Re: [Paddlewise] An introduction

From: <FoldingBoats_at_aol.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 10:05:27 EST
In a message dated 3/14/2003 6:17:59 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
Rob.Castle_at_mail.house.gov writes:

> So, what do you do when the wave begins to recede and the flow starts to run 
> back out? I see your supposition but I would be concerned in those 
> situations that oft arise where there are a couple normal breaking waves 
> followed by a big dumper. You're gonna get sand in your britches man!

There was no supposition (I know I get a bit theoretical at times), only 
report of personal experience. When what you describe does happen, I tend to 
arrange to end up broadside on and side surf in on the next one, unless the 
receding water has set me down on that potential britches filling stuff by 
then. It's been a rare occurrence though and I've not yet had to get the sand 
back out of the britches yet.

:-)

For a relative novice I reckon the situation you describe is potentially a 
lot worse if you're coming in bow first, by the way and are too busy avoiding 
a broach to check what's coming up from behind to slap you around!

About thirty years ago, during stormy spring tides on the North Sea coast, I 
used to end up "surfing" over what's actually submerged pasture land on the 
outside of the dykes (a lot of the land being below the high water mark 
behind the dykes). The individual plots are usually separated by drainage 
ditches and, if I was unlucky and got swept out of my intended, presurveyed 
landing area, by barbed wire fences. The strange mix of currents and winds in 
conjunction with the extremely chopped up "seabed" makes for some very 
interesting wave patterns (or lack thereof). Perhaps my inclination towards 
landing while facing the waves was born of "growing up" (I never did, really) 
in those conditions. Of course nowadays there are severe restrictions on 
paddling in those areas (wildlife refuges) and paddlers wear immersion gear 
and PFDs, which allows them perhaps to be a bit less scared ...

:-)))))

Best regards,
Ralph

Ralph C. Hoehn
Ralph_at_Atlatl-Kayaks.com / Ralph_at_PouchBoats.com
www.Atlatl-Kayaks.com / www.PouchBoats.com
phone: +1-802-649-2555

***************************************************************************
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 Fri Mar 14 2003 - 07:05:54 PST

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:31:05 PDT