RE: [Paddlewise] Rolling With Eyes Closed?

Once I became pretty comfortable with my roll, I started doing some of my
practice with eyes open. I'd say it's 50-50 now. I still like to do a
significant amount of practice rolling with eyes open to continually give
myself feedback and reinforce the proper body mechanics. I do this
especially if I start to feel any rolls are sloppy or strained.
If the water is clear and looks clean I usually keep them open. If it's dark
or the water is murky or sandy, I close them
For combat rolls it's much the same. If there's nothing to see, or if what I
see is scary (rocks etc), I close my eyes. Also, having spent days or weeks
letting sand work its way out from under my eyeballs occasion, I am pretty
careful to close my eyes if I get window shaded in the surf. 
I have noticed that people who are struggling with their rolls are usually
keeping their eyes closed. Opening eyes will not solve all rolling issues,
but it helps.
During set up a paddler with eyes closed will sometimes set up in crazy
positions, like paddle vertical, or even under the boat. The reason for this
is obvious; they can't yet tell what position their body is in without
looking. Some are better at mastering this than others. 
During the roll a paddler with eyes closed is more likely to lift their
head. Keeping eyes open allows the paddler to watch the blade sweep. That
has a twofold benefit of encouraging torso rotation during the roll (rather
than just using arms) and tending to keep the head in or near the water. 
Some chronic head lifters still try and cheat by watching the paddle out of
the corner of their eye instead of turning their head to face the blade.
Their well deserved punishment comes the next time they get flipped in the
surf :-)

Steve Brown
 

-----Original Message-----
 Paddlewisers,

I am wondering just how common this rolling with eyes open is among sea
kayakers. I understand rolling with your eyes open while learning to roll,
but not beyond that. Once my head is underwater, my eyes are closed and
everything is done by feel, which works quite well for me. Besides, it is
pretty hard to see anything unless you are wearing goggles or a mask. It is
especially hard to see anything in the most common place to roll, which is
in the sandy and frothy water of the surf zone. What about at night? Not to
mention that closing the eyes gives them a bit of protection.

Duane Strosaker
Southern California



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