[Paddlewise] Don't Call It Flatwater!

Paddlewisers,

I am always disturbed when I read or hear sea kayaking being referred to as 
flatwater padding.  I would hardly consider the open ocean, many bays, and 
even some larger lakes as flatwater.  In fact, the only flatwater I can think 
of is a small pond on a calm day.  The open ocean is the farthest thing from 
flatwater.

There isn't a more dynamic body of water than the ocean.  Nowhere else can 
conditions change so quickly and severely.  One moment the water can be calm, 
and then the next moment a swell coming over a hidden reef can be putting a 6 
foot breaking wave on you.  Let's not forget those surprise big sets in the 
surf either.  Winds, tides and currents are constantly changing the ocean, 
and you never can be sure about what you are getting into.  Ocean conditions 
can quickly become challenging and even overwhelming.  In addition, when you 
are out there and things turn bad, you are usually committed.

At least with whitewater, what you see is what you get and the shore is 
usually never very far.  There are a lot of whitewater people out there who 
wouldn't have anything to do with sea kayaking very far off the coast.  Most 
of them don't like the idea of paddling over 10 miles without a current 
pushing them either.  But of course, it is usually the whitewater people who 
refer to sea kayaking as flatwater paddling.

Duane Strosaker
 <A HREF="http://members.aol.com/pirateseakayaker/index.html">Pirate Sea 
Kayaker</A> 

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