Last year I learned about the Seventy48 and started training for it without really knowing what to expect. I went in a bit nervous but had a great time and decided to do it again.

Since Avery, my adventure buddy, is starting to outgrow the back hatch of my kayak, we decided it was time to get a tandem kayak. This will make kayak camping easier, but it also means that when I do the Seventy48, I don’t have to do it solo. Avery is still too young to complete a 70 mile kayak adventure with me, but my dad isn’t. He got me into sea kayaking when I was younger and has done some epic kayak trips in Alaska, but never anything this long.

Last year’s training plan seemed to work out well. I had a bit over 100 miles of total training with my longest single day around 27 miles. The plan for this year is about the same with maybe a few more 15+ mile training sessions.

As of last week, Team Drowned Chipmunk is officially registered for Seventy48 2023 so it must be time to start training. Yesterday we went out for the first official training session. We’re both still getting used to the boat (neither of us have much experience in a tandem) and I tried a bent shaft paddle. We did a little under 12 miles on the water with a stop at the half way point to grab coffee at Leschi. Overall, the trip went well. We kept a strong pace. We still need to figure out some of the gear (I don’t think I’ll use a bent shaft paddle again), but we’re in a good position to be ready by June 3. Anyone else doing it this year? We’ll see you on the water.