The wind was blowing at 30 mph and the bay looked pretty nasty so I decided to try a more protected paddle on the Nueces River (Corpus Christi, Tx). It is typical Texas coastal river, narrow and slow moving, with just enough trees along the bank to stop most of the wind. I had been out about 2 hrs and was on my way back when a small group of domestic ducks and I decided to take the same narrow path around a downed tree. As I approached the ducks I heard firecrackers going off. I did not pay much attention because I found myself running over the ducks who then took to the air in great splashes of water. I was sure I was going to have ducks on the deck. As the spray and feathers cleared I rounded the bend and heard the firecrackers again. Suddenly in front of me each pop of a firecracker was accompanied by a plop in the water or by a puff of dust coming off the bank. Those were not firecrackers!!! I yelled loudly "Coming through" and backpaddled to a stop. The "firecrackers" stopped and I heard "OK come on". As I passed the next tree I could see the man up on the upper deck of his house holding the rifle. "Its new. I just had to try it out." he added as I passed on by. So much for a "protected" paddle. Anyway this made me think of a couple of questions: 1. Should I get a kevlar PFD to go with my kevlar kayak, kevlar helmet, and kevlar spray skirt? 2. For Greg, Jed and other rolling experts: What is the Greenland term for "roll to avoid crazy guy with rifle" and how do you do that roll? 3. For Doug maker of storm-proof kayaks : What is the correct layup for handling light caliber ammunition? 4. For Matt, John, Nick and other designers: What is the optimum shape hull to deflect errant shots? Of course this may only be of local interest so feel free not to answer any of the above. By the way if any of the adrenaline junkies out there get tired of the La Push Winter Surf Frolic, paddling with the Tsunami Rangers, or seal launches off cliffs in the Hebrides come on down for the Texas version of extreme kayaking. We might even let you paddle with white blades during white-tail deer season. --- Mark Arnold --- mjamja_at_earthlink.net *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Mark Arnold wrote: >Should I get a kevlar PFD to go with my kevlar kayak, kevlar helmet, and >kevlar spray skirt? > If you do, here is a nice one: http://www.stohlquist.com/hairfishlg.html Cheers, Richard Culpeper *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Mark: You failed to mention how Texans mount their gun racks on their kayaks. Any pictures? TFJ > come on down for the Texas version of extreme kayaking. We might even > let you paddle with white blades during white-tail deer season. *************************************************************************** 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 to all who helped me with info on binoculars. I bought the Bora Bora from West Marine yesterday. $70. They're lightweight, waterproof, come with a case, and I liked them, based on looking through them in the store parking lot. We have the worst weather combo here today: Cold rain, so I will be doing my workout at the Y, not the Mississippi River. I look forward to trying them out on the water next weekend. Now that I have my yak, the weather websites are the ones I use most often. When it warms up a bit, I won't care so much if it's raining. Marsanne *************************************************************************** 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] > > You failed to mention how Texans mount their gun racks on their kayaks. Any > pictures? > > TFJ Unfortunately I find that seakayakers in Texas tend to be the HUNTED rather than the HUNTERS. Of course that little incident of having paddled through a set of duck decoys because I was surprised that the ducks would let me get that close may color my opinions. Actually the guys in the blind were pretty nice about it. But between duck hunters, jet skiers, wake-boarders, flats boats (they run at 30+ mph in even less than a 1ft of water and never follow channel markers), intracoastal barges, and the occasional cigarette boat (with bikini clad women occupying the driver's full attention) I often feel like I have a target painted on my back. Hey, on second thought maybe a 50 caliber mount would be an important piece of safety equipment. --- Mark Arnold --- mjamja_at_earthlink.net *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> Unfortunately I find that seakayakers in Texas tend to be the HUNTED rather > than the HUNTERS. Do bullets ever skip off of water like skipping stones? I once was in range of a fisherman who was shooting at seals and I wondered. Anyone know. Perhaps they teach this in the military *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> >Do bullets ever skip off of water like skipping stones? Yes, given a flat trajectory they can skip quite nicely... Keith *************************************************************************** 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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