Lose your head, break your paddle. Lightening in Littleton Harbor, New Zealand

[glad]

On the last day of my 3 week trip to New Zealand my paddling partner, Steve rented a plastic boat for me. We paddled in Littleton Harbor, an old caldera open to the sea. This is an area surrounded by about 2000 ft hills about 15 miles out of Christchurch on the South Island.

Here’s a partial picture of the harbor; http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/corps/corp2353.htm

A geologist friend had warned me that the weather “was going to pot’ towards the end of the day, but I was on the food committee not the route planning committee, so I didn’t know what flavor of ‘pot’ the weather would take. Mistake number one.

We had a few hours of lovely paddling meeting some larger swells as we ventured just outside the mouth of the harbor. Turning back, our next stop was an island, known to be a leper colony and the final home to skeletons of scuttled boats rotting on one side of the island.

As we left our island picnic I heard the boomers behind us. Then I watched the sky in front get blacker and was trying to judge it’s intention. We were trying to find a channel to free us from the water draining out of the area and I became increasing concerned about the darkening sky bearing down on us.

The lightning started going off and though my partner disagreed, I headed off the water to a sheltered location. I pulled the boat up onto the beach, secured the paddle under the bungees, turned it over into the wind to lower it’s profile. Then I just watched.

Because it was a mountainous area the wind funneled down and concentrated under our boats. I watched that big wind pick up our semi-loaded boats and toss them a full five feet into the air. What a sight!

A bigger horror was watching the very expensive, borrowed, composite, 4 piece Lendall paddle come half-way loose and break like a toothpick under the force of boat coming down on it from 5 feet. Many days of paddling in New Zealand and not one scratch to be destroyed on my last day.

Luckily my paddling partner decided to join me on the beach instead of paddling downwind in the blow, cause he had the extra paddle and we had about 3 kilometers to get back to the put-in.

On reflection, I should have taken the paddle (partially graphite) with me and tethered it to a short tree or secured it somehow away from the boat. I’ve done this before, why didn’t I do it this time? Time was short, possibly I was distracted.

A good lesson learned. Anybody have other suggestions about paddle stowing in storms?

[scamlin]

Karen:

Well, if you have to replace that expensive paddle, at least you got a great story out of it.

Thanks for the write up.

Scott

[glad]

That was indeed a saving grace. My five day trip was not nearly as dramatic. Thank goodness.

[Suz]

When we chatted, we thought that perhaps because the boat was upside down, it might have lifted higher than if it was right side up.

I like the idea of using my short tow to tether the paddle to something other than the boat or me. Although I am sure I would have just stowed the paddle on the boat but not if I had rolled it over on it's deck.

Paddles can be replaced. Glad you got off the water in time.

Suz

[jeffcasey]

Hey Karen...

A paddle is cheaper than a head any day. All paddling gear (paddles, boats, drysuits) are consumeables! You aren't.

Sounds like it was somebody else's paddle that broke, not mine?

[Suz]

Mine Jeff but not a big deal. The shaft was a special order - variable length, variable feather all carbon. I made a quick call to Lendal and they have sent me a loaner shaft for my upcoming trip and have ordered the replacement.

Suz