Tom, It is nice to hear that some of you Northwesterners where able to experience the Channel Islands down here in California. The sea caves you mentioned are one of the big attractions at the islands. I've been banged around pretty good is some of those caves, so my hat goes off to your for having the guts to take $2500 of shatterglass into them. I'd be willing to take shatterglass into the larger and calmer ones, but then I'd be missing out on the tighter ones open to the swell. Like you said, there are a lot of sit-on-tops there, especially at Scorpion Ranch on Santa Cruz Island. Some of the local outfitters run nonpaddling tourists through there on day trips, going a mile up and down the coast. The tourists do end up having a lot of fun. I don't paddle a sit-on-top, and I have nothing against them, but I will add that the leading manufacturer of sit-on-tops, Ocean Kayak, is located in the Northwest. I can understand why the ranger was concerned about you guys not having rudders. As I am sure you know, the Channel Islands are notorious for high winds all year around, making a kayak with a rudder, a skeg, or very well balanced in the wind a necessity for any long distance paddling. Most sea kayaks, most of which are made in the Northwest, are equipped with rudders, which is why it must have been unusual for the ranger to see your kayaks without rudders. Next time you are down here, let me know, and we will bang some rocks at the islands. But forget the ferry, because it is a lot more fun to paddle the crossings. Duane Strosaker Southern California *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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