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 […]
Ocean Whitewater
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 […]
Greatest Hits “And Misses” of the Tsunami Rangers Part II – The Launch
By Tsunami Ranger John Lull Editor’s Note: This is Part II of a multi-part series, Greatest Hits “And Misses” of the Tsunami Rangers. In this post, TR John Lull gives us his “Greatest Hit”. Greatest Hit: On a late Summer afternoon way back in the early ‘90s, I pulled into a coastal coffee shop for a double […]
Greatest Hits “And Misses” of the Tsunami Rangers!
By Captain Jim Kakuk The following stories go along with the YouTube release of the full-length version of the Tsunami Rangers Greatest Hits. You can still buy the DVD on this website but now it’s free to download! At the end of this post click on the link and be sure to add your comments […]
The Combat Roll
by Tsunami Ranger John Lull While paddling south one day from Point Arena on the northern California coast, I spotted an inner passage through the sandstone cliffs, cut deep into the uplifted marine terrace. After exploring the passage for a considerable distance, it became obvious it would dead end up ahead, so I entered a […]
White Water Sea Kayaking With LiquidFusion
Editor’s note: Last October Tsunami Ranger Capt. Jim Kakuk suggested I take a white water class. To hear is to obey. I think he meant river, but it seemed auspicious to take White Water of the Sea I & II with LiquidFusion. This post is about that class. See also Take a Sea Kayaking Class and […]
Freaking Out in a Sea Kayak
Editor’s note: This article is one Eric had sketched out for 2012. “Over the years, I have learned that the biggest hidden threat is mental confusion caused by a combination of the ocean’s cosmic chaos and the mind’s inability to process it all. Symptoms include inability to communicate (listening and expressing) and perception distortion, coupled […]
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 […]
Whitewater River vs Ocean Whitewater
by John Lull Editor’s Note: This week, Tsunami Ranger and earth scientist John Lull ‘splains the difference between river hydraulics and water dynamics present in ocean rock gardens. At first glance the whitewater in ocean rock gardens looks very similar to a whitewater river. You’ll see waves, aerated rough water, rocks, currents, and swirling chaotic […]
Paddling Pour-overs in Ocean Rock Gardens
An exciting and challenging kayak trick in an ocean rock garden is to paddle over a pour-over. In river running, a pour-over is a river current that flows over a rocky ledge into a hole below. In ocean adventure kayaking, a pour-over is a flat rock or a reef which a wave surges over into […]
Surf Kayaking Etiquette
by Eric Soares and John Lull Ever been kayak surfing backwards and get speared in the kidney by the bow of another boater who didn’t even know you were there? Ever have a bloke broach down a big wave and land hull first on your head? These calamities have happened to us. We don’t want […]
Exiting the Surf Zone
How to kayak from outside the breakers to the beach by Eric Soares and John Lull “Ah thought Ah’s goin’ t’ DIEEEE!” Georgia girl Bonnie Brill loves to tell the tale of how she was hit by a sucker wave at Maverick’s in Half Moon Bay, was turned over, under, sideways and down, dragged across […]
Entering the Surf Zone
How to kayak from the beach to outside the breakers Sea kayaking adventurer Valerie Fons once said, “My greatest fear was waking up in the morning and having to kayak through a surfzone.” She had faced a bear in her tent and an anaconda next to her boat on her journeys; how could she fear […]