Seventy48 2023

TL;DR

If you don’t want to read all of this, scroll to the bottom for the stats. :)

What is this craziness?

I did it. I paddled the Seventy48. For the uninitiated: it’s a human-powered boat race from Tacoma, WA to Port Townsend, WA. About 70 miles, 48-hour time limit, no motors, no sails. Just you and whatever you can fit in your boat.

This was my very first Seventy48, and honestly, my first experience paddling anything close to this kind of distance. I was in a Delta 15.5 GT, a solid recreational kayak, and I brought way too much gear. More on that later.

Pre-Race

Race day nerves are real. On the drive down to Tacoma, I kept running through gear checklists in my head, wondering if I’d packed everything. Spoiler: I’d packed too much of everything. The Delta was loaded up like I was moving into a new apartment. I told myself it was better to have too much than not enough. Future me would disagree.

The Start

The race kicks off at 7 PM from the Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma. Yes, 7 PM, in the evening. Because apparently, starting a 70-mile race at nightfall is a feature, not a bug. There’s a real buzz at the start line. Boats of every description: kayaks, rowboats, SUPs, outrigger canoes. I took a breath, pointed the bow north, and we were off.

Lisabeula: T+4h 38m

I passed Lisabeula just before midnight. At the 4 hour 38 minute mark, it was dark, the lights were on, and I was feeling good. Nothing too eventful here, just heads-down paddling up Colvos Passage.

Blake Island: T+9h 6m

My plan was to sleep at Blake Island, which is roughly the quarter mark of the race at around 22 miles. I got there at the 9 hour 6 minute mark, in the early hours of Saturday morning, and then just… kept going. Something felt right about continuing, so I paddled past and didn’t look back. First lesson in trusting the feel of the water over the pre-race plan.

Kingston: T+15h 11m

Kingston came and went at the 15 hour 11 minute mark. By this point it was mid-morning Saturday and I was deep into the upper section of the course. The passage north of Bainbridge was quieter and I was starting to feel the miles, but still moving.

Point No Point: T+18h 10m

At 18 hours 10 minutes in, I reached Point No Point, and Mary was there waiting for me. I spent about an hour hanging out with her on the beach, which was exactly what I needed. After almost 18 hours in the boat, seeing a familiar face and getting a real hug does wonders for the soul. I ate, rested my back, and soaked in the fact that I had actually made it this far.

Hansville Grill: T+20h 21m

Not long after leaving Point No Point, the winds picked up and the whitecaps started building. By the time I got to Hansville Grill at the 20 hour 21 minute mark, the conditions were rough enough that pushing on felt like a bad idea. I pulled off and decided to wait it out.

I slept for a couple of hours, real sleep not just a rest, and left when things had calmed down enough to be manageable, at the 23 hour 51 minute mark.

Foul Weather Bluff: T+1d 1h 18m

I passed Foul Weather Bluff at 1 day, 1 hour, and 18 minutes into the race. It was Saturday evening and the sun was setting for the second time since I’d started. There’s something surreal about watching a second sunset from the cockpit of a kayak, crossing the mouth of Hood Canal in the dark. It made the whole thing feel very real, very big, and also very worth it.

Mats Mats Bay: T+1d 3h 18m

I made it to the shore just north of the entrance to Mats Mats Bay at 1 day 3 hours 18 minutes, close to 10:30 PM Saturday. From here, Oak Bay and the headwinds were waiting.

Oak Bay and the Cut: T+1d 5h 38m

Fighting headwinds through Oak Bay throughout the night was the hardest stretch of the whole race. Every stroke felt like a battle. I finally got to the Cut at the 1 day 5 hour 38 minute mark, just after midnight Sunday morning. I set up my tent at the primitive campsite near the Cut and slept for a couple of hours, waiting for the current to turn in my favor before making the push into Port Townsend Bay.

Port Townsend Bay: T+1d 11h 40m

I got back on the water at the 1 day 11 hour 40 minute mark, early Sunday morning. Port Townsend Bay had its own ideas about letting me finish easily. The headwinds were relentless all the way to the finish line. At this point in the race my arms were tired, my back was sore, and I was running on stubbornness. I kept paddling.

The Finish

I finished. 1 day, 15 hours, 59 minutes, and 21 seconds after leaving Tacoma, I crossed the finish line in Port Townsend. Mary was there. That was the best part.

Ringing the bell at the finish is one of those moments I won’t forget. It’s loud, it echoes, and everyone around cheers. After nearly 40 hours of paddling, sleeping in a tent near the Cut, and arguing with headwinds all morning, that bell felt incredibly satisfying.

Completely wiped out. No complaints.

Final Stats / Lessons Learned

Biggest lesson from year one: pack less. The Delta was overloaded and I felt it every mile. Less gear, lighter boat, faster finish. I’ll carry that into every race after this.

But I finished. Solo. First race. 70 miles. I was already thinking about the next one.