Launching and Landing

Launching

On many days the most difficult part of the paddle is when leaving and returning to dry land. The impact zone between ocean and the shore is a dynamic area where waves release their energy. In certain locations an error of judgement or a miscalculation with timing can result in unpleasant consequences for the paddler, with the potential for damaged or lost equipment and personal injury. As with many skills training is important.

The impact zone where the waves release their energy

The ideal scenario is the friendly sweep of golden sand with just the smallest of waves lapping the shore. Frequently though it is difficult to discover such an area, the departure or arrival is complicated by variables such as swell, boulders, steep shores, other water users etc. When such conditions are encountered and often there may be more than one variable, for example, boulders and surf, it is necessary for the paddler to have in their tool box a number of possible alternatives. These options will only be available though if there has been the appropriate thought and training dedicated to this area of skill.

The ideal landing area. Gently slopping sandy beach.

In most situations it is preferable if one paddler is designated to leave the beach last. They are there to help steady kayaks, help with spray decks, retrieve paddles, which have been washed away and finally to ease the kayak over the sand and rocks, thereby preserving the hull of the sea kayak. This is especially important if the launch involves weaving through rocks, the extra assistance being generally appreciated by the other paddlers.

One of the most common sights is of sea kayakers using their paddles as outriggers, across the back of the cockpit, to steady their entry into the kayak. The process is often reversed at the end of the day. This is a practice, which should be avoided if at all possible. Sea kayak paddles are not generally constructed to withstand the same pressures as white water blades and it is possible therefore for the junction between the blade and the shaft to be weakened and eventually break. If this is during the course of a multi-day trip then the expression “inconvenient” is somewhat of an understatement.

Don't use the paddle as a support when getting in. It damages your equipment.

Ideally the kayak should be just floating as the paddler steps in, if the water is calm then it is preferable to have the kayak parallel to the beach, although in many instances this isn’t possible. With a relatively large cockpit it is possible to just sit down and then slide the legs underneath the deck. With smaller cockpits is may be necessary to sit on the rear deck of the kayak and then slide the legs in at the same time as lowering oneself onto the seat. It may be necessary to scull with the paddle at the same time as lowering oneself onto the seat. Although this may sound a difficult and unstable exercise it is relatively easy to accomplish after a small amount of training and it certainly helps to avoid damage to the kayak.

As a general rule launching stern first is the favoured option. Essentially this is because skegs, modified hulls and rudders are in deeper water sooner and therefore less liable to damage from contact with rocks and other underwater obstructions.

Launching stern first is generally the favoured option.

If there is a fair sized beach break then it is important to consider the various options. Looking out to sea it is often possible to identify an area where the waves are not quite as high or breaking too heavily. It may also be possible to see a line of foam, running out to sea, marking a lower wave height. The lower wave height will generally mark the position of a rip, where the water, which is being pushed towards the beach, is seeking a path out to the deeper water beyond the break. Use the rip, the outgoing current will provide much welcomed assistance and the lower wave height will be easier to overcome. It is important to be aware of the consequences of a swim in a rip. The force of the water means that it is pointless to swim towards the beach, even though that is the natural response. Remain calm and swim parallel to the beach, the rip will soon dissipate enabling the swimmer to then turn and using the energy of the waves to progress towards the beach.

When paddling out, if breaking waves are encountered then it is important to approach them in an aggressive and positive fashion. If the waves are arriving in sets watch from the beach and try to time the departure from the beach to coincide with a slightly smaller set. If whilst paddling out a larger set can be seen approaching then stop paddling, watch and hold position until the largest waves have passed by. If even after all of the waiting a large wave rears up and it is inevitable that it is going to break on you then it is important to increase the power. Lean forward so that the face doesn’t have to absorb the full impact, at times the water can be forced up the nostrils and be very painful on the sinuses. When the wave hits place the blade deep in the wave, trying to gain purchase on the more solid deeper water as opposed to the aerated upper layers, and attempt to pull yourself and the kayak through into the calmer water beyond. It is important to keep the paddle fairly low across the body as the wave hits. If it is held too high there is the possibility that the force of the wave could drive the shaft backwards and into the teeth of the unsuspecting paddler.

When paddling out through beaking surf it is important to be positive

If it is obvious that you are going to fail to break through the breaking wave be prepared to slip readily into the brace position. Do not underestimate the power of a breaking wave. If one wave hits it is likely that there will be others so don’t be tempted to breathe a sigh of relief too early. Keep paddling and pulling hard, until it is clear that the surf zone has been exited. Remembering that waves approach in sets the next big group may be heading your way!

At times, when the waves are particularly steep the kayak can partly leave the water as it clears the crest. It will then crash down, perhaps from a height of 2 metres. This is unstable when the water is hit and it can place a huge amount of pressure on the hull and seams of a fibreglass kayak. If the kayak is comparatively empty then a useful technique to develop, which can protect the fabric of the kayak is to lift the left knee under the deck of the kayak. This has he effect of placing the kayak on its right edge. In this position as the kayak hits the water; it is the rounded edge of the kayak, which absorbs the impact as opposed to the flat hull. This is far less strenuous on both paddler and equipment. It is important that when the kayak is placed on its edge that the kayaker is prepared to brace and absorb the momentum, otherwise a capsize is likely to occur.

One of the most difficult types of beach to launch from is one where there is dumping surf. With a dumping wave the full power is released explosively and potentially dangerously. Timing is the crucial factor and it is much easier to launch with assistance. Time spent watching the waves and studying the beach is time well spent. At times the scrutiny of the beach and the break will only lead to one conclusion, it is too difficult and dangerous to leave the safety of the shore that day.

When launch into dumping surf working as a group is important

If it is decided that it is possible to launch then try and wait for a lull in the largest sets. Be prepared to launch as soon as the incoming wave reaches its highest point on the beach. A powerful push when the water is at its zenith is required. The sloping beach and the sucking back of the wave will hopefully provided enough speed to enable the kayak to clear the next wave, rapidly approaching wave. Powerful strokes are the order of the day and sheer determination to reach the calmer water beyond the break. If a capsize does occur on the way out then it is very important to get clear of the kayak as soon as possible. A sea kayak, loaded or not, is a lethal weapon to swimmers and the injuries that it could cause when thrown at a swimmer with the full power of a dumping wave behind it doesn’t bear thinking about. Within the group it is probably best to identify one member to leave the beach last, so that everybody bar one, receives some form of help through the danger zone!

If the boulders are large or awkwardly positioned and the waves are rolling in then the last person to launch may be better off swimming out especially if he/she is prepared for immersion in the water. On a beach in northern Norway, where we had been marooned for three days, the waves were still rolling in over some nasty boulders but just offshore it was possible to see perfect paddling conditions. As a mixed ability group it was decided to launch one of the more experienced paddlers first followed by all those who were less confident. As the last but one person was pushed out and guided through the rocks he took with him a long piece of rope, constructed of all the available tow ropes and throw lines. Once that person had reached the calm water offshore he rafted up with a couple of other paddlers. With a pre-arranged signal I launched my kayak into the surf, which was now attached to the rope. The group offshore hauled on the rope and I swam through the waves. The whole experience made bearable by the dry suit I was wearing. Once through the surf it was just a matter of climbing in the kayak and paddling off. That day we made our greatest mileage on the four week trip and without a degree ingenuity it could have just been another lost paddling day!

On another occasion, in Alaska, it was necessary to launch from a pebble covered beach through dumping surf. Going afloat was preferable to spending the night in the presence of bear, which had rather too much interest in our campsite for comfort. The last person to leave the beach waited for a slight lull in the waves and then ran down the beach pushing their kayak (plastic) and as the kayak hit the water with a well timed leap, the paddler landed on the back deck. He then paddled out through the remaining waves to the calmer water offshore where he was able to climb into his kayak, having avoided the discomfort and potential hazards of the impact zone!

In all difficult launches the priority has to be to protect the kayak and the paddler from damage. Sometimes when landings have taken place on offshore reefs or where there is a steep section of coastline as the tide rises and falls the situation can vary significantly. An option, if the water drops deep quickly, is to throw the kayak in to the water and jump in afterwards. If there is any chance of the kayak being blown away then it is advisable to attach yourself to the craft. If there is a swell surging up the rocks, the desirable time to launch the kayak is as the wave surges to its peak. If the kayak is launched at that moment, as the wave sucks back, the kayak will be taken away from the rocks and the area of potential damage. This technique is obviously easier to practice if the kayak is relatively empty.

Launching and remaining dry is not always an easy option, therefore it is important to dress for the conditions which may be encountered. Although on the majority of occasions sea kayaking is a dry sport, at times the paddler should be prepared to get wet.

The preferred option is approaching a crescent shaped bay, which is glistening in the late afternoon light, as the blue seas gently lap over the golden sands. The water shallows gradually with the result that as the nose of the kayak comes to rest on the beach, the water surrounding the kayak is shallow and it is a simple process of stepping ashore with the feet barely getting damp. Reality is normally somewhat different.

Landings have to be effected on steep beaches, pebbles and boulders, rocky cliffs, harbour walls and pontoons with and without the accompaniment of swell, wind generated waves and wash from other craft. Each situation requires a different response and the necessary skills can only enter the paddler’s repertoire as a result of practice in a variety of conditions. It is important to spend time discussing and refining the techniques in the company of other paddlers so that when the more demanding landings arise, the solution is not a complete mystery.

On steep beaches dumping waves are likely to be encountered and this can be a potentially dangerous situation because of the amount of energy that is released when the waves break. In addition the majority of steeply sloping beaches consist of pebbles and therefore any landing has the potential to be damaging to both paddler and equipment, particularly if the waves have enough power to hurl pebbles forward as they break.

Good observation matters. Don't rush into making decisions.

One of the most common approaches is to sit offshore watching the sequence of waves and try to anticipate when there is a reduction in wave height. The spray deck should be released to speed up the exit from the kayak once it reaches terra firma. Once the last wave of a set has passed underneath the kayak, it is necessary to paddle as hard as possible to ensure that you keep on the back of the wave. Avoid overtaking the wave and ending up on its face. If this happens, it is likely that because of the angle of the wave face, that the bows will bury and a loop performed, with the paddler hitting the beach. When this happens, even if the person isn't injured, it is unlikely that they will be able to exit the kayak and reach the safety of the beach before the next explosive waves arrive. It is possible that the kayak and the paddler will be sucked up by the following wave and then hurled back against the beach. This process can be repeated indefinitely and is a potentially very dangerous situation to encounter.

Stay on the back of the wave

Missing time your arrival in surf can lead to real problems. The paddler is still in the kayak!

Sometimes the only option is a controlled run towards the beach.