May 22, 1999

Learning How To (Not) Roll

Trip #21

MAP

The wind is supposed to be out of the South, so I needed a place where if the kayak got away from me, it would quickly blow ashore. Aquia Creek seemed like the perfect place. From my last trip there I remembered the area between Simms and Brent Points to be fairly shallow. This seemed like a good place to learn to roll.

I got to the Hope Springs marina just before 07:30. I was surprised at all the boat trailers already there. There wasn't a ramp guard collecting money, so I filled out an envelope and stuffed $5 in and wrote "kayak" on the outside. As I was unloading the boat, the ramp guard showed up and started writing down everyone's license number. After loading up the kayak I told the ramp guard that my envelope was in the box and marked "kayak" so he would know why there was only $5 instead of the normal $8 launch fee.

Once on the water I crossed the creek at the railroad tracks and remembered I forgot to turn on the GPS. After switching it on and setting up the track mode, I made a beeline for Shackley Point. I wasn't here to sight see, so I was more interested in getting out to Brent Point. The wind was not out of the South, but what little was blowing was out of the northeast. After rounding Shackley I headed straight for Simms Point, and finally made the turn towards Brent.

At Brent I unloaded my kayak with the exception of my paddlefloat, pump, sprayskirt and paddle. I walked the kayak out to chest deep water just as some fisherman came in close. At least they would get a show. I think they enjoyed it too since after they drifted away they would keep coming back.

I thought I would first try just an upside down reentry, and if I felt comfortable at that point, try to roll up. I stood there for a few moments going through the motions in my head, remembering all the articles and videos I had seen. I took a deep breath, ducked under the water and tried to pull myself upside down and into the kayak. The buoyancy of my PFD made this first attempt a loosing battle so I popped my head back to the surface.

I thought next I would try to just grab the rim of the cockpit and sort of try and put the kayak on like a pair of pants. Failure #2. Having had enough of this re-entry and roll, I thought I would just try to roll. I pulled out my paddlefloat and inflated it on the end of my Greenland paddle. I shoved the paddle under my rear deck lines and climbed up on the rear deck facing the rudder. Slid my feet in the cockpit and turned over. This was my first paddlefloat entry since trip #2 back in January. For me, this is a simple task and only took seconds to execute.

My kayak is now full of water and even in the nearly windless and waveless surroundings is eerily unstable. I pump out the cockpit, attach the spray skirt, and place the partially deflated paddle float under the front bungy. Time to roll. Again I pause to think about what I read and saw. Over the side, set up, and it feels like the deck is glued to the surface of the water. I didn't even begin to rotate up. I set up again for a second try with even worse results. Time to bail so I calmly grab the front loop and bob to the surface.

I re-inflate and attach the paddlefloat again. This time I leave the paddlefloat on and the sprayskirt off. I'll try to roll up with the paddlefloat so I can get "the feel" of it. Over again and with my paddle extended the boat actually feels like it wants to right itself. Just before the mid point it gets hard and I have to muscle my way back up. I'm Up! But I really thought my paddle would snap in half with all the pressure I had put on it. Something is still wrong.

I try a few more times, focusing on leaving my head in the water as long as possible. Sometimes the boat started to rotate easily, other times the deck felt glued to the surface of the water. In every case, I really had to muscle the last part hard.

I decided to take a break and eat lunch. While I'm eating I'm thinking about how to better accomplish this the next time. I quickly eat and (much to the fisherman's entertainment) head out again 30-40 feet off shore. I try many more times with the paddlefloat attached. Sometimes I can force my way up, sometimes I don't. I *always* missed a second attempt. All of this today has been on my *off* side. My right shoulder is in a lot of pain if I put much pressure on it, so attempts on that side of the boat are out. Each time I fail I perform a paddlefloat reentry so I at least re-enforce that method of rescue. Also, I never had a successful attempt with the sprayskirt attached.

I eventually realize I'm not making any progress and decide to give up for the day. I paddle ashore and dump the water and reload my stuff. I decide to paddle a little south of the creek to look at some cliffs. The trip across and down is about 1.8 miles. At about the halfway point I see a large boat heading straight for me. He's heading in from the Potomac to the creek. I stop to try and figure out if he will cross in front of or behind me. He eventually turns to pass behind my stern and I have to quickly turn to keep his huge wake from hitting me broadside. After bouncing over the first two waves of his wake the third one crashes over the top all the way up to the coaming.

On the far side the cliffs are cool. There appears to be a clay upper layer with a sort of limestone or sandstone base. I wanted to check out the lower layer up close, but the rocky shoreline kept me from getting close enough to land. There appeared to be small white shells all around the shoreline but I couldn't tell what they were for sure.

My shoulders appear to be getting a little red so I search down the shoreline for a place to land. I finally find a place with no rocks and where I won't interfere with any fishermen and quickly put on a football jersey under my wetsuit vest.

On the water the sounds of drums and the chanting of Native Americans fills the air. As I round "Youbedamn" landing there is a pretty good size gathering with many people in traditional dress. The police arrive as I float by checking out the scene, and after talking to a woman, appear to be interested in a group of men standing around. I paddle away listening to chants and drums.

From there I head straight back to the launch site trying my best not to get run over by boats. I was disappointed my attempts at rolling were complete failures without the aid of a paddlefloat, but the Native American music was cool.

Trip distance - 10.6 miles

Average speed: 4.18 MPH (I found this to be a shock since I really paddled back slowly)