Hi, Well? I did it! [I think/hope<g>] That area around the bridge I mentioned? Near as I can tell, even at most forceful times [ for April it looks like odd numbered weeks] current gets no stiffer than 3.7 x 0.7=2.59 kts... Looks like for someone who can stay upright, it can be a relatively safe location all in all...<g> Yes I do believe that "safer is better than sorry," and in light of what I knew at that earlier time, I believe I still did the right thing. GOOD! Now, I've got to do some exercising of my out of shape body, ensure I can affix the skirt [it has been stretching for now-3 months?] and REMOVE the thing one handed. So, perhaps week after this one coming up? For all the responses I got-THANK YOU ALL very much! While the decision to "give it hell one more time" was some determination, the feed back I got, the encouragement, really-"gave me more gas in my tank!" I have also written the fella who runs the club I joined, and pointed out some areas I do not think I can manage by myself-and asked if he might know someone willing to "take me under his shoulder" so to speak... We'll see...<g> But how about that? A place to put in, 10 minutes away, and on the Sound for heavens sake? Thanks again, Tom.. [Bremerton, WA] *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
TomW wrote: > > Hi, > > Well? I did it! [I think/hope<g>] That area around the bridge I > mentioned? Near as I can tell, even at most forceful times [ for April it > looks like odd numbered weeks] current gets no stiffer than 3.7 x 0.7=2.59 > kts... I don't know the area you are speaking about but don't be lulled into any false sense of security from what you read about currents speed in a table. Those tables are really averages and samplings and so can be way off. Lots of such data is seriously out-of-date. PLUS, winds can wreak havoc with any such predictions. With winds you can get more effective current or worse yet, wind in opposition to current for very steep seas. Also wind blowing in from the ocean, depending on where you are, can bring in more water from the sea (again I don't know your location) meaning that currents are faster and tides higher under such circumstances. So, don't be surprised to find that currents are twice as strong on any given day or the turn of currents is not on the schedule of predictions shown in the tables. Lastly, you mention "bridge." Often water under bridges stack up since generally bridges are built from points of land sticking out into whatever body of water they cross (to lesson the distance the bridge has to span). Water moving in one direction or another gets squeezed into those areas and can be quite forceful depending on the size of the area that the water is coming from such as a large bay. So be aware of that too. I am not saying any of this is necessarily dangerous but it pays to know such things and to be prepared for major differences in how water may behave regardless of what tables say and from what you may casually observe. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Ralph, Thank you for your reply... The reason that I have been working so hard to read the darn chart, and make that arena at least work for me is that it would seem a good base to start my evaluation of conditions on. Without that information-judging wind speed/direction, obstacles in the current path, etc... would to me, have no..."starting point" even for estimates of conditions. Your letter does point out the other variables that it's my intent to incorporate as I progress and I am grateful for that Ralph. With my put-in being only 10 minutes away-it would not be horrible to get there, evaluate what I see/hear, and put a trip off until a better day. I still have my 2m ham rig in my truck and have all the NOAA freqs available to me, and of course intend to listen before I go. It is clear to me however, that Bremerton is not Pt. Defiance [where I had my FRIST lesson, with Nigel] and so should turn out to be at least a bit, safer for me eh? Thanks for your input Ralph, Tom... >I don't know the area you are speaking about but don't be lulled into >any false sense of security from what you read about currents speed in a >table. Those tables are really averages and samplings and so can be way >off. Lots of such data is seriously out-of-date. PLUS, winds can wreak >havoc with any such predictions. With winds you can get more effective >current or worse yet, wind in opposition to current for very steep >seas. Also wind blowing in from the ocean, depending on where you are, >can bring in more water from the sea (again I don't know your location) >meaning that currents are faster and tides higher under such >circumstances. So, don't be surprised to find that currents are twice >as strong on any given day or the turn of currents is not on the >schedule of predictions shown in the tables. *************************************************************************** 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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