I go looking for this stuff - at least I used to once I had my Nordkapp dialed in for a perfect snug fit with my "knee tube." It was also important to wear a helmet as weird things happen you don't necessarily expect with shoals and such bottoming out quickly. Sandy bottoms often contain reeflets here and there. There are some fantastic examples of separate wave trains colliding up near Cape Scott and North Brooks. You might have to wait for the right conditions, which often paddlers don't as they are on a tight, multiday schedule. At these spots you can surf over one side of the berm to open water on the other side, then suddenly another wave out of phase can surf you back over the berm to open water and more surf on the other side. Sometimes the two waves collide actually over the berm and if you are there, well, does it get any better for the jaded paddler? People, you haven't lived until you have tried this. Folks spend a fortune watching action movies all their lives or going to amusement park rides and even paying to go skydiving. With a little investment in a good boat and proper immersion apparel, you can be out playing in phenomenally outrageous conditions within an hour or even less on some coasts. I suppose you can have an adrenaline rush even quicker too by running across a busy highway, but hopefully you get my point. I've also been knocked over unawares by these things while trying to find a landing in heavy surf behind an island where I thought it was going to be safe. Naa. I was at the MEC Paddlefest in Victoria Sunday. Atlantis Kayaks has their new Spartan VI (Vancouver Island) prototype out now. Robin has done a fantastic job. The kayak is a classic hull, round bilge with shallow v, fine entry and exit lines, yet at 21" wide and 17' or so long, it is super fast _and_ super stable. It has a very low profile, yet good room for your feet. It tracks well, turns on a lean, has somewhat less rocker than some kayaks yet doesn't need a skeg. It is rock solid on edge unlike the Outer Island (another low profile kayak). I think I may have found my thrill on blueberry hill. Made here on Vancouver Island. I didn't even try out the Whisky 16, though clapotis seekers might benefit from a kayak with lots of bow buoyancy, including other designs for a perfect playboat. I'm going for low windage and a tight cockpit. Can't get that need for speed, need for high-wind performance out of my mind. We shall see. Clapotis and zipper waves here we come... Doug Lloyd > Clapotis, schmatopist. > > What you choose to call colliding waves is moot; the phenomenon is the > same. Brian's spectacular photo illustrates one of the cool things about > "back" body-surfing rebound off cliffs: you get tossed into the air! We > used to do this with abandon, when the waves and tide were just right, off > the cliffs at Solana Beach, CA. For a body surfer, it is a lot safer than > it looks, because there is a nice lull in between to regroup. I don't > think I have the balls to try it in my kayak, though. > > We never told our parents about this. > > -- > Dave Kruger > Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** 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 Mon Jun 16 2008 - 22:46:23 PDT
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