I visited Maine and was impressed by the tides. Even though tidal influence is less significant in the mid Atlantic area, generally ranging about 1.2 ft, the current can definitely change conditions.
When I think or tides I think of current and flow. When I think of an inlet restricted by a tight channel, I think of elevation as the tide ebbs and floods. The reason is because the body of water behind the restriction is a higher elevation. The water cascades out to the lower level like rapids on a river. ends up higher above sea level elevationThat’s the reason I monitor speed. In that case, it is in fact a higher evation, because you must paddle upstream into the flow.
I mean the diff between high and low tides. The narrower the space and the bigger the tide range, the greater the velocity.
And honestly, if you are training at places like Deception Pass you are immediately in the zone of needing to at least start on a roll as part of your early work. I assume they will be working on the slack and/or within a highly protected area with new paddlers. Otherwise the class will turn into an exercise of the students watching the coaches retrieve yet another capsized paddler. By 7 knots of current you need as much white water as long boat skills to avoid getting knocked over.
But that region is a poster child for working towards a roll. Having skills towards a roll even if not reliable yet makes getting to the edge of these kinds of conditions much this less fraught. If nothing else you will hold onto your paddle. Lose it in current like that and you will have to go out and get a new one.
US Harbors has tide charts for every harbor in the US. You can join and get them to print in color, print out a less pretty version or get them online. Also available by going to the Marine information section of NOAA forecasts. If you are paddling in that area make these resources as much of your weather check as the temperature.
There’s a launch over on the east end of that screenshot by Cornet Bay. I’m guessing it is calmer over there, and we will surely time it to be in the more calm period.
Celia, the only reason I can think for them to take us to Deception Pass, a place that features in one of the videos posted in roym’s recent rolling thread as an example of playing in serious conditions, is to educate us on the power of the sea. Also it has jaw-dropping scenery, and if it’s reasonably clear you can see Mt. Baker pretty nicely to the east.
I guess if you’re a paddler that has been all over the world and faced all sorts of conditions, and are generally a thrill seeker type, the challenge at Deception Pass during a peak ebb/flood would be inviting and thrilling. That’s what then keeps you sea kayaking!
If someone gets to the point of completely losing their marbles, they can go to Saltstraumen, Norway and paddle there. 20+ knots tidal current at times
Here’s another nice video about Deception Pass, with more shots of the beauty and explanation of the place:
Never thought of it that way. Just need to fully understand the cycles. I like tides (not that extreme), because you can use them like a jet stream, or just deal with them.
Yeah and even though the one guy has a roll, the whirlpool grabbed him and spinned him and such. Definitely not for the faint of heart. Bowman Bay where they start the video is another candidate for where we’ll be in the skills course.
It is very fresh, peaceful and relaxing. Plus you never know what you will run into.
Monterey Bay 8, 2017. There were so many I was near the boat for safety.
I’ve been kayaking since about 1993 when I joined the Sebago Canoe Club. Took a few lessons, had access to “club boats”, then bought my own kayak. I just love being in nature and enjoy the silence and slow speed through marshes with herons and egrets staring back at me. Now I’ve got a FG Current Design Caribou and a Kevlar Looksha IV for camping. Live in Virginia Beach, just a few blocks from the Chesapeake Bay. Just so beautiful here but you’ve got to get weather report beforehand so you know WHERE to paddle and for HOW LONG!! Must wear your PFD and bring a small waterproof VHF radio and water. I’m an offshore sailor (USCG Master 100 ton license) and still have a lot of living to do…safely on the water!
NWOC won’t have you folks in anything like that. There will be some current and you folks will probably play around Canoe Pass in something closer to 4 kts, which is plenty for the work you will be doing. Eddy turns, peel in, peel out, assisted rescues, stuff like that. Heck they could take you below the locks on an ebb and you could get some work in.
Bowman Bay is apparently a significant aspect of the final day. Body, Boat, Blade uses the same area for classes, I checked their website. Also, NWOC delayed the class by two weeks due to an elephant seal in the bay giving birth, so as to respect the family’s territory
Canoe Pass would be fun though! I have seen some kayakers hanging out around there when I went to the area.
I’ve been a water child since the 3rd grade. Almost always had a boat of some sort though there was a ton of Huck Finn-style rafting in Portage and Union Bays. Today I live about 15 minutes from a number of freshwater put-ins and 15-20 minutes from good launches on Puget Sound.
There are a lot of people who paddle around here but I mostly go alone. I like to find spots / features where there is interesting water and just play, observe or work on various strokes. Most of the folks I know are more interested in going Point-A to Point-B and unless I’m someplace really neat (like Canada) I get bored with that and they get bored with my park and play, so I’m mostly solo. Years back I spent 90 nonconsecutive days working on rough water skills in Shilshole Bay that I felt I needed in order to paddle a 20 mile stretch of BC coast with an acceptable level of risk. I keep paddling locally so that more of the BC Coast will be open for me to explore. Does that make sense?
The reasons that I find BC so compelling is remoteness, history and wildlife. I stopped at a midden beach to rest once and climbed up into the forest where there was a large tree that had fallen over exposing its roots. I was about 40 feet above the water and the root ball was packed with broken shells. Here I was at a deserted beach where First Nations had spent time for thousands of years and created a midden that had once been at the water’s edge but through isostatic rebound had lifted up 40 feet above sea level.
On my last trip I was following a steep rocky shoreline near Addenbroke Island. I was about 15 feet out from the rock when suddenly a Humpback floated up about the same distance away and sort of pinned me between him/her and the island. I had to stop. We just sat there and looked at each other. I realized that I was probably safe if I stayed put so I didn’t try to move. I opened a Probar and ate it while we watched each other and I talked to him. After about 15 minutes I decided that I needed to get to my next camp site and asked if I could go. No response just more looking at each other. I finally tapped on the sides of my boat and he/she gently sounded with tail in the air and I was free to go.
I also think that it is pretty darn cool to go to sleep on a beach where there are Wolves knowing that they won’t bother me and will keep me safe from Brown Bears.
You sure nailed the hoops we jump through to safely go sea kayaking. It certainly is a sport with a lot of gear, and the more you push the envelope, the more gear and skill you need to have a reasonable margin of safety. What keeps me going is that the joy of being out on the water far outweighs the hassle.
Flatwater kayaking with a cheap rec boat is a deceptively easy sport to get into, but it also can have a very hard and unforgiving edge if things go wrong. And there are many hazards, few of which LOOK dangerous.
Take cold water, my area of expertise. You don’t have to have a drysuit. You can wear a wetsuit instead. But if the water is cold and you don’t wear any thermal protection, then the sport is extremely dangerous - I mean potentially lethal if you happen capsize. Without a PFD, cold water paddling can best be described as suicidal. BTW - none of the dead paddlers I read about on a regular basis thought they were going to die on that final paddle. I invite you to visit our website www.coldwatersafety.org. Also, here’s a video link: https://vimeo.com/529139413.
Do some people paddle for years on cold water without any protection and get away with it? Sure they do. Just like people bike without helmets or drive without seat belts. But we all know that “stuff” happens. The real question is whether you’re prepared in case things go wrong.
Plenty of paddlers get into “situations” that never make the news because they were skilled enough and /or prepared to handle the situation themselves without the need for outside help. How many times do we hear about “overly prepared” paddlers getting into trouble?
It’s good to know. I have previously read your entire website and find it informative. The cost of a dry suit has felt prohibitive so far especially since I’m not sure how deep into the sport I will get yet. Wetsuit pieces seem like a nice way to start for now.
The only missing piece for me are statistics and analysis of relative risk compared to other sports or activities. I have heard of people dying in innumerable ways throughout my life. Can the rate of tragic outcome by cold shock or hypothermia be presented that shows it as having a significant probability of occurrence. Seeing the rate of incidence compared with the number of kayakers going on the water, and comparing it to skiing, hiking, biking, or other common activities.
Also, how much does each safety step cut risk? And can the tips be simplified to significantly cut risk while increasing the number of paddlers that follow them? A simple message can stick better sometimes. Seatbelts and helmets I find more easy to understand and adopt than all the clothing details and other things involved in kayak safety.
Just food for thought. Still the work you are doing is admirable.
