RE: [Paddlewise] Rolling With Eyes Closed?

Kirby said:
>>>Quite frankly, I roll with my eyes open.   I want to see what's under
there if I go over...Case in point, in a reef or rock garden I would like to
see where the rocks are before the hit me not afterward.<<<

Oh come on Kirby, we all know the real hazard here off the Victoria
waterfront isn't water visibility, it's the sewage outfall. The effluent
produces untreated chucks large enough that the thing you really want to do
is to keep your mouth shut when you go over. Shutting or not shutting your
eyes is optional, though you might want to keep your eyes closed. 'Course,
keeping one's mouth shut on Paddlewise can be advantageous to one's health
too, at times.

As for me, I generally don't need my eyes open to roll, though I have
reflective tape on the power face of my paddle blades which assist
orientation after a bitchin ride and subsequent wipe-out in the surf zone
when the shaft indexing just doesn't cut it on numb hands. Usually, all the
orientation I need is the next wave thrust on the upturned hull to provide
orientation (an some free lift with a bit of a bracing sweep to seaward.

In rock gardens where one is likely to upset (I mean the real stuff, where
the water is a mixture of kelp, aerated aquamarine bubbles, dark, foreboding
lava-rock formations, big Ling Cod, refracted wave energy, swirling
currents, and nervous compulsion, you t'aint gonna see much anyway. Get that
fricking Screw-Roll happening pronto, and get head-up and head-safe fast.
Can I hear an "Amen brother?"

Speaking of surf, I went to see "Step Into Liquid" tonight, to get my wave
fix. Great movie, a modern equivalent to the "Endless Summer" movie of
yesteryear. Mavericks was way awesome, as was some of the exotic locals and
especially the Cortes Bank 100 miles off California  - it was simply
astounding, as the board surfers rode 66 foot deep blue monsters way out at
sea. I rented the DVD, "The Other Side of Heaven" on Monday to get my
storm-fix (missionary gets dumped in 40-foot seas, cool eh, AND he still
keeps his smug attitude and single-purpose vision).

I'm still working on the vision-correction situation for Spring storm
paddling when I'm healed up after the New Year (crude, this typing hurts). I
bought a pair of  $800.00 Silhouette bifocals in titanium. Expensive to
loose paddling, but as light as a feather to wear and bombproof. I got the
polycarbonate lenses. Trouble is, a skull cap and/or divers hood presses
against the titanium earpieces, distorting vision. I also had some safety
glasses done up for woodworking, but they scoop up water when rolling and
are prone to being pushed off even with a retainer. The Sea Kayaker article
on eyewear had a great home-made retainer arrangement illustrated. I might
try that. I've also tried surfing without vision correction. It's kind of
fun surfing over the locals who I cant see anymore, but they tend to try to
kill you back at the beach later.

http://www.eye-glasses-now.com/silhouette/silhouette-eyewear-msn.htm?GTSE=PT

Doug Lloyd (where "cutbacks" have a more ominous meaning in BC right now)
Victoria BC



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