2025 Ride The Bull

“They Don’t Call It Ride The Pony” now a laughable quote from John Hair, a many time racer of Ride The Bull.

John, Jim, Tim, Mary Beth

In 2013, I had to idea of having a rough water race, not too long in length, not too exposed, but would test your rough water ocean skills. I ran this idea by Tim Dwyer and we mulled it over discussing the actual course, etc. The Race got its name since one of the points of land is actually called Bull Point. This is the gap we all pass by near House on the Rocks. If you have done the race, the symbolism is not lost on you. Riding a bucking bull for 8 miles is can be torturous. The conditions on “typical day” will test you, nevertheless on above average day like this year’s event.

The waters on the course are deep ranging from over 15o feet near the House on the Rocks Can to only 20 feet as you pass through Bull Point Gap. All this water is being funneled in from Rhode Island Sound to Narragansett Bay. Narragansett Bay(Newport) is a deep water port able to accommodate almost any size vessel. The depths of the water vary on the course creating vary uneven paddling conditions. You add to the mix all this water being pushed up against the cliffs with rebounding waves creating another dimension. Then you add the tide(coming in today) meeting the refractory waves in the opposite direction. If that did not cause you to tighten your paddle grip, add enormous boat traffic from small motor boats, to all types of sailing boats, to large car carriers criss crossing the course in all directions. I still have not mentioned the wind and swells. All these factors create a washing machine effect on 90% of the course.

Entrance to Mackeral Cove taken from a previous Ride the Bull Race.

Because of the topography certain parts of the course are worse than others. Its all very rough but the most challenging is the half mile leading into Mackeral Cove. The Bull is showing his anger here! The water depth goes from 98ft to 50 ft as you round Southern Point heading into Mackeral Cove. The ocean swell is more prominent her than anywhere else on the course. The cove progressively gets shallow as you get closer to the beach making for some excellent, well formed waves to ride all the way end to the beach buoys a three quarters of a mile from the entrance. Getting in and out of Mackeral Cove is poking the bull.

So what does this mean for us. You better bring your A game and strap in. Today only 9 of us entered the race and 3 of us, myself included did not finish the race. I am not disappointed however. I felt good about my race. With limited rough water paddling, 10 mile flat water race last weekend, 53 minute tempo ride averaging 18.1 mph the day before the race, I came away feeling very good knowing my rough water skills are still intact. I paddled my new Stellar S18X with a 9 inch rudder that performed brilliantly. It is a rock solid ski, light, fast, stable, easy to remount. After the race Tim and I joked that he thought about paddling his V10 in the race but his experience kicked in and he stuck with his V9. I too thought about paddling my v9 or putting back on my 7 inch rudder on my S18x, but like Tim, we know the Bull can be raging despite the light forecast. Rule of thumb, always go for more stability for the Bull unless you are Ed Joy who opted for his 4 inch rudder on his Fenn Elite. Ed can ride any Bull though he did say he was very beat up after today’s ride placing 1st.

Ed buying a SUP paddle from Chris after the race.

Mary Beth and I completed 6 miles of of the 9 mile circuit course while Chris chose to make the best of the wave riding into Mackeral Cove and out to Short Point, completing 10 miles in total. I think Chris had the most fun riding waves except crossing the mouth of the cove with the wind increasing and the occasional 6 to 8 ft swell he and Mary Beth experienced. For me and Mary Beth, 6 miles in chaotic conditions was enough. All of us with enormous paddling experience, know the when the fun is over and time to call it a day.

Mary Beth

Eli placing 2nd getting ready for the Blackburn.

One of the themes I garnered from today’s race was one I have preached since I have been paddling surfskis, is that you must spend time in the conditions you race in. In years prior to today, Tim and I would have had a lot of rough water training on this very same course. As we age, competing activities are more enjoyable, like cycling or sailing for Tim. Having said that, I am envious of the Salem League Race Series who regular train in similar conditions every Tuesday for 45 minutes to an hour. This is a great motivator and training for ocean races like Ride The Bull, Blackburn, and more. Greg, Eli, Mary Beth among others, have been racing the series. Eli having started paddling skis 3 years ago, now has enough fitness, ocean time to win most of this years Salem series races.

Father time is moving on. The average age at the Bull was approximately 60 years old. I imagine combined Blackburn Races we all have done would be around 200. So BIG congratulations to all of us!

An Experienced Group of well seasoned rough water paddlers.

The race from my perspective was set early on. Ed Joy opened up a lead by the first turn rock in Mackeral Cove and never relinquished it. Eli trailed Ed then followed by Greg, John, Jim, Tim with me, Mary Beth, Chris DNF. While I only completed 2 laps of the 2.5 lap course, it was an eventful 6 miles.

The start line is Ft Wetherhill cove with flat water for the first 50 yards, then as you make the right hand turn, you are in the Sh!!t It takes about a half mile to recalibrate to these conditions, settle in just a bit, and concentrate on the next leg to Mackeral Cove. I have done the course so many times over the past 22 years, I know the water only gets more knarly. I followed Tim into the cove and he slowly increased his lead over me. Jim Hoffman, passed me on our way to Ledge Rock Can and reeled in Tim half way to Bull Point. On the return leg from House on the Rocks Can to Bull Point I was feeling good and actually closing on Tim for a short time.

Then, a power boat at full throttle passes me 20 yards to my right creating some massive boat wakes in an already chaotic seas. It reminded me of cycling when cars speed up to over take you then cut you off. I lost time to Tim here, but on the way back to Mackeral Cove I found my groove and was closing again behind Tim by a minute. Then, the seas at the entrance to Mackeral Cove were even bigger and more chaotic on the 2nd lap and I went very wide to avoid the refractory wave with little success. Tim never missed a beat and put another minute on my easy. On my way out of Mackeral Cove I passed Mary Beth coming into the cove. I looked toward Ledge Rock and saw even more boats and then I knew I was toast. I was tap bracing some which is never a good sign for me. I never felt like I was going over but you get tired and negative thoughts start to chip away at you. Then out of the roughest water, I looked over to Ledge Rock Can again and thought, just do it. Then a micro second later, I veered to Ft Wetherill and called it a day. An exciting day mind you. Paddling hard in rough water, seeing my friends, catching up and looking forward to the next race!