Tips for Paddling in the 2024 Key West Paddle Classic

The Key West Paddle Classic is a great race in an amazingly fun location and, with this year apparently being the last, this could be your only chance to experience the fun of this amazing event.  If you’ve been to Key West, you’ll know what I mean about the location.  If you haven’t been to Key West, then trust me, you’ve got to go.  

The race is a challenge, but it’s a fun challenge.  There is always a good field, the water is really warm, and because you’re paddling around an island, the conditions change every 20 minutes or so, which keeps it very interesting.  It’s a 12-mile race which is a little on the long side for a lot of people, but Key West’s 12 miles are psychologically and physically a lot easier than a lot of races that distance.  That said, it’s still hard.  It’s hot and humid, it can get really windy, and if the wind is blowing the right way, it can get pretty rough.  

It’s always nice to know what to expect in a race and have some strategies for handling the challenges.  So, for those of you that haven’t done the race before and want to experience this event before it’s gone, here are some tips that should prove useful.

Tip 1 – Inspect the course before the race and STAY RIGHT

Inspecting the race course to the degree it’s possible is pretty much a rule for me.  In general, if you’ve got the time to inspect a racecourse before racing, you absolutely should.  If you don’t have time to inspect the entire course, at least try to inspect its trickier parts.  Fortunately, unlike the Carolina Cup, for example, there aren’t things like shore break, inlets, and sections with lots of sandbars that you have to worry about at Key West.  For me, the big reason to inspect the course at Key West is to get familiar with the sight lines so you can pick the most direct course around the island when racing.  The first year I did it, I got lost when I was heading into the harbor.  Having not done the race before and only arriving the evening before, I had no time to inspect the course.  Although I had studied the map and paid attention at the racers meeting, having never done the course before and then getting lost in chasing some fun bumps, I got way off course and only realized that when a friendly motorboat sped over, asked me if I was in the race, and told me where I had to go. 

So, if you’re like I was and aren’t able to inspect the course beforehand, here are a few things to be aware of:

Water start off Higg’s Beach

Higgs Beach is a perfect location for the start and finish. This is pretty straightforward. However you’re on the Atlantic side of the island and, if it’s a south wind, it will be choppy. The first year I did it there were some great bumps to ride as we headed east towards the harbor. Make your way out with plenty of time to line up. NO CREEPING!

Turn north into the harbor

As I recall, it’s a little rocky as you make the turn into the harbor.  However, if you don’t get super close to the shore here you’ll be fine.  The first time I did the race, I figure I was about 10 feet from the shore and was a little concerned that I was too close once I had chosen that line, but it turned out to be okay.  If you’re conservative you may want to be a little farther out.  If you’re bolder you can try the line I chose but I wouldn’t get any closer.  I just don’t think the risk is worth the reward.  

As you get into the harbor a south wind will be at your back and kick up great, fast moving bumps two to three feet high.  They are quite clean so it will be really fun.  The first year I did the race, I stayed in the middle and caught bump after bump.  So much fun!   Unfortunately, I got farther and farther away from the right turn you have to make into the channel that goes under Fleming Key Bridge and into the gulf side of the island.  If you’ve got bumps to ride here, catch as many as you can but stay close to the right shore so you can tuck into the channel quickly when you reach it.  I figure I had to do an extra half-mile or so because of my mistake the first year.  If the wind is coming from the north or the east you won’t have bumps to ride and will be heading into the wind, so you’ll want to hug the right shore anyway to avoid the wind and find the calmest water.  In this case, you certainly won’t be likely to miss the turn into the channel.  You should be aware that “hugging the right shore” might actually mean tucking up against a giant cruise ship, but you get the idea.

Gulf of Mexico

This is the north side of the island.  The channel you traverse to enter the gulf side is only about 500m long and the first year I did this race it was the flattest, most sheltered part of the course.  I don’t recall any tide in the channel that year.  However, the second year I did it, the tide was absolutely nuking through this channel.  It was so strong into our face that we had to hug the concrete wall on the right.   If there is a big tide in the channel it should be obvious, however I suggest using your GPS to check your speed here.  If you’re really fast compared to normal, you’ve got a current with you.  Get in the middle of the channel and ride that current for all it’s worth.  If you’re a little on the slow side, you’re heading into a current. In this case, hug the concrete wall on the right where the current will be less. 

Once you’re in the gulf it is going to get choppier simply because it’s more open.  A south wind won’t be challenging, and will just result in some small wind chop from the right side.  A north wind could be much choppier from the left side, and an east wind will be a headwind.  Either way, this part of the race is a slog.  When you exit the channel you kind of have to turn left a bit and head towards the left side of the island you’ll see ahead of you.  You can get pretty close to the island without it getting too shallow, which you’ll want to do to minimize the distance and get a little shelter in a south wind. 

Rounding the island, you’ll want to head for Cow Key Channel, which you won’t be able to see for the longest time.  This is always a confusing part of the race for me.  I’ve done this section a bunch of times – in the Classic, twice in a smaller race the Lazy Dogs host in late January, and a few times in training – and I always want to go further left than I should.  The confusing thing is that there are boats moored to the left that make it look like that is where the channel is, when in fact you want to stay a little more to the right.

As you get closer, you’ll start to see Cow Key Channel and eventually a bridge you want to go under.  There are some condo like buildings on the right bank at the start of the channel.  This area can be quite tidal with strong currents.  Again, if the current is with you, you’ll want to be in the middle.  If it is against you, you’ll want to hug the right shore, however you’ll need to be mindful of the fact that this area is full of sandbars.  This is definitely an area worth scouting the day before.  The great thing is you can just drop your board in at the Lazy Dog Paddle shack that is right at the bridge and then easily check the area out.  I’d actually focus more on scouting the stretch from Lazy Dog out into the ocean, as that is where most of the sandbars are.  Try to assess how close you can get to the shore on the right side as you go through the channel.  This will save you distance.  Also, look to see if you can find a channel that is navigable behind the islands along the right shore as you head back into the ocean.  Some years, this water is deep enough to paddle through and will save you lots of time.  However, the last thing you want to do is gamble on this possibility.  I would only consider this as an option if you’ve had time to check the area out in your course inspection the day before the race. 

Back into the ocean

As you round the bend to the right by the Key West Airport you’ll be coming back into open water.  If the wind is from the south or east, this area can be crazy as the wind can kick off some sizeable waves that will bounce off the break wall the runs all along your right as you pass the Key West airport.  In a south or east wind, this is undoubtedly the most challenging part of the course. 

Once you’re fully into the ocean and put most of the reverb wave action behind you, you’ll see a pier in front of you in the distance.  Aim for the end of it, as the finish at Higg’s Beach is just past it.  When you round the end of the pier you’ll have about 500m of paddling left.  The finish is a beach finish so you’ll have to hit the beach, jump off your board and run through the finish. 

Tip 1 – Drink fluids

This race is hot and humid.  I drink a ton of water on this course, and though I usually hit the beach with a fair amount of water left in my 1.5-liter pack, in this race my pack is almost always dry. Test your hydration system in training well before the race and test out any electrolyte mixes you want to use well before the race as well. Don't wait until you're thirsty to start drinking. Hydrate beginning days in advance and especially the day before and morning of the race.

Tip 2 – Use a stable board, or at least have one on standby

This course could be entirely flat if there’s no wind.  If that’s the case then a narrow flat-water rocket might be in order.  However, if it is windy and choppy, and in particular if the wind is from the south or east, you’ll want a more stable board.  The first year I did it, I borrowed a 14 x 30-inch Bark custom simply because I couldn’t get my own board down from Canada.  It turned out to be an excellent choice for the conditions.  I was super stable on it in all the slop and mess in the ocean and able to pick out lots of great rides.  While it was slower in the flats, I had a blast in the rough sections and never felt balanced challenged, allowing me to paddle consistently hard.  Unfortunately, I saw a lot of people on narrow boards really struggling trying to get to the beach at the end of the ocean leg, and heard a lot of stories after the race from frustrated paddlers who didn’t have much fun in the ocean leg.  That’s really a shame because if it is windy and you’ve got the right board you should be having a ton of fun. 

For reference, in other years I’ve used 14 x 25, 14 x 24.5 and 14 x 23 Starboard All Stars, all wider than what I usually paddle at home. 

Tip 3 – Wait till Saturday night to party

I’ve travelled a lot over the years and haven’t been to many places that are quite as much fun as Key West.  I’m a pretty disciplined guy but I have to remind myself when I go there to behave the night before the race and save it for the night after.  You’ll be able to grab a great dinner after the registration the night before the race, but try to wait till Saturday night before taking full advantage of all the fun the island has to offer.

This is a hard, challenging race that gives you a great sense of satisfaction upon completion.  It can be a lot of fun if you’re prepared and a long, frustrating slog if you’re not.  Fortunately, the level of preparation required to enjoy yourself out there isn’t too extreme and I think that just about everyone should be able to have a blast.  The tips I’ve provided here will go a long way towards making your race both fun and successful if you incorporate them into your race plan and train accordingly.

This race is one of the most fun races I’ve ever done and, if is really true that this year is going to be the last one, it’s a shame.  If you haven’t done it before, do it while you have the chance and, if you’ve done it before, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about when I’m saying how much fun it is.  Consider doing it one last time.  I know I am. 

Tip 4 – Weedless Rudder or Keel

There can be a lot of seaweed (Sargassum) that can get stuck on your rudder and feel like you're dragging an anchor. If you have a weedless rudder or a fin with more rake, like a keel fin, it could be helpful. Regardless, if you feel like you're dragging something, check your fin. And if you feel like you hit an unexpected wall and the whole world is hard, check your fin.

This is from an article I wrote in 2019

Race Conditions

This year, the conditions were ideal. Key West has a unique wind-measurement system much like Hawaii has a unique wave-measuring system—5 foot Hawaiian is 10 foot anywhere else. For Key West, 10 miles per hour of wind is 20 miles per hour anywhere else. It just works out that way. (Keep that in mind when you see forecasts.)

Beyond the start of the race which is always amazing to behold, the highlight of course for me was paddling past the crew ships, which are like skyscrapers on their side. The Disney cruise ship had a giant smily face in the front. You could get right up next to them, giving you a real feel for their scale and provided a nice little wedge wave that ran along the hull.

For everyone, it was a grind. I know a lot of people had heat issues, but for all, it was another amazing experience. We battled tons of Sargassum weed. This seaweed for anybody who didn’t have a weedless fin or weedless rudder because a constant issue dealt with by jumping in and cleaning off the rudder/fin. In the Key West heat, that might have helped keep them cool as it did for me.

But the race is such a small part of it all. It’s an excuse to come together, to help, heal, renew

Here are some of the stories from this weekend that really pulled at my heart, inspired me and reminded me of why this paddle community is so amazing, why events like this are so important for so many. Why we paddle. We we line up. And why we finish.

Special Olympics of Monroe County

Every year we get to visit our incredible athletes in Key West who are using their success in sports as models for success in their lives. The coaches and teams are so stoked and work so hard. I nearly lost it when I saw that one of the athletes, Jennifer, was holding her bronze medal from competing in Seattle in paddleboarding at the Special Olympics. She and the other athletes have trained so hard. It was just awesome to see her success, to celebrate such an amazing accomplishment. Every year, the Key West Classic helps raise money for travel, equipment and other expenses for these incredible paddlers.

Registration

Lazy Dog Key West

Also, we will have a where to stay and where to eat post coming out soon, but our favorite fast breakfast and cuban sandwiches, strong Cuban Coffee is Sandy's Cafe.