“Digital” Water Sports: Kayaking Morro Bay with a Camera

Last weekend, my cousin Stephen and I took a trip up to the Central California Coast. The region has long been one of my favorite places in the world, but my cousin had never seen this portion of the coast despite living only three hours to the south. We hadn’t seen much of each other since I left for art school in 2002 so this was a chance to have some fun and relive old times. By the end of the trip, we both had experienced new things: “Driving” on the Pacific Ocean, a motel in Cambria kissing our asses then paying for us to check into a more expensive place in San Simeon, and kayaking.

Neither of us had been to Pismo Beach aka. Oceano Dunes State Recreational Area so we made a point to stop by there after breakfast in the Danish village, Solving. I’d vaguely heard of people riding ATV’s and Hummers on sand dunes but didn’t know much beyond that. So little did we know that we would be literally driving on the ocean’s low tide line to get to the Oceano Dunes “State Vehicular Recreational Area”. Thousands of people were out there so it was difficult to find a spot to park. Typically I wouldn’t go to a place with such a wild crowd but given the unique location this was an exception. It turned out to be somewhat like being in the middle of a war zone to be a bystander. If anyone knows of a safe place to climb the dunes and view the action please let me know. Sad but true. Off-roading seems like a fun sport if not destructive to the ecosystem. The L.A. Times even had an article recently about possibly limiting the off-road activities. We’d have given it a try nevertheless if we had the cash on hand.

Now let’s get to the exciting stuff. The next morning we went kayaking on Morro Harbor. Nobody was out and about yet so we were able to park anywhere we wanted along the embarcadero which was quite different from the afternoon before. Not knowing where Kayak Horizons was, I parked on the far end of the embarcadero… When we got there the guy had us put on thick life vests. If that wasn’t cumbersome enough, I had a camera bag I needed to sling over my shoulders. We got an impromptu lesson on the dock then proceeded to send us on our merry way. The single kayaks had enough room to carry on drinks and any bags such as a camera bag in the front section beyond where the feet go. Easy enough.

Getting the hang of turning was tricky at first but eventually we got the hang of it after getting stuck in shallow wetlands several times due to the low tide. Being out on the water was a thrill because we had brown pelicans dive bombing over us, snowy egrets fishing for worms, sea lions diving for fish over/around/under our kayaks, sea otters playing, and yachts to avoid. I’ll never forget seeing the sea lions chasing a school of fish out of the water and back into the water within twenty feet of our kayaks.



Photographically I wasn’t able to get any eye-catching shots but the experience is what counts. I’ll never be one of those photographers who passes up an opportunity to shoot because “it would never sell” or complain about it. All I care about is having a good time and that is exactly what I did. If it sells, it sells. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. It’s not like anyone can predict what will and won’t anyway. We spent nearly three hours on the water enjoying every bit of our time.

Of visual interest though besides the wildlife were the decaying wood and crab pot buoys on old fishing boats. Keeping my lens dry turned out to be difficult. Next time I will be better prepared.

Bring:

1. Lens cloth- maybe my lack of kayaking technique contributed to the water drops on my lens or negligence on my part to wipe the water off properly. Same result either way.
2. Keep a UV filter on or lens cap when not shooting- see above.
3. Maybe a polarizer depending on your preference for reflections.
4. A VR or IS zoom lens- I don’t have one but if you’re using long glass for wildlife it would probably help.
5. A wide brim hat and sunblock- we got slightly sunburn even in the overcast weather.
6. Weight-lifting gloves- my left hand was starting to blister near the end and so did my cousin’s hands.
7. Binoculars- maybe photography isn’t your thing or you don’t have a long lens.

Sidenote: If your digital camera was manufactured to be sealed tight then a little bit of water isn’t going to harm it. Maybe my ego, or some might argue incompetence has led me to take my digital cameras out even in pouring rain and next to overflowing waterfalls without any consequences to my equipment. I find myself quitting before the digital cameras usually.

Avoid Being a Victim of Road Rage

Now I’m not talking about avoiding road rage in L.A., San Francisco or Boston. In L.A., you’re going to get shot regardless of how good your driving etiquette is. In SF, you’ll get ran off of the freeway on-ramp into the wall for no apparent reason other than merely trying to merge on. In Boston, someone will step out of their apartment then drag you out of the car and take a swing at you for parking in their “spot”. What I’m going to discuss is mountain driving, two-lane roads and open highways.



Mountain Roads

It’s one thing to drive incompetently on big residential or downtown streets, but when you are going down a twisty, two-lane mountain road you’d better know what you’re doing or the consequences aren’t going to be pretty. In fact, I’m putting together a patent for a vehicle road sweeper as we speak.

1. Use the pullouts- every quarter mile or so there is a plowed or paved area on your side of the road to pull out. Sometimes pullouts are the size of your car or the size of a scenic viewpoint area. It’s the same purpose either way. When there are one or more cars riding you pretty close it means to pull over!! If you don’t, don’t be surprised if one day your rear bumper ceases to exist or worse. Do society a favor by staying home if you’re going to violate this cardinal rule of driving etiquette. Nothing pisses off an experienced driver more than this type of driving. I won't even get started about this one time while heading down the Santa Cruz Mountains from Big Basin Redwoods State Park...

2. Lay off the brakes- ever notice the 2 and L symbols beneath D on the gear stick? If 35mph seems like the maximum safe speed while going downhill, then shift to the 2nd gear. It will save your brakes and possibly prevent a fender bender. When on 2nd gear, you won’t need to slam on your brakes for every single turn. It’s pretty easy to spot someone who uses the 2nd gear and who doesn’t.

3. High Beams- only for judicial use. When you can’t see anyone approaching on the opposite side of the road then use your high beams if there are no road lamps. More than the other rules of etiquette, this is primarily for your own safety. Regular headlights aren’t going to cut it if it’s pitch black outside. I’ve nearly hit raptors, jackrabbits, elk and stray pets even with high beams on. At Point Reyes National Seashore, a jackrabbit even jumped in air as I slammed on my brakes bouncing off my hood onto the road. The rabbit wasn’t hurt and neither was my car but the impact sure was loud. My nerves weren’t quite as unfazed however. However, don’t use them if someone is in front of you. It is rude and practically blinds them. That is why if you’re the lead car it would be wise to use high beams if possible so you can help light up the road for everyone behind you as well as yourself. Remember your safety is everyone’s safety.

Two-Lane Roads

One lane on your side of the road, one on the other in other words. Most mountain driving consists of these as well as rural routes.

1. Passing Lanes- if someone is going too slow for your tastes then pass them by crossing over the dotted yellow lines as quickly and safely as possible. If the line is solid on your side, then it isn’t safe to pass. In general, if you can’t see the horizon then it probably wouldn’t be wise to attempt passing either.

2. Right Lanes- every once in a while a two-lane road will become 3 or 4 for a brief time. A sign will usually say something like slower cars stay in right lane. Then after a mile or so, the lanes will become one again. Again as a courtesy, please use these if you can't maintain the pace of the drivers around you. A leisurely day trip from Merced to Yosemite Valley can easily become an agonizing one if no one uses the right lane properly.

The Open Highway

Falling asleep behind the wheel through California’s Central Valley, the tempting brothels along the World’s Loneliest Road, Harley’s on their way to Sturgis, etc…

1. Fast and Slow Lanes- left lane for fast, right lane for slow. When is on the 4th hour of a seven hour drive, the last thing they want to be doing is being stuck on 55 when the limit is 75 mph. If you’re going 80, and someone from way behind you is quickly gaining then you belong in the slow lane until they pass by you. The chances are your 85mph looks like 40mph to the Jose Canseco type of driver. You may need to accelerate or slow down in order to safely dodge all the big rigs and trailers clogging up the right lane.

2. The Rear-View- use the rear-view mirror frequently. You can probably get away without using it much in commuter traffic but in any of the above described roads it is absolutely necessary. I can’t even tell you the amount of inconsiderate drivers out there who disregard the rear-view and drive at their own pace. Well the road ain’t yours buddy, it’s called having etiquette/road manners/avoiding being a victim of road rage or whatever you want to call it.

Blizzards

Winter in New England, Mid-Atlantic, Mid-West.

1. How important is your life to you?- consider if it is absolutely necessary to be out there in these conditions. Whiteout means exactly that.

2. Follow the leader- if you can’t see the lanes or they aren’t clearly defined, then follow the path of the car/cars in front of you. Driving in these conditions is crazy enough then factor in the lane markers are buried in six inches of powder and you’ve got a recipe for chaos.

3. Don’t use high-beam- in one word: Whiteout.

Ok there you go, my public service work for the year. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.