Bay Area water sports enthusiasts are getting hooked on kayak polo

Children pedal pastel-colored boats, sailors catch a light breeze and lovers row side-by-side on a suspiciously calm Sunday on the pleasant waters of Shoreline Lake.

Suddenly, a jarring crash interrupts the tranquility.

Two kayakers, once 35 meters apart, completed a full-speed sprint with a head-on collision, a dangerous game of chicken where neither party decided to swerve. The boats connected. Loudly. Nobody was injured. The rowers were prepared for this, with caged helmets and padded life vests.