BARcuzzis

I�ve been paddling during some really low tides lately, but today I got to paddle during a very high one. I prefer the latter. My whole launching beach was under water a foot high at the sea wall, which made getting in my kayak a little dicey. But the harbor looks so clean with all that fresh water in it and it�s neat to see all the docks about to float off their pilings!



The ocean was calm today and filled with kayak fishermen. I paddled over to the clear water behind BAR. Usually I just sit back there and if I go through the arch, I always make it a quick trip. But today with the high tide and mild conditions, the back yard wasn�t much fun. I decided to hang out in the arch and ended up there for most of an hour. It was interesting to take the time to see how the hydraulics work in there. I noticed that there are two channels on either side of the wall with openings that face out to sea. As a wave comes in, they fill up and as the water ebbs through the arch, they provide a side current that complicates the current heading straight out. I have decided to heretofore name them BARcuzzis! The southern BARcuzzi holds more water and empties in a more predictable fashion. The northern BARcuzzi is unpredictable and sometimes empties in a narrow stream that can really get your boat turning! The BARcuzzis empty in the trough after a wave passes through, but they also empty in the front of a large incoming swell as it sucks the water out. Even knowing they�re there, it is still difficult to predict how they�re going to act. Well I guess it wouldn�t be fun if it was too easy!


A BARcuzzi

After heading to the beach farther south to play in the minuscule waves, I came back for more arch time, but with the fast ebbing tide the rocks were coming up to the surface. I had one wild and wooly set come through and decided I had had enough for the day. The boat�s still on the car, ready for the next launch.










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Mark Sanders