[Paddlewise] Forward Leaning Half Rolls

I went out this past weekend to do some moving water paddling with the
big tide we had here. Given that I had a bad back, I avoided Race Rocks
(where it would have been real gnarly) I headed out near the ferry
terminal where some smaller, but intense flows set up between small
islands. When I got there, a large group involved with a CRCA course was
practicing eddyline crossings. A few minutes later, a group from my club
showed up to do the same thing. Talk about crowded. Definitely
"saturation point".

People left after awhile. About the time it thinned out, the current
picked up mid channel where a big reef splits the flow. Huge swirling
eddies and sudden boils came up then disappeared, only to reappear
moments later in another spot. It finally got a bit more interesting
when a big power cruiser from the US motored through at a good speed.
This set up some nice standing waves. I raced into the zone as the
vessel left the channel. The second wave I picked up was steep and
furious. Paddling at breakneck speed, I overshot the wave a buried the
bow in the preceding wave, just as a big boil erupted.

I knew instantly I was going over on my good roll side - too much
momentum. Rather than high brace at 90 degrees and risk missing the
brace to subsequently and possibly go into a full capsize in difficult
water, I placed my paddle blade well forward and out to the side of the
bow while the kayak rotated like a chicken on a rotisserie. I also
didn't want to lead into a lay-back roll, which tends to cause my bad
back to spasm. With my head firmly under water yet the rotation arrested
momentarily by the forward thrust of the paddle, I swept my way back up
with an appropriately timed hip snap as the wave and boil dissipated.

I find this maneuver much easier with my tender fish-form Nordkapp, and
have never failed to come back up while employing it during 20 plus
years of tidal paddling, let alone the fact that it is easier on my
current bad back. I did, however, loose my brand new magnetic clip-on
sun glasses ($100.00 !). Some smart ass later said at the beach "I don't
understand Doug, didn't you have it tethered too...I just read your
article".

Anyway, as an aside, I was a bit grumpy paddling to the beach, as I
really wanted to be at Race Rocks. Yet, as we climbed out of our boats
at a beach out in the Gulf islands, I leaned back to do the usual sigh
and stretch, whereupon my back went into accute spasms. It took me 5
minutes to get out of my boat. I was grateful I had been mature, and
_not_ gone out solo to Race Rocks. I did find out at work the next day
from a co-worker whose visiting relative went whale-watching, that 30 to
40 killer whales (3 pods joined up to play) showed up at the Race on the
big ebb. Oh well, you win some, you loose some, and sometimes you
compromise for safety. Bad backs are a non-negotiable item with me, as
is defaulting to a forward leaning half roll  with a immersion-based
sweep recovery when I have the option.

BC'in Ya
Doug Lloyd

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