Messages

1

SUP General / Re: Polarized lenses or not

« on: July 24, 2017, 08:43:21 AM »

In case anyone is interested, this is how, in brief, the sunlight that reaches earths surface becomes polarized:

From Wikipedia:
"The Rayleigh sky model describes the observed polarization pattern of the daytime sky. Within the atmosphere Rayleigh scattering of light from air molecules, water, dust, and aerosols causes the sky's light to have a defined polarization pattern. The same elastic scattering processes cause the sky to be blue. The polarization is characterized at each wavelength by its degree of polarization, and orientation (the e-vector angle, or scattering angle)."

The $300 polarized shades on your head filter (polarize) the sunlight to vibrate/wave travel in one uniform direction.  Combine this with the slight polarization of the atmospheric light and you get what is know as
the "winking effect".  Simply stated, imagine a picket fence.  Then take another picket fence and rotated it in front of the first.  When they are lined up you can mostly see thru both, but when they are 90 degrees to each other all you get is cross pickets, or "crossed hairs" in mineral optics terms.  This is why as you move your head around relative to the dominant polarized atmospheric direction you have probably noticed the sky or objects change in intensity, color saturation, or brightness.  And this is the primary source of vertigo, it messes with your brain/eyes/inner ear balance and depth perception....ergo you go splat off da board, yah?

When in college my friends would always think the photomicrograghs of slices of ground down thin rocks were really cool.  Look at all the pretty colors!!  Then you show them the slides under the microscope using polarized light, and rotated the micro table, the colors wink in and out, psychedelic like.  Pass the Maryjane please....

and yah, I caught the egg joke (yoke)...hehehe

2

SUP General / Re: How bad are the jellyfish in Hawaii?

« on: June 23, 2017, 09:05:09 PM »

"The benefit of soaking Vana with something that eats away at it is that the barbs are thin and disappear first. You're left with a barbless, pyramidal needle which backs out pretty easily. Before that happens you have to rip some flesh."
[/quote]

Yah, my bud tried to dig one out of his heel, with no luck and a lot of swearing, tearing, and mining. He was told by an old local about the vinegar trick on embedded Vana spines, and it worked.
The little Vana needles have backward facing barbs, just like a stingray stinger, which is a whole nuther interesting experience.  When THOSE little bastards hit you the pain is off the charts, and is mainly due to the muscle paralyzing poison, but also from the barb sheath material (which also has poisonous enzymes) that is left behind, when the critter pulls out the stinger.  It acts like a little saw and rips a nice hole out of you at the same time, just for fun, which can bleed like hell. Not sure what to do if a stingray stinger was broken off in yah.....scream like a banshee for awhile, I guess..

3

SUP General / Re: How bad are the jellyfish in Hawaii?

« on: June 23, 2017, 07:15:18 AM »

2 weeks ago had a fellow SUP bud step on one, and broke off 8-10 spines which were embedded in his heel.  He was out of the water for a couple days, soaked it in vinegar on and off, and apparently that helps dissolve the carbonaceous material.  He didn't have much swelling or "poison" pain, just the kind you would expect from stepping on a pincushion...
He was back in the water surfing w/ no problems in 2 days.

I've been tagged in the hand and arm when not falling flat in the shallower surf.  Nothing was broken off/ left behing and had no allergic reaction to speak of, but would not recommend doing this unless your looking for a free acupuncture treatment....

4

SUP General / Re: How bad are the jellyfish in Hawaii?

« on: June 20, 2017, 07:35:04 PM »

SPL, getting back to the question, have been told by numerous South Maui lifeguards that they see the jellys come in w/ the tides around a week after a full moon, for a couple days. I have been hit a couple times while paddling off the South side during that moon period, as I recall, but not really sure how accurate that is. Maybe its just the pat answer all the local "officials" give for a naturally occuring random event.

Anyway, the little translucent blue bastards wrapped my arm and leg, and had to be at least 10ft long. Was lucky to wash them off in the waves really quick, both times.  Would compare them to bee stings on a string, vinegar did the trick for cooling the fire.  Welts and pain pretty much gone in a couple hrs.  As has been mentioned, how bad it gets comes down to genetics, allergic response.

5

SUP General / Re: ha ha ha.... so I finally tried to surf a 14'er!

« on: June 16, 2017, 02:29:07 PM »

Looks very familiar to me, Creek. I'm just back from Maui and spent 10 days trying to surf my 14ft on the Southside.  Great fun and frustration all in one.  Lotta 1 to 3 ft waves, which are a gas on the big pig, with an occasional chest to shoulder high thrown in for giggles.  Those can be a challenge (scary) on a 14er, but like you said, getting way back helps a lot.  Still had a hard time turning, feels kinda like using a 220cm downhill ski in the bumps.  Mostly turned better/faster on the bigger waves, usually just before the saltwater nettypot....

But it really helped improve my gliding and timing when downwinding....

6

Flatwater and Touring / Re: Black Canyon: Hoover Dam to El Dorado on the Colorado River

« on: May 09, 2017, 07:46:55 PM »

Hey all, I know this is an old post but had to revive it.  WOW!!  One really beautiful spot, Great flatwater paddle!!  Just did this last week with my 72 yr old bro, who is 6 months off of major knee surgery.  After months of major rehab it was his first attempt at SUP, and it was a major uplift to his tired soul.  He rented a crossover plastic board with a flip up kayak style seat from the outfitter (Desert River Outfitters..Bullhead City...Helen was great to work with!) we used for the shuttle, which was perfect for his condition.  We launched from the Dam, and he managed to stand for about half the trip down to Willow Beach.  The best kind of rehab...
Anyway, this is an easy must do bucket list-er, for those who like flatwater paddlin in deep, dark desert canyons.

Who doesn't??

We had glass for most of the trip, but the canyon got the last laugh in the last 1/2 mile, wind came on strong upriver in our face in about 10 mins, gusting to 30.  Felt good to be in the desert, warm, and out of snow. 

Do this trip if you get a chance....Aloha

7

Flatwater and Touring / Re: Black Canyon – more Colorado River flatwater

« on: February 25, 2017, 03:28:49 PM »

Aloha everybody!

Just curious if anyone has done this trip recently, and if the permitting, shuttles, and non-motorized traffic info is still the same, or have the Regs changed in recent times???

8

Random / Re: What a got damn shitshow. [warning politics]

« on: February 16, 2017, 05:56:18 PM »

Realllllllyyyyyy hard to not see Melissa McCarthy, when looking at Spicey...HAHAHAHA!!!!

9

Random / Re: What a got damn shitshow. [warning politics]

« on: February 16, 2017, 05:43:26 PM »

Speaking of science and facts, here is a recent article that speaks to The Donalds Administration's views regarding intelligent dialog, or fact based evidence...No need to concern ourselves w/ warming oceans, coral bleaching, fisheries collapse, or global warming generated changes....we will just deny the science.....


http://www.salon.com/2017/01/07/donald-trumps-glorious-victory-for-anti-intellectualism-drain-the-swamp-just-meant-the-eggheads/

Paddle faster, cause the incoming tides are getting bigger.....

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Fish Tales, Stand Up style / Re: 15 foot+ Tiger at Kihei Boat Ramp..

« on: February 15, 2017, 08:23:59 PM »

Kinda flies in the face of the old adage: "What you don't know (or don't see) cant hurt you..."

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Flatwater and Touring / Re: Let's see pics of your favorite flatwater places

« on: December 19, 2016, 09:22:46 AM »

Lapping the last of the icebergs, 9800ft, Homestake Reservoir, Colorado.
Or maybe a little warmer and not as flat, which also works....

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Fish Tales, Stand Up style / Re: 15 foot+ Tiger at Kihei Boat Ramp..

« on: October 29, 2016, 04:12:24 PM »

Well, we just returned from a month on Da Rock, and glad to say no shark sightings of any consequence for us this trip.  Unfortunately while we were there, 3 shark incidents happened, 2 on the southside and 1 on the north shore. Thank Pele no fatalities.
We did see one 5-6ft reef shark down deep in 30-40 ft of water while out in a 6 man canoe, down by the Fairmont, however.
Sharktober time....keep ur head on a swivel boyz n girls....

13

SUP General / Re: Best way to make a case to local leaders that SUP should be allowed on lakes

« on: August 17, 2016, 04:21:55 PM »

Also forgot to mention, now the SUP rentals far outpaces kayak and canoe rentals COMBINED on Dillon Res.  We are fortunate in respect to having this lake located in a very outdoor activity oriented state/county.  Recreational sports comprises a major economic engine in Colorado, so the board members/Towns we dealt with were very receptive to new ideas on how to increase that useage...i.e. cashcow.  If need be, you should suggest your governing body contact the Town of Frisco, inquire about the positive changes that SUP has brought to the Marina's and Town.  If you want more info, lemmeno....

Not sure where you are JonoUNC89, but it may be a harder sell for you, to a bunch of good ole' out of shape fat folks, overseeing a small county, who think outdoor recreation is best when in an RV watching satellite TV.....

14

SUP General / Re: Best way to make a case to local leaders that SUP should be allowed on lakes

« on: August 17, 2016, 04:04:50 PM »

We had this issue 5 yrs back on Lake Dillon in central Colorado.  It is the primary water source for Denver, and had old outdated regulations restricting "bodily contact" w/ the water. Had to wear a wetsuit when windsurfing or waterskiing, which hardly anyone ever did, due to the very cold water temps (40s-low 50s), as the lake sits @ 9000ft. Their biggest concern was hypothermia, which there were yearly numerous incidents w/ rental canoes and kayaks. 

So obviously, when SUP started to get popular, the local Frisco Rowing Center included SUP in the yearly races, and things started to heat up, literally, in the damn wetsuits.  Time to educate the controlling Denver Water Board about SUP.  I was involved w/ da local boyz n gals to spearhead an effort to educate the DWB, and Towns of Frisco and Dillon regarding the different aspects of this blooming sport, and getting the regs updated to allow SUP w/o wetsuits.  They were blown away by our meetings and demo sessions, as none of them knew much about all the possibilities w/ SUP, so we showed them and got them to change the regs!!

As some here have mentioned, and as we found out, "money talks, bullshit walks".  Bureaucrat's need to cover their ass from multiple directions.  Once the DWB et al. were shown the growth and potential money generation by all the SUP activity, as well as the safety non-issues (way safer than a kayak or canoe....must have a leash) it was an easy sell.  Also, any concerns regarding cleanliness were overridden by the technology used today in cleaning municipal water.  Its not as if any town pumps it directly into the faucets anymore.

So if you emphasize money and safety, it will go a long ways to getting you out on that water.  Get the local sports shops and paddle clubs, if any, involved.  Put on the happy face and educate the bastards!!

15

SUP General / Re: Paddling for a weight loss. Got inspirational story to share?

« on: August 12, 2016, 10:12:38 PM »

Yah, very cool.  He is "Da Man".  Of course, I had no idea at the time about anything or anyone related to the surfing culture.  If memory serves, Archie introduced us to these other 2 "dudes from Hawaii" named Todd and Brain, as the co-owners of C4, and I think I said something Gomer-ish along the lines of "Gee guys, this is some kind of fun little activity you came up with here.  But do you really think it will catch on?" 
Being the patient and gracious fellows they are, I was shown how to hold the paddle, stand up correctly, and get back on the board the easy way after falling (you just crawl on the back & lift one leg over first, right?...I can't lift my leg...), all with a smile and encouragement.

Only later did we learn who these bruddahs really were........
Have had many other chance meetings and unexpected connections w/ people since that 1st day....."7 degrees of Separation" theory at work.

It may sound corny, but that is some of the beauty of SUP...ya never know who or what you'll run into on/around the water, how it may change you, or where it may take you in life.....but it is a great journey.