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Safety Conscious? - Surf Smart!
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There are three basic wave types:
1. DEAP WATER DUMPING WAVES = the deep water DUMPERS are usually associated with a good swell and strong off-shore winds. In this instance the wave builds and builds (as it is being held up by the off-shore wind) until it reaches critical mass and collapses. If you get caught in the collapse a few tonnes of wave (0.998 tonnes per cubic meter or 157 stone!) will push you deep under water, but as long as you can keep calm, hold your breath and don't hit anything, you and your kayak will usually resurface behind the wave ... probably a little shook up but pretty much OK - "but look over your shoulder as there will be another wave about to hit you!" 1a. SHALLOW WATER DUMPING WAVES = a Shore Dump (Beach Dump) can occur around high tide when surf conditions cause large waves to break on the beach with little or no water underneath them. A Shore Dump can be particularly dangerous to a Kayaker who is caught in such a wave as it can slam your boat (upright our upside-down) onto the shingle beach, potentially causing injury. This type of wave is the most frequent cause of serious back, neck, shoulder and face injuries at the beach. "Over the last five years I have kayaked in the sea outside our club in every conceivable weather condition ... and I have seen one kayaker dislocate his shoulder, another loose his front tooth, and numerous others suffer cuts, bruises and headaches - all caused singularly by beach dumping waves ... but I've also had a lot of fun playing in big beach dumpers when the conditions have been right!" 2. SURGING WAVES = this type of wave is also a high-tide phenomena in which the wave may not actually break as it approaches the shore line. In this instance the wave does not lose speed or gain height and usually overtakes the wave in front, temporarily changing the high tide level, as a consequence the surging wave rushes further up the beach (and with more power) than all the others in the set. This wave also creates a significant tow-back which can carry the unwary kayaker back out to sea - these are the waves that usually roll an inexperienced kayaker up the shingle beach like a "log", or suck any kayaker back out into an oncoming large breaking (dumping) wave before you are ready. 3. SPILLING WAVES = this is what surf kayaking is all about - and these are the conditions that you should be looking (hoping) for! These waves occur when the crest (top) of the wave tumbles down the face (front) of the wave. This only happens when the tide gets lower and moves back onto the flatter sandbank in front of the club. This type of wave can form tubes (if you're lucky) but generally the spilling waves on our beach are the safest waves and are certainly the only wave that you can actually surf a kayak on. "All the waves mentioned other than the "Spilling Waves" are to a greater or lesser extent, an exercise in kayaking survival skills! - that is not to say that they are not fun - but they are not surfing waves and they have specific and unique risks attached to each condition." |
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Gallery
Danger to Kayakers, Kite Surfers and Dog walkers on St. Leonards Beach
Mobile: 07512 810 139
CLUB PHONE NUMBER ...
Mobile: 07512 810 139
Please phone us if you need more information ... As we never know who is going to be available to field calls we have a mobile phone that gets passed around the club ... So you should get through to someone!
