Re: [Paddlewise] Jetskis

Jerry

I paddle the Oakland Estuary and around Alameda a lot.  I have never had a
problem with the jetskis.  They usually launch at the East Bay Regional
Parks MLK park in San Leandro Bay off Doolittle Rd.  Very flat water there.
I'm sorry to hear of your experience, but going out there about twice a week
or more I can tell you it is not typical of that area.  Most of the jetskis
I see are "passing through" because they don't seem to do well with just a
little bit of chop.  I know folks hate them (jetskis) but they don't
displace much and their wake is minimal (operator attitude is another
matter). The ferries, tugs under power and huge pleasure craft have much
more distracting wakes.  Oh yeah, and there are the barges.  So big you
can't tell if they're moving right away.  Since two-cycle engines are being
kicked off most Ca. fresh water I expected to see more on salt water but
haven't.  I suppose they are just becoming $3000 dust-catchers in garages
now.  Let me know if you want to go out there again, I don't need much of an
excuse.

Bob

---- Original Message -----
From: Jerry Hawkins <jhawkins_at_cisco.com>
To: Paddlewise <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 1999 5:26 PM
Subject: [Paddlewise] Jetskis


> Here's a new topic - Jetskis.
>
> Paddling my Navarro canoe in the Oakland Inner Harbor in 1997, two jetskis
began to harass me.  They made a series of fast runs by me.  At first I
thought they were just inconsiderate fools, but on the fourth or fifth pass,
they pointed at me, said "Let's get him" and ripped by me at their closest
yet.  One came by about 7 or 8 feet away, and the other was on the other
side a little further away.  I decided that the next pass, if they were
within reach anyhow, I would do my best Mark McGwire on the first one by.
It didn't come to that -- they got bored with me and moved on to something
else.
>
> Luckily, my open boat is pretty hard to tip.  (I have a kayak now but
won't go anywhere near there alone again.  No sense tempting fate or baiting
fools.)  All this was within about a mile of the Coast Guard station.
>
> I did not carry either a cell phone or marine radio at that time (I do
now).  I felt pretty damn helpless out there and still think about that day
anytime a jetski comes within sight or sound of me.  I really hate those
things.
>
> Have others had experiences like this?  I can't imagine I'm the only one.
>
> jerry.



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