Kayak training at PacificWave

Dispatch from Dan Solmon — June 30, 1997

Because a good portion of our trip will be by kayak, it was necessary for our largely unexperienced team to learn how to kayak.

To begin, we went to PacificWave, a kayak store in Warrenton. There, we were introduced to Ben, a likable fellow who would attempt (successfully, I believe) to make kayakers of us.

PacificWave provided us with plastic Perception kayaks for our lessons; we will use the fiberglass models on the expedition. We began the real training at Culaby Lake, a calm, warm lake in a nearby park. This site was chosen because only one team member, Morgan, has any substantial experience with kayaks.

Ben began the lesson with bare-bones skills: launching, paddling forward and back, and turning. After learning but not mastering these lessons, we moved on to drawing strokes. I had no trouble with the basic draw; it is a stroke I know rather well from canoeing. However, I did have problems with the sculling draw, in which I still feel incompetent.

Next came the capsize. We were not yet learning to roll, so the focus fell on rescues. Mainly we did the 'T' rescue, in which the capsized boat is hauled atop another kayak in order to drain water from it. After this, it is righted and put back in the water. As long as the pilot of the boat keeps it upright while climbing in, everything is okay.

Bill also demonstrated the paddle-float rescue, which I will discuss later. As this rescue does not involve a second boat, it is absolutely necessary for the pilot to keep a hold on the kayak — a mild wind can carry an empty boat faster than most people can swim.

Having completed the first day, I knew a bit about kayaking, but not enough for the expedition. However, Ben said that he would put us through some sort of ringer the next day. I believed him because when it comes to kayaking, I will respect anyone who can roll without getting his hat wet.

The second day, Ben took us to Youngs Bay, where the Youngs River and Lewis and Clark Rivers join the Colombia. The bay is more sheltered than the ocean or the Colombia proper, but is considerably more challenging than Culaby Lake.

We mainly worked on improving the skills we had learned the previous day — especially the rescues. We all learned the paddle-float rescue, which Bill had demonstrated the day before. This rescue uses the paddle with an inflatable float on one end to support the pilot while he or she reenters the cockpit. Unlike the 'T' rescue, it does not require another boat. After getting in the cockpit, the pilot has to pump all the water from the bilge, or else the kayak is extra heavy, and the pilot must sit in a few inches of water. I like this rescue because it is easy, and I don't have to spend as much time in the water, which I believe will be helpful up north.

Just before returning, Ben had us raft out kayaks and challenged us to stand up in each of our cockpits out on the open water. The winds were mild, but still caused some waves.

After a lot of careful, slow movements and coaching from Ben and each other, we had almost all stood up. Then, somebody (or a few somebodies) lost balance and tipped all four of us in, leaving us bewildered and scrambling for our paddles and floats. I don't think we will ever know who sent us in, so we will have to make due with the various theories that each group member has created.

After returning to the yacht club from which we had launched, we stored the boats and took a lot of pictures of each other wearing our kayaking clothes. We had wetsuits in these pictures, but we will not have any on the expedition, which will make me extra careful of not tipping into the glacial-fed Colombia Reach.

All in all, I think kayak training has prepared me excellently for this trip, though I will know better when it really starts. If not, I at least had a grand time.