Rating: 
Summary: Incredible photos, good book to learn from
Review: This is the Tsunami Rangers at their best--telling hair-raising tales, describing scenarios in easy-to-visualize detail, making us laugh at their antics and bravado. And there's a lot of great information here as well. What I liked best about the book was its infectious enthusiasm. The writers (especially Eric) have a knack for tapping into the child in themselves and others. That kind of "let's go play!" energy is so revitalizing. And when you combine it with a heartfelt reverence and awe for the ocean and all of nature's places and experiences, you have a solid base from which to launch into a life of adventure, exploration, and introspection.Extreme Sea Kayaking first lays out the differences between extreme-condition and normal-condition kayaking, and discusses boats, paddles, and other equipment. The authors stress the importance of cross-training: 1) so you don't tire of the sport, 2) for the physiological benefits of variety, and 3) to avoid repetitive-motion injuries. There is information on psychological preparation, necessary skills to develop and hone, and dangers to be aware of. Then begins the real meat of the book: the surf zone, exposed coast and open ocean paddling, expeditioning, and paddling/playing in rock gardens. The final two topics were the most fascinating to me: sea caves and the concept of the tribe or team. John Lull's analysis of the differences between a kayaking team and a kayaking group are illuminating and convincing. The hand signals chart on page 99 deserves memorizing. The book is filled with incredible photographs by Michael Powers, Jim Kakuk, Eric Soares and others. The layout is two-column and very interesting graphically. Short stories are sprinkled throughout, providing distraction, parallel storylines, and intrigue. The Rangers are not embarrassed to describe mistakes they've made (and they've made their share!), in hopes that it may save readers from similar lessons or fates. One of my favorite lines from the book: "For to go to sea in a lithesome, silent kayak is, in a very real way, to become wild and free again."
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