[Paddlewise] question for the hydrodynamics experts...

Hi yall,
I have a question about a bizarre (and somewhat terrifying experience) i had 
today.  I was fishing in a canal in southeast louisiana today, approx 1/2 
mile wide with a very deep channel through the center, which probably planes 
out towards the sides which are surrounded by marsh and other smaller canals. 
 I was having a great day of fishing and after one spectacular cast i 
happened to look up and see a huge freighter coming down the channel.  I 
expected a large wake from the ship and it was too near to do any major 
maneuvering, so i kept my kayak near the side of the channel ( an ENOURMOUS 
mistake!!)  While the ship was about 1/8 of a mile away all the water from 
near the sides began rushing out toward the ship.  I was in about 4 ft of 
water which drained to the bottom in about 20 seconds.  The force of the 
outrushing flow was greater than any undertow i have ever encountered.  This 
is when i realized i was in serious trouble.  My kayak rushed out toward the 
ship (which was at least 1/4 mile away)  Soon a wave of returning water and 
ship wake (which was at least 2-3 feet above my head from where i was sitting 
in the trough, I would estimate it at 6-8 feet) was rushing back toward the 
bank, as i was rushed toward the wave.  The outrushing water and inrushing 
wave collided to form a huge breaker which crashed right on my face.  In my 
current state of terror i somehow managed to remain upright through the 
massive breaker and the slightly smaller wake waves which ensued.  Everything 
under my deck bungies was washed about 2 feet up on formerly dry land, then 
returned when the water level returned to normal.  I was soaked, and i am 
still picking dirt out of my teeth.  I was very lucky to be wise enough to 
have my pfd and srayskirt on.  My question is this- What force contributed to 
the outrushing water before the ship reached my location.  I theorized that 
if anything the ship should displace water would raise the water level.  Or 
could it be that the propeller acted as a vacuum of sorts that sucked water 
ahead of the ship by forcing it through the prop and displacing it in the 
form of a wake behind the ship?  I am totally fascinated by this incident.  
After the ship passed i decided to call it a day and happened to notice 
another equally large tanker coming through the canal.  I decided to hide in 
a side canal and paddled back about 1/2 mile into a canal and thought i could 
hide around a couple of bends.  I was amazed to see the same effect occuring 
as the ship approached, I rushed back into the middle of the side canal and 
again faced some serious waves although not nearly as large.  These were only 
3-4 feet and did not break.  I understand that the shape and break of the 
waves had to do with the depth of the water where i was.
Thanks for any input.
Robin Lovelock
New Orleans.
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