Thanks to all those who have signed up for this years Cysctic Fibrosis Paddle Challenge. The event is next Saturday September 29th.

Below is a list of assignments and details for each assignment, and attached are the route maps and more detailed info.

Please contact me if there are any issues or concerns with the assignments or if you will not be able to make it.

The primary repeater for the event will be 146.925 PL 94.8. Please ensure you have a radio capable of hitting the repeater from your assigned location.

The backup repeater for the event will be147.150 PL 94.8. Please ensure you have a radio capable of hitting the repeater from your assigned location.

Please ensure you have enough batteries for your radio to last at least 5 hours.

If you are assigned a land post away from the start finish line, please bring water, snacks, and any other items you may need during the 5 hour event.

The main objective of your assignments will be to watch over the paddlers.

ALL COMMUNICATORS ARE ASKED TO BRING A PAIR OF BINOCULARS SO YOU CAN SEE THE PADDLERS FROM A DISTANCE.

If you are working this event under one of the local Ares/Races groups or Club, please wear your shirts so the public knows who we are and that we are out there (Coral Gables RACES, DRC, etc)

There will be food and drinks at the Start / Finish Line (Matheson Hammock Park). you are all welcome to come by the start finish line for food and refreshments once you are released from your assigned position. There will be no food or drinks delivered to the positions outside the park, so if you have an assignment outside the park, please bring water and whatever else you will need with you to your post. If you arrive at the park early, you can probably get in for free, but if you arrive later in the day, there is a chance you will be charged admission into the park. (I believe it is $5 per car). when entering Matheson Hammock Park, keep left and follow the road all the way to the end.

 

The event will consist of three races. Participants will be racing in different types of paddle craft including Kayaks, Dragon boats, Paddle boards, and others.

– The 12 mile race starts at 9:00 AM from the windsurfer beach directly in front of Red Fish Grill at Matheson Hamock Park. The paddlers will navigate North towards a large inflatable triangular shaped buoy that will be located just south of the small easternmost Rickenbacker Causeway bridge. They will round the buoy and paddle south to the same beach they departed from.

– The 6 mile race starts at 9:10 AM from the windsurfer beach directly in front of Red Fish Grill at Matheson Hamock Park. The paddlers will navigate North towards a large inflatable triangular shaped buoy that will be located just south of the small Island just outside Dinner Key Marina. They will round the buoy and paddle south to the same beach they departed from.

– The 3 mile race starts at 9:20 AM from the windsurfer beach directly in front of Red Fish Grill at Matheson Hamock Park. The paddlers will navigate North towards a large inflatable triangular shaped buoy that will be located just south of the Gables Waterway entrance. They will round the buoy and paddle south to the same beach they departed from.

 

 

There is parking in front of Red Fish Grill for the event.

I will be monitoring the repeater as of about 6:30 AM

Please check in with Net control when you are headed to ypur post in case there are any last minute changes.
Assignments:

– Matt Ginn – KG4LGO – Start Finish Line – Matheson Hammock Park (In front of Red Fish grill) – Please arrive no later than 7:30 AM. You will be shadowing the Committee chairperson Sue Kawerlosky.

– Jorge Arias – KG4QLE – Start Finish Line – Matheson Hammock Park (In front of Red Fish grill) – Please arrive no later than 7:30 AM You will be shadowing the timekeepers at the start finish line.

– Carl Jagelski – KA4HLO – Start Finish Line – Matheson Hammock Park (In front of Red Fish grill) – Please arrive no later than 7:30 AM You will watching the water between the start finish line and gables waterway (from land) Bring a folding chair of you have one.

– Kent Gilpin – KJ4WW – Rickenbacker Beach (South Side of causeway just east of first bridge) – Please arrive no later than 8:30 AM

– Lenny Gross – KE4KEY – Rickenbacker Beach (South Side of causeway just east of first bridge) – Please arrive no later than 8:30 AM

– George Abrams – K4PAA – Mercy Hospital (Seawall behind Mercy Hospital) – Please arrive no later than 8:30 AM

– Micheal Erwin – AA8VX – Primary Net Control – Please be on the air by 7:30 AM

– Deanna Erwin – – Secondary Net Control – Please be on the air by 7:30 AM

– Julio Herrera –KK4KMO – Ransom Everglades Seawall – (From Main Hwy, take Royal Road East to Seawall) – Please consult a map prior to the event so you where Royal Road is. Please arrive no later than 8:30 AM.

– David Fernandez – KE4TIN – Command Boat – Entire route

– Lissette Fernandez – KI4DYH – Communicator for Command boat.

– Miguel Garate – KJ4YVN – Boat #1 – Patrolling area from Dinner Key to Rickenbacher (beware of sandbar just east of Viscaya) – Please contact me once your vessel is on the water. – Please arrive in area no later than 8:30 M. Please coordinate with Frank since he will be on your boat.

– FrankDeCespedes – KK4CZT – Communicator for Boat #1 – Please contact me once your vessel is on the water. Please coordinate with Miguel so you can get aboard his boat.

– Arturo Valdez – K4AVF – Communicator for boat #2 – 12 mile turn around – Please be at Start finish line by 7:30 AM in order to board your boat. Please bring shorts and water shoes as you may need to “wade” to the boat.

– Jeff Wright – AF1K – Boat #3 – 6 mile turn around at dinner key. Please contact me once your vessel is on the water. Please coordinate with John so he can get aboard your boat.

– John Dalnes – AF4RK – Communicator for Boat #3 – Please contact me once your vessel is on the water. Please coordinate with Jeff Wright so you can get aboard his boat.

– Jason Swift – WB0ATS – Communicator for Coast guard Aux vessel “CG1” – Patrolling Dinner Key Area – Please be at Start finish line by 7:30 AM in order to board your boat.

– Stephen Crow – KK4KMS – Floater – Please check in with Net Control by 7:30 AM for assignment.

 

 

Those of you on boats, please be careful with the paddlers. No wake around the participants and try keep your engine fumes away from them. There is no designated docking at Matheson. The beach where the event is being held is VERY shallow. If you have a shallow draft boat, You can go around the western side of the sandbar and anchor a few yards off the beach. You will then need to wade in. The only free docking inside the matheson marina is near the bait store and fuel docks. you can dock in front of the Marina Store (Not at the fual docks). You would need to walk the equivalent of two blocks or so to the event from there. If you need to, you can anchor out in deeper water and I can ferry you to shore in my boat. (wear shorts and water shoes)

We will be taking pictures from my boat, so when I come by your post make sure to wave at the camera! – I will be running a yellow Strobe on my boat for identification.

All paddlers are being advised to wave their paddles in the air if they need assistance.

If a paddler is in distress, bring them aboard your boat and contact net control for instructions. Do not leave your assigned area to transport a paddler anywhere unless instructed to by Net Control.

All boats will be given water bottles to distribute to paddlers out on the water. If you are reporting directly to your assigned area, I will have some extra water on my boat. Meet up with me out on the water and I will transfer some to your boat.

We are expecting the last paddler to be finished by around 12:30 PM. Land based posts outside the park will be released once the last paddler has left your area of visibility on their way back to the finish line.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
David Fernandez
KE4TIN
3O5-542-1O14