Shay and I went out on the Columbia River for a nice, long, 11 mile paddle yesterday. It was the first warm (73F!), sunny day we have had yet in Portland, and even though the water is still around 45 degrees, I could not resist getting wet. It was actually quite nice not having all the fishing gear on the boat; It gave me a chance to use my kayak for kayaking instead of fishing.
One of the things I enjoy most about paddling a sea kayak is the addition of the third dimension. Wave play and rolling take the two dimensional experience of paddling to the three dimensional experience of boating. At any rate, I enjoy practicing self, and assisted rescues/re-entries.
When I was watching Paul's big scene in the Eastern Horizons movie, he successfully spun around in a massive whirlpool and recovered, only to be pulled and held down further downstream in the tidal race in the Bay of Fundy. He ended up having to bail out of his boat, but before Brian could paddle to him and execute a rescue, Paul had re-entered and rolled.
I realized what a valuable skill the re-enter and roll technique is. If a hazard, such as breaking waves on rocks was approaching faster than your rescuer, getting back in your boat quickly on your own is a must.
I had done this a few times in the past, but I had not practiced it in a while, so I thought I would give it a go:
Although the Columbia is no Bay of Fundy, it is still good practice, and I found it quite an easy way to get back in the boat. I had the boat upside down for 12 seconds before attempting the re-entry, so the actual time it took to climb in and roll up was less than 4 seconds. The 16 seconds that the camera is underwater seem like an eternity, but if you think about the fact that humans can hold their breath for 2 or 3 minutes before they pass out, it is doable to be underwater that long.
In reality a roll is the best rescue technique. It puts you back in control of the kayak quickly. If you are wearing a spray skirt, there will be little, if any water in the cockpit, so no need to spend time and energy bailing water. Also, you spend very little time submerged, so your exposure to cold water and hypothermia is vastly reduced. Rolling also alleviates the need to jeopardize the safety of your paddling partners by having them execute a rescue.
Getting comfortable with your head underwater takes a little bit of getting used to, but I do find it good practice for learning to control fear and panic. Sculling for support is a great way to get familiar with the secondary stability of a kayak. The more I practice this technique, the easier it is to roll.
I tried my first hand roll quite unsuccessfully. I realize now that I need more hip snap and less hand action to right the boat without a paddle. I took the predictable wet exit as an opportunity for Shay to practice her T-rescue, and she got me back in the boat in no time.
After playing in the water for a bit, we paddled past social security beach, where dozens of families were enjoying the sun. Looking for a more private spot to relax, we decided to keep paddling down river.
Later in the day Shay and I saw three volleyball nets strung up on the beach on Sauvie Island. From a distance, we spotted about 150 people partying and playing volleyball. As we got closer, we realized it was the nude beach. It was quite a sight to see. I did not realize what a big deal it was, and I can't imagine how huge it will be in the summer with 90 degree temps.
We decided this was not our scene, and crossed the river over to Bachelor Island on the Washington side, where we landed on a nice beach we had all to ourselves. We basked in the sun, lying on the beach like a couple of sea lions, before paddling back upriver at sunset. It was a very good day.
I'll be back out fishing for spring salmon this coming Thursday and Friday, trolling with herring. I'm hoping to see the salmon coming in by the thousands!
Until then,
Jason
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