Paddler's Book Club

Mary The Kayak Lady: One Woman, One Kayak, 1007 Lakes

2011-05-19T20:02:00.000-05:00

At a time when everyone seems to be so enamored of the big feats of kayaking (crossing the Atlantic, circumnavigating Australia), it was refreshing to read about a woman who simply chose to make it her goal to kayak on all the lakes in her county. No sponsors, no website, no blog. However, if you live in Itasca County, Minnesota, that may not be as simple a goal as it sounds. The first problem is that she lives in the "land of 10,000 lakes". Her county claimed to have 1007 lakes while the DNR's official lake list "only" included 945. It took her eleven years to get to the 945 lakes on the DNR list, and then she made it a quest to find the 62 other bodies of water that were considered "lakes" under DNR criteria.

The author, Mary Shideler, chooses to highlight just a small sampling of her experiences during the many years that she paddled on these lakes. Her life circumstances change over time, and she changes over time, as well. The chapters are illustrated with photos taken by Mary and her friends. The photos are nothing spectacular in an artistic sense, but their inclusion gives us a clearer picture of Mary and her personality.

While paddling on the lakes, Mary also attempted to add to the body of information about the lakes in her county by taking depth measurements and water clarity readings on each lake with a Secchi disk.

At a mere 142 pages including dozens of photos, this is a quick and easy read. It may not be worthy of a national bestseller, but in it's own way, it may be an important inspiration to other paddlers to get out and set a big goal for themselves. It isn't always necessary to paddle around a continent to be an accomplished kayaker.

Sherri

"Ten Rivers: Adventure Stories from the Arctic"

2011-04-19T14:42:00.002-05:00

For the time being, I have decided to keep the Paddler's Book Club blog with the blessing of its creator, Rick I. However, it is going to be more of a book review format rather than an "Oprah"-like read and discuss book club format. I still invite your comments, but each blog post will be devoted to a single book.

I just recently finished reading the book, "Ten Rivers: Adventure Stories from the Arctic" by Ed Struzik. While not easily found on sites like www.Amazon.com, this book can also be found published under the title, "Ten Rivers Run Through It: Adventure Stories from the Arctic." It is published by CanWest Books Inc. copyright 2005.

I stumbled across this book as I was doing research on paddling the Thomsen River on Banks Island in the Northwest Territories of Canada. There is a chapter in the book on the Thomsen River which is mainly why I bought the book. Other chapters cover trips that the author has done on the Nahanni, Mackenzie, Snowdrift, Nanook, Firth, Brown, Cunningham, Taggart, and Back Rivers. Most of the trips were done using canoes, although the chapters on the Brown Cunningham, and Taggart Rivers are an exception.

The book is a very readable 228 pages, full of information about the history and wildlife of these Arctic rivers. Unlike many adventure travel narratives, Struzik does not get bogged down by giving a moment by moment account of every stroke he takes on the river. He accents the interesting highlights of each trip (both positive and negative), and gives expanded background information about the particular animals or native inhabitants of the region through which he is traveling. As a "map addict", I really appreciated the maps that are included at the beginning of each chapter which help to locate the river on the map of Canada as well as identifying the locations on the river which are mentioned in the text.

You can find many interesting and informative articles written by Ed Struzik, who is a science journalist, by doing an internet search of his name. He has been traveling in the Arctic for more than 30 years and has been a witness to many of the changes that have taken place as a result of climate change and human development. I plan to read his most recent book, "The Big Thaw", very soon.

Decision Time

2011-03-23T11:47:00.002-05:00

I have finished writing about the book, "Crossing the Ditch" by James Castrission and am now at a decision point about what to do next.

I took over this blog for Rick Isaacson about a year ago as he did not have the time to carry out his plans. I don't know that I have really done justice to the vision that Rick had for this site. There was a long lapse between when Rick stopped posting and when he turned the keys over to me. The momentum and comments that were generated under Rick's watch never really rematerialized after I took over.

That being the case, and since blogging seems to take up a lot of time (for me at least), I'm at a point where I need to decide if I will continue to maintain the Paddler's Book Club blog.

If I do continue, the format of this blog would change from its current "Oprah Book Club"-type focus, which was Rick's vision, to a book review format. My blog posts would simply be reviews of paddling-related books (instructional, travel narratives, historical, etc.). Another option would be for me to return the Paddler's Book Club site to Rick and just start a whole new blog for my book reviews.

If anyone has strong feelings about this, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Sherri

"Expert" or "Lucky"?

2011-03-08T13:02:00.003-06:00

How do you feel about the author, James Castrission, and his partner, Justin Jones, as a result of their having attempted and completed a crossing of the Tasman Sea? Do you view them as "expert" kayakers or were they just lucky that they weren't killed? Are they "heroes"? Do they deserve fame and adulation for their exploits? Did they deserve any "sponsorship" from the companies that gave them gear for the trip?

While there aren't a lot of people who attempt major crossings like this, there do seem to be an awful lot of paddlers who attempt very ambitious trips. In this day of social media, these trips get a lot of publicity through blogs, websites, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Some paddlers may view this as a way to rocket to the top of the kayaking world. They can become instant "experts" with street cred as long as they survive and successfully complete the trip. They will get their names and faces plastered all over paddling magazines.

In my own neck of the woods, I have seen a fair amount of attempts being made to cross Lake Michigan. Some are well-planned trips made by skilled paddlers with a desire to test their personal limits. Unfortunately, many of them are just ill-conceived plans made by inexperienced paddlers who have visions of grandeur. Thankfully, their have been no deaths, as yet, only a couple of rescues.

I suppose I have given an indication of how I feel about many of these adventures. My favorite adventurer is Ed Gillet who crossed from California to Hawaii with no fanfare or sponsors, and didn't even write a book about his trip. Whatever the reasons for his trip, they were and mostly remain his own. Most kayakers are still unaware of his name and what he did.

However, I'm curious how other people view these kinds of exploits, speaking either specifically about the Tasman Sea crossing related in "Crossing the Ditch" or generally about any such attempts. Does glorifying these people encourage unprepared paddlers to take risks that they shouldn't in hopes of grabbing their 15 minutes of fame?

Sherri

Does Technology Make Kayaking Safer?

2011-02-25T11:32:00.002-06:00

James Castrission and Justin Jones took the following items on their trip across the Tasman Sea:

2 EPIRB's
2 satellite phones
1 laptop
1 VHF radio
2 handheld GPS units
1 Daestra TracPlus locater beacon
1 electric water desalinator
solar panels to recharge and power the above

Andrew McAuley took the following items on his trip across the Tasman:

1 EPIRB
2 satellite phones
3 handheld GPS units
1 Fastwave GPS tracking beacon
1 VHF radio
solar panels to recharge and power the above

Twenty years ago, when I started kayaking, GPS was a military technology that cost thousands of dollars, assuming you could find a unit in the first place. Cell/satellite phones were likewise very rare and were bulky and heavy. There were no PLB's. EPIRB's were something that were carried on larger sea-going vessels. VHF radios were available, but you had to get a license to use one. Mostly, kayakers had to depend on their knowledge, skills, and navigation ability with a paper map and compass. If anything went wrong on a trip, you were most likely going to have to handle it on your own. On the positive side, we didn't have to depend much on electronic or battery-powered technology that has a tendency to fail in a marine environment, and focused instead on those skills that would hopefully keep us out of trouble in the first place.

Here's the $64,000 question: Is kayaking safer now with all the available tracking, navigation, and communication technologies? Or do paddlers rely too heavily on these items and put themselves into more risky situations figuring that the technology will save them when the you-know-what hits the fan?

Sherri

What is the definition of a "kayak"?

2011-02-16T10:50:00.005-06:00

Over the years, there have been several major crossings of oceans by people using "kayaks". However, if we look at each of the actual boats used, these "kayaks" would look quite different from each other.

Of these seven expeditions, only Ed Gillet used a totally stock sea kayak without modifications. Andrew McAuley's kayak had some modifications to increase volume so he could carry enough food and gear. Romer and Lindemann used stock folding kayaks that were only modified somewhat, but they mostly sailed their kayaks and only used paddles occasionally. Bray, Doba, and Castrission/Jones paddled, but had kayaks that included a sealed cabin for sleeping.

When McAuley and the team of Castrission/Jones were making their preparations to cross the Tasman Sea, the sea kayaking legend, Paul Caffyn, expressed his feeling that using a 29-foot kayak with a cabin was essentially "cheating". It wasn't really a "kayak" in his estimation.

How do you feel about this question? What is the definition of a "kayak" for the purposes of doing a major crossing for the record books? Does it matter? And what about all the new communication technology that is available to today's adventurer? We'll address that specific issue another time. For now, let's focus on the definition of a kayak. What do you think?

Sherri

Chapter 4: "You're Going To Kill Yourself"

2011-02-04T11:38:00.002-06:00

When James and Justin tell their parents about their plans to kayak across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand, both sets of parents are understandably upset. It was certainly not an unreasonable fear on the part of the parents that these two young men might very well die in this attempt.

This chapter brings up a larger question for everyone who participates in high-risk adventure sports. What responsibility do we have towards our family and friends, those who love and care about us and will be left to mourn if we should die or be required to care for us in the event of a crippling injury while pursuing our passion? Is there or should there be an obligation to consider the feelings of others before undertaking these kinds of trips? Is it selfish of the parents to ask their sons not to do this trip? What do you think?

My brother died in a sky-diving accident many years ago leaving a wife and small daughter. Afterwards, I have always felt a greater pressure to stay safe and make sure that nothing happens to me. At the time, I had a small son of my own and I was left as the only child to take care of my parents as they aged. Does this thought ever cross your own mind as you go kayaking?

Sherri

Chapters 1-3: The Early Years

2011-01-26T10:51:00.003-06:00

For the next several weeks (or months), we're going to be reading and discussing the book, "Crossing the Ditch" by James Castrission. This is the story of how the author and his friend, Justin Jones, successfully paddled across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand in a custom built kayak. This adventure caused some controversy as it occurred shortly after the unsuccessful attempt by Andrew McAuley who died while making his crossing. I will move through the book chronologically by chapters, although I want to address larger questions that this story brings up, rather than rigidly adhering to the recounting of the trip.

In the first three chapters of his book, "Crossing the Ditch", the author talks about his childhood and early adult life as well as that of his paddling partner, Justin. Castrission seems to be trying to help us understand the answer to the question of "why". Why do some people seem drawn to take on these very difficult and dangerous challenges? What was driving him and his friend?

I think it is significant that James talks about the influence that his family vacations camping in Australia had on him. I used to work as a naturalist teaching environmental education programs to children. There is a strong indication that early experiences in the outdoors are important to the healthy development of a child physically, cognitively, and emotionally. Although some people might argue that kayaking across an ocean is not evidence of mental health, I think being outdoors in natural settings is something that we all need for our mental well-being. It concerns me that too many kids today are spending all their time indoors interacting in artificial environments on TV and computer screens. Would you agree or disagree?

How important do you think their early experiences were in pushing James and Justin towards attempting this crossing? Technology does play a large part in this story, and I will discuss that in future blogs, but does it concern you that we don't seem to see a lot of kids participating in paddle sports or really any human-powered outdoor pursuits? (ie. hiking, cross-country skiing, catching frogs at the pond?) What were your experiences in the outdoors as a child?

What other questions do these chapters bring up in your mind? I'm hoping we can get some good discussions started with other people giving their opinions rather than me being the only voice.

Sherri

Chapter 22: Carried to Safety

2011-01-18T14:24:00.003-06:00

If I had written this chapter, I think I would have titled it, "Familiarity Breeds Contempt (or Complacency)". These two paddlers, whose names were withheld by request, should have known better than to get into this situation in the first place according to their supposed level of experience and skill. I simply can't fathom someone going out paddling in February in the Pacific Northwest without wearing a wetsuit or drysuit. And there were so many other pieces of gear that they should have had with them (tow rope, VHF radio, flares), any of which would have improved their situation. Thankfully, the outcome was positive and these two lived to paddle another day.

Since most of the lessons to be learned from this story were so seemingly obvious, I'd like to focus on one aspect that many paddlers tend to overlook when preparing for a trip. What will you do if you or another paddler loses a kayak? Have you given any thought to how you can prevent this from happening, or how you would deal with the situation if it occurs? It happens more easily than you might imagine. Short of sending out a distress message on a VHF radio, or shooting off emergency flares, I have compiled a short list of suggestions for equipment and skills that a sea kayaker should have to prevent or deal with just such an emergency.

Practice wet exits to make sure you always hold on to your kayak and paddle.
Consider using a paddle leash so that if you have either your kayak or paddle in hand, you are connected to both.
Paddle with other people (you have fewer rescue options when you are alone).
Wear a tow belt.
Practice paddling with a swimmer on the back deck of your kayak.

Can you think of any other suggestions that you would add?

George Gronseth makes brief mention of using a tow rope to retrieve a kayak that has blown out of the grasp of the paddler. I can attest to how well this works in my own experience. A friend of mine capsized on a very windy day and lost contact with his kayak during the wet exit. In seconds, the boat was beyond his grasp. After checking to make sure he was OK and still had his paddle in hand, I was able to quickly paddle over to the vacant kayak and clip my tow rope to the bow before paddling back over to my friend who was calmly floating in his PFD and drysuit. Once I returned to my friend and had him grab on to my kayak, I pulled in the tow rope and retrieved his kayak in order to complete the rescue. Had I not had my tow belt, I would have most likely been paddling to shore with my friend on the back deck like "Smith" and "Jones". While tow belts may seem to be rather expensive pieces of gear, I strongly recommend that every sea kayaker invest in one and wear it on every trip!

While not as safe and convenient, even a decent length of rope would have solved the problem in this incident as "Smith" could have tied one end of the rope around the front carry handle of the loose kayak and then towed it back to where his friend was swimming. The other end of the rope could have been tied to the deck lines or bungees on Smith's kayak, Smith could have made a loop in the other end of the rope and put his arm through it, or he could have just held it in his hand on the paddle shaft as he paddled back.

This was the last chapter of the book, "Sea Kayaker: Deep Trouble". I'm sorry it took so long to complete the review and discussion of each chapter, but I hope that, like the book itself, the discussions helped encourage kayakers to think about the things that can go wrong when you go paddling and how to prevent yourself from ending up in those situations. My next post to this blog will begin a new book, "Crossing the Ditch" by James Castrission. This is the story of how James Castrission and his friend, Justin Jones, became the first kayakers to complete a crossing of the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand. As their successful attempt came fairly soon after the tragic death of Andrew MacAuley while attempting the same feat, this book brings up some very interesting topics for discussion. I look forward to your thoughts.

Sherri

Chapter 21: Ice Fall in Blackstone Bay

2011-01-10T11:31:00.003-06:00

This accident is quite a bit different from most of the stories in the book, "Sea Kayaker: Deep Trouble". While George Gronseth chooses to focus on issues like the number of paddlers in a group and the lack of a VHF radio in the "Lessons Learned" section, I think there is an obvious lesson that was missed. Eugene Weschenfelder (who eventually died) and Susan Putt should never have been paddling in the spot where the accident occurred.

Having visited Alaska several times, I know how beautiful the glaciers can be. While it is possible to paddle right up to the base of many tidewater glaciers, the recommendations that I have always heard suggest that you should never go closer than a quarter mile to the face of a tidewater glacier. Ice falling from above is an obvious hazard (the hazard that killed Eugene) and a less obvious hazard is that of ice chunks breaking off from below the water and suddenly surfacing at the foot of the glacier. Even being on shore near calving glaciers has its risks as the falling or surfacing ice can create huge waves that break on the nearby shore. When camping near glaciers, you need to set your tents, kayaks, and equipment well back from the shoreline or you may find your tent inundated by water and your kayaks washed out into the bay.

A careful reading of the description of the incident indicates that Susan and Eugene were probably next to a rock cliff that was in close proximity to the actual face of the glacier. They may have thought they were safe because they were not directly in the line of calving ice. However, they failed to take into account the smaller pieces of ice that can and did fall from the top of the rock cliffs as the glacier was melting and moving.

Any accident becomes much more serious when help is going to be hours, if not days, away. Since glaciers are mostly located in remote, wilderness locations, kayakers should be taking extra precautions to avoid putting themselves in unnecessarily risky situations.

For anyone not familiar with calving glaciers, I have included some video that shows the beauty of this natural phenomenon. However, I think it's easy to see the potential danger for kayakers that might be paddling within a quarter mile of that ice face. Sometimes it is difficult to appreciate the scale of these glaciers since there is nothing in the picture for comparison, but many tidewater glaciers are hundreds to thousands of feet high above the water and even more thousands of feet of ice extend below the surface of the water.

I apologize for the fact that the video below is a commercial to get you to buy a DVD, but the footage of the calving glaciers along with the ice emerging from below was the best I could find on YouTube.

Sherri

Chapter 20: Lessons in Judgment

2011-01-06T10:47:00.002-06:00

Reading this chapter reminds me that "years of paddling" does not equate to having acquired greater skill, experience, or better judgment. In other words, you are not an "experienced" kayaker just because you have been paddling for several years.

Case in point, my husband and I. We both started kayaking at the same time back in 1989. He is actually the person responsible for turning me from a canoeist into a kayaker. However, twenty-some years later, my husband is still a relative novice when it comes to his paddling skills. He is not, and never has been, interested in paddling in more challenging conditions. He is uncomfortable in large waves and doesn't care to learn to roll. That's OK. We just make sure that when the two of us go paddling, we have to seek out locations and conditions that fit his level of skill and experience.

On the other hand, over those same twenty-some years, I chose to take instruction, practice new skills, learned to roll, found other like-minded souls who wanted to paddle in more challenging conditions, read everything I could get my hands on about sea kayaking, and became an instructor. Defining someone's level of skill in a single word can be difficult, but I guess by most measures I have gone past the intermediate level of skill and knowledge and into advanced.

John Gaulding, I think most people would agree, did not show particularly good judgment in this incident. Good judgment comes as a result of experience, and experience comes from surviving episodes of bad judgment. Hopefully, John gained some improvement in his judgment as a result of surviving this situation.

If, like John Gaulding, you have paddled many years without having any serious or dangerous kayaking incidents, you may be tempted to think that nothing bad will ever happen to you. This is a danger for all sea kayakers (even those who are truly skilled and experienced). To become a more skilled ("experienced") kayaker, you need to take conscious steps to improve your skills and increase your knowledge. You will most likely need to seek out more skilled paddlers who can teach you what you need to know, mentor you as you take your first steps in more challenging conditions, and then keep practicing those skills to keep them sharp.

Don't make the mistake of assuming that time spent paddling a kayak automatically makes you a better kayaker, and don't become complacent about following your standard safety practices just because you've never had a problem before.

Sherri

Chapter 19: Nighttime Accident on Willapa Bay

2010-12-17T16:06:00.002-06:00

I found this chapter to be a good reminder that even in seemingly benign conditions, there is always a greater risk when paddling alone. While the conventional wisdom is to always paddle with a group, I must confess to being someone who has often paddled solo. However, it is not something I do lightly.

Dressing for immersion is always "derigueur" no matter how warm the air.

I never (I mean NEVER) paddle without wearing a PFD. Along with that, I carry a VHF radio, rescue knife, flares, laser flare, strobe light, small first aid and repair kit, 2 compasses, a rescue stirrup, paddle float, deck mounted bilge pump, and hand-held bilge pump. All this gear is good, but at the same time, it does not substitute for skills and good judgment.

I have a reliable roll and I regularly practice several different solo re-entry techniques. I will admit that I have an advantage in this respect. As an instructor, I am forced to demonstrate these techniques to my students dozens of times during each paddling season.

We have no way of knowing what caused James Wiegardt's death on Willapa Bay, but it is worth thinking about some of the possible explanations if only to remind ourselves that we take certain risks whenever we venture out on the water in small boats.

I would like to bring up one possible cause of capsize that was not discussed by the author, George Gronseth. I enjoy paddling at night, but there is the potential problem of spacial disorientation that can occur on a dark, moonless night when you cannot discern a horizon. A kind of "vertigo" can ensue that may result in a capsize even in very calm conditions. (This has been suggested as the cause of the plane crash that killed JFK Jr. and his passengers back a few years ago.) This phenomenon is most often associated with airplane pilots, but it can occur in any situation where you lose the visual cues that tell you which way is up. In the case of James Wiegardt, a capsize should not have been immediately dangerous since the water temperatures were fairly warm. However, the darkness may have made it more likely that he either lost contact with his kayak and/or paddle during the capsize, or spacial disorientation could have prevented him from being able to successfuly complete a solo re-entry.

The video below was taken on a night with a full moon which generally lights up the water and horizon quite well. But imagine if you were paddling with no moonlight and few, if any shore lights.

Paddling with a group does not absolve us, as kayakers, from taking reasonable and prudent safety precautions whenever we go out on the water. If we choose to go solo, it is just that much more important that we increase our margin for error in whatever ways we can.

Do you ever paddle alone? Under what conditions or circumstances? Do you take any special precautions when paddling solo beyond what your normally do with a group?

Sherri

Chapter 18: Rosario Strait Rescue

2010-11-15T17:10:00.002-06:00

This chapter involves a rescue of three paddlers out of a group of five. While, luckily, this group had an experienced guide who was carrying a VHF radio, this whole incident could have been avoided had the group stayed out of wind and the tide rip that eventually caused two of the paddlers in a tandem to capsize. The guide did not capsize, but intentionally exited his kayak to swim over and assist the two paddlers in the tandem whom he feared were having trouble exiting the upturned kayak.

If you are unfamiliar with tide rips, watch the YouTube video above showing swimmers in a tide rip in Deception Pass which is not too far from Rosario Strait where the story in Chapter 18 takes place.

Strong winds also played a factor in causing this capsize. For a review of the importance of "paddling in the lee", you can re-read the side-bar article in Chapter 17, and my previous blog post, "More Thoughts on the Ferry Rescue in Chapter 17".

Here in the Great Lakes, we are happy not to have to worry about the dangers of these strong currents caused by tidal movements of the water. However, we are quite familiar with the dangers of strong winds. If you have plans to paddle in the ocean though, especially in areas like the San Juan Islands that have strong tidal currents that develop among the islands, it is really important that you understand how these tide rips develop, where they develop, and learn to avoid them if you don't have the skills to paddle through them.

Whitewater paddling skills as well as rough water handling skills are very useful when kayaking in a tide rip. While this story is about a capsize and near tragedy, tidal currents can be used to your advantage when you understand them, and skilled paddlers often seek out tide rips for play opportunities. A tide rip is an area in which a tidal current is typically deflected by land masses and accelerated causing an area of rapid, confused currents and rougher water.

Have you had an experience paddling in a tide rip? Was it for fun, or did you find yourself struggling in unexpectedly rough water? How did things turn out?

Sherri

More Thoughts on the Ferry Rescue in Chapter 17

2010-10-18T11:39:00.002-05:00

In Chapter 17, there is a short sidebar article by Christopher Cunningham entitled, "Paddling in the Lee." As I promised in my previous blog post, I'd like to take some time to consider this aspect of the story in more depth. Not fully understanding the concept of paddling in the lee contributed to the incident in this chapter as well as several other incidents throughout the book, "Deep Trouble". Paddlers found themselves suddenly facing conditions well beyond their abilities and experience because they made a 'go-no go' decision based on the conditions they observed 'in the lee' of a shoreline. They did not realize that there would be a significant escalation in the severity of the conditions once they left the protection of the wind shadow.

In order to better judge conditions on the water, it is helpful to understand how waves are formed. Waves develop as wind passes over water. The friction of the wind against the water's surface transfers some of the wind energy into the water. The water begins to move and waves start to develop. The waves will continue to grow based on three factors: 1. Wind Speed (how strong the wind is), 2. Wind Duration (how long the wind has been blowing in that direction), and 3. Fetch (the distance which the wind can travel over the water). So a 30-mph wind will create bigger waves than a 10-mph wind. A 30-mph wind that started 3 seconds ago has no time in which to develop large waves, but after 12 hours those waves will be much larger. Finally, a 30-mph wind blowing offshore will have very little in the way of noticeable waves next to the shore, but five miles offshore the waves will be much larger because the wind has had more distance to travel over the water.

When a wind blows over a land form and then out onto the water (an offshore wind), there is an area on the water next to the shore that is somewhat protected from the wind and its effects. This is referred to as the lee. Depending on the height of the land in relation to the water's surface, there can be a significant amount of protected water, or very little. If you are paddling at the base of tall cliffs, this protected area could be quite tranquil even with a gale force wind raging over your head. On the other hand, there will be almost no reduction in wind speed or protection from the wind, if you are paddling next to a flat, sandy island with no trees or vegetation. Someone who is camped on a pocket beach at the base of large cliffs might be tempted to go out paddling based on the calm conditions seen on the water near camp, but as soon as that person leaves the protection of the cliffs, he could immediately find himself in a maelstrom of wind and rough water making it very difficult, if not impossible, to turn around and head back into the protected water at the base of the cliffs.

Add tidal or river currents to this mix and conditions can become even more confused. When wind is blowing in the same direction as a current, the waves will appear to flatten out somewhat. On the other hand, a wind blowing in opposition to a water current will cause the waves to steepen and appear larger. If the waves are large enough, they may even begin to break. For paddlers, breaking waves are generally more dangerous than non-breaking waves because they have the power to knock a kayak over. When paddlers capsize in non-breaking waves, it is usually a case of the paddler losing his/her balance perhaps due to a lack of skill or experience. But in breaking waves, the wave is releasing energy and can very easily knock the kayak itself over unless the paddler takes appropriate preventative measures (aggressively bracing into the wave). Paddlers need to be aware of the possibility of breaking waves developing in shallow water, at the mouths of rivers, and anywhere that tidal currents may be running in opposition to the prevailing wind direction.

Beginning paddlers and people who have limited experience on the ocean are often unfamiliar with these situations and the way that they can cause conditions to change suddenly and rapidly. The paddlers in Chapter 17 (and several other chapters in the book), made their decisions about whether to paddle or stay on shore based on the conditions they saw in front of them, not realizing how the severity of those conditions would change quickly. Once they found themselves in the area of deteriorating conditions, their skills were not adequate to control the kayaks, prevent capsize, or perform the necessary rescues.

This summer, we had a kayaking tragedy on Lake Michigan that involved a little girl who was quickly blown off-shore by strong winds into the rougher water farther out. While it was reported that the water near shore was calm, once this little girl found herself beyond the protection of the land, she was unable to paddle the kayak back toward shore.

Have you taken the time to really understand wave formation and the effect of wind and current on waves? Have you ever found yourself in rapidly deteriorating conditions that were beyond your skill level? As the terms "lee" and "weather" can sometimes be a little confusing depending on the context in which they are being used, I recommend that you read the short article "Lee versus Weather" in the book, "The Complete Sea Kayaker's Handbook" by Shelley Johnson.

Sherri

Chapter 17: Ferry Rescue in the San Juans (part 1)

2010-09-28T16:29:00.003-05:00

George Gronseth discusses a kayaking trip in which 4 paddlers in two tandem kayaks end up needing to be rescued by a ferry in the San Juan Islands of Washington state. Under the "Lessons Learned" section, there is mention of several contributing factors in this incident: not having a VHF/weather radio, inadequate rescue practice, need for improved paddling and bracing skills, poor judgment in having gone out on the water in the first place, and the lack of buoyancy in a flooded tandem kayak.

The suggestions is made that using 'sea socks' might have made a difference when the first capsized kayak became so swamped with water that it could not be paddled. Matt Broze writes a short sidebar article about the use of sea socks in tandem kayaks. I suspect that many kayakers are not familiar with sea socks as they are not very common, are difficult to find available for sale, and are rarely used by most kayakers. Skin-on-frame paddlers usually end up having to make their own sea socks to use on their home-built kayaks.

Sea socks look kind of like a nylon version of the potato sack you use in a potato sack race with a bungee cord that goes around the opening. You sit inside the sea sock when you are sitting in the cockpit of your kayak. The bungee cord on the opening goes around the outside of the cockpit coaming to hold the sea sock in place and keep water from flooding the inside of the kayak in the event of a capsize and wet exit. They do a good job increasing buoyancy by reducing the volume of water that can enter a kayak. Unfortunately, they are not very comfortable to paddle in, especially in warm weather. The photo above shows a sea sock that is not currently installed in a kayak.

While many of us may have paddled tandem kayaks (they are commonly used by outfitters on guided trips because of their stability), it is unlikely that you have had an opportunity to practice wet exits and rescues in a tandem. It is also unlikely that you were using sea socks. If you have paddled with a sea sock, please share your experience and your opinions. I'm sure it would be enlightening for the many kayakers who have not had this experience.

It is not easy to find information about how to do rescues in tandem kayaks. Many books on kayaking simply omit the subject. You probably don't know a lot of people who own tandem sea kayaks and who would let you practice rescues with them. Even as an instructor, I have to admit that I was never required to practice or demonstrate tandem rescues as part of my certification in either the British Canoe Union (BCU) or American Canoe Association (ACA) instructor training systems. I did my first tandem rescue practice as part of a YMCA sea kayaking trip that I assisted on in the San Juan Islands back in 1993. I did a few more as part of some pre-trip practice when I was an assistant guide for a trip in the Apostle Islands with Wilderness Inquiry.

I've found only one book that addresses tandem kayak rescues in a meaningful way ("Sea Kayak Rescue" by Roger Schumann & Jan Shriner) and have seen one DVD that spends time demonstrating recovery techniques for tandems ("University of Sea Kayaking-Capsize Recoveries and Rescue Techniques"). Considering the amount of kayaking literature and video out there, that's not much.

Surprisingly, I had two private classes this summer in which the students specifically requested that we practice wet exits and recoveries/rescues in tandem kayaks. If you paddle a tandem kayak in locations where the conditions can get rough enough to capsize a kayak, I would suggest that you do the same. Find an instructor who can work with you to find recovery techniques and equipment modifications that will work with your tandem and make you safer on the water. The group of 4 paddlers in this chapter were very lucky to be in the vicinity of a ferry that was able to offer a rescue. That's not generally something we can count on as a backup plan in the event of a capsize.

There was one other aspect of this incident that I think bears further discussion, and that is the concept of how conditions change when you are in the lee of a land form, or when wind blows with or against a current. Since this topic is large enough for a separate blog, I think I'm going to do just that and address it in my next post. In the meantime, I'm going to borrow a phrase from a friend and fellow kayak instructor, Dick Silberman.

"Paddle safe"

Sherri

Chapter 15 Revisited

2010-09-17T11:10:00.003-05:00

By sheer coincidence, the most recent issue of "Sea Kayaker" magazine (October 2010) has an article written by Saul Kinderis about the ill-fated kayak trip in the San Juan Islands in which his friend, Larry Kaiser, capsized and would most likely have died had he not been wearing Saul's drysuit. This is the same story that George Gronseth writes about in Chapter 15 of "Sea Kayaker: Deep Trouble", "Saved by a Drysuit." Saul gives his description of the story, but perhaps more importantly, he talks about how that incident changed his attitude towards, and philosophy of sea kayaking. In addition to the recent "Sea Kayaker" article, the story was featured as an episode on the Discovery Channel series, "I Shouldn't Be Alive," in 2005. If you haven't seen the program, I have included a link below.

"I Shouldn't Be Alive" episode

Good judgment comes from experience. And our most instructive experiences usually come from surviving episodes of bad judgment. I think it's safe to say that in this case, Saul gained a great deal of good judgment as a result of this experience that involved an incredible amount of bad judgment.

Sherri

Chapter 16: Vanished

2010-08-30T10:30:00.003-05:00

I don't really care to dwell on the issue of the disappearance of the lone kayaker, Bryan Maybee. Certainly, there are things we know about the incident that seem to indicate poor choices on the part of the paddler, but because he disappeared and the body was not recovered, we will never really know for sure what happened. We could speculate, but the possible scenarios could cover everything from being caught in rough water to being abducted by aliens (neither of which can be proved or disproved). So instead, I'd like to focus on the issue of interacting with wildlife on the water.

One of the things that many of us really enjoy about kayaking is the opportunity to observe birds, fish, marine mammals, and many other creatures that are drawn to the waters where we paddle. A satisfying and successful interaction between humans and animals should meet two criteria:

1. The paddler needs to stay safe.
2. The animal should be left safe and undisturbed.

While kayakers do face certain risks from wildlife attacks (great white sharks, bears), in most cases, it is the animals who are more likely to be harmed by encounters with humans.

For the most part, there are only a very few actual laws that govern the actions of people when observing wildlife. In the sidebar article, Chris Amato discusses the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act. The kayakers in the above video are obviously much closer than 100 yards. If you are more than 100 yards away and a marine mammal chooses to come closer to you, you have not violated the MMPA. However, it is considered to be very poor practice to intentionally park yourself directly in the path of the animals knowing that they will need to come very close to you as they pass. You should be setting yourself up in a location which parallels the animals direction of travel.

Here in the Midwest where I paddle, there are practically no marine mammals in our waters. We do need to be aware of some of the endangered species, particularly birds nesting on islands and shores where we might want to land or launch.

However, one other piece of legislation that kayakers should be aware of is the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which makes it unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, or sell birds. It grants full protection to live and dead birds as well as bird parts such as feathers, eggs, and nests. There are currently over 800 birds on this list of protected migratory birds including many that people might personally consider nuisances and pests. When we are kayaking, we should attempt to avoid disturbing birds that are perched on breakwalls, jettties, or on shore, or water birds that are swimming. As mentioned by Chris Amato, every time we disturb a bird or animal requiring it to fly, swim, or otherwise move away from us, we are causing it to use up some of its precious energy reserve that will likely be needed for mating, migrating, hunting, and/or staying warm in a cold climate.

It probably isn't possible to avoid disturbing every single bird (or animal) we see while kayaking, but when you notice larger groups of animals congregated in the water or on shore, it should be our practice to move away from them and give them a wide berth as we pass. If an animal reacts to your presence, you are too close. If you desire a closer look, bring binoculars.

What wildlife experiences have you had in your kayak? What is your general practice when you see animals on or near where you are paddling? Have you ever felt that you were in danger from an animal encounter while kayaking?

Sherri

Chapter 15: Saved by a Drysuit

2010-07-28T11:38:00.002-05:00

I can't stress enough the importance of wearing a drysuit when paddling in cooler water temperatures. I wear mine pretty much any time the water is less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit, when the air temperatures are cold as well, or when I know I'm going to be spending a lot of time in the water getting wet like when teaching rolling or playing in the surf.

I think it is pretty obvious that the two men in this incident had no business being out paddling in this environment with the level of inexperience that they both had. George Gronseth pulls no punches when he recounts all the mistakes that were made by this pair of novices. These two racked up many more mistakes in this story than most of the chapters in this book that end in fatalities, and yet. . . they both survived. Why? Saul was lucky enough to make it to shore, but Larry survived several hours in the water and a cold night marooned on an island thanks to the drysuit he was wearing.

A drysuit is no substitute for developing the kayaking skills, knowledge, and experience needed for paddling in a marine (or Great Lakes) environment. However, skills, knowledge, and experience may not be enough if you end up getting dumped into cold water. A drysuit may seem like a very expensive piece of gear, but it can be really cheap life insurance in the event of an unexpected capsize and swim. I've taken an extended swim in an arctic river and gone swimming in the surf in January on Lake Michigan. I know the value of a drysuit from personal experience.

I'm sharing a couple more YouTube videos that I found showing the difference that wearing a drysuit can make when immersed in very cold water. Do you disagree? Have you ever worn a drysuit? Do you have any personal experiences to share?

Sherri

Chapter 14: Surf Zone Accidents

2010-07-15T18:34:00.002-05:00

A common theme in the two kayak surfing incidents at Kalaloch Beach related in this chapter relate to swimming in through the surf. This is a skill that I don't see very many kayakers practicing, myself included. I have had to do it a couple of times for certification courses and have taken a couple short swims in through the surf over the years, but I have also seen some otherwise very skilled paddlers struggle while trying to swim in to shore in moderate conditions.

This video shows one method for swimming with your boat and paddle, but this would be a dangerous method to use when swimming in towards shore through breaking surf. The kayak should be kept in front of you (closer to shore than you are). A waterlogged kayak being rolled around in the surf can cause lethal injuries if it is slammed into your head or body. I'm not sure a back-stroke such as that being demonstrated would be very effective in the surf even if you weren't towing a kayak. George Gronseth talks about using a feathered paddle to perform a backstroke. In other words, you need to aggressively use your arms (or paddle) to make headway in rough conditions. Also, practicing in a calm pool does not prepare you for swimming in through surf. This video is only useful for showing a recreational kayaker how to swim to shore after capsizing a rec kayak on a calm lake.

Have you tried swimming in through surf? Did you swim with your paddle or did you ditch the paddle? Was this an intentional practice run, or was it after an unintentional capsize and failed re-entry attempt? What are your thoughts on the chapter?

Sherri

Chapter 13: Happy Endings

2010-07-06T08:19:00.002-05:00

Not every incident related in the book, "Sea Kayaker: Deep Trouble" results in a death or serious injury. In this chapter, a whitewater kayaker goes out to assist a sea kayaker in trouble. Although the whitewater paddler was unable to complete the rescue on his own, he was able to signal for help to his wife on shore who contacted the Coast Guard. A nearby fisherman heard the request for assistance that was broadcast by the Coast Guard and came to pick up the swimming sea kayaker. In the second incident related in this chapter, the sea kayakers were able to successfully complete an assisted rescue following a capsize in the clapotis along a breakwall. A third assisted rescue was completed successfully despite the lack of deck lines which made it harder for the swimmer to get back up on the deck of the kayak.

Practically any kayaker who has been paddling for a number of years can relate personal stories of capsizes and rescues that occurred and were successfully completed. Most of these incidents make for interesting story telling later and provide experiences that we can learn from as we move forward. In my twenty-two years of paddling, I have had many such experiences. A capsize into ice cold water ended without serious injury because my son was dressed for the water temperature, nearby paddlers performed a quick rescue, and spare dry clothing and fire-starting materials were close at hand on shore. Many years later, I learned how useful a tow rope can be for retrieving a kayak that blew away from my friend following a capsize. Although it was winter on Lake Michigan, my friend was in a drysuit and was wearing his PFD. Kayak and paddler were quickly reunited without further incident. On a sunny warm day, a paddle snapped in half while a teenager was making a crossing between island on Lake Huron in one-foot swells. We grabbed the spare paddle and quickly continued the crossing.

What experiences have you had on the water that ended happily? What did you learn from them? Did you make any changes as a result of the experience?

Sherri

Chapter 12: Double Fatality in Prince William Sound

2010-06-17T11:22:00.004-05:00

One of the things that I have always liked about the sport of sea kayaking is that there is so much to learn, so many skills to master and such a wide knowledge base to comprehend. Besides learning how to perform the strokes, braces, rolls, and rescues, you need to become an expert in navigation, weather forecasting, hydrology and wave formation, geography, first aid and human physiology, survival skills, group psychology, handling stressful situations, and the list could go on and on. There are a lifetime of skills to learn and improve upon.

In chapter 12, we see the tragic results of a kayaking trip that was attempted by a group of almost complete novices who were lacking adequate skills and knowledge for all but the most benign paddling conditions. They were at least cognizant of the fact that they did not have a lot of skill and experience and seemingly had planned an appropriate trip, but when the boat captain who was going to pick them up had to make changes to the plan, the group failed to realize that they were not up to the challenges that this would create.

While the list of safety gear that was carried by the group was inadequate, in my opinion, it was mostly the lack of skill paddling in following seas and the inability to anticipate the wave patterns that were likely to develop that really caused the two deaths. Having better immersion clothing may have given the two victims more time to swim to shore after their capsize, but had the group recognized the danger early they would have stayed off the water in the first place.

In a sidebar article about "Paddling in Wind", Matt Broze correctly notes that paddling in a following sea is one of the trickiest conditions that paddlers face. It is even worse for beginners who lack experience handling these conditions. Broaching is likely and the need for bracing skills is extremely high.

In this video you can see how quickly the paddler goes from surfing towards shore to being turned sideways. And because he does not quickly edge his kayak toward the wave along with a strong brace into the wave, he gets rolled over into a capsize. This particular paddler knows how to roll, but the paddlers in the story did not and so found themselves in the water once their boats went over.

In this second video, notice how the paddler leans into the wave with a brace when he gets turned sideways preventing him from getting rolled over towards the shore. The shorter surf kayak that he is using is less prone to a full broach than the longer sea kayak in the first video, but the sea kayaker could have used the same skills to avoid getting knocked over by that first wave.

Two things come to mind as I read this chapter, things that I often tell my beginning sea kayak students:
1. It's hard to know how much you don't know when you are first getting started.
2. It's better to be on shore wishing you were on the water, than to be on the water wishing you were on shore.

What thoughts do you have after reading this chapter?

Sherri

Chapter 11: Run In With A Great White

2010-06-11T10:43:00.003-05:00

Ken Kelton and Mike Chin went out to kayak near Ano Nuevo Island along the California coast between San Francisco and Santa Cruz. Paddling among the seals and sea lions that congregate in this area, Ken's kayak was attacked by a great white shark. The shark bit all the way through the back of the boat and punctured one of the float bags. Luckily he stayed upright and after the shark discovered that Ken's kayak wasn't a tasty seal and left, Ken and Mike were able to paddle to a nearby beach before the damaged kayak filled with water and sank.

Shark attacks are relatively rare, but if you want to try to avoid an encounter like this, you need to be thinking of things from the shark's perspective. Great white sharks eat fish and seals, and anything else they can find swimming around in the water. If you decide to paddle around areas with a lot of potential shark food, you are at greater risk of being attacked, especially when you consider that a kayak with paddle blades splashing on either side of the hull looks a lot like a swimming seal from below.

When doing some searching on the internet for shark attacks on kayaks, it was not surprising to me that most of the incidents I found on YouTube were related to people fishing out of kayaks. Not only do the kayaks sometimes look like prey, but the bait and the fish that the fishermen are trying to catch are also probably attractive to the sharks.

I'm not ready to give up kayaking in the ocean because there might be sharks, but it is worth thinking about what paddlers can do to reduce their risk. Historically, the number of shark attacks worldwide is still relatively low when compared to other dangers in our lives. But as we deplete the sharks' food source with pollution and overfishing, it's not surprising that they may go after anything that looks even remotely like a meal.

Have you had any personal encounters with sea life that left you feeling a bit scared? Are you concerned about sharks or any other dangerous wildlife when you go kayaking? Have you taken any specific precautions to reduce your risk? Please share!

Sherri

Chapter 10: The Phantom Barge

2010-06-01T20:50:00.003-05:00

Alison Armstrong writes this chapter of the book about an incident that she and a friend experienced while sailing their kayak on the Hudson River in New York after dark. Their kayak was run down by a barge that seemed to come out of nowhere.

Notice how quiet the barge in the video is, how fast the vessel is moving, and how far back the pilot house is from the front of the barge.

In the next video, take a look at the wall of water in front of the barge, and how big this raft of six barges is. It would be very difficult for the captain of the tug pushing the barges to see anything as small as a kayaker.

It's also important to remind paddlers that we do not have the right of way over a barge. In this case, we are not the vessel having less ability to maneuver. In the story by Alison Armstrong, she and her friend, Ken were in a shipping channel. Kayaks in a busy shipping channel is the equivalent of riding a tricycle on the freeway. Add to that the fact that this happened at night when visibility was limited even more. Alison and Ken had running lights and illuminated their sail with a marine flashlight. The barge in the story may have been operating illegally, but would that have been much consolation to anyone had Alison and/or Ken ended up dead in the accident?

What are your thoughts about paddling at night? Kayak sailing? Paddling in areas of large boat traffic? What experiences have you had?

Sherri

"Chapter 9: Rough Passages" and a Modern Tragedy

2010-05-19T13:31:00.003-05:00

I just became aware of two kayaking fatalities near Portland, Maine. As it happens, the next chapter of "Sea Kayaker, Deep Trouble" also deals with a fatality. "Chapter 9: Rough Passages" relates the story of David Kelley, age 26, who died in 1987. The story I read in "The Portland Press Herald" is about 2 young women, Irina McEntee and Carissa Ireland, who were found dead after being reported overdue from a kayak outing on Casco Bay on May 16, 2010.

In both cases, there are no witnesses who can give us a definitive account of what led to the deaths. Perhaps nothing short of staying on shore would have saved any of these three young people. However, it is apparent that there were some big strikes against all of them once they decided to set out on their trips. The water temperature in Rosario Strait in 1987 was around 45 degrees. The water in Casco Bay in 2010 was about 46 degrees. All three were wearing PFD's, but none of the three paddlers was dressed for immersion in such cold water. None of them was wearing a wetsuit, let alone a drysuit. It does not appear that any of them were equipped with the means to summon help.

At this point, the two stories diverge. The sea conditions for David Kelley were extremely bad, but he had a kayak that was suited for open water paddling and had practiced solo rescues, at least in a pool. There was evidence that he attempted to rescue himself at least once. On the other hand, the two young women in Maine were using kayaks that should not have been out on open water, even in the relatively mild 1-foot seas that were encountered last Sunday. The kayak models were not identified in the story, but were described as being "12-foot". There isn't any kayak of that length that belongs on the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Even with practice, it is really not possible to perform reliable rescues with short, recreational kayaks. At this time, it is not known if the women had tried to perform any rescues.

In my mind, there is reason to believe that all three of the kayakers had a false sense of security that betrayed them and ultimately cost them their lives. David Kelley had been paddling for two years, had paddled the boat he was using several times in the past, learned how to roll in a pool in just 15 minutes, and had practiced his rescues successfully in a pool. Irina McEntee and Carissa Ireland were making a 1-mile crossing from the summer home of McEntee's family. The McEntee family had been coming to their summer home for 10 years and it was reported that the whole family liked to kayak. I suspect that this family had been using these kayaks for several years and since most recreational kayaks give a strong feeling of stability in calm conditions, Irina was emboldened to take her friend out on an ill-advised open water crossing assuming that nothing bad could happen.

At this point, I think that we can safely say that no matter what the problem was that occurred last Sunday off the coast of Maine, the women and their kayaks were not equipped to handle it. If you wish to dispute the following assertion on my part, there is a comment section for this blog and I welcome the opportunity to discuss this point. Most paddlers do not have a death wish and are not actively seeking to take excessive risk (although this may have been an attraction for David Kelley, we don't know). However, a lack of experience, instruction, and knowledge is usually to blame when someone finds themselves struggling to survive a dangerous situation. Many people buy recreational kayaks at big box stores where they receive absolutely no information on the need for training and additional safety gear. I would encourage you to read the blog post by Willi Gutmann about the dangers of buying recreational kayaks at places other than paddle sports stores.

Do you disagree? I'm not a fan of legislating safety, but how do we help to prevent the sport of kayaking from getting a bad reputation as a result of incidents like the ones in "Sea Kayaker-Deep Trouble" or the accident in Maine? Your thoughts?

Sherri

Chapter 8: Long Swims

2010-05-08T16:05:00.003-05:00

Are you prepared to spend a long time in the water when you go kayaking? Richard Hudson had no intentions of spending any time in the water as he was finishing up his 1,700-mile trip down the Yukon River in 1986. He had just 40 miles to go to get to Nome where he planned to end the trip when he got hit broadside by a breaking wave and was knocked over. He managed to brace back up but got knocked over again before deciding to wet exit.

Richard was pretty well prepared with gear and had quite a bit of paddling experience, but still found himself swimming in 45-degree water in a remote location. Without getting into what he might have done differently to avoid finding himself in this situation, I think the important question we all need to ask ourselves is "How would I handle having to swim in 45-degree (or just cold) water if I was unable to re-enter my kayak?" (And believe me, there are plenty of reasons why even the most skilled paddler might find him/herself in the water unable to get back into a kayak.)

Have you gone swimming in the clothing that you paddle in? What were you wearing? How long were you in the water? How cold was the water?

If you don't know what to wear, I suggest you read my blog posts on "Dressing for Paddling - Parts 1, 2, & 3" on my website, www.SherriKayaks.com.

If you haven't taken the time to test out your cold water paddling gear by taking an intentional swim, now is a good time (at least here in the upper Midwest). The water is still pretty cold, but the air temperature is a little more moderate. Take your swim near shore and time how long you can stay in the water before you start to get too cold. Make sure you have a warm building or car to go into when you're done. It would also be a good idea to have someone standing by on shore to keep an eye on you just in case. Let's hear your results.

Sherri