[Paddlewise] Judgement

One of the best ways that I am aware of to speed the judgement learning
process along is to practice self rescues in rough, cold water.  It's
surprising how few paddlers actually practice these skills in the
conditions that can most likely cause them trouble.  There's nothing
like first getting back into your boat in nasty conditions and then
having to empty your boat out that teaches you that you may well want to
stay out of conditions without adequate margins of safety.
Just this last weekend I was helping a friend (Rob Cookson of Pacific
Water Sports) with his advanced seakayaking class in Deception Pass in
Washington State.  It was the classes graduation paddle.  The current
was running at 6 knots and the wind (at least where it was funneling in
the pass) was blowing at 25 knots.  I had just managed to break through
the eddy at the top of Srawberry Island and was playing in the eddies on
the south side of the island when I saw and watched two guys in a double
come across the channel from Cornet Bay.  They were obviously unaware of
what they were doing and, as it turns out, were new to kayaking and had
never paddled before.  They had no idea of just how close they were to
the edge.
There's something about bad weather rescue experience that gives one
pause while standing on shore on a nasty day.

John Winskill
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