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 […]
Retreats
Tsunami Ranger Retreat 2.0 – October 2021
Everything changes, and to both survive and thrive, adaptation is imperative. In 2020, Covid 19 brought changes to the Tsunami Rangers, not least in that for the first time in over 30 years, we didn’t hold our annual retreat. That was a bummer, but we adapted. In 2021 a fully vaccinated Ranger crew met in […]
September Love – A Tsunami Retreat Retrospective
Editor’s note: Thanks to Michael Powers, Steven King, and Jim Kakuk for their photos of past retreats! Thanks also to Dave, Don, Eric, Misha, Steve, Deb, Paula, Scott, Jeff, Cate, Dennis, Michael, Gordon, and Jim who are all represented in these photographs. What a team! The Rogue Valley was blazing and whole neighborhoods vanishing in […]
The Log of the Sea of Cortez – Tsunami Ranger Retreat November 2019
Cover Blown at Thunder Cove – Tsunami Retreat 2018
Editor’s Note: This poem The Autumn Wind was written by former NFL Films President and co-founder Steve Sabol. The poem was first used for the Oakland Raiders’ official team yearbook film in 1974, of the same title. It also epitomizes everything that happened on the Rangers’ annual retreat this year. You can read the full […]
Tsunami Retreat 2017 Part 3 – Holy Shibooty! I Become a Tsunami Ranger
Capt. Kuk: It has been a long progression for Nancy over the last 22 years and even though she was always capable of gaining the skills to be a Ranger, she chose to keep some separation to give Eric space. Starting with her martial arts and fancy foot work playing hacky sack, Nancy has since added the […]
Tsunami Retreat 2017 Part Two – Meet Captain Tortuga! The Cutlass Passes…
Editor’s note: Although the torch, or rather the cutlass, has passed to TR Captain Tortuga, Captain Kuk retains the ultimate right of veto, to stay or to go. We may have to make him an Admiral, heh, heh, heh. Also, a big thank you to all the Rangers who provided photos for this retreat series – […]
Tsunami Retreat 2017 Part One – The Wave in the Cave
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 […]
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 […]
Rangers’ Retreat – 30 Years On
By: Captain Jim Kakuk and Dandy Don Kiesling FIRST RETREAT In 1985 Eric and I were on our way to the Port Townsend Sea Kayaking Symposium to do our first presentation, ‘Ocean Survival Swimming‘. On the way we stopped in Southern Oregon at Boardman State Park, and went on a mini expedition to explore a […]
Tsunami Ranger Retreat 2014: A New Ranger!
Captain Kuk: When Eric and I first came up with the idea of a kayaking team in 1984 we wanted to have a system for rating the skills of the paddlers that we planned on inviting to join us. Eric proposed that we use naval ranking. Having been in the U.S. Navy he was familiar […]
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 […]
Tsunami Rangers Invade the Mendocino Coast
In late August, the Tsunami Rangers pirate tribe pounced upon the Mendocino coast, somewhere between Russian Gulch and Point Arena. It was our annual retreat, which we took the day after our rock garden class at MacKerricher State Park just north of Fort Bragg. After spending a great day playing on the water with our […]