9 Tips for Paddling Safely with Tides

[robcasey]

9 Tips for Paddling Safely with Tides, from my blog,
http://stokemagazine.blogspot.com/2012/02/9-tips-for-paddling-safely-with-tides.html

[hbsteve]

Good info. 
The other issue I see overlooked by rental places is wind.  I sure see people struggling to get back.  When all they had to do was paddle up wind first.

[Menlo SUPr]

Yesterday my wife & I were checking out a place to put in our boards at a local estuary with mud flats, and we gave a lot of thought to the tidal variations. We thought about using quad fins instead of a big center to minimize the chance of getting stuck in mud.

As for starting out going into the wind, that's not always possible if the wind is blowing off shore. Fortunately by our flats (and probably most), the wind normally blows onshore since warmer air rises off the flats and sucks in air from over the bay.

[robcasey]

both good points.  i'm also in an area where many should (if they knew to) paddle upwind first, but again the good ol' neighborhood surf shop neglects to give any wind, tidal, or boating safety info.  we towed quite a few paddles last summer when high pressure builds a daily afternoon northerly. 

certainly fin ht is an issue. most of my boards are single fin, but i use the proteck rubber fins which have been great for kelp beds and shallow areas, less carnage. a guy on paddling.net who saw this same posting commented how he now won't get a sup given the fin issue in shallow areas. i told him, if you get stuck in mud, you can remove the fin and more easily haul his board out than doing the same with a  'vee' bottomed sea kayak.  and any case, it's good to learn to paddle finless anyway. 

[raf]

If you are in water shallow enough to drag your fin, walk forwards on the board to pull the tail out of the water.  We do this on local tidal rivers and its great fun to see who can get over the shallow spots (3-4") without getting off their board.  If you fall, you fall into 3" of water...no big deal.

I often flip my paddle around and hold the blade, using the handle end as a poling stick to push myself over shallow areas.  This prevents damage to the blade, and the handle is less likely to slice into the mud/sand. 

Generally speaking, its best to avoid too shallow water by simply checking a tide chart before you go. 

[ObviousSup]

If you are in water shallow enough to drag your fin, walk forwards on the board to pull the tail out of the water.  We do this on local tidal rivers and its great fun to see who can get over the shallow spots (3-4") without getting off their board.  If you fall, you fall into 3" of water...no big deal.

Thanks to the suggestion. I am not sure how long it would have taken to remember that walking to the front might get the tail out with out sinking the nose into the mud.