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Posted by jas on 17:57:54 27/11/02
In Reply to: Re: Santa Anna's, Danger on the water! posted by Rhino
: : Anybody care to comment on the Winds called the Santa Anna's? From the News it looks like hell with the wind blowing Cops and Robbers around like puppets.Since this was my first year kayaking I have never heard stories of kayakers and those big winds. I am aware of a couple of tragic events with regaurds to these winds and kayakers. Most recently last year off Malibu a kayaker was drowned after being blown offshore and lost, body recovered, friend with a wetsuit survived. That is not it, there are many more. They could not make it back to shore against the wind and wind swell. Safe to say that when the wind advisaries are up, you should not tempt the fates and head out. Calm, glassy, morning water can turn nasty in a snap, with heavy offshore winds turning to big windswell only a few yards off the beach. If you are caught, you may need to swim your yak in. I carry a set of Duckfeet in the yak, for just such emergencies. My own experience occured up at The Ranch a few years back, in less than 5 minutes my 100yard paddle to the beach took me over a half hour battling the building offshore wind. I spent all my energy making it back. If I had been farther out I would have been picked up at San Miguel Island, or not. Do not underestimate Santa Anna winds and the wind advisories, the ocean is not forgiving. TL Rhino
Amen to that! With the winds blowing this fierce you'd have to have a death wish to go out (depending on where you're yaking). The wind can easily out power an experienced yaker if it's blowing hard enough.
jas
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