By Jim Kakuk(editor’s note: This week, Tsunami Rangers Captain Jim Kakuk relates some of his experiences during his recent trip to the Land Down Under) Australia! Even the name conjures up images of a country filled with big … [Continue reading] about Captain Kuk in the Land of Oz
REEF MADNESS VI: the World’s #1 Sea Kayaking Race
“If this race were in New Zealand or Australia, there would be 100 competitors and over a thousand spectators,” said Kenny Howell, this year’s winner of Reef Madness VI Extreme Sea Kayaking Race, the 26th race held at Miramar Beach in Half Moon Bay, … [Continue reading] about REEF MADNESS VI: the World’s #1 Sea Kayaking Race
Camo Your Camp
How Sea Kayakers Can Blend in at the BeachDayglo orange is the color to wear when camping at 14,000 feet on Mt. McKinley. You want to be highly visible against the snow should you need rescue. And it’s legal to camp in the mountains, so … [Continue reading] about Camo Your Camp
Scouting the Sea
A few months ago I promised to run a column on scouting. So here it is. Scouting is one of the most crucial sea kayaking activities; and ironically, it is often done perfunctorily or not at all. For logical convenience, let’s place scouting into … [Continue reading] about Scouting the Sea
Between a Rock and a Hard Wave
HOW TO SURVIVE A CRASH IN WAVES AND ROCKS WHILE KAYAKING IN AN OCEAN ROCK GARDENWhy do most sea kayakers stay away from waves and rocks? They don’t want to die! Any paddler with a lick of sense dreads the scenario of getting smashed head first … [Continue reading] about Between a Rock and a Hard Wave
Paddling in the Shadow of Captain Cook
by Steve King(editor’s note) Aloha! All islands in the state of Hawaii offer volcanic vistas and wonderful water. Hawaii, the Big Island, features active lava flows and superb underwater opportunities. This week, Tsunami Ranger Steve King … [Continue reading] about Paddling in the Shadow of Captain Cook
Reef Madness Kayak Race Coming Up
Mayday! Midday! Miramar! That’s right. You’re not crazy. The ravens squawked that at midday on May Day at Miramar Beach the Reef Madness Kayak Race will take place. At high noon an explosion will signal a passel of kayak racers to burst … [Continue reading] about Reef Madness Kayak Race Coming Up
Sea Kayaking as a Martial Art?
Sea kayaking is a lot like martial arts. The judo principles of “balance, leverage, and momentum” are needed in ocean adventure kayaking. In judo, you want to keep your balance while your opponent loses his. While kayaking, you definitely want to … [Continue reading] about Sea Kayaking as a Martial Art?
The Real Tsunami
When Jim Kakuk and I formed the Tsunami Rangers kayak team 25 years ago, we thought the word tsunami was cool. Most Americans couldn’t spell the word or even pronounce it. The only actual tsunami we knew anything about was the one that hit Crescent … [Continue reading] about The Real Tsunami
How to Become a Tsunami Ranger
NOTICE: The Tsunami Rangers are looking for new members. Ideal candidates will be strong, bold, courageous, fun-loving, adventurous and love water, kayak well, be proficient at many outdoor activities, be individualistic and a team player, a fast … [Continue reading] about How to Become a Tsunami Ranger
THE RAVEN’S GIFT, by Jon Turk – A Review
Can you judge a book by its cover? No. You can’t. Gazing at the cover of sea kayaking adventurer Jon Turk’s The Raven’s Gift (2009), I envisioned a tale of an arduous sea trek along the icy coast of Kamchatka. And Jon did kayak there. But that’s … [Continue reading] about THE RAVEN’S GIFT, by Jon Turk – A Review
Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium 2011 BRAVO!
When I left my house in Oregon to drive down to the Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium last week it was snowing—all the way to Shasta Lake. Bad omen. Then it rained cats and dogs all day Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in the Bay Area. Frankly, I was … [Continue reading] about Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium 2011 BRAVO!
Golden Gate Sea Kayaking Symposium 2011
At this time next week I’ll be setting up to speak at the GGSKS on the shores of San Francisco Bay. I’ll be giving a multimedia show titled Tsunami Rangers Retrospective. It will cover 25 years of our adventures exploring the microcosms of surf … [Continue reading] about Golden Gate Sea Kayaking Symposium 2011