the second stage, let me share some sentences of perm which I found on coast of north California before:

"……
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
……"

It’s short, but the more read, the more I like, the more peace in my heart, and I got no fear, because you with me……

Maybe there will be no signal ahead, maybe this is last my post, Wait for me back

BR

Mr. X

 

Love the paper boat. The kid in all of us.

Good luck and safe travels.

Looks like Mr.X has spent some of the night on Patos Island. Right now there are light oncoming winds.

Mr. X has requested that we help with weather-related info. It's going to be a while before any of this is relevant, as he first has to get to the check-in point at Bella Bella. But, I thought I'd put this out now so people can start thinking about it. The first of Mr. X's two text messages (and image) is below. I'll post the other message separately.

-----

Hi mark, as you know, weather play a key role in kayaking, can you please check my tracker, after i reach Bella Bella, which is a check point everyone have to pass, update to me the weather forecast?

From Bella Bella, people can choose inner channel or outside, like below picture after I leaving Bella Bella, there are two way can go, the number 1 and 2. 1 is fast but affect by weather much, 2 is slower but weather wont give me risk

Here is Mr. X's second message--similar to the previous, in that he wants help with weather info so that he can decide which route to take.

-----

After reach to point B, there are two way to go too, if wind is too strong, I have to choose 4, otherwise can choose 3 which is faster

To choose which way depends that time weather, can you message me when I approaching position A snd B?

I am using InReach same as before, i still has your phone number in my InReach system , I will send you message by InReach to remind you when I on my way

You message me the wind direction and how strong, and the wave height, and it last how long time for the way 1/2/3/4 to let me choose

Thank you!

Teamwork makes the dream work!  Kick ass Mr. X!!

I don't know if other people find the R2AK live tracker as addictive as I do, but I find myself looking at it constantly throughout the day. Here's a few things that caught my eye...

Mr. X was in the doldrums for quite a while today, but this afternoon he seems to have caught some decent wind, and he's making progress. It looks like he will have sailable conditions the next 2 days (a little less consistent the following 2 days) and he might be able to pass at least a couple of other boats.

Some of the other contestants are really impressive too. The one that I find the most amazing is Team Boogie Barge, which the R2AK website describes thusly:

"After 8 years of R2AK-genuity, a lot of crazy and/or bad ideas have been attempted to get to Ketchikan. And here’s yet another one: build two wooden torpedoes and slap some bikes on it. No sails, no sleep."

It's just 4 guys pedaling, they are currently 6th overall, and they've gone about 1/6th of the distance (97NM covered, with 496 to go). It's hard to imagine that they can keep going at the same pace the whole way, but if they can, and the winds are light, they might even be a contender for 2nd place.

I keep an eye on it on and off.  I was wondering why Mr. X camp at the island on the right instead of left of the tracker screen.  He got to make up for the lost distance this morning.

Mr. X has a nice tail wind for the morning.  He's making good 2.4 knots at the moment and he's closed the gap to the back of the pack. 

The one that I find the most amazing is Team Boogie Barge

That one caught my eye, too!  The huge gap the leader, Malolo, had yesterday got me looking into them, too.  That's a fast multi-hull with a team of downright racers.  It's fun to see the contrast between the racers who are keeping time and the casual folks like Mr. X looking only to avoid a DNF.

I keep an eye on it on and off.  I was wondering why Mr. X camp at the island on the right instead of left of the tracker screen.  He got to make up for the lost distance this morning.

The current, current can make people exhausted, that time i want to turn left for parking kayak to sleep on it, but i found i am unable, the next morning after i back the tracks, current against me again, i spend whole morning just for that 2 mile, and need keep driving continuously, otherwise i will drift reverse direction.

Mr. X has a nice tail wind for the morning.  He's making good 2.4 knots at the moment and he's closed the gap to the back of the pack. 

The one that I find the most amazing is Team Boogie Barge

That one caught my eye, too!  The huge gap the leader, Malolo, had yesterday got me looking into them, too.  That's a fast multi-hull with a team of downright racers.  It's fun to see the contrast between the racers who are keeping time and the casual folks like Mr. X looking only to avoid a DNF.

For me, of course to be no DNF is my goal, I consider its good enough for me, how can defeat that huge boat by kayak, not even close, when you physically stand by that boat, you will know what i mean. And most racer is local people, that area is their backyard , they know current well, and some people join 4 times R2AK already.

Finish it, enjoy it is my goal , no expect much which is not mine

Good luck Mr. X! Those currents look tricky.

Mr. X has a nice tail wind for the morning.  He's making good 2.4 knots at the moment and he's closed the gap to the back of the pack. 

The one that I find the most amazing is Team Boogie Barge

That one caught my eye, too!  The huge gap the leader, Malolo, had yesterday got me looking into them, too.  That's a fast multi-hull with a team of downright racers.  It's fun to see the contrast between the racers who are keeping time and the casual folks like Mr. X looking only to avoid a DNF.

For me, of course to be no DNF is my goal, I consider its good enough for me, how can defeat that huge boat by kayak, not even close, when you physically stand by that boat, you will know what i mean. And most racer is local people, that area is their backyard , they know current well, and some people join 4 times R2AK already.

Finish it, enjoy it is my goal , no expect much which is not mine

In one of the R2AK interviews, the interviewer was saying bringing a Hobie Island to the R2AK is like bringing a chihuahua to the Iditarod.  He also say those Hobies will most likely to complete the race.

Like Nowhere Man I am addicted to the race tracker. Watching it has been so much fun. Some highlights

• Malolo's commanding performance
• Forget-Me-Knot, the other Tandem Island in the race, has been doing well given the challenges of racing solo and how slow a TI is compared to a real sailboat
• Will Let's Wing It, solo paddling a kayak that is 20.5" wide, beat the Boogie Barge?

The daily recaps are also great: https://r2ak.com/2024-race-news/