Bob wrote: What I don't understand are the specific mechanics of lightening in a way that tells me when and why it's dangerous. On a narrow stream that sits low between high banks populated by large trees, is there risk of being directly injured by lightening or only the risk of indirect injury from a falling tree that's been hit on higher ground. Am I better off on the low, narrow water than on the higher bank? Hi Bob, My two cents. I understand that lightning will approach, develop or touch pointed objects, that are connected to ground, even if ground is not that good. A wet tree can make a good connection to ground. The reason for picking pointed objects is that in sharp edges the electric field concentrates and is easier to brake the air in ionized particles that travel to the cloud or back from the cloud, depending on their charge. Points are so attractive to lightning that there is a rule of thumb that says that a lightning will not strike any object that is under a 45 degrees virtual shade. A large building with a pointed lightning absorver will protect all small houses inside of the virtual 45 degree umbrella. When I was a kid, all houses under the churches with big towers, (very popular in Mexico) were protected from lightning and we saw lightning hit the tower but never houses close by. So I am sure that in a flat big lake a kayaker with wet paddle, specially with alluminum shaft is a better landing sharp point than the flat water. On the other hand, paddling in a river with V shape mountains on the sides makes it very very unlikely that a lightning will hit a paddler in the water. Many trees will give the 45 degree shadow, as well as the mountain itself. Speaking from physics point of view the cannon is inside a V of equal potential (ground) and there is no attraction to the lightning there. The closest ground point as viewed from the clouds is the tallest tree or cliff or church or whatever up there. I wouldn't mind paddling in such a river but I have escaped from lakes quickly when thunderstorms approach. I keep worrying when thinking about sailboats with big alluminum masts. Best Regards, Rafael el cayuco chief. Mexico. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Aug 20 2002 - 15:17:10 PDT
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