Sea Kayaking with Gordon Brown Volume 3 review

Gordon Brown is one of Scotland’s premier instructors. He has the highest achievable certification from the British Canoe Union, and is the only American Canoe Association certified coach in Scotland. He has also been a guest instructor at the last 2 Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposiums (and will be at the next GGSKS next weekend). Gordon owns and operates Skyak Adventures on the Isle of Skye.

Sea Kayaking with Gordon Brown Volume 3 is the third and last video in a 3 part series. Sea Kayaking with Gordon Brown Volume 1 video covers the foundations of sea kayaking – paddling, turning, steering, edging, etc. California Kayaker reviewed the first video on our blog at

calkayakermag.blogspot.com/2012/02/sea-kayaking-with-gordon-brown-volume-1.html. 

Sea Kayaking with Gordon Brown Volume 2 moves to more advanced materials, covering assisted and self rescues, tows, technical landings and launches, and anticipating/avoiding troubles.  This DVD was reviewed in the Spring 2012 issue of California Kayaker Magazine, which can be read online at www.calpaddlermag.com/magazine.html.

Volume 3 continues to move to more advanced content.  It has 4 sections:

1. Handling Emergency Situations
2. Sea Kayak Navigation
3. Rolling Clinic
4. First Aid Kits

Preview for the Volume 3 video:

Volume 3, Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown from Simon Willis on Vimeo.

Here are our thoughts looking at each section:

Handling Emergency Situations

The video uses a mock rescue to present safety planning, how to deal with an emergency, and what to expect if rescue services are contacted. The big picture main points of the segment apply to all paddlers: be prepared with signaling equipment, training and practice; paddlers should be prepared to address emergencies themselves until help is available; equipment for contacting emergency services, what it does, how to use it, and the limitations; making yourself visible to searchers. The video also discusses complications such as being unfamiliar with rescue equipment and working with cold hands.

We thought about this hard and feel that the US Coast Guard rescue procedures are similar to Her Majesty's Coast Guard and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, but a US paddler might not want to rely too heavily on some of the details presented just in case there are differences. 

Sea Kayak Navigation

This segment is less location-specific than the first, but does talk about OS Maps, which seem to be the UK equivalent to Topo maps. The graphics were very helpful in explaining tides and correcting bearing for tide flow. A bonus is the explanation of why the most extreme tide periods are called spring tides even though they occur every 14 days. The presenter gives several rules of thumb to use in predicting tidal action. The night navigation is worth watching because, as the video points out, paddlers risk finding themselves paddling at night no matter what their float plan is.

Rolling Clinic

Rolling seems to be one of the most difficult kayak skills to present on a video, and the video points out that rolling cannot be learned by watching a video, but has to be learned in a boat. Gordon's video is one of the best because it is filmed in clear pool water with multiple camera angles (including what one reviewer called the "crotch view") showing the same move.

There were a couple of methods Gordon used that I would try, either while practicing my roll or helping someone. The video shows how a coach can assist the paddler while sitting on the side of the pool. When a paddler completed his first roll, instead of immediately making another attempt, Gordon suggested he get out of the boat, sit with his eyes closed, and think about what was happening during the roll.

I am not so sure video feedback would be as useful, and even Gordon says it can be difficult to find one correction to concentrate on when the video may show the paddler making several mistakes.  

First Aid Kits

First Aid kits are like tow ropes - everyone should have one, but if you put 5 kayakers together, you will get 6 opinions on what you should use. Still, there is useful information in this segment, with the key points being the importance of training for how to respond to an emergency and how to use the items in the kit; consider carrying a minimal kit close at hand and larger kit in a hold; and items to carry in the first aid kits.

You do not need to watch any of the prior volumes to get benefit from the other volumes.  

Who should buy Volume 3?  We thought about this a bit.  Volume 1 would be good for any sea kayaker (and even for people who paddle other types of kayaks).  The second gets more specific for sea kayakers, and in some cases specific for group coastal paddling, yet still is generally useful.  This video, volume 3, gets very specific to some areas of sea kayaking, and has a bit more limited market.  There definitely are skills to be gained for anyone paddling a  sea kayak, even if paddling on protected lakes, but the topics covered are best for people who do expeditions, paddle in areas with currents, and in groups. If you fall into one of these categories, get it.  But if not and you don't have an extra $30 in your pocket, maybe hold off on this one (or spend it on volume 1 or 2, if you don't have those).

This DVD has 2.5 hours worth of content.  It costs $29.95 and is available for purchase from your local paddlesports shop or online from www.seakayakwithgordonbrown.com.

Apps to read California Paddler Magazine on tablets

Have a tablet and want to read the magazine.  You can always download the PDF from calpaddlermag.com/magazine.html.  Or now you can use specific apps to read the magazine.

For Android tablets, you can download the California Paddler Magazine app from the Google Play Store.  This app has all published magazines loaded in it, so they can be read at any time.  And automatically adds new issues as they come available.

For iPad users, you can download an app called Coverly from iTunes.  This app lets you read many free magazines, including California Paddler Magazine.

Summer 2013 Issue of California Paddler Magazine is now Published

The Summer 2013 issue of California Paddler Magazine (formerly California Kayaker Magazine) has been published.

Contents include How to Buy a SUP, Blending Strokes for Improved Performance, Paddling with Kids, Big Bear, Ocean-Going Native American Plank Canoe, reviews of the This is the Sea 5 DVD, Rock the Boat DVD, and BC Coast Explorer Guide Book and much more...

Download the PDF (11 megabytes) or

Read the issue online using Yudu.com's Flash viewer  

About California Paddler Magazine:

California Paddler Magazine (formerly California Kayaker Magazine) is a print and online magazine focusing on being the source for paddlesports information for the Southwest. We are dedicated to promoting fun and responsible paddling, and advocating for increased paddling opportunities in this region.

The stories in California Paddler Magazine are written by local experts and include articles on places to paddle, tips on how to improve your paddling experience, and information of concern to paddlers and the local paddling environment. Covers all types of paddlesports (sea kayaking/touring, white water, surfing, fishing, stand up paddling, canoeing, etc.) and for paddlers of all levels (those entering the sport to pros).

 More information on the magazine can be found at www.calpaddlermag.com

California Kayaker Magazine renamed to California Paddler Magazine

Here is a press release for the upcoming name change from California Kayaker Magazine to California Paddler Magazine.



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
California Kayaker Magazine Changes Name to California Paddler Magazine
San Francisco, CA — April 12, 2013 — Starting with the Summer 2013 issue (#11), California Kayaker Magazine will be published under the name California Paddler Magazine.

By changing the name from "kayaker" to "paddler" the magazine seeks to expand the content to cover all paddle sports. “Canoes and rafts have somewhat limited retail markets in our geography, so likely will only be covered from time to time,” said Peter Donohue, California Kayaker Magazine’s Editor, “but with this change we do plan to have stand up paddleboard (SUP) content in each issue, reflecting its fast growth and popularity.”

Donohue also said that beyond the addition of SUP, the rest of the magazine will not see major changes.  “We will continue to print on high quality paper stock, distribute through all the same locations – with the addition of SUP-specific retailers, print on the same schedule for 2013, increasing to 3 issues for 2014." – he added. “And keeping our loyal kayaking readers in mind we will continue to include great kayak content in each issue."

Donohue offered that the first SUP article will be about the different types of SUPs (displacement boards versus planing boards, etc.), written by Scotto of Clavey Paddlesports, a past contributor to the magazine.

About California Paddler Magazine:
California Paddler Magazine (formerly California Kayaker Magazine) is focused on being the South West's source for paddle sports information. We cover all forms of paddle sports (SUP, kayaking, canoeing, etc.) and for readers ranging from those just entering the sport to professionals. California Paddler is printed on glossy stock and packed with photos and stories written by local experts. Articles include trip experiences, skills, product reviews, news, how to get started, etc. Print runs exceed 10,000 copies per issue, which are distributed free at paddle sports, general sports, and boating outlets in California, Oregon, Arizona, and Nevada. Each issue is also available to be read online.

Spring 2013 issue is published

The Spring 2013 issue of California Kayaker Magazine has been published.

Contents include solo trip on Glen Canyon, paddling Ahjumawi State Park and Fall River area, Trolling for Trout, the basic types of kayaks, T-Rescue skills, Sportsman’s Best - Kayak Fishing book review, and much more...

Download the PDF (11 megabytes) or

Read the issue online using Yudu.com's Flash viewer  

About California Kayaker Magazine:

California Kayaker Magazine is a print and online magazine focusing on being the source for kayaking information for California. We are dedicated to promoting fun and responsible kayaking, and advocating for increased paddling opportunities in this region.

The stories in California Kayaker Magazine are written by local experts and include articles on places to paddle, tips on how to improve your paddling experience, and information of concern to paddlers and the local paddling environment. Covers all types of kayaking (touring, white water, surfing, fishing, etc.) and for paddlers of all levels (those entering the sport to 5 star paddlers).

More information on the magazine can be found at www.calkayakermag.com

2013 California Kayaker Magazine Plans

2013 is coming together for California Kayaker Magazine. There will be 2 issues - a Spring (published end of February) and Summer (end of June).  Content is starting to be lined up now.

Advertising info is also set, and can be seen at http://www.calkayakermag.com/advertise.html. Prices have been held the same as 2012 (and even lowered slightly for those who commit to advertising in both issues). 

Safety kayaker for Alcatraz swims?

Along with being editor of California Kayaker Magazine, I act as a kayak safety boater for over a dozen open water swims each year. In doing this, I have seen all sorts of things, both good and bad, from the other kayak safety boaters, so wanted to post some info to help kayakers understand what is expected of them should they sign up to be a safety boater.

This is targeted for kayakers doing safety boating for the large Alcatraz swims. Specifically, the swims that go from Alcatraz and land some place between Marina Green and Crissy Field (click on the picture to left to see large size). Events like Alcatraz Aquathlon, Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon, SF Triathlon at Alcatraz, etc. These events take place during strong ebb tides and call for many kayak safety boaters.

There are many other open water swims in the Bay (Alcatraz to Aquatic Park swims, Bridge to Bridge swims, trans-Golden Gate Bridge swims, etc.), and the specifics of the strong ebb tide and its impacts may not be relevant for those events (though they too generally have their own impacts from tides and currents).

Should you be there?

The Alcatraz swims I am referring to here happen when there is a strong ebb.  This ebb tides brings about a few issues, both for swimmers and kayakers.  The first we will cover is waves.

Tidal currents form tide rips where the moving water hits other currents, land, or underwater rocks. The main impact of tide rips on safety boaters is that they form waves.  Add in wakes from power boats (and big ships), wind waves, and such, and you have a challenging place in which to be paddling. The video to the right shows the type of waves that are common.  Much larger waves than those shown here do occur (but are too large for me to hold a camera while keeping myself upright), and you need to be prepared for them.

So safety kayakers need to be prepared, both with appropriate skill and appropriate equipment, to deal with waves. It is unfortunately common for a safety boater to sign up and get to the mouth of Aquatic Park only to see the harsher bay conditions for the first time and decide it is not for them. And they bail out. This is not fair to the event organizers, who are counting on kayakers to be able to do their job.

Worse are those who go out and then need to be rescued. The rescuers are generally other kayakers, which means that both the rescuers and rescuee are now unavailable to work the event. This compromises the safety of the swim doubly.

So, you need a boat that can handle the conditions, and the knowledge and experience to know you can also.

On boats, sea kayaks or sit on top kayaks are most common. Both have pros and cons, but the main similarity is that if you get knocked out of either, the boats will still float. Recreational type boats, those wide boats with large open cockpits, are not recommended, as they have limited built in floatation which may not allow you to get back in should the cockpit be filled with water. Of course, this assumes you know how to get back in/on to whatever boat you use should you flip over...

Once you have chosen your boat, you should also have experience being in conditions similar to what you might see. Do not choose to support a swim in order to find out if you can handle the rougher conditions. You should have experienced them before and know you can do it.

Even with the boat and knowledge, you should be self sufficient. The saying with kayaking is to dress for the water temperature (which in the SF Bay is very cold). Wear clothing that will keep you safe and comfortable even if you do end up taking an unexpected swim, and have snacks and water with you to keep yourself fueled.

Effect of ebb on kayakers - getting out to the start

Along with creating waves, the moving water from the ebb tide also, well, moves. It is going from the bay towards the ocean, usually at about 3 mph. You need to cross this current to get from the launch at Aquatic Park to the waiting point at Alcatraz. The current is going around 3 mph, and a cruising speed for a kayak is also around 3 mph. So if you point your boat straight to Alcatraz, which is about a mile from the mouth of Aquatic Park, and then paddle, you will end up a mile to the west of Alcatraz.

The solution is two fold:

1. First thing is not to exit the mouth of Aquatic Park, but paddle inside the breakwater to the entrance by the Jeremiah O'Brien (watching out for other boat traffic, of course). This moves you a bit upstream of Alcatraz
2. Don't paddle straight to the island, but instead aim your boat towards Richmond or Berkeley or so (so Alcatraz is at about 10 o'clock). This is called a ferry angle, and an example of it can be seen in the video to the right. Your boat won't be pointed to Alcatraz, but you will be going there. To check to see that you are making it there, you should take a "range" off of Alcatraz and Angel Island.  For info on what a range is and how to do it, you can read the section on ranges in this post on the Tsunami Ranger blog.

If you do miss and end up west of Alcatraz, you will have a fight to get to the start. Remember you average 3 mph and the current is going 3 mph. One option is to sprint, but this is exhausting. A better option is to use the eddy formed west of Alcatraz. Alcatraz blocks the water flow, and there is a shadow in the current west of there where the current is not going out the gate, but actually is a back current heading toward Alcatraz. If you get in this, you will get a ride to the island. Look for the change in the waves (they get larger and choppier) and for a line of trash and sea foam paralleling the current, which will mark the eddy line. Cross this line and ride the flow back toward the jump point.

Effect of ebb on swimmers

If you think it is hard to paddle to Alcatraz, it is even harder to swim.  Swimmers only go about 1-2 mph, versus the 3 mph ebb. This means that they are moving faster sideways toward the Golden Gate Bridge than toward San Francisco. This is done on purpose - the finish is way to the west of the jump point, so a slow swimmer can swim straight south toward San Francisco and the current would move them west to the finish.

No swimmer can aim directly toward the finish. The pros up front generally know what they are doing, so rarely are an issue. But the slower the swimmer, the more south (directly toward the closest part of San Francisco) they need to aim.

The problem is that even though the swimmers are told this, many either forget or didn't listen, so try to swim directly toward the finish. By not taking into account the ebb tide current, they are pushed west quickly. And the current is faster than they can swim. Once they get too far west, their only option is to get pulled out by a powerboat. Corralling the swimmers who head too far west is a lot of work for the safety kayakers, and can't be fun for the swimmers who are constantly being told to correct their course, but it is even more disappointing for the swimmers when they get pulled.

If the swimmers are only slightly west, they may still be able to finish (particularly if the finish is Crissy Field) by swimming to the beach west of the finish and then running to the finish.

Swim coach Leslie of Swim Art Open Water Swimming emphasizes "It is extremely important  to guide the medium to slow swimmers STRAIGHT SOUTH on this type of swim, particularly those on the west side of the pack. They should never be aiming directly toward the finish point."

Other Swimmer Issues

Many people doing these swims have never swum in open water before. The experience is a bit different than a pool or a lake for them. Some of the impacts you will find are:

• Being low in the water, swimmers can't see where to swim to. The waves in the bay prevent them from seeing things low to the water. So when you give them landmarks to swim to, choose tall things. Tall buildings are generally good.
• They don't always swim straight - in pools, they have lane lines above and below to follow, but these don't exist in the bay. You will have to tell some swimmers repeatedly what direction to swim. Some will do circles if left alone.
• The rules usually allow swimmers to hang on to your boat to rest, if they need. The way to do this is to have them go to the front (or sometimes back, but then you can't see them) of your boat and hold on there. If they grab you from the side, they could pull down and flip you over. You should instruct the swimmer where on your boat to hold on to.
• If someone needs to be pulled, the standard thing to do is hold your paddle straight up. This is a signal to the safety jet skis and power boats to come over (as shown in video above). The jet skis are often busy, so be prepared to wait for a few minutes with your paddle up until one gets to you.
• Swimmers won't be able to hear well, so you will have to speak loudly.  Coach Jake of Waterworld puts it well: "Speak loud, with authority, and short and direct. Keeping in mind adjusting swimmers is not a personal issue, you are talking to them so they can hear. Verbal shouting matches rarely work. Remember that sometimes adrenaline can get going and the swimmer may engage, so it is important to be calm, collected and firm."  Loud and informative, not yelling and arguing. And if the swimmer continually won't follow your instructions and it really matters (such as they will get flushed past the finish), then escalate to having a power boat or jet ski talk to them.

If you have a VHF marine radio, bring it so you can talk to other safety kayakers and power boats. But, if you have to make a call to other boaters, keep in mind that the entire area is very large and it is hard to figure out who is who. Be clear on what you need, who you are ("safety kayaker in blue kayak at back on west side"), and if they need to come to you, raise your paddle also.  And only use it for really important stuff (if you just need to get someone pulled and you and the swimmer are doing fine with them resting on your bow, just raise your paddle until someone comes - save the radio for when someone needs to be pulled fast or if none of the power boats sees you after a few minutes).

Definitely pay attention at the kayaker safety briefing before the swim.  The info I posted here is generally true for most events, but some events may have specific rules or changes you should need to be aware of.  

Summary

There are a lot of reasons to be a kayak safety boater for a swim - it is fun, you see other kayakers, you are given a stipend which offsets the costs of getting to the water, and you help hundreds of swimmers achieve their goals and dreams of swimming from Alcatraz. But you should only do it if you are prepared to handle the conditions.