Tom Hanks new movie "Cast Away" (as opposed to castaway ???) is a fine yarn, but I saw a scene which got me thinking (there were some great shots of his raft on some big swell - wish I could have been there in the kayak). Anyway, he has an aweful time getting off the island through the surf. I know from experience how tiring and difficult it can be to exit surf some days. The second to last Sea Kayaker Mag issue had a good story about kayaking the Southern Coast of Australia. The story included an accout of the trip participants trying to exit the large surf. In the end, the fellows try swimming the kayaks out through the mayham. I've heard of doing this in reverse, but not as depicted in the story. Anyone got a clue if this is normal practice down there? DL *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I saw the movie as well. Didn't like it much, but I did enjoy the surf scenes. I kept wondering if he could have dragged the raft using a long rope and dove under the surf. Never having lived on an atoll, I also wondered if there was really pounding surf every day for four years. -Patrick *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Thu, 4 Jan 2001, Patrick Maun <pmaun_at_bitstream.net> writes: << ... Never having lived on an atoll, I also wondered if there was really pounding surf every day for four years. Patrick >> .. continuously and simultaneously from all sides ... Reminds me of a story I loved as a child about the "Isles Behind the Winds" by Heligoland native James Kruess. They floated on golden logs and could never be ofund except by special chance! Ralph (Hoehn) Ralph_at_PouchBoats.com www.PouchBoats.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Doug, you wrote: "The second to last Sea Kayaker Mag issue had a good story about kayaking the Southern Coast of Australia. The story included an accout of the trip participants trying to exit the large surf. In the end, the fellows try swimming the kayaks out through the mayham. I've heard of doing this in reverse, but not as depicted in the story. Anyone got a clue if this is normal practice down there?" It's not normal practice where I am. In fact I haven't heard of it at this end of the continent. The only swimming in surf by sea kayakers I've witnessed has definitely not been a deliberate tactic! I happened to suggest to a certain well known local paddler not long ago that toggles should be available at both ends of the boat, partly to make swimming with the boat easier. He just pointed to the cockpit and pronounced dourly, "That's the only place to be in surf". I notice the attempt to swim boats out described in the Sea Kayaker article was not successful, and they ended up paddling out. Sorry for the delayed response. I've been, uhm, paddling. PT 37°42'S 145°08'E *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Doug I would agree with Peter I don't know of anyone trying to swim out and the few times I have tried it, it was like peter said "Not Deliberate". The common practice is to get the timing right or to roll under the wave and as soon as it has passed roll back up. I try to look for rips as the spot they go out tends to take some of the force out of the waves. I have found that with a loaded kayak you can hit quite a large wave (after it has broken) straight on before being flipped backwards David Australia -----Original Message----- Doug, you wrote: "The second to last Sea Kayaker Mag issue had a good story about kayaking the Southern Coast of Australia. The story included an accout of the trip participants trying to exit the large surf. In the end, the fellows try swimming the kayaks out through the mayham. I've heard of doing this in reverse, but not as depicted in the story. Anyone got a clue if this is normal practice down there?" *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Peter Treby wrote: > > It's not normal practice where I am. In fact I haven't heard of it at this > end of the continent. The only swimming in surf by sea kayakers I've > witnessed has definitely not been a deliberate tactic! <snip> Thanks for the response Peter (and David too). I knew Paul C. sometimes swam in with his Nordkapp on the big Aussie trip, but I had never heard of dealing with breakouts in such a manner. Breakouts in difficult surf can be a chore due to a couple of problems: both size and irregularity. The recent post by Matt with video clip shows some wild surf, but not overly huge; but, I bet it was work to get out. On-shore wind can sure screw things up. If I recall, last year's Surf Frolic was also well attended but, many participants backed out part way, due to the size of the surf. I like my big surf on a sandy beach, as well as my erratic surf there too. It can be very hard to see waves interacting with rocks in the surf zone (as at La Push) in an erratic sea. Likewise, big surf and rocks can spell disaster. I'm fairly hardcore, but I do like a soft landing! David mentions a certain methodology for getting over big waves and clearing the surf zone. I find taking the surf at a bit of an angle avoids some of the pounding as you crest the peak over to the other side. If possible, I try to take a vector that allows my on-side brace to take the big waves if I mistime etc. When I'm touring the open coast, I use different tactics with a loaded boat on remote shorelines. I've even gone out backwards. Recreational kayak surfing is another issue, and I try to get a trashed as the body and boat will allow. Just a couple of house-keeping notes. I bought a scanner this weekend, so can send folks pics when questions of boat accessories, etc, come up (a pic is worth a thousand verbal diarhea words). My computer was down all weekend +, so backchannel replies to recent e-mails are way behind. Blanket apology - will get to them. Gabriel wants a bunch of my pics for a CD-ROM, so I forked out the dough for a scanner. He is such a patient, nice guy. And thanks to all the recent ice and snow trip reports. So when is Vince going to try surfing waves onto ice crusts? Vancouver Island is still in a warm episode (much warmer than Washington/Oregon). Estavane reached a record 15 C during a storm's warm front the other day, while north of there at Brooks, it was blowing 70 knots with 8 metre seas. Weird winter weather, but I'm not complaining (other than can't be there).. BTW, the recent death on a Seattle lake should remind us all to keep within the levels of our skill -- surfing, touring, or otherwise. Preparation, training, knowing your individual limits, knowing your environment, and having the right gear are all indivisible elements contiguous with a safe attitude. DL (still playing hard, but hopefully, safely -- I may die figuring out this computer stuff, though) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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