"Brian Nystrom" wrote in message
...


Tom McCloud wrote:

Second answer is a question to our Canadian members: you know the
definition of kayak disease at it applies to the Inuit?

Are you referring to "kayak angst"? It's a form of vertigo that can
occur when paddling in fog, darkness or other conditions that make it
impossible to visually distinguish the water's surface. Your brain loses
all spatial orientation. Fortunately, simply creating ripples on the
water surface with your paddle is enough to "break the spell", so to
speak.


I've experienced this in a canoe on a glassy lake, under a moonless, crystal
clear star-filled sky. Very spooky, as your rational thought is fully aware
of what would happen if you fell over. Even in a stable boat like a canoe,
you can be so offbalance and dizzy from it that you could completely fall
out of the boat from a sitting position without dumping. The cure (other
than making ripples) is to close your eyes and lie on the floor of your
boat. Face down helps.

--riverman