East Bay Dinner

"The Busted-Paddle Tour: Sea-Kayaking California's North Coast"

Thursday, May 25, no-host cocktails/social hour - 6 pm, dinner - 7:00, program - 8:00, Berkeley Yacht Club on the Berkeley Marina, one block north of the west end of University Avenue (ample free parking is available in the Marina parking lots).

On Sep. 6, San Francisco Chronicle outdoors writer Paul McHugh and two companions launched kayaks at the Winchuck River in Oregon, intending to paddle 400 miles south along the Northern California Coast, to explore the shoreline, towns, and wilderness coves of California's fabulous North Coast en route, and to do it in 40 days. On Oct. 16 - the 40th day! - the three made final landfall at Crissy Field Beach in San Francisco Bay.

The paddlers faced unsettled weather, high seas, and strong winds. McHugh recounted the epic voyage in 34 stories in the Chronicle as well as in five video web-casts and four pod-casts.

McHugh will show slides from the voyage, many not yet published, and will tell of the paddlers' experiences on this modern-day journey of discovery. His program will cover the challenges of such a muscle-powered marine expedition, and he will also report on the environmental resources of our Northern Coast and on the challenges and threats to them. The social phenomena that make the North Coast such a remarkable region are also an important part of his program.

Paul McHugh has been outdoors feature writer for the Chronicle since 1985. Before that, he enjoyed an extensive freelance practice in print and video, specializing in environmental issues, resource use, and outdoor sport. He has lived in Northern California since 1973, but was born in Homestead, FL, in 1950, and was raised near the edge of the Everglades. He grew up hiking, diving, sailing, fishing, and playing in the woods. He studied for the priesthood in a Catholic seminary from ages 13 - 20, but left to complete a B.A. in English, with an emphasis on poetry and creative writing, at Florida State University, where he graduated summa cum laude in 1972.

McHugh has produced documentaries for PBS, including "The Eel - Life of a Threatened River" in 1982, and "Return of the Desert Bighorn" in 1984. A novel, The Search for Goodbye-to-Rain, was published in 1990. A non-fiction book, Wild Places, was published in 1995. His non-fiction book on Alcatraz Island will be published by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy this year.

McHugh was a member of the U.S. National Kayak Surfing Team when it went to Ireland in 1988 for a world-championship competition, where the team won top scores in its division. In 2000 he celebrated his 50th birthday by kayaking 270 miles on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and in 2004 he ran his first marathon. What next?

Dinner is $22, which includes tax and tip. To make a reservation, please send your check, including your name and phone number, payable to "Sierra Club", to:

Evelyn Randolph
938 Galvin Drive
El Cerrito, CA 94530
(510)526-2494.

Indicate clearly which month's program you are reserving for. Attendance is limited to the first 115 reservations received. Reserve early, as these programs do fill up. Reservation deadline is May 15. There is no admittance for program only.