The Art of Rock Skipping
February 1, 2009 5:09 PM Subscribe
Throwing a rock and making it skip on water is more than something you do when you're bored and sitting at the edge of a lake or river. There's an art and a method to rock skipping (also known as Stone Skimming), and to some people it's a sport. The current record stands at 65m (the record is based on distance, not skips) although Guiness World Records has the most number of skips at 51 (see it being done here). Check out more rock skipping videos here and learn how to do it yourself here. Can't get to a body of water right now to try out your new rock skipping skills? Then try out this simple online rock skipping game instead.
I am not without some expertise in this particular skill.
posted by vronsky at 5:25 PM on February 1, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by vronsky at 5:25 PM on February 1, 2009 [2 favorites]
I want to go skipping stones on a circumferential lake in a small, slow spinning Stanford torus.
That way, you wouldn't have to lose that really perfect stone you just found.
posted by lucidium at 5:39 PM on February 1, 2009 [3 favorites]
That way, you wouldn't have to lose that really perfect stone you just found.
posted by lucidium at 5:39 PM on February 1, 2009 [3 favorites]
It's also known as jillicking.
posted by The otter lady at 5:45 PM on February 1, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by The otter lady at 5:45 PM on February 1, 2009 [3 favorites]
Isn't counting skips competitively kind of like counting how many times a rubber ball bounces? The first skips or bounces are easy to count but there's usually a point where they get so tiny and frequent that you can't count any further.
posted by crapmatic at 6:03 PM on February 1, 2009
posted by crapmatic at 6:03 PM on February 1, 2009
In Spanish we call them "patitos" which literally translates as "little ducks".
posted by elmono at 6:35 PM on February 1, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by elmono at 6:35 PM on February 1, 2009 [2 favorites]
Oh man, I'm so good at this. I've got to have gotten two dozen skips many a time. I can't say I've gotten more than maybe 25 or 30m though. Wears the hell out of your arm.
Crapmatic: yeah, but you can get a good feel for it after watching a few. Even when it looks like it's just surfing, it makes discrete ripples. In the end it's no better than guesstimation without a high speed camera though.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 8:23 PM on February 1, 2009
Crapmatic: yeah, but you can get a good feel for it after watching a few. Even when it looks like it's just surfing, it makes discrete ripples. In the end it's no better than guesstimation without a high speed camera though.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 8:23 PM on February 1, 2009
There's a beautiful song by the French singer Georges Brassens called "Les Ricochets" (lyrics) which is what skipping stones is called in French. (He's my avatar.)
posted by nasreddin at 8:43 PM on February 1, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by nasreddin at 8:43 PM on February 1, 2009 [3 favorites]
ooh, How did I miss this wonderful post!? I *love* skipping stones. It's one the favorite things my dad taught me and a source of so much fun over the years. He had a typical man's arm for throwing, a tall American Dutch guy. Learning stone throwing early allowed me to throw a frisbee well later on. When he threw a stone, it left his hand with a whoosh and whistled through the air, skimmed the water lightly and went far. A joy to watch. I loved the way he palmed the rock first, feeling for the best throwing edge.
He showed me there is a special knife blade shaped stone and if one throws it straight up into the air, high up and does it right, it falls into the water with a very satisfying plup sound.
He stone skipped at least as well as the world record guy. This guy's really good. In that video they call it swirling. What amazing water for skipping in this lake. I want to go there!
This is an awesome looking skip. Interesting underhanded throw.
A good site for skipping vids: ProStoneSkipping.com
Reading the article linked, apparently the official name for stone skipping is skiting.
I am not without some expertise in this particular skill.
*sigh
vronsky, just one more reason you're so crushworthy. *fans face
posted by nickyskye at 8:49 PM on February 1, 2009
He showed me there is a special knife blade shaped stone and if one throws it straight up into the air, high up and does it right, it falls into the water with a very satisfying plup sound.
He stone skipped at least as well as the world record guy. This guy's really good. In that video they call it swirling. What amazing water for skipping in this lake. I want to go there!
This is an awesome looking skip. Interesting underhanded throw.
A good site for skipping vids: ProStoneSkipping.com
Reading the article linked, apparently the official name for stone skipping is skiting.
I am not without some expertise in this particular skill.
*sigh
vronsky, just one more reason you're so crushworthy. *fans face
posted by nickyskye at 8:49 PM on February 1, 2009
Since the age of nine I cannot walk past a body of water bordered by rocks without skipping a few. As I now live next to a creek, no idle walk or summer swim is complete without a throw of at least a dozen skips. The rocks here are mostly gravel and the creek has many riffles and sharp bends, so no records are made. But a few summers ago my friend and I invented a new twist on rock skipping to while away long afternoons and provide an unique challenge: long-distance skipping using a single rock.
It works like this-- you find a rock you as close to the "perfect skipper" as you can. You stand in the creek (this is a wet-weather sport) and throw, skippity-skip. You then go hunt down the rock, the same rock you tossed (this is the obviously difficult part.) Once found, you throw it again in the same direction. Wash hands, rinse and repeat. You keep going until you can't find your rock. The winner is the last person with rock in hand.
I've skipped the same rock almost a mile. I still have this champion, stowed in the glovebox for next summer's competition.
A rock, a beer and a hot summer day in the Ozarks-- simple pleasures of life.
(Note: clear-running streams are a must, and a white rock stands out best in among the golden gravel that dominates our Ozark streams. And.... always throw towards the shallows!)
posted by F Mackenzie at 9:06 PM on February 1, 2009 [3 favorites]
It works like this-- you find a rock you as close to the "perfect skipper" as you can. You stand in the creek (this is a wet-weather sport) and throw, skippity-skip. You then go hunt down the rock, the same rock you tossed (this is the obviously difficult part.) Once found, you throw it again in the same direction. Wash hands, rinse and repeat. You keep going until you can't find your rock. The winner is the last person with rock in hand.
I've skipped the same rock almost a mile. I still have this champion, stowed in the glovebox for next summer's competition.
A rock, a beer and a hot summer day in the Ozarks-- simple pleasures of life.
(Note: clear-running streams are a must, and a white rock stands out best in among the golden gravel that dominates our Ozark streams. And.... always throw towards the shallows!)
posted by F Mackenzie at 9:06 PM on February 1, 2009 [3 favorites]
"The first skips or bounces are easy to count but there's usually a point where they get so tiny and frequent that you can't count any further."
That's when you go... 12, 13, 14, sixseveneighteen - twentyfive - thirtyeight... I WIN!!! I am the grand champion of the universe at rockskipping!
*fans face
aww Nicky, I'm your automatic lover :)
posted by vronsky at 9:16 PM on February 1, 2009 [2 favorites]
That's when you go... 12, 13, 14, sixseveneighteen - twentyfive - thirtyeight... I WIN!!! I am the grand champion of the universe at rockskipping!
*fans face
aww Nicky, I'm your automatic lover :)
posted by vronsky at 9:16 PM on February 1, 2009 [2 favorites]
omg nasruddin, I adore Georges Brassens. What an amazing man. Never knew what he looked like all these years. YouTube is sooo amazing. wow. That song is so charmant!
In the middle of winter, used to stay in little holiday apartment, dance in a quiet, peaceful cafe-bar on the almost empty streeted Belgian coast, in Westende, with its very wide beach, great for skipping stones, drinking kir and eating hot gaufres from the outdoor vendor. Fave songs were Sidney Bechet's Petite Fleur, Quand on est con (with Brassens, who was shy, perspiring), Isabelle.
On preview, ahh, wonderful game F Mackenzie. My mind visits you for a round of wading and skipping in the Ozarks. I can feel the stones underfoot.
And vronsky, there must be a Fibonacci counting method for stone skipping. That or like a little kid, one, two three, eleven, twenty two.
Loved the erotic cyber belovedness of the 80's vid with well endowed robot and lycra frosted space princess. *blushes happily
posted by nickyskye at 9:41 PM on February 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
In the middle of winter, used to stay in little holiday apartment, dance in a quiet, peaceful cafe-bar on the almost empty streeted Belgian coast, in Westende, with its very wide beach, great for skipping stones, drinking kir and eating hot gaufres from the outdoor vendor. Fave songs were Sidney Bechet's Petite Fleur, Quand on est con (with Brassens, who was shy, perspiring), Isabelle.
On preview, ahh, wonderful game F Mackenzie. My mind visits you for a round of wading and skipping in the Ozarks. I can feel the stones underfoot.
And vronsky, there must be a Fibonacci counting method for stone skipping. That or like a little kid, one, two three, eleven, twenty two.
Loved the erotic cyber belovedness of the 80's vid with well endowed robot and lycra frosted space princess. *blushes happily
posted by nickyskye at 9:41 PM on February 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
Nickyskye: We must have kindred spirit fathers. My father's part of the family is old dutch from Queens (hence my name John Schyler.) He also showed me the "knife-shaped" plop rock thing.
Growing up in Missouri on the banks of the Meremac river, I was well schooled in skipping stones from the age I was able to throw anything. My father and I would take long walks along the gravel bars of the nature reserve I grew up on, searching for "the one." It only took a few throws to get the feel for the technique, but mastery has taken years. I could easily go toe to toe with the world champion. I've skipped at least 65m before; I've skipped across lakes and rivers before the stone slows.
Like F Mackenzie says it is impossible for me to walk past a body of water without instintively looking for stones to skip (a fact that friends are quick to point out.) The trick is to find heavy flat stones that fit your hand well. A flat sidearm throw with a bit of a flick to the wrist and you are well on your way.
That Georges Brassens song is really amazing, thank you.
posted by schyler523 at 9:59 PM on February 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
Growing up in Missouri on the banks of the Meremac river, I was well schooled in skipping stones from the age I was able to throw anything. My father and I would take long walks along the gravel bars of the nature reserve I grew up on, searching for "the one." It only took a few throws to get the feel for the technique, but mastery has taken years. I could easily go toe to toe with the world champion. I've skipped at least 65m before; I've skipped across lakes and rivers before the stone slows.
Like F Mackenzie says it is impossible for me to walk past a body of water without instintively looking for stones to skip (a fact that friends are quick to point out.) The trick is to find heavy flat stones that fit your hand well. A flat sidearm throw with a bit of a flick to the wrist and you are well on your way.
That Georges Brassens song is really amazing, thank you.
posted by schyler523 at 9:59 PM on February 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
I find it hard to believe that 65 meters is a world record. I feel like I've beat that. Actually, one of the sites linked to has a video of someone skipping a rock 77 meters.
posted by brenton at 10:46 PM on February 1, 2009
posted by brenton at 10:46 PM on February 1, 2009
Oh yay MeFites I like liking old nostalgia songs I enjoyed of yore.
nasreddin, sorry I misspelled your name.
schyler523, so you're American Dutch too. Old NYC Dutch. Maybe we're related? Any Van Duzers or Sayres in your lineage? You know the work Brooklyn comes from the old Dutch settlement called Breukelen, which meant "broken land ie plowed land.
I've skipped across lakes and rivers before the stone slows.
wow. I love your stone skipping prowess. (Am cyber polyamorous, emotionally promiscuous on the blue.)
vronsky and schyler523. Can we slow dance to old French songs? I love slow dancing. And then walk barefoot by the lake and throw skippers? Of course, after asking permission from your beloveds.
posted by nickyskye at 10:49 PM on February 1, 2009
nasreddin, sorry I misspelled your name.
schyler523, so you're American Dutch too. Old NYC Dutch. Maybe we're related? Any Van Duzers or Sayres in your lineage? You know the work Brooklyn comes from the old Dutch settlement called Breukelen, which meant "broken land ie plowed land.
I've skipped across lakes and rivers before the stone slows.
wow. I love your stone skipping prowess. (Am cyber polyamorous, emotionally promiscuous on the blue.)
vronsky and schyler523. Can we slow dance to old French songs? I love slow dancing. And then walk barefoot by the lake and throw skippers? Of course, after asking permission from your beloveds.
posted by nickyskye at 10:49 PM on February 1, 2009
"Sailing on summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone" by Harry Nilsson (another amazing story, learning so much from this thread...time to hit the hay..).
posted by nickyskye at 11:05 PM on February 1, 2009
And skipping over the ocean like a stone" by Harry Nilsson (another amazing story, learning so much from this thread...time to hit the hay..).
posted by nickyskye at 11:05 PM on February 1, 2009
I like skipping stones in the ocean. Timing it so it doesn't get gobbled up by a wave is the best part of the challenge. I can definitely get it up into the I-dunno-between-fifteen-and-thirtys.
My arm is always sore for days afterwards.
posted by aubilenon at 11:15 PM on February 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
My arm is always sore for days afterwards.
posted by aubilenon at 11:15 PM on February 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
Ok Nickyskye, schyler can dance with you in France, I'd rather dance with you in old Kingston Town. After, we can skip rocks on the ocean.
posted by vronsky at 11:34 PM on February 1, 2009
posted by vronsky at 11:34 PM on February 1, 2009
next Wii craze...
posted by iamkimiam at 12:46 AM on February 2, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by iamkimiam at 12:46 AM on February 2, 2009 [2 favorites]
It's easy to skip a stone a long distance. Go there when the lake is frozen.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 7:23 PM on February 1 [+] [!]
if there are any mefis out there who are in position to skip stones across a freshly frozen lake, i strongly recommend it. the sound is totally cool.
posted by lester's sock puppet at 5:53 AM on February 2, 2009
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 7:23 PM on February 1 [+] [!]
if there are any mefis out there who are in position to skip stones across a freshly frozen lake, i strongly recommend it. the sound is totally cool.
posted by lester's sock puppet at 5:53 AM on February 2, 2009
I can't do this to save my life. It's a sad thing to watch, really.
posted by neblina_matinal at 7:18 AM on February 2, 2009
posted by neblina_matinal at 7:18 AM on February 2, 2009
I think 7 skips is about the most I ever managed
posted by nightwired at 7:21 AM on February 2, 2009
posted by nightwired at 7:21 AM on February 2, 2009
*meant to write: You know the word Brooklyn comes from the old Dutch settlement called Breukelen, which meant "broken land ie plowed land.
ahh slow dancing in Kingston and France. Had wonderful dreams last night.
posted by nickyskye at 8:29 AM on February 2, 2009
ahh slow dancing in Kingston and France. Had wonderful dreams last night.
posted by nickyskye at 8:29 AM on February 2, 2009
« Older Race With The Devil | Congregational Copulation. Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 5:23 PM on February 1, 2009 [1 favorite]