<P>Peter Treby wrote:</P><P>"I've scanned the latest Sea Kayaker on-line. There's an article by Jon Turk on expedition tactics, and he says something about landing in shore dumpers. I think he recommends against pitch-poling the boat and planting your head in the sand, in favor of turning into a sharp broach and savage high brace and coming onto the sand sideways, if I understand rightly. What do you reckon?"</P> <P>Peter, that recommendation of Jon's was one of two that puzzled me. The other was to carry your helmet - a highly recommended accessory for surf launchings as well as landings - on deck until needed. I'm surprised that in 20 years he has not had the experience of a breaking wave pushing the helmet overboard, where, still attached to deck rigging, it can become a sea anchor that is unretrievable from the cockpit. After one such experience I prefer to stow the helmet inside the cockpit, between my legs if necessary.</P> <P>Back to surf landings. Jon's recommended technique, as I understand it, amounts to deliberately placing yourself sideways on the front of a wave that may break as a dumper. I can't imagine how he has survived 20 years of landings like that on stony beaches, but I'm sure his helmet is well used. </P> <P>As witnesses will attest, I'm no expert on surf landings, but The Prime Directive seems clear enough: GET THROUGH THE DUMPING ZONE WITHOUT BEING DUMPED UPON. If you consult any three paddlers, you'll probably hear three quite different preferred methods of landing through surf. One well-reputed East Coast (USA) instructor advises beginners to approach the beach facing seaward, paddling in to the beach backwards, sprinting forwards, that is seaward, as necessary to avoid being caught in the break of a wave. I've never tried that one, but what generally works for me is to wait for a relatively small wave and begin surfing it in to the beach with the intention of bailing off the front of the wave -- using the vigorous stern ruddler stroke that Jon describes -- before it becomes so steep that I am committed to riding it all the way in. On the back of the wave, or ideally on the crest, I again turn towards the beach and paddle at maximum effort to get through the dumping zone before the next wave reaches that usually-narrow zone of danger. I expect the next wave to catch me before I reach the beach, but hopefully after it has broken and most of its power has been spent. This method gets no extra points for style or degree of difficulty, but isn't that the point when you're tired and cold?<P> <P>Mike Vandamm</P><P> Greenbelt, Maryland, USA</P><P>"When in doubt, blame the mayonnaise."</P> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.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/ ***************************************************************************
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