Melissa wrote:
....stuff deleted

That said, though anything is possible given the right - or wrong -
circumstances, I've paddled in the midst of breaching Orca and Gray
Whales countless times, and I've never seen a whale, breaching or
otherwise, upset a kayak. They've always seemed acutely aware of the
boats around them, and while they will come very close and interact
with boaters, their movements around the boats have always been
precise and graceful.


Melissa,

An earlier edition of sea kayaker (probably 8-9 years back) contained a
letter to the editor about a paddle in Magdalena Bay during the breeding
season for grey whales. The writer described how he managed to
inadvertantly get between momma and calf. Needless to say, the damage to
the boat left the writer with a greater need for an efficient crawl
stroke than a roll.

Perhaps someone has that letter somewhere in their collection?

Rick

PS: My understanding is that, for economic reasons, it is difficult to
venture to Magdalena Bay without paying for a guide, nowadays. I presume
this may also provide some benefit to the whales and limit how many
times such events occur, though this is probably wishful thinking on my
part.

Rick wrote:
Melissa wrote:
...stuff deleted

That said, though anything is possible given the right - or wrong -
circumstances, snip

Tinkerntom wrote:

Most comment from around the web is that this is an edited clip. Is it
possible? I suppose, but none of the seakayakers I have been in contact
with have experienced this or anything close. Probably more of a
diservice to the paddling community. We have too many wonderful things
to experience and share, to be considered foolhardy for exposing
ourselves to such a tremendous risk. There are enough true risks, that
we can be equiped and trained for, without dramatizing something we
don't need to deal with.

Apparently this clip was circulated a few years back, and as any good
cyber legend reappears from time to time, and is debunked, to reappear.
Actually a Powerade ad. and includes editing, and not good editing.

I have watched this a number of times, and thought about my experience
with cameras.

I mainly considered the focus of the camera before the Orca, and then
notice that the Orca comes up in focus between the unfocused kayaks. At
the distance this video was shot, most camcorders would be shooting at
an infinite setting inorder to focus the Orca, if in focus at all. So
the kayaks should have been in focus as well as the Orca.

Also the lighting on the Orca is much to bright, unless there was a
very local break in the clouds for the sun to shine through, at that
very instant.

The movement, and point of recovery of the kayaker also seems out of
place. To say nothing about a 5 or 10 ton Orca landing on you would
break your kayak, and probably your back, so that recovery would
require more than a good roll, try stem cell implants maybe.

Now having written this I can put it to rest as far as I am concerned.
Sorry to have bothered the rest of you again, since most seem to have
previously determined it not worth the time to consider. TnT

I've paddled with Orcas for about 5 hours once, they are just like dolphins,
they are keenly aware of you and avoid you. I remember paddling home alone
back from the Christmas light parade with my 240 LED lights aglow. A
dolphin surfaced alongside me as close as one ever had before, then did it
twelve times in more. He was sure curious.

And it sure seems improbable that a kayaker hit hard enough to be completely
submerged for some time, then pop out and only need an Eskimo roll.

But all that being said, the combination of a really rambunctious orca, a
whale watching tour, and a really good kayaker isn't impossible.

As to the risk, that isn't that much. I was sure far more afraid of the big
cabin cruisers blasting about Puget Sound than the whales. Hardly any gave
me a sign that they even saw me, much less a tiny 10 degree cut towards my
stern. I had to maneuver in the waves and be ready to sprint at the last
second. I remember being out in the middle of a 3-4 mile reach and the wind
kicked up very hard and some jerk comes blasting right at me, so now I'm
breaching, bracing, and backing in big waves and he blasts right by. I
guess he figured if I was good enough to be out in rough seas, I was good
enough to eat his big wake, too.




"Tinkerntom" wrote in message
oups.com...

Rick wrote:
Melissa wrote:
...stuff deleted

That said, though anything is possible given the right - or wrong -
circumstances, snip

Tinkerntom wrote:

Most comment from around the web is that this is an edited clip. Is it
possible? I suppose, but none of the seakayakers I have been in contact
with have experienced this or anything close. Probably more of a
diservice to the paddling community. We have too many wonderful things
to experience and share, to be considered foolhardy for exposing
ourselves to such a tremendous risk. There are enough true risks, that
we can be equiped and trained for, without dramatizing something we
don't need to deal with.

Apparently this clip was circulated a few years back, and as any good
cyber legend reappears from time to time, and is debunked, to reappear.
Actually a Powerade ad. and includes editing, and not good editing.

I have watched this a number of times, and thought about my experience
with cameras.

I mainly considered the focus of the camera before the Orca, and then
notice that the Orca comes up in focus between the unfocused kayaks. At
the distance this video was shot, most camcorders would be shooting at
an infinite setting inorder to focus the Orca, if in focus at all. So
the kayaks should have been in focus as well as the Orca.

Also the lighting on the Orca is much to bright, unless there was a
very local break in the clouds for the sun to shine through, at that
very instant.

The movement, and point of recovery of the kayaker also seems out of
place. To say nothing about a 5 or 10 ton Orca landing on you would
break your kayak, and probably your back, so that recovery would
require more than a good roll, try stem cell implants maybe.

Now having written this I can put it to rest as far as I am concerned.
Sorry to have bothered the rest of you again, since most seem to have
previously determined it not worth the time to consider. TnT

Unless one is just puttin round flat water in a rec boat for fun, everyone
should learn and practice bracing and a basic roll. Old, young, kids, taught
them all. Not hard to learn, and sea kayaks are alot easier to roll than
white water boats, at least in my experience. BTW, females often make better
students, most guys at first think they can power their way up.
"Rick" wrote in message
k.net...
Melissa wrote:
...stuff deleted

That said, though anything is possible given the right - or wrong -
circumstances, I've paddled in the midst of breaching Orca and Gray
Whales countless times, and I've never seen a whale, breaching or
otherwise, upset a kayak. They've always seemed acutely aware of the
boats around them, and while they will come very close and interact
with boaters, their movements around the boats have always been
precise and graceful.


Melissa,

An earlier edition of sea kayaker (probably 8-9 years back) contained a
letter to the editor about a paddle in Magdalena Bay during the breeding
season for grey whales. The writer described how he managed to
inadvertantly get between momma and calf. Needless to say, the damage to
the boat left the writer with a greater need for an efficient crawl
stroke than a roll.

Perhaps someone has that letter somewhere in their collection?

Rick

PS: My understanding is that, for economic reasons, it is difficult to
venture to Magdalena Bay without paying for a guide, nowadays. I presume
this may also provide some benefit to the whales and limit how many
times such events occur, though this is probably wishful thinking on my
part.