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stories:storms_2010
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| 3. If the SE wind is blowing, that area outside of Chuckanut Bay becomes very technical. If the SW wind is blowing, the cliffs both north and south of Chuckanut Bay become technical. These areas are where 99% of the mishaps happen. | 3. If the SE wind is blowing, that area outside of Chuckanut Bay becomes very technical. If the SW wind is blowing, the cliffs both north and south of Chuckanut Bay become technical. These areas are where 99% of the mishaps happen. | ||
| - | 4. Leashes, Leashes, and Leashes. This summer I started using two leashes: one ankle to boat and one paddle to boat. Don't trust one leash. I broke my paddle leash almost two years ago and swam for the railroad tracks. Shit happens. Wear two leashes. (//Ed. Note - In contrast to Larry's otherwise sound advise, this one is questionable. Having a paddle leash? No problem, but two leashes to your boat is asking for tangles. There is no reason for one leash to boat to be inadequate if you get a bomb proof leash - see [[:safety_leashes|]]// ) | + | 4. Leashes, Leashes, and Leashes. This summer I started using two leashes: one ankle to boat and one paddle to boat. Don't trust one leash. I broke my paddle leash almost two years ago and swam for the railroad tracks. Shit happens. Wear two leashes. (//Ed. Note - In contrast to Larry's otherwise sound advise, this one is questionable (probably just outdated). Having a paddle leash? No problem, but two leashes both attached to your boat is not necessary or advisable (entanglement). There is no reason for one leash to boat to be inadequate if you get a bomb proof leash (they do exist) - see [[:safety_leashes|]]// ) |
| 5. Can you remount in any conditions? If you can't answer this question, then you can't. You need to pick an area near shore that gets very mixed up and make a few attempts. Like off the drydock in a SW wind. I found my remounting skills in San Francisco bay 5 years ago. I was just off Pt. Bonita. This is much worse than I will ever experience in Bellingham. Another great testing ground is 'The Gorge'. If you can paddle Swell City on a big day, you can paddle most anywhere. Great thing about the gorge is warm water and a bank on each side of you. | 5. Can you remount in any conditions? If you can't answer this question, then you can't. You need to pick an area near shore that gets very mixed up and make a few attempts. Like off the drydock in a SW wind. I found my remounting skills in San Francisco bay 5 years ago. I was just off Pt. Bonita. This is much worse than I will ever experience in Bellingham. Another great testing ground is 'The Gorge'. If you can paddle Swell City on a big day, you can paddle most anywhere. Great thing about the gorge is warm water and a bank on each side of you. | ||
| - | 6. Can you call for help? If your buddy gets into trouble, can you call for someone to save him? Is your calling device waterproof or water resistant or neither? A great test is to try calling out and listening to your radio in 50 mph winds with waves crashing nearby (Post Point). I find that it is near impossible to hear what is coming out of my radio. Now I use a VHS with GPS. It has a special button. Push it and it calls the Coast Guard and requests that they come save my ass and where they can find my ass. No need for me to speak. | + | 6. Can you call for help? If your buddy gets into trouble, can you call for someone to save him? Is your calling device waterproof or water resistant or neither? A great test is to try calling out and listening to your radio in 50 mph winds with waves crashing nearby (Post Point). I find that it is near impossible to hear what is coming out of my radio. Now I use a VHS with GPS. It has a special button (Ed **//if your VHF radio has [[:emergency_signal_devices#dsc|DSC]] and you have input your MMSI number//** ). Push it and it calls the Coast Guard and requests that they come save my ass and where they can find my ass. No need for me to speak. |
| 7. Clothing. You are not racing, you are storm paddling. Don't dress like you are afraid of overheating. Dress like you are going swimming in the bay. From experience, I can swim for probably 25 to 30 minutes. However, after that period of time, my hands and feet are so cold that I can't feel them. You can't hold a paddle or feel your foot pedals when this happens. Balancing a boat becomes way more difficult. | 7. Clothing. You are not racing, you are storm paddling. Don't dress like you are afraid of overheating. Dress like you are going swimming in the bay. From experience, I can swim for probably 25 to 30 minutes. However, after that period of time, my hands and feet are so cold that I can't feel them. You can't hold a paddle or feel your foot pedals when this happens. Balancing a boat becomes way more difficult. | ||
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| 1. It's not summer any more and yesterday was a mild to moderate day of storm paddling. If it looks good at one point , it can change moments later for a brief period of time, it you can't handle those changes, you shouldn't be on the water. My baseline is don't consider going out in a small craft advisory day if you're not at the standard of feeling OK at Swell City when that's going off - and then still consider what's all going on. Have all the good gear and safety stuff is good, but does not replace gear and good judgment. | 1. It's not summer any more and yesterday was a mild to moderate day of storm paddling. If it looks good at one point , it can change moments later for a brief period of time, it you can't handle those changes, you shouldn't be on the water. My baseline is don't consider going out in a small craft advisory day if you're not at the standard of feeling OK at Swell City when that's going off - and then still consider what's all going on. Have all the good gear and safety stuff is good, but does not replace gear and good judgment. | ||
| - | 2. I think it's up to us as a group to say something to folks when you feel the situation is not Kosher. I'm not saying tie their boat back down and be confrontational, but say something, at least that starts a conversation or thought process. I was involved in a whitewater accident a number of years ago in which nobody in the group told the individual in question that the conditions on this day were not right. After 30min of failed rescue and putting the other paddlers at risk trying to attempt the rescue, we had to call it and wait 5 hours for the water to drop for body recovery. I walked away from that experience having learned it's better to say something in action sports when a bad outcome is possible to prevent. Not going out on big days is a good call if you're not ready, and there are days that that this is true for everyone. | + | 2. I think it's up to us as a group to say something to folks when you feel the situation is not Kosher. I'm not saying tie their boat back down and be confrontational, but say something, at least that starts a conversation or thought process. I was involved in a whitewater accident a number of years ago in which nobody in the group told the individual in question that the conditions on this day were not right. After 30min of failed rescue and putting the other paddlers at risk trying to attempt the rescue, we had to call it and wait 5 hours for the water to drop for body recovery. I walked away from that experience having learned it's better to say something in action sports when a bad outcome is possible to prevent. Not going out on big days is a good call if you're not ready, and there are days that this is true for everyone. |
| - | 3. I moved here right after the local surf ski death, and working in the ER and am reminded of it frequently. I'd saying the surf ski reputation in the community as a whole has improved since the time I moved here, but it we continue to have close calls and bad situations, our sport will suffer in many ways. | + | 3. I moved here right after the local surf ski death, and working in the ER and am reminded of it frequently. I'd say the surf ski reputation in the community as a whole has improved since the time I moved here, but it we continue to have close calls and bad situations, our sport will suffer in many ways. |
| - | I think he need we as a group need to do a better job of preventing bad situations if we want to continue to enjoy out sport and have it grow. | + | I think <del>he need</del> we as a group need to do a better job of preventing bad situations if we want to continue to enjoy out sport and have it grow. |
| DJ | DJ | ||
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