Monterey Bay Paddle Crossing - Bay X For Breath Fundraiser - Photos by Terry Way

Took a trip across the Monterey Bay to give water support and document the Bay X for Breath fundraiser paddle. We left Santa Cruz Harbor at 6:30am and the paddlers were standing on the beach in Monterey at 3pm. It was an interesting day out on the Bay with thick fog and glassy water for the first couple of hours, clearing a beautiful beach day as the fog cleared. We saw a pack of curious sea lions and a few humpback whales as well. A great day on the bay for a great cause. Close to $30K was raised for the Living Breath Foundation, a local organization created to help those living with Cystic Fibrosis. Enjoy some photos from the day.

Early morning crew ready to paddle. From L to R: Dr. Kevin Scott, Sabine Dukes, Brian Peterson, Matt Kannely, Rocky Snyder, Paul Ludington

Our boat captain, Matt Rockhold

Dr. Scott, leading the crew through the fog.

Sabine

Matt Kannely, Mile 1

Out in the Big Blue

Starting to clear

Kate Farms was a sponsor of the paddle. They are providing nourising liquids for people living with Cystic Fibrosis.

    

Out in the middle of the Bay sits this important bouy. Lots of data gets transmitted from this little floating station. Here is what the MBARI page had to say: M1 mooring is an important data collection station that floats above the seafloor in the center of Monterey Bay, at the mouth of the underwater canyon. It is continuously taking a variety of measurements to give researchers a clear picture of oceanographic conditions. At the surface, it looks like a tower sitting on a large, doughnut-shaped buoy and is sometimes seen with sea lions lounging on it. Below the surface, the M1 buoy is tethered by a 1,500-meter-long (4,900 feet) cable extending down through the water column to a 2,500-kilogram (5,500-pound) anchor at a depth of 1,100 meters (3,600 feet). Attached to the buoy and along the length of cable from the surface to 300 meters depth are various scientific instruments that measure environmental conditions such as conductivity (salinity), temperature, depth, oxygen, chlorophyll, and currents. These scientific data are collected around the clock and are made available online.

  

Fitness trainer Rocky Snyder always has wanted to paddle the Bay. He also happened to do it on his big 5-0 birthday as well! 

We were greeted by a massive pack  of curious sea lions.

 

And then a mother and baby humpback whale showed up.

You know you are half way when you get to this spot.

I never asked what Paul was listening to but it seemed to keep him psyched on paddling for 28 miles.

Brian Peterson feeling fine.

Sabine was the only woman in the group and powered the paddle like a champ.

     

Off Pacific Grove and about to make the final push to the beach.