Editor’s Note: This is the latest installment in our Meet the Rangers series. Check out the rest of the Rangers by searching Meet the Rangers on this site or searching the individual Ranger’s name. Enjoy! Tsunami Ranger Don Kiesling got into kayaking in 1996, paddling club boats. His first kayak was a skirted Wave Exceed. […]
Kayak Trinidad – Humboldt County’s New Paddle Shop!
Yay! This spring Jason Self of Kayak Trinidad in Humboldt County opened his new paddle shop in the beautiful town of Trinidad on the Northern California coast. One of my favorite places to paddle, Trinidad is situated on a stunning section of coastline. Noted for its public beaches and offshore rocks, Trinidad is part of […]
Balance and Stability for Effective Paddle Sports – Part 3
Editor’s Note: This is the third article in a four-part series on balance and stability. The first article in this series addresses the wobble board, a useful tool to improve and maintain good balance. In the second article we cover the stability ball, another useful tool. Since good balance depends on strong core muscles, also check […]
A Rock Gardening State Of Mind
by Bill Vonnegut Editor’s note: Bill Vonnegut of the Neptune’s Rangers is an old friend. We’re pleased to run his article on rock gardening versus rock bashing. If you find yourself paddling on the open coast from San Francisco to Oregon, you could possibly run into Bill. He has a passion for paddling and holds British Canoe Advanced […]
In Memoriam – Eric Soares August 1, 1953 – February 1, 2012
Song: Fear no more the heat o’ the sun by William Shakespeare (from Cymbeline) Fear no more the heat o’ the sun, Nor the furious winter’s rages; Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages: Golden lads and girls all must, As chimney-sweepers, come to dust. Fear no more the […]
Tsunami Retreat 2022 – A Photo Journal
This was a short retreat but as always it was wonderful to gather the tribe, cross paddles, and share food, fun, and games. There was sorrow as well as laughter as we acknowledged the loss in September of El Rey’s daughter Maya, but this is what we do – in good times and bad we […]
Towing for Sea Kayakers
This is a controversial topic. There’s a lot to know and a lot to learn about towing. Kayakers have varying opinions about what system to use and why, and their opinions are often quite strong. At the end of the day, you need knowledge and practice to tow effectively. You never know when it might […]
No Retreat, No Surrender by Oscar Chalupsky – A Review
Oscar and co-author Graham Spence have done an outstanding job with this book. No Retreat, No Surrender starts out with a bang, and like Oscar it doesn’t quit. The story starts with his cancer diagnosis in 2019, then leaps back to Oscar’s childhood in Durban, South Africa. Born into a family of smart, tough boat […]
Surf Sirens Gathering 2022!!!
On September 23rd through 25th the Surf Sirens had their first official post-Covid event, and it was a great success. With head instructors Deb Volturno, Melinda Moree, and Jameson Riser and assistants Sally Anderson, Esther Ladwig, and Beth Owen we had a full complement of talent, and there were 12 gung ho students ready to […]
Balance and Stability for Effective Paddlesports – Part 2
Editor’s Note: This is the second in a 4-part series about tools and techniques to develop and maintain optimum balance and stability for paddlesports at any age. We recently talked about the wobble board in our July post. This month we’re introducing the stability ball. The stability ball, or balance ball, was invented by Aqulino […]
Whitewater of the Wild and Scenic Rogue River
Editor’s note: This was an American Whitewater trip. AW is a national non-profit river conservation organization founded in 1954. AW’s mission is to protect and restore America’s whitewater rivers and to enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely. The organization is the primary advocate for the preservation and protection of whitewater rivers throughout the United States. […]
Balance and Stability for Effective Paddle Sports
Editor’s note: In his recent article for Epic Kayaks In Search of Stability: Aging Gracefully With a Wider Surfski Honorary Tsunami Ranger Kenny Howell emphasized balance and stability as two things critical for paddling, especially in a surf ski. These are two things that can fade as we age. As a fitness trainer I’ve seen the impacts […]
Sea Kayak Rescue Training With Skagit Bay Search and Rescue Teams
By Robert Nissenbaum and Graton Gathright Editor’s note: We wrote about Robert and Graton in our recent post on the NSSKA Rescue Rodeo. This month, they’ve put together an article on their training day with a regulation Search and Rescue team from Skagit Bay, WA, a day that went from practice rescues to the real deal. […]