PaddleWise by thread

From: Karl Coplan <kcoplan_at_Genesis.law.pace.edu>
subject: [Paddlewise] spatial disorientation happens
Date: Tue Jul 20 07:51:13 1999
last thursday, practising rolls in an unexpected chop after a 
thrilling, surfing Hudson River crossing.

start with the easy ones; pre-set up onside roll with the chop, no 
problem.  pre-set offside roll, no problem.  onside roll from a 
paddling position, ok.

offside roll from a paddling position.  no go.  not even enough for a 
gasp of air.  upside down again, last bit of air bubbling out of my 
nose.  i am looking at my paddle.  it is in the perfect set-up 
position, right on the surface.  but i can not for the life of me 
figure out which side i am set up on.  i can see my paddle, but my 
brain cannot process which side it is on.  i cannot figure out which 
end of the paddle to use to roll.   air runs out.  i panic and 
grope for the surface.  no good.

when i stop breathing out, the ticking stops and i relax.  
time to bail. pop the skirt.

i am bobbing in the chop next to my inverted boat.

spatial disorientation happens.
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:00 PDT