Well it's snowing and freezing rain today, and I'm dreaming and making plans of paddling shortly. I thought I would share a few photo's from paddling the Pictured Rocks area from the past few years.
View of Miners Castle from overlook and from the water. Miner's Castle lost a turret this last year forever changing its appearance. Remember these formation are all sandstone of various densities and are eroding continuously.
View of Mosquito Beach. It is a flat sandstone shelf, which is fun to time waves so you can be set down of it without getting out of your boat. It also has great campsites.
Josh framed by Lover's Leap Arch.
Paddling just North of Sand Point on our way to Miners Castle.
Chapel Rock just past Chapel Beach.
Battleship row, lots of refracting waves to play in.
Chief's Head
Looking at these helps remind me that summer is coming, just not fast enough! I'm looking forward to two weeks in Georgia paddling at Tybee Island and then circumnavigating Cumberland Island for a week. Until I see you on the water keeping paddling or dreaming.
Playing around in the pool is a perfect way to keep your skills sharp. Since a pool isn't exactly a dynamic environment, break up the monotony by learning different rolls--anything to break up the routine! One thing you do not want to do is practice every roll with a nice set-up, nose plugs in, etc.. Remember, your practicing to learn how to roll in real conditions; not flat, clear, chlorinated, and warm water. Try rolling with a swamped boat, from a variety of starting positions, swimming to your paddle. I'd also recommend trying to roll with whatever you can get your hands on. Not only will it improve your confidence and comfort, but practice like this helps you develop muscle memory and improve your rolling ability. And, besides you never know when you might find yourself capsizing with a basketball.
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You'll sometimes come across sea paddlers who seem to spend more time getting on and off the water than they do paddling. While there isn't one "right" way to launch a kayak, there are ways that are drier, more stable, less publicly humiliating, and better for your boat.
Most paddlers start by using the paddle as a supporting "kick stand." It's not a method that works in dynamic conditions (i.e., waves), but it does give the beginner a sense of stability on entry/exit. As a launching technique, I almost only ever use the paddle brace method in situations where the water level drops quickly (e.g., a rocky shelf or low dock). So how can one launch safely and efficiently from a high dock, or when swell or current would prevent setting up for a "kick stand" method? The answer: the seal launch.
Here's Marius demonstrating:
So what do you need to know to do this? What if there are waves? Current? And what if you have a fiberglass boat?
Basic Technique The seal launch is actually quite easy. It's a basic launch for a whitewater boat, but the longer sea kayak tends to be a bit less stable if your launch platform is a sharp drop-off. Simply place your boat so that it's balanced with the cockpit just behind the tipping point. Enter the kayak, put on your spray skirt, then scoot your boat forward until the kayak slides into the water.
Keep your paddle in a safe bracing position as you enter...your boat will be considerably less stable at the point where the bow is in the water, the stern is still on land (the dock, rock, etc.), and your cockpit is suspended in midair.
Consideration #1: Swell If launching into swells, time this so that your boat rides out as the swell is ebbing away, but be careful to time the set so that the next swell doesn't push you back into the dock, rocks, or whatever you launched from.
Consideration #2: Current If seal launching into current, you'll need to edge the boat as you slide in, leaning and bracing downstream. This is the equivalent of doing a "peel out" when punching out of an eddy. The current will swing your bow downstream.
Consideration #3: Height of Drop There are some practical limitations here. If its a straight drop, the higher it is, the steeper the angle of entry will be. My math may be a bit fuzzy, but assuming a 16.5' kayak, a drop of 6-8 feet would put it at just about vertical...at which point water depth becomes an issue and the kayak could "pop out" at an odd angle. If it's a sloping launch (kelp covered rocks, etc.) it's not a problem.
Consideration #4: Fiberglass Boats On a straight drop (such as off the dock in the video clip), a great deal of pressure is exerted on the center of the kayak, which is bearing the full weight of the paddler at one point. This is one of the weakest points of any boat, which is why we spread our rack bars out a good bit from the cockpit when we transport a kayak by car. Does that mean you can't seal launch? No. But you might find a sideways seal launch to be your best bet.
In this method, line the boat up with its centerline on the edge of the drop, shift your weight so that the tips into the water. Have a high brace ready, and as the boat resurfaces, brace and use your hips to snap the boat back under you. Here's a quick demo:
Seal launches aren't hard, but it's best if you've got a reliable roll and good bracing skills before you go taking the plunge. It's a quick and easy way to get your boat in the water and get you on your way. Of course, as this clip reminds us, things can go terribly, terribly, wrong...
I came across this story on MSNBC. The gist: we're raising a generation of indoorsmen. In the video age, where playing Wii constitutes exercise, fewer Americans are getting outdoors. The result is not only rising rates of obesity and diabetes, but growing apathy about protecting wild places. If you've never experienced nature on anything but a flat-screen TV, it's a lot easier to dismiss it.
I'd like to think we're doing our small part to stem the tide. And, industry statistics show that kayaking is the fastest growing sport in the US. But then again, they haven't yet classified Wii Tennis as an official sport yet, have they?
This summer we'll be launching our first kids programs. So take your kids paddling. Go on a hike. Take bike ride. Plan a camping trip. It's not only good for them...it's good for the world!
View of Miners Castle from overlook and from the water. Miner's Castle lost a turret this last year forever changing its appearance. Remember these formation are all sandstone of various densities and are eroding continuously.
Josh framed by Lover's Leap Arch.
Paddling just North of Sand Point on our way to Miners Castle.
Chapel Rock just past Chapel Beach.
Chief's Head