by Tsunami Ranger John Lull Introduction Tidal currents form in inland marine waterways in response to the rise and fall of the tide; the water from the rising/falling ocean flows in and out of bays and estuaries. Stronger currents will form around the times of new and full moon when the gravitational pull of the […]
Meet The Ocean Dragons!
One of the most exciting things to happen this year was receiving an order from The Ocean Dragons, an extreme sea kayaking team from Galicia, Spain. Oscar Alvarez, aka “Fugy”, sent me an email. In it he described finding a copy of the Tsunami Ranger’s Anthology in a rare bookstore while on a visit to the […]
Sea Kayaking is HELL
Editor’s note: This article was one Eric had sketched out for 2012 and was completed with assistance from Tsunami Ranger Captain Jim Kakuk. Disclaimer: We’re just joking. HELL = Hedonistic Epicurean Libertine Lifestyle. From time to time on this website you’ll hear references to HELL. Hell means a lot of different things to different people. […]
The Golden Rules of Cold Water Safety
by Moulton Avery Editor’s note: Moulton Avery is an expert on heat and cold stress. He gave his first public lecture on hypothermia in 1974. He was executive director of the Center for Environmental Physiology in Washington, DC for ten years, and is the founder and director of the National Center for Cold Water Safety. […]
Worst. Crash. Ever.
Editor’s note: Thanks to Charlie Teall for the photos of Neil and John at the slot. Eric loved autumn because it’s the start of football season. In fact, his video “The Tsunami Rangers’ Greatest Hits” was modeled after the NFL’s Greatest Hits films. One of his favorite things about watching football was a segment called […]
Steve Sinclair – Storm Sea Skier and Legendary Sea Kayaker
by Will Nordby Editor’s note: Will Nordby recently completed his career as a broadcast and print photo-journalist based in the Bay Area. He started kayaking in 1973 and has traveled along the coasts of Alaska and British Columbia in addition to the Caribbean, Central America, and South Pacific. His articles have appeared in various magazines […]
Launching – Burning Man 2012
launch 1. To hurl, discharge, or send off (a weapon, blow, etc.). launch 1. To put to sea. 2. To start on some new course, career, or enterprise. 3. To throw oneself (into) with vigor; to rush; plunge. From Webster’s New 20th Century Dictionary Unabridged Second Edition Oh no, you’re going to say, here she […]
The Tsunami Ranger Retreat – August 2012
The retreat began for me by running down Eric’s recommended kayak camping list at Jim’s request. After some digging, I found it and emailed it to the Rangers and guests. Packing commenced. I went through all Eric’s camping gear, some of the bags still containing sand from last year’s Mendocino trip. I put up the […]
Kayak Navigation Part 2 – Compass Use and Dead Reckoning
by Tsunami Ranger John Lull In Part 1, I covered navigation by line-of-sight, using visual references, ranges, and no tools beyond a chart. This works fine until visibility is reduced by thick fog or when paddling in open water well offshore or on a long crossing. In those situations, you’ll need some other technique to […]
Romancing the Sea – A Sea Kayaker’s Guide to Poetry
Nature has always inspired writers, but no aspect of nature has been more inspirational than the sea. Consider Homer’s Odyssey, Stevenson’s Treasure Island, Dana’s Two Years Before the Mast, Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. From sailors’ shanties to Moby Dick, the sea has inspired countless songs and works of literature. There is something […]
Kayak Navigation, Part 1 – Piloting (without tools)
by Tsunami Ranger John Lull Kayak navigation is the art of knowing (and keeping track of) where you are and following the best route to get where you want to go. The best route may or may not involve paddling on a straight course from point A to B. Sometimes when making a crossing in wind […]
Kayak Pilgrim – A Sea Kayak Adventure
Life should be one adventure after another. If not, you’ve lived too long. Whenever I become too mellow, my heart yearns and yearns for adventure. You take the high road and I’ll take the high road. Okay you take the low road and I’ll take the high road. Well, if you insist, you take the […]
For a Swell Time, Learn to Predict Surf
by Paul McHugh (Editor’s note: Paul McHugh was on the first U.S. Kayak Surfing Team that went to Ireland in 1988 and won top scores in the international kayak competition. He has published outdoor and adventure stories for many years, and currently writes fiction as well. His recent murder mystery “Deadlines” won regional and national […]