Posts tagged sea
I've seen small radar reflectors for sale. Should I carry one when kayaking? What else can I do such that boats can use their radar to be aware of my location when they can't see me due to poor v...
Rather than shining in all directions, lighthouses usually produce a directed beam of light that continuously sweeps in a circle. This allows: the light to be more concentrated and so appear brig...
We recently (July, 2019) went to Bar Harbor, Maine, United States, to visit friends who live on the ocean. My husband took a walk on an established path (he's very serious about Leave No Trace) at ...
I got myself some short fins since as a fairly weak swimmer especially in my legs I wanted a bit more confidence and power when swimming in the sea. However one basic problem I've encountered - ho...
I recently bought some fins... Short, much stiffer than some fins used by divers these are more aimed at surfing. I can feel they make me faster but am struggling with technique. I feel I'm fighti...
We have a question about desalinating water while stranded at sea, and another that asks if you can get desalinated water from eating fish. However, even if you could get desalinated water from fi...
What product or combination of products best protects your hands while kayaking in winter? I’m interested in a system which provides comfort for extended paddling but also the peripheral activitie...
At significant risk of tin foil hat jokes, I’ve read compelling evidence that a homemade hat incorporating angled and crumpled aluminum foil may slightly increase a kayaker’s visibility on radar — ...
What equipment should I carry in case of emergency on a coastal kayaking trip? I normally do short trips (1 week or less) around the islands of northwest Scotland. I tend to travel solo (sometimes...
Photographed off the Western coast of India, Goa, to be precise. Not even sure this is a creature since I've never seen anything like it. It appeared to move by shooting tiny jets of water from its...
There is a video going round of two guys flipping a sea turtle that had ended up on its back so it could get back into the water. How would a sea turtle end up on its back in the first place (it s...
Last October, we were on a road above a beach in a small town near Bar Harbor, Maine, in the Northeast United States. We looked down and saw two fishermen loading their trucks with piles of somethi...
I want to know the major differences between these two systems.
This question is based on my desire to avoid disturbing, injuring, or scaring away an octopus which is camouflaged to look like a coral reef. Since it's so difficult to see, I'd like to know how to...
Yesterday I was flying above the Mediterranean sea, it was a nice day, without storms or strong winds. I fly around 20 minutes above it before arriving to the ground. During these 20 minutes I saw...
When researching surf conditions, what weather cycles indicate good overall conditions for a North American Atlantic Ocean-based break?
During an internet search for fun places to go in the Western United States, I came across a number of articles about an unusual rock formation in Oregon called Duckbill. It was called iconic, trea...
Ever since I read a book called Misty of Chincoteague as a child, I've wanted to see the Wild Chincoteague Ponies, on the Eastern shore of the United States. I believe there are two herds on Assat...
How do I develop my kayak “Eskimo roll” from something I can do most of the time in a calm lake or pool to something I can trust to work close to 100% of the time in real sea or river conditions?
I am in the market for a kayak and am wondering what type of kayak or what features I should look at given my requirements. Here's the details you'll probably need to help me out: I'm 6'1" and 21...
One summer evening we drove to Race Point, the farthest tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA. We were told there was a lighthouse at that spot, and wanted to see the light shine through the darkness...
What type of boat might this be? Or what category of boats would it fall under?
Anyone who has played in the ocean knows getting a little sea water in your mouth and swallowing it will not kill you. Seawater contains salt. When humans drink seawater, their cells are thus...
Related to this question, if one were to go on a three-month rowing trip across an ocean, is there an estimate of how much the food would be needed? It's certainly possible to give an estimate whe...
There have been a few Atlantic and Pacific row boat crossings. Poor weather is a significant risk. While it might be nice to row with the wind at your aft (back of boat), it might also be nice to...
A simple explanation would be great. I am reading a manual for digital compass and there is a paragraph with the following words: The SpeedPuck automatically detects when a sailor is trimmed t...
Inspired by a recent question. If I want to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a boat, what are the shortest and longest possible crossing sites? Where crossing = going from one continent to another wh...
What should the crew and passengers do on a long voyage? If they do nothing, their attention is scattered and may become remiss. You can begin to wash the boat, but I do not think that is the best...
Ocean water has about 35 Grams of salt per liter. For the human body salt content in body fluids is about 9 Grams per liter. See related question How much sea water can I safely drink? While it ...
There are large areas of the ocean that are essentially lifeless, often called ocean deserts. If I am traveling the ocean, and not familiar with potential sea life in the area, can I tell from clu...
If you are fishing in the ocean off the United States Coast. At what distance from shore do US fishing laws no longer apply? The US Coast Guard listes, boundaries at 12, 24 and 200 Miles. Ma...
Sometimes there are sources of water which are slightly contaminated with salt, such as coastal wells or pools of rainwater in rocks near the coast, or water containers with pinhole leaks which hav...
Handheld desalinators operating on the principle of reverse osmosis are available for emergency use in lifeboats. Sometimes they appear for sale unused in their original packaging at a very steep ...
In the answer to Can I get fresh water from ocean fish flesh? I learned that the water I can get from eating fish has a low enough salt content that it will hydrate me, BUT the high protein count w...
I was looking into portable desalination hand pumps. and I found this one one Amazon for $959 it says the Katadyn Survivor 06 is the world's smallest hand-operated desalinator and can easily fi...
I was recently told that many of the clothes we wear are made up of materials that are dangerous to marine wildlife, and the undersea environment. I'm curious as to whether or not it's true. I kn...
Does anyone have any experience they can share with actual use of a hands-free kayak bilge pump? I’m curious about foot-operated/electric/other, purchased or custom built, anything that lets me ke...
Yesterday I went to the beach when I get in the water everything was fine the water not cold the sea very clear. Then I started feeling little stings at all my body.I thought it was my idea. When...
Last year we visited some friends at their summer home in Lamoine, Maine, in Northeast United States. They took us to a place called Somes Sound, on Mount Desert Island. It's either in or near Acad...
In an episode in the tv series "I shouldn't be alive", crew members of a yacht racing team got caught in a violent storm and found themselves stranded in the Gulf of Mexico after their boat capsize...
I am looking for a telescopic surf fishing rod of about 14 feet length & lure weight up to 250grams/8oz. Is it better if a telescopic surf rod has less segments or does it not matter ? This o...
Many beaches where I want to do surf fishing (from shore) are almost flat for many feet into the sea. Some of the beaches have a steep slope into the sea. I hope to catch striped bass, perch or any...
Is there a relative scale to which one can estimate the size of a shark by looking at its dorsal fin? I know it will differ from species to species, but is there a general guideline maybe for each...
What, you may ask, is coasteering? Does saying it is similar to kloofing help? Thought not. Many sites describe coasteering; here is a brief description exerpted from outsideonline.com, What Is C...
When I swim in the sea around Singapore, I get stinging/prickling/electric sensations on my skin in certain areas of the water sometimes. There aren't any visible creatures nearby. What are these...
When sailing I may anchor in a different bay each evening and take a dinghy in to land to sleep in a tent overnight. I always worry that when I wake up in the morning the boat may no longer be th...
On some occasions you don´t have anything to desinfect wounds, for example during a (short) walk along the beach. If you cut yourself or have a an small wound that needs cleaning, would it be wise ...
You can easily find the temperatures at the surface of the sea. However, to choose the correct diving suit, I would like to know the temperatures that can be expected at a depth of about 30 meters...
I'm thinking about taking my Scout troop (boys aged 11-17) on a sea kayaking trip. What expectations should I have for the distance that we can travel in one day? Assume good weather (clear skies...
