Re: [Paddlewise] Anyone understand lightning?

Thanks for all the great advice on lightening, and for addressing Rick's
question on the direction of the charge.  The classic case of the "ground
current strike" mentioned by Will may be when dozens of women golfers were
injured because the ground was so saturated that charges virtually spread
throughout the course.

I'm no longer dumb enough to willfully challenge lightning, just wondering how
to optimize chances when the storm finds me.  I like the implications of
Rafael's 45-degree umbrella rule.  Maybe that's why my family lived next to the
church; fortunately, we moved before the lightening bolt started the fire that
burned off the steeple.

I gather that staying in the kayak within the 45-degree umbrella just off the
riverbank MIGHT be a worthy alternative.  Seems like the question is whether
the charge has the propensity to (a) travel only between the firm ground and
the sky via the pointed-tree route of least resistance or (b) be induced by the
water on which you're floating to spread out in a secondary strike.  And the
correct answer probably varies in each case with the precise configuration of
ground, water and tree.  And the dry tree trunk at the beginning of the storm
will act differently when it's later soaked and standing in the new trickle of
run-off that might route the secondary strike into the water you're on.


Rafael Mier Maza wrote:

> I keep worrying when thinking about sailboats with big alluminum masts.

Rafael, my understanding is that such craft have a lightning rod apparatus that
diverts the charge around the boat, probably using the same principle as Will's
description of the "insulated lineman's pole ... erected perpendicular to your
deck, with a trailing ground wire into the water".  Having a metal bar down the
middle of my Sea Lion, I just do wheelies during storms.


Will Jennings wrote:

> ...life-long brain/nervous system difficulties ....heart rhythm
> problems...eye sight and hearing loss...altered emotional make-up and severe
> personality changes...loss of memory, taste, certain locomotion problems,
> etc.

. . . and after the lightning strike?

boB



***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************