maneuvers as the 180 pirouette, the 360 pirouette, the squat-backpedal, the back quarter gainer, and lateral running-in-place. One can also practice the supreme maneuver, the hat trick, but on this ramp it isn't a real hat trick because it is so predictable. One could set one's camera on a tripod and timer and wade out and take that first step and 50 seconds later,
"viola", a rare, film captured hat trick.
Ice hockey has obviously borrowed most brazenly from the sport of synchronized wading, both in terms of the use of frictionless footwear and the use of the term "hat trick" to glorify a supreme maneuver. While the Ice Hockey term "hat trick", if taken literally, has nothing to do with scoring three goals, the wading "hat trick" describes the maneuver exactly. First, one must be wearing a hat and wading. One must then perform one or more synchronized wading moves, ideally in total
silence, which results (again, ideally) in the gentle splashless ("ripping" a dive in the sport of diving derived from this) placement of one's hat upright on the surface of the water without touching it with one's hands. When performed correctly, the perfect hat trick to the appreciative observer has that simple complexity of, say, haiku:
Hat floating on river
Fisherman underneath
Surprised
And cold
one of those sublime moments of time and peacefulness extracted from between the gymnastic entry and the rapidly following missile burst maneuver of synchronized swimming.
During the burst maneuver, one can read the supreme excitement of the performer from the expression on their face. Contrary to local opinion, the effect of fifty degree water hitting one's
stomach and below has nothing to do with it.
I have only seen one perfect hat trick in my lifetime. That's probably as much as any sinning mortal can expect. And it was performed by a rank neophyte.
I had temporarily found a hot hole on the North Umpqua and took this pilgrim who could barely cast, much less wade. From the shore I pointed where he should stand to make the first cast. I even picked out a stick for him to use as a wading staff. I then looked away to string my rod. My ear caught only the slightest whisper of water, and, looking back, I saw only his bonnet floating

More Text =>
<= Back
Fishtales Start
Table of Contents Order/Contact