Re: [Paddlewise] waves in california

From: Nick Schade <nick_at_guillemot-kayaks.com>
Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2011 09:43:36 -0400
Watching video of the Wedge (which BTW looks absolutely brutal) I've seen several occasions where surfers are running into each other. 180 pound bodies dropping 10' down out of the curl on top of someone appears fairly common place. And collision avoidance appears to be part of the requisite skill set. The wave is a shore break with surfers risking getting dumped head first into the sand. Bodies and boards get tossed around like plastic soldiers in the hands of a 12 year old. Nothing about the place suggests a shred of "safe" is involved in the activity.

 So, I'm looking at the risk factors involved in playing in this spot and it seems to me that a 30# surfski tumbling through the mix does not appreciably change the risks. Sure, it is a potential danger, but it is kind of like juggling torches during a forest fire.

 If Mr. Sprout had been a second or so slower he and his boat would have been munched, and the various pieces of his ski would have been spit out. There may have been a few more bruises and contusions as a result, but they happen all the time anyway, so I'm not sure how it would be different than any other day.

On Sep 6, 2011, at 12:16 AM, Melissa Reese wrote:

> I concur. Just because someone has the skills to do something (as long
> as all goes well - never a guarantee), if the enhanced potential to
> hurt other people exists (as it always will on a day like that at the
> Wedge - especially with a 20' potential projectile), thinking of
> others should trump fun/ego/bravado/whatever; regardless of one's
> prowess and credentials. I'd call it selfish and irresponsible, at the
> very least.
> 

Nick Schade

Guillemot Kayaks
54 South Rd
Groton, CT 06340
USA
Ph/Fx: (860) 659-8847
http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/
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Received on Tue Sep 06 2011 - 06:43:54 PDT

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