I got to Astoria, Oregon, and the weather was aweful. A huge SW swell was running, with gale force winds. Dave Kruger was totally uncooperative giving me assistance with tide/current information about the CR Bar (he didn't want to be an "accessory"). I got sucked out by huge tidal currents, and was then pulled bodily from my kayak by a mid-bar breaker. I even had my wet suite booties torn off by the breaking seas. Fortunately, the Coast Guard were out training and were able to recover the kayak as well as me, though I never actually called for assistance. They muttered something about finally having to rescue a real dummy. I tried to tell them it wasn't all my fault, and that in particular, I couldn't fight the current due to paddle slippage and being thrown off balance with my low aspect ratio blades. The skipper, who's name was Niels, was very gracious and said he understood completely, adding that he had heard of similar problems from a host of other wise paddlers. In jest, Doug *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Doug Lloyd <dougl_at_islandnet.com> > To: <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net> > Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2001 5:39 PM > Subject: [Paddlewise] Columbia River Bar Rescue > > > > I got to Astoria, Oregon, and the weather was aweful. A huge SW swell > > was running, with gale force winds. Dave Kruger was totally > > uncooperative giving me assistance with tide/current information about > > the CR Bar (he didn't want to be an "accessory"). I got sucked out by > > huge tidal currents, and was then pulled bodily from my kayak by a > > mid-bar breaker. I even had my wet suite booties torn off by the > > breaking seas. > > > > Fortunately, the Coast Guard were out training and were able to recover > > the kayak as well as me, though I never actually called for assistance. > > They muttered something about finally having to rescue a real dummy. I > > tried to tell them it wasn't all my fault, and that in particular, I > > couldn't fight the current due to paddle slippage and being thrown off > > balance with my low aspect ratio blades. The skipper, who's name was > > Niels, was very gracious and said he understood completely, adding that > > he had heard of similar problems from a host of other wise paddlers. > > > > In jest, > > Doug > > An urgent warning to Any and All paddling the Columbia Bar: > > Due to the tremendous tidal currents, which can result in a sudden > transition from salt-water to fresh-water (or vice-versa), Kayakers > especially can experience a very grave risk in which one may lose more than > just their booties: Science has proven that salt-water is denser than > fresh-water, and therefore a paddle's buoyancy will be suddenly affected-- > especially a wooden one. This can result in a sudden inability to roll, or > even worse (when passing from fresh-to-salt), an un-anticipated > "super-ability" to roll, in which one continues to roll, until tired-out, > and then drowned. > > As seafarers of old carried oil to dump astern to supress following waves, > please keep a canister of salt at the "ready" during such crossings. > > Harvey > *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Thanks, Harvey and Doug, for lightening things up. Gary Doran Victoria, Canada >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Doug Lloyd >> >>> ... I couldn't fight the current due to paddle slippage and being >>> thrown off >>> balance with my low aspect ratio blades. >>> In jest, >>> Doug Harvey Golden wrote: >> ...Science has proven that salt-water is denser than >> fresh-water, and therefore a paddle's buoyancy will be suddenly >> affected-- >> especially a wooden one. This can result in a sudden inability to >> roll, > or >> even worse (when passing from fresh-to-salt), an un-anticipated >> "super-ability" to roll, in which one continues to roll, until >> tired-out, >> and then drowned. >> >> Harvey *************************************************************************** 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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