From: jmunro@wyse.wyse.com (Jim Munro x2497)
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
Subject: Giant Kelp Attacks Palo Alto Man
Date: 27 Jul 92 16:43:11 GMT
Organization: Wyse Technologies San Jose, Ca


Sunday Report From Santa Cruz
-----------------------------

Well, lingering fog and cold conditions generally kept visitors away so that
when the fog lifted and the wind came up, ther were just the regular locals
rigging up and getting ready to go.

My friend (from Palo Alto) was intent on using his brand new Electric Rock
which he claims was really 'floaty'. I had decided to use my old SEatrend
and as I rigged, looked forward to next week when perhaps I will also
have a nice new replacement.

AS it had been a couple of years since he had sailed NAtural Bridges and as the
last time still had nasty memories for him, I went to extra lengths to give 
advice.

First and formost, be careful launching. The beach break was running quite
high, and the ocasional set looked pretty bone crunching. Next I told him to stay
upwind, but if he did happen to get into the kelp, to just turn around and come
back. 

After getting knocked down about ten times and having his rig unceremoniously
dumped on the beach under a ton of sand several times, he finally made it
through the surf and saild directly to the kelp beds.

I followed him out and as I snaked through the channels between the kelp beds,
shouted to him to go back. Twenty minutes later when I returned, he was still
struggling. At least he hasn't been eaten I thought. Great Whites are kind of
partial to visitors.

THis time I got snagged myself, and after spending tem minutes doing the old kelp
dance myself, I yelled to him to return to the beach.

No dice. When I got back to the beach he was trying to uphaul, and still trying
to sail out over the kelp to the outside. By this time, it was pretty obvious that
anyone other than an excellent sailor in good condition would never make it back.
He was destined to make his landing a mile down wind at Stockton Avenue
amid the surf and big rocks (or worse).

We watched for another 45 minutes as he steadily exhausted himself but eventually he
struggeled free of the kelp to the outside only to find his rig in disarray and
unable to waterstart. Another sailor had sailed down to him but was unable to
really help him.

By this time I had alerted the life guard, and eventually after they had decided
to paddle a paddle board the half mile out to him and tow him in (theses guys are
animals!) their nice new boat showed up. The life guards were very polite and were
careful with his rig. They brought him back up wind and dropped him inside the kelp 
where he was able to sail back in. Bowed but not beaten he withstood the
humiliation of the locals jokes, but no one was really unsympathetic because
we've all been there ourselves. As a matter of fact, he had become so tired
that he was slightly disoriented and could no longer excercise proper judgment
about which way to go and whether his sail was rigged right.

Moral: Don't fight the kelp. It will win every time.

I had a pretty good time. I sailed my 5.5 NP Wave Slalom which I really don't
like much and I used my nice new Chinook ultimate boom.
Conditions were generally flat and the wind nicely filled in on the outside.

What is more, due to the general lack of visitors, the sharks behaved themselves.

Jim Munro