I learned with my eyes open in a pool so I continued when I hit fresh or salt water. First surprise night roll was interesting.
Either way works for me but it’s more interesting hanging out upside down in a clear ocean.
The ocean…
…doesn’t burn your nose either.
eyes closed
Lots of circumstances make eyes open not work. Eyes closed is not harder.
I have no choice
Closed. I wear contact lenses and glasses get on the way of paddling for my taste. So, I learned to roll with eyes closed and sometimes I squint a little when I get disoriented to see light and know for sure I am in position.
Closed
Never have liked opening my eyes underwater and the lakes/rivers I paddle on are so muddy it wouldn’t matter anyway.
Seems more practical too.
Alan
generally closed
I generally roll with eyes closed
open
I practice rolls with my eyes open, and I tend to do what I practice.
Also, people differ on how they perceive vertical. Some rely on balance signals from the inner ear. Others, including me, rely on visual ques. I may need to have my eyes open to know where up is.
Maybe I could change if I was in very gooey water.
~~Chip
One open one closed
Doesn’t matter
I don’t think it matters whether one rolls with eyes open or closed. I tend to roll with eyes open - it seems to help my orientation and I like seeing. If the water is not clean or is very cold I close my eyes.
Always Closed
– Last Updated: Jan-29-11 6:06 AM EST –
I've never rolled with my eyes open. My buddy will put his sunglasses on for rolling 'cause the light hurts his eyes when he surfaces.
Now, what about sex?
– Last Updated: Jan-29-11 11:53 AM EST –
depends
on who you are with.
Reinterpreting some responses…
If I can take the liberty of paraphrasing some of the previous posters to respond to this “revised” question…
OP: “I learned with my eyes open, first surprise night roll (in the hay?) was interesting.”
Dr Disco: “Lots of circumstances make eyes open not work.”
Gilh: “My glasses get on the way for my taste. So, I learned with eyes closed and sometimes I squint a little when I get disoriented to see light and know for sure I am in position.”
booztalkin: “I practice with my eyes open, and I tend to do what I practice.”
wilsoj2: “I tend do it with eyes open - it seems to help my orientation and I like seeing.”
Kudzu: “My buddy will put his sunglasses on 'cause the light hurts his eyes when he comes up for air.”
yep
ditto
Closed
Automatic response, lifelong, when I am under water my eyes shut. But I learned to swim and do my really poor dives that way too, so my orientation isn’t dependent on seeing. If I lose track of where I am under the kayak I can reach out to feel, but for the most part if my body is locked in OK I know where things are. And of course I tend to be picky about things like skirt loops are made, since I am finding that by feel.
The one downside of this is that, when learning (or relearning a roll over the winter) in a pool, I have to remember to not take advantage of the goggles that I wear to keep the chlorine out of my eyes. It is pretty unbearable after a little bit.
Just learning
But, can’t help but open my eyes when I’m underwater. It’s almost instinctive.
one eye open, one closed
Salty,
Do you alternate eyes on subsequent rolls?
Dave
open/closed
I set up with my eyes open, I like looking up at the light and seeing the paddle up there, but sometime after that I close them, it’s not a conscious thing but I always roll up with my eyes closed and open them up after my head is out of the water. I can do the whole roll with my eyes closed or in the dark, but I’m a lot more comfortable seeing that light up there and knowing I’m set up in the right direction.
learned to roll staring at the paddle
When I was learning, I found that if I watched the paddle blade the entire roll, it made me keep my head in the water until the last of the roll. I used goggles, and recommend it as an aid to learning a roll. Most of us, as soon as we are half up, we listen to our instinct to get our head up and breath some air. By concentrating on the blade of your paddle, you keep your head in the water longer.
~~Chip
Hah !