Do you have questions? Kayaking? Rafting? Hydrodynamics? Politics? Biology?
Do you just think I'm full of it? Doesn't matter. I have the answers. Email me at otterboy at kayakcult.com
Where do I find some sweet big green waves? I wanna surf them on a surfboard. Skook is
the obvious answer but the run-out below sounds a little gnarly for my
liking. Any other
suggestions?
Dave, Vancouver, BC
Try The Frog on the Thompson. It comes in at medium and low levels, so it may be another month before it's ready.
Beyond that there is great surfing on Vancouver Island. Long Beach, Wickaninnish
Beach, and others all provide great surfing if the weather is right. Also,poke around the British Columbia Surfing
Association website.
How do I get comfortable in and around holes?
Getting comfortable around intimidating river features will greatly improve
your confidence and paddling skills. Of course, that's easier said than done.
Here are tips for dealing with holes.
Remember that most holes are not keepers. Tales of paddlers being recirculated
in giant holes make for good campfire stories, but truly monstrous holes from
which there is no escape without a rope rescue are rare.
If you end up somewhere you don't want to be, relax and remember that if you keep your head you can get
out. Obviously this statement needs a lot of qualification - Even Class III
runs can have large holes -- particularly at high water (think Lunch Hole on the
Skykomish). However, the majority of the time, even large holes will not keep
you.
Good paddling technique (lean forward/paddle hard) and a solid boof will
keep you out of a lot of trouble. You can often power and/or finesse your way
past a hole if you don't freeze up. The key is to never stop paddling if you
know you are headed for a hole.
Take up playboating. Nothing builds skills and
confidence around holes like jumping into one in a low-risk situation. If you're
used to maintaining boat control in the chaotic environment of a play hole,
you'll know what to do if you accidently drop into a large hole on a more
difficult run.
What is the best strategy for improving my ability to read the water?
Focus on proper paddling technique. Lean forward and paddle aggressively.
Many paddlers get off line when they freeze up and forget the fundamentals.
Look at the line, not the obstacle. As often as not what you think is a problem reading water
is actually a matter of looking at the wrong thing. Whether skiing, biking or paddling, you tend to go where you are looking.
Are you dealing with an obvious line between two intimidating holes?
Look at the line, not the holes. That's where you'll go.
In the same vein, missing an obstacle by an inch is the same as missing it by a mile.
Don't let yourself get thrown off balance because you almost got stuck in a hole or hung up on a log.
Keep focused on the line, and remember your basic paddling technique.
Develop a solid roll. If you know you can recover even if you get offline and flip, you'll be much more willing and
able to tackle challenging lines.
