Editor’s Note: So much happened during this retreat we’ve decide to make it a triplicity. This is Part One, The Wave in the Cave! From the Captain’s Log: The plan was to do about a 3 mile paddle in and set up camp before dark. Scott was in the lead; close behind came Don, Steve […]
SCRS – The Sea Conditions Rating System
My good friend Moulton Avery of the National Center for Cold Water Safety mentioned recently that perhaps it was time to revisit the Sea Conditions Rating System (SCRS) on this website. Since the sea is dangerous and unpredictable, I think he’s right, so here’s a post introducing the Sea Conditions Rating System. River kayakers have […]
Extreme Smoke – The Getaway
As many of you know, Southern Oregon is on fire. For nearly the entire month of August, the Rogue Valley has been filled with smoke from multiple forest fires in the surrounding areas. Even the coast has been smoky because of the fire in Brookings. And like many of my fellow Oregonians, I don’t have […]
Balance, Momentum, and Leverage: How to Get a 25’ Kayak Off A Truck By Yourself
Naturally I was devastated when my late husband died, but one of the things that really had me exercised was how the heck I was going to get kayaks on and off the truck by myself. It might sound silly to some, but I’m short, the rack is high, and the Kevlar boats are long […]
Sea Kayaker’s Mind, Beginner’s Mind
In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few. Shunryu Suzuki The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence. Jiddu Krishnamurti Everything you know is wrong. Firesign Theater The ocean can change in a moment, especially in a rock garden, and when the shit hits […]
Why Do We Test New Rangers?
by Captain Jim Kakuk Why do we test new Rangers? I remember as a young scruffy kid hanging out with my friends down by the river in a tree fort. We were always coming up with big plans and scheming on who would get to join in our gang as there was always a need […]
Bird Watching From a Kayak: Princeton Harbor in Spring
I recently paddled around Princeton Harbor for the first time. I know it sounds crazy, but even after living and kayaking there for 12 years I never did that. I was always en route to the outside, to the swells along the jetty, to the surf in and around the lagoon, to Mushroom Rock, to […]
Meet Michael Powers, Tsunami Ranger and Amazing Captioned Photo Creator!
At 76 Michael Powers is the oldest Tsunami Ranger. He became a Ranger in 1990. For almost 30 years he has been the unofficial Tsunami Ranger photojournalist, filming and photographing the Rangers and their adventures all over the world. He’s had his own share of adventures as well. Michael enhances many of his photos using […]
Inside: One Woman’s Journey Through the Inside Passage by Susan Marie Conrad – A Review
Review by Nancy Soares Editor’s note: Susan is an adventurer, writer, educator, and speaker. Her tenacious exploration by sea kayak has fueled her stories and images of the natural world for decades. Her articles and photographs have appeared in Sea Kayaker, Canoe and Kayak, Adventures Northwest, and Figure magazines. Magic and gratitude. That’s what comes […]
In Memoriam Eric Soares August 1, 1953 – February 1, 2012
Editor’s note: This is our annual tribute to one of the founders of the Tsunami Rangers. This year we reflect on how we do nothing of ourselves alone; without the earth, air, and water to support our physical bodies and the people we encounter in our lives who support our souls we could not be. […]
A New Year, a New Tsunami Ranger – Cate Hawthorne’s Test Debrief
Editor’s note: This year’s retreat was brief but packed with action, so we decided to cover it in two posts, the first which came out in October, and this second debrief in order to give Cate her due. Deb: We agreed on the rendezvous location, “Thunder Cove”, one of the Tsunami Rangers’ favorite secret destinations on […]
The Seal and Me
by Maya King Editor’s note: Maya King is the daughter of Tsunami Ranger Steve “El Rey” King. We decided to make her essay our December post because we believe that seeing the world through the eyes of children is a valuable experience. Young minds are less conditioned and in many ways see more clearly than […]
THE ORDEAL – Tsunami Retreat 2016
Howling wind. Choppy waves. Funky swells. Boomers. Contrary currents. This year the Tsunami Ranger retreat had it all. But we’re a team and we made it! Once again, Rangers and friends overcame all obstacles and had a great time on the annual gathering. Capt. Jim Kakuk and guest Nancy Soares share the story. Nancy: Jim […]