Stranded boaters are commonplace at the only place around Monterey Bay where they could possibly get stuck (aside from the occasional halibut fisherman whose motor stalls just outside the break on a lee shore). Elkhorn slough is a tidal estuary with deep (bottomless?) muck. On any given weekend, you can count on finding some people floating on the black goo, waiting for the tide to release them from their folly. Most are cautious enough not to get out of their boats. Those who do quickly learn how deep this stuff is. It'll suck your shoes, maybe even pants, off in a thrice! The time passed on the mudflats should be ample for these guys to consider the merits of "primitive craft." *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 9/22/00 4:56:26 PM, paxtonm_at_hotmail.com writes: << The time passed on the mudflats should be ample for these guys to consider the merits of "primitive craft." >> We should be careful that we don't allow ourselves too much enjoyment at the expense of our draft-challenged brothers on the sea. The tides might find themselves displeased with our snickers and exact revenge when we least expect it. And who knows, someday a floating-beer-cooler-with-engines might just mean the difference between getting home on time or writing copy for some near death paddling experience. Jed (just happy to be on the sea,.... in any craft) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
----------- Original Message ----------- From: ledjube_at_aol.com Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 14:06:02 EDT Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Amusing sighting >>We should be careful that we don't allow ourselves too much enjoyment at the expense of our draft-challenged brothers on the sea. The tides might find themselves displeased with our snickers and exact revenge when we least expect it. And who knows, someday a floating-beer-cooler-with-engines might just mean the difference between getting home on time or writing copy for some near death paddling experience. Jed (just happy to be on the sea,.... in any craft)<< Quite right. Though I favor the loveliness and intimacy of a kayak - in a pinch, any boat will do. Even a beer cooler - as long as it floats (and has sweet lines). Melissa *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Actually, if you're not careful, the mud'll go after your butt and the bottom of your kayak with a truly terrifying vigour, and you'll have to gorilla-walk yourself off what until three seconds ago resembles paddle-able water. :) On Fri, 22 Sep 2000, Mark Paxton wrote: > Stranded boaters are commonplace at the only place around Monterey Bay where > they could possibly get stuck (aside from the occasional halibut fisherman > whose motor stalls just outside the break on a lee shore). Elkhorn slough > is a tidal estuary with deep (bottomless?) muck. On any given weekend, you > can count on finding some people floating on the black goo, waiting for the > tide to release them from their folly. > > Most are cautious enough not to get out of their boats. Those who do > quickly learn how deep this stuff is. It'll suck your shoes, maybe even > pants, off in a thrice! > > The time passed on the mudflats should be ample for these guys to consider > the merits of "primitive craft." > > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Mark Paxton wrote: > > Stranded boaters are commonplace at the only place around Monterey Bay where > they could possibly get stuck (aside from the occasional halibut fisherman > whose motor stalls just outside the break on a lee shore). Elkhorn slough > is a tidal estuary with deep (bottomless?) muck. On any given weekend, you > can count on finding some people floating on the black goo, waiting for the > tide to release them from their folly. > > Most are cautious enough not to get out of their boats. Those who do > quickly learn how deep this stuff is. It'll suck your shoes, maybe even > pants, off in a thrice! Worse, yet, a person can get so thoroughly stuck that when the water returns as teh tide rises, it is impossible to generate enough positive buoyancy *fast enough* to "re-float" yourself out of the muck! People have drowned from that ... caveat muckers! The word around here is that if you fall into deep, thigh-sucking mud, your best survival tactic is to wallow/swim/crawl your way to firmer ground. Joel Rogers has a hilarious description in one of his books of just such a self-extraction from Willapa Bay (WA) mud, Nikon and all! -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> We should be careful that we don't allow ourselves too much enjoyment at >the expense of our draft-challenged brothers on the sea. The tides might find >themselves displeased with our snickers and exact revenge when we least >expect it. And who knows, someday a floating-beer-cooler-with-engines might >just mean the difference between getting home on time or writing copy for >some near death paddling experience. > >Jed (just happy to be on the sea,.... in any craft) nowww that you mention it.....we went off on a bit of an adventure last weekend...*ahem*.....3 of us decided to put in off of a small bridge that had a path leading down to the edge of a small cove in somes sound, bar harbor ME. we went about our way, paddling around the islands that abound and playing with the seals who found us more fun wet than dry (they will swim up rather close to the kayaks, and flip, making a huge splash that has the capability of soaking the unwary paddler) as the sun began it's descent, we began a leisurely paddle back to our starting point. (mind you *I* am the novice, and my friends have kayaked for several years so i rely on them a great deal...) the long and short of it is that we had miscalculated the tide. our cove was a large mussell flat. we were able to get fairly close to shore by walking, but we had to put much of our weight on the kayaks (enough water for that but not enough to float)and moving rapidly so as not to lose shoes and get too deep. once we got to shore we had to take turns portaging the kayaks back to the path (quarter to half a mile) we were one filthy smelly crew....lesson learned though. and it was fun it's strange way; we knew we weren't in danger, so instead of allowing the situation to cause frustration, we found merriment to the point where my sides STILL hurt. The next day we relied on the trusty boat landing for a more sedate trip that was punctuated by the sounds of porpoise blow holes as they arced all around us. my first time seeing porpoises from a kayak. i was mesmerized. -- ~ ("> weebee {( )} "Time spent laughing is time spent with gods." ¾ „ ~~~~~~~~~{_at_; /|\ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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