Who Forgot the Seed Potatoes?
OK, you’ve landed. But unless someone brought seed potatoes, a fishing pole, and an ax to build a cabin and spend the winter, the following morning you’ll have to paddle back out through the surf. Launches are more difficult than landings for the simple reason that you’re trying to move against the motion of the water. If you make a mistake on a landing, the waves will probably wash you onto the beach, which is where you want to be. But if you make a mistake while launching, then the waves will probably wash you onto the beach, which is where you don’t want to be. The key to launching is to build enough speed to punch through the breaking wave. If you are moving too slowly, the breaking wave will catapult you over backward or wash you onto the beach, where you started. If the wave is breaking far off the beach, paddle out and hit it with as much speed and power as you can muster. But on many coastlines there is a nasty shore break that beats right on the beach. The best technique to co
