Jul 29 2009
Jan 21 2009
Mendocino Coast Whitewater Kayakers Get Creative
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Rain, Rain, Rain . . . Where are our winter storms? California’s drought conditions are not going to get us down. We have a whole big ocean of whitewater in our backyard. Saltwater is good for the sinuses, right? |
Mendocino coast whitewater kayakers aren’t letting this winter’s drought conditions keep them high and dry. On Sunday January 18, a posse of six local whitewater boaters played in the whitewater and rock gardens of the Mendocino Coast’s Noyo Bay. A 6-8 foot swell provided surfable waves and exhilarating whitewater drops over the rocks and reefs.
Liquid Fusion Kayaking’s Jeff Laxier and Cate Hawthorne just returned from sea kayaking in San Francisco Bay and the Big Sur area and were longing for some whitewater so they rallied the crew. Mellow play spots were sought out to warm up and practice water reading. When the crew found their groove, more technical features were sought out that involved surfing the swells over and between the rocks.
As the afternoon progressed, the green faced waves of Chicken Point lured the paddlers for some kayak surfing. Whale watchers on Todd’s Point where treated to an exhibition of kayak surfing as competitive kayak surfers Josha Stark and Jeff Laxier played on the 12 foot waves off Chicken Point. Josha and Jeff are preparing for competition in the 23rd Annual Santa Cruz Kayak Surf Festival in March.
The paddle concluded with some Eskimo rolling and deep water recovery practice off of Noyo Beach. The warm sunny day and immersion gear made the chilly water refreshing. Check out YouTube for our exciting video of Mendocino Coast Rock Gardening:
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