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Sea Kayaking Glossary |
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open ocean -
on this website, any salt water not protected from waves or swells originating at sea; waters receiving the full force of ocean weather.
paddling speed -
on this website, the speed of your kayak relative to the water in which you are paddling, usually averaged over a period of time.
painter -
a rope mounted on a kayak used to secure the kayak on shore.
parallel ruler -
a plotting tool used to transfer compass directions from the compass rose to the desired location on the chart.
personal flotation device (PFD) -
a buoyant article of clothing worn to keep the wearer afloat when in the water.
power face -
the face of the paddle blade that normally faces the stern and usually has a concave shape.
protected water -
those parts of the ocean that experience diminished waves or swells, usually due to intervening land. The water defined as "protected" changes depending on the wind direction.
range -
a line drawn through two points of fixed position used to identify position.
reverse stroke -
a stroke using the back face to propel the kayak backward.
riptide -
a current flowing away from a beach that is caused by excess water input from waves breaking on the beach. Not equivalent to a tide rip.
rocker -
when looking at a kayak from the beam, the curvature of the bottom of the hull.
rotary current -
a tidal current exhibiting no slack water periods whose direction passes through a 360-degree circle during each tide cycle. Usually observed in open water.
salt marsh -
a tidal body of water lying behind a barrier beach, protected from ocean waves and containing extensive grassland in the intertidal zone.
semidiurnal tide -
a tide cycle with two high and two low tides per day.
shell midden -
a depository used by the Native Americans for discarding the shells of eaten shellfish. Usually considered archaeologically valuable.
shipping lane -
an area designated for the travel of large, ocean-going vessels.
shoal -
a shallow area in a waterway caused by the deposition of sediment.
slack water -
the event occurring when the velocity of a tidal current reaches a minimum. The current velocity at slack water is not necessarily zero. Also known simply as "slack."
small craft advisory -
a warning issued by the NWS indicating potentially unsafe conditions for navigation of small craft. Indicates the potential for sustained winds of 25-33 knots and/or 5-foot seas.
sounding -
a chart mark indicating the depth of water below the chart datum.
speed over ground -
the speed of your kayak relative to a fixed point like the ocean bottom or shoreline.
spray skirt -
a (somewhat) waterproof article of clothing worn around the kayaker’s waist and attached to the cockpit coaming to prevent the entry of water into the cockpit.
spring tide -
a tide with a relatively large tide range, occurring twice each month when the sun and the moon align.
standing tide -
in a mixed tide cycle, the period between a "lower high" and a "higher low" tide when the water level remains near constant.
standing wave -
on this website, a wave, generated by moving water, whose crest does not move. [note that such a wave is not a true standing wave as defined by physicists.]
statute mile -
a measurement of distance equivalent to 5280 feet, or 0.87 nautical miles. Usually used on land and while navigating fresh water.
stern -
the rear part or back end of the kayak.
surf -
(1) waves breaking on shore or on an underwater object. (2) to ride a wave.
sweep stroke -
a stroke using the power face (forward sweep) or the back face (reverse sweep) to turn the kayak.
swell -
waves that were generated in faraway storms.
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DEPARTMENTS