Where the heck is the nose of your kayak? Are you looking at it or are you feeling it? These are questions I constantly ask my sea kayaking students when paddling in strong currents or crossing eddylines.
I recently followed a lengthy debate on a popular paddling forum regarding the pros and cons of rescue stirrups (aka rescue slings). A rescue sling is a device used to help a swimmer who can’t seem to pull themselves up onto their boat during a rescue. Although I’d definitely consider a stirrup to be a last resort, there are times as a guide that a stirrup has proven a quick and effective way of getting a cold and tired paddler back in their boat.
