Everything changes
Kaleidoscope turns, the world
Is still so lovely
-Nancy Soares
Everything changes. Over the last 40 years the Tsunami Rangers have evolved, both as individuals and as a team. Eric Soares and Jim Kakuk got the idea for the team in the early 80’s while kayak camping. At that time the concept of a rough water sea kayaking team was a brand new thing.
They met other paddlers. Some of them clicked, and the team surged into being. They went on retreat to remote destinations. They made videos. They attended sea kayak symposia. They wrote articles, and two books on rough water sea kayaking. TR John Lull produced Sea Kayaking Safety and Rescue, a classic text and essential guide for beginning through expert sea kayakers. They started a rough water sea kayak race that lasted for over 30 years. People came and went. Retreat locations changed. The race ended. First Misha died, then Eric. The team survived.
Now we’re older. Jim has found paradise with his partner Patti Sinclair in Guerneville, CA. Deb is our captain, mentor extraordinaire, and a hero to upcoming paddlers as well as the founder of Surf Sirens, a women-only surf camp held annually at Hobuck Beach on the Makah reservation at the top of the Olympic Peninsula in WA. John Lull plays sax, and runs out to Pillar Pt. to surf occasionally when it looks good from his house in El Granada, CA. Don Kiesling is a top notch surf ski racer who rubs elbows with the likes of Oscar Chalupsky and hand crafts rudders that are sold all over the world from his home in Hood River, OR.
I mention these Rangers in particular because they’re the stars of some of the photos featured in this retrospective. These days due to the advent of the internet and the evolution of technology and sea kayaking itself, you can see many feats of skill and courage by kayakers on the waves, but back in the day the Rangers were the few and the proud, and a lot of people thought they were crazy.
Featured also are two rare photos, one of Andy Taylor and one of Steve Sinclair (RIP), both of Force 10, a storm sea kayaking team based in Elk, CA, on the Mendocino coast. Meeting Steve was a seminal moment for Eric, and Steve and Andy both became friends of the Rangers. We hope you enjoy these photos, chosen for their moody atmosphere and big waves.
We hope you enjoyed this retrospective. These photos represent most of the original members of the Tsunami team. For questions or comments, please enter your comment below or click the “Contact Us” button above. Thanks and happy paddling!
Nice collection of photos Nancy, always fun to look back after all the years.
Happy New Year
Thanks, Jim! It was fun to put this together. Still some of the best rough water kayaking photos around.
Wonderful collection of friends embracing our oceans.
Happy New Year
Happy New Year! Glad you enjoyed the pics!
brilliant photos, and by any time’s standard right at the terrifying edge of ocean whitewater paddling! a huge inspiration to all of us.
Thank you, Dan! We appreciate you. Glad you liked the post!
Fun memories, Nancy. Dave misses you all very much.
We miss him too. How are you all doing? Well, I hope. Have a wonderful New Year!
Thanks, Nancy…great series of photos. So happy i have been able to experience a small part of the Tsunami rangers in action.
Happy 2024! ????
Yay! Glad you liked them, Patti! Definitely Happy 2024, at least so far. I spent the day giving the main floor a thorough clean. It looks great, and I just finished up with a long soak at Ladies’ Night at the Wellsprings. We get to be nakey and there was some lovely singing. A beautiful night with the steam rising up from the pool and the stars shining. It’s gonna be a good year. Love to you and Jim!