[Paddlewise] 1st Outing this year - Chuckanut Bay (long)

Hi all-

I have only been kayaking 3x in 2 yrs but I *love* it.  I went out with
Pacific Water Sports yesterday to a place called Chuckanut Bay up near the
Canadian border on the Washington coast.

I learned first-hand what the term "weathercocking" means.  Yikes!  That was
tough.  One thing I really appreciated was our guide wanted us to get used
to paddling without a rudder.  (I was eager to do it too...until we got into
whatever causes weathercocking.)  Anyway, I made it through without the
rudder.

Then on the way back we had some interesting water.  Not scarey - actually I
got an inkling of what it might be like to surf a wave.  It didn't actually
break under me but almost (it looked to me like a swell of 2').  I was told
they were refraction waves (I think that's what he said - where the waves
coming in bounce off the rocks).  And even though I've been working my
shoulders with dumbbells it still got me although the soreness was in a
little different place - on my back at the top of my shoulder blades.

One of the bays was really cool - and still as glass - with sandstone cliffs
(not huge) all around one side of the bay.  There were quite a few starfish
and weird white hangy things hanging in an undercut of one of the rocks.
I'd never seen anything like them before.  They were anywhere from a couple
inches long to, maybe, 6 in. and one of them kind of flared out at the
bottom where it was hanging low enough on the rock to meet the water.

Oh, part of the reason for the trip is to try out another boat.  I was in a
Sea Otter but I'm really looking forward to going to a Paddlefest at the end
of this month to try out some different boats.  I can't imagine being in a
boat that lets you feel that you're one with it.  I've been following the
thread about boats for petite people with interest as I'm 5'2" and (as one
woman said "more than I'd like to see in print").

Lake kayaking looked really good after yesterday.  =)

Janet







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