Friday, December 4, 2009

wind and waves and sharks

There have been some sightings of sharks on our beach near the warm water of the power station. We have gone looking for them a few times this last week and some have seen them.Unluckily I have not and thus there are no photos to prove their existance, but the word is that they are about 3 m long. Will keep a lookout just in case.


Today there was supposed to be 2m seas and strong winds, well it never happened, the sea was only about 1.5m and there was no wind so we had a leisurly paddle out, played slalom through the huge pylons and ran back with the swells and then went to play in the waves.

Seems like we play a lot in the waves. Well yes, whenever we can.

How can I describe the excitement of surfing a kayak in large waves, you sit out there and wait for the right one to come along, then you paddle like mad to catch it before it breaks and then you fight to stay aligned and in control, all the while this mass of water is trying to separate you from your kayak.

Sometimes you win and sometimes the sea wins.Either you manage to roll up and try again or if you have come out of your boat you need a rescue.

Whatever happens it`s always a lot of fun.

The better you get in the waves the better you can cope with big seas, so far from just playing there is a lot of skill learned which is vital to your progress as a kayaker.
Kayak surfing is highly recommended.Best to start in small surf and then work your way up to bigger waves. Also it is vital to have a good roll.

2 comments:

Silbs said...

Surfing is something we don't get to do much of here on Lake Michigan. The waves are very close together and often break early. The few times I have caught a real rolling wave was one of the most exhilarating experiences I've had in a kayak. I need someone to teach me to surf as I did not feel in control at the time.

Unknown said...

so thats another thing to put on our to do list when you come for a visit