Re: [Paddlewise] my story is better than your story

At 09:59 PM 8/27/98 -0700, Dan Hagen wrote:
>Wayne wisecracked:
>
>> BTW, why do they call it the "Pacific" Ocean?
>
>That's simple.  Because it is always so peaceful and gentle.  It is a
>*placid* ocean.  We never get the sort of monstrous waves that you get
>on your lake.  Check out the following, which shows the pathetic little
>waves at a surfing spot in Northern California (my old neighborhood):

Easy big fella. What happened to the smiley faces? ;-) ;-)


>
>http://www.mavsurfer.com/video/video.html
>
>(If you don't have video capability you can still enjoy the stills.)  

Cool pics. That surfer must be really really short to make the wave look so
big. ;-)


>
>On a serious note, a kayaker got killed at this site earlier this year,
>on a day when it wasn't really going off.  

Thats a shame. One shouldnt underestimate any large body of water, and I
certainly dont. I have the greatest respect for what they can do.
Unfortunately people do underestimate them, and (apparently) experienced
people die even on puny Lake Michigan.
I expect Superior will start exacting a toll as it sees increased use, too.
The average paddler (myself included) doesnt need anything more than some
unexpected 5-6 foot waves to put them at serious risk of the Great Beyond.
I've crossed Lake Superior in a gale with 20 foot waves, and crossed (the
relatively protected) Georgia Strait in a Hurricane, neither time in kayak,
and theres no comparison. That is to say, theres no point in comparison.
Both can be deadly, and dead is dead is dead. I have great respect for, and
fear of, both.


>
>While Dave Kruger could probably have handled this stuff during his
>surfing days, it is probably a good thing that most of us are far too
>chicken to get anywhere near it.

I can tell you which direction I would be heading if I saw that wave, and
it wouldnt be towards it!

>
>Q: When can you get waves with a "standard reporting height" of 50 feet
>without a hurricane?
>
>A: When you have the right reef!  When those big old swells begin to
>feel the bottom they do some interesting things...

With a maximum recorded wave height of only 31 feet, our pond certainly
cant match up to that. Personally, when the waves get over about 6-8 feet
on any body of water, I'd rather be anywhere else. This is why I carry a
spare paddle. If I cant get off the water, I can at least knock myself
unconcious. ;-)

>
>Dan Hagen, in search of a perfectly formed 3-4 foot wave.
>(That's "3-to-4", *not* 34...)
 
Me too. I'll take them in any form though.

Wayne
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