 The rescuer approaches and comes alongside the capsized kayak. In rough water, it may be best to approach the middle rather than the ends of the capsized kayak, and be aware of the danger posed by the rolling and pitching of a semi-submerged boat. The orientation of the two kayaks doesn’t matter. The rescuer doesn’t need to align the kayaks so that the bows and sterns are facing the same way or opposite ways, as in other rescue techniques. Having to maneuver and turn a sea kayak around in calm conditions can be time-consuming enough; to do so in rough waters under pressure to rescue someone wastes valuable time and leaves the swimmer in the water much longer than is necessary. It’s generally recognized that body heat is lost about 20 times faster to water than it is to air. Even dressed for the conditions, cold water will have an adverse impact on the swimmer. The faster you get someone out of the water the better.
There’s no need to try to remove any of the water prior to getting the swimmer back aboard. Taking the time to drain the cockpit just leaves the swimmer in the water longer. If, say, the capsize took place in a cave or near some dangerous rocks and the kayaks were being swept onto them, then trying to empty the kayak would leave both rescuer and swimmer in the danger zone for longer. The main aim is to get the swimmer back into his kayak and out of danger as quickly as possible. The rescuer and swimmer can work together to flip the kayak right side up. Righting the kayak with the help of the swimmer puts much less strain on the rescuer. With certain rescue techniques, the rescuer lifts the kayak to drain out the water, but this can pose a real risk of back injury, especially in rough or moving water.
After the swimmer’s kayak has been righted, the rescuer leans onto it and, by doing so, makes a very stable raft. In rough conditions, this provides stability for the rescuer and a solid platform onto which the swimmer can climb. At this stage, some rescuers consider using a stirrup to help rescue the swimmer, but again, this method leaves the swimmer in the water longer. Even dressed in full immersion apparel, a swimmer will weaken if left in the water for too long. The advantage offered by a stirrup may not be necessary, as you’ll see.
 The swimmer makes his way to his cockpit, or just aft of it, on the outside of the raft. It is important that the swimmer does not let go —properly fitted deck lines will prove invaluable here. If the swimmer’s paddle is not tethered, this is a good time for the swimmer to pass his paddle to the rescuer. By coming on the outside of the raft (rather than in-between, as in some rescues), the over-the-side speed rescue has several important advantages. A swimmer that comes between the kayaks as a way to get back aboard always has the risk of being hit, usually on the head, by one of the kayaks. As most sea kayakers paddle without a helmet, this is a real hazard. The risk of impact is obviously less if the swimmer comes over the side. It’s also easier for the rescuer to hold the two kayaks together if the swimmer isn’t between them, forcing them apart. |
