In the latest issue of Sea Kayaker (April 2013) there is a report in the "Safety" section about a couple of friends who go paddling on the coast of Newfoundland and one of them is lost. It is a very tragic story, but a few details are somewhat vague. First, either the wind was actually much stronger than the report seems to indicate, or the paddlers just weren't paying attention. An offshore wind strong enough to produce capsizing waves 300 feet from shore, must have been strong enough to cause any prudent paddler to be on alert. To be fair, the more experienced paddler reportedly was concerned, while the less experienced fellow seems oblivious until he gets into trouble.

Somehow, both paddler's pumps are lost in the assisted rescue. From there it's all downhill and the capsizee seems to have been completely useless. It all comes off just a bit too sketchy. I don't mean in any way to suggest that the story was less than true, but the intensity of the situation doesn't come across at the time of the initial capsize. Either the wind and waves suddenly increased in a matter of seconds--which is possible--in which case again I would have to say they weren't paying enough heed to conditions.

In any event, the report serves as a reminder that we are always vulnerable in our little boats on big water and should never underestimate the elements and never overestimate our abilities.

The Newfoundland incident did not surprise me. In fact, it illustrates well one of the many ways less-experienced sea kayakers can get into fatal trouble out there, and thus also shows that maybe sea kayaking has been oversold to a general public as safe fun for one and all.

It is very easy for someone inexperienced in sea and wind, paddling a tiny, tippy boat, to fall prey to an offshore wind. One launches from a weather shore onto relatively calm water, and, with the wind at one's back helping one along, finds it so easy and pleasant (for a while) to go with the flow farther and farther out. The end comes quickly, with a sudden and horrifying realization that things are out of control. The paddler tries desperately to turn the boat around and paddle back; the wind begins to roar in their ears; they are now taking the growing waves beam-on, and over they go.

Here in Jersey, we had an incident on a local reservoir that is a magnet for paddlers. This was March 2002, and a young man launched his newly-acquired kayak from the weather-shore put-in on a blustery and cool but sunny day, clad only in jeans and a heavy sweatshirt. Died very quickly under conditions exactly like Newfoundland. I posted the story as a cautionary incident on our local Message Board, warning against the dangers of weather-shore launching and downwind paddling for newbies, and then engaged in a long debate with those who felt the reservoir in question was a perfectly safe place to paddle anytime, for anyone, and that therefore the victim was some sort of idiot. No, he wasn't an idiot; he was just somebody who just didn't know, and didn't know that he didn't know. Yet another reason why it should be stressed over and over again that sea kayaking is the most basic and primitive form of marine boating and that sea kayakers need to be the most knowledgable, best-informed mariners on the water. Do they tell you that when you go into the sporting-goods store? Not bloody likely.

I always keep reminding myself to never get overconfident and think that I can handle anything that comes along, but at the same time I've allowed myself to go into situations where I expect there is a good chance to get dumped. Even so, I've either been lucky, or my limits are set at very prudent parameters.

Carl, you made a very profound assessment when you stated that people often don't know what they don't know. My belief is that there is only one way to overcome that and that is experience, experience, experience. But one must survive to gain that experience. You have to push the parameters cautiously, but never venture far from your comfort zone. It is a slow process.

In my case, I've been fortunate to find a couple of boats that are so much better than I will ever be and that makes the process easy and fun.

Magooch, there is another way to overcome ignorance of what the realities of marine boating are, and that is to read the books and manuals about sea kayaking. Give or take the individual lapses in judgement of this or that sea kayaking author, generally they give an excellent overview of open-water kayaking, and address specific issues well also--things like ebb-over-tide dangers at inlets and river mouths, etc., fetch, lee shore vs. weather shore, etc.--that mariners need to know. Figuring these things out for yourself, by yourself, through experience alone, may prove costly.

I began sea kayaking when the few people involved in it were already familiar with outdoor adventure--cross-country or downhill skiing, canoeing, whitewater, SCUBA, caving, hiking, climbing. They had picked up these things from their fathers maybe, or from mentors, or from books. I personally got into caving, SCUBA, and cross-country skiing mostly by reading about it first, in detail. As a longtime reader of sea stories also, I was ready to get into sea kayaking safely via reading, and thus building on what I already knew about outdoor dangers and about specific marine hazards and threats.

But I find nowadays that the first thing people seem to do is to spend hours on the internet worrying about exactly what model of boat or paddle they should buy; maybe they'll check some videos, or ask a perfect stranger on a sea kayaking message board about this or that. But read a book about sea kayaking?? Find out about the marine environment?? What a strange idea!

So, while I am a great enthusiast for learning about sea kayaking through increasing experience, that experience-gaining should be guided always by what one learns from the experience and knowledge of others, through books and manuals (and a good mentor, if you can find one).

Bilge pumps ? gallon poly jug cut to a scoop tied in with 1/8th" shock cord.

Weather shores ? do you have a list ?

Datakoll, I've bumped an old thread under Sea Kayaking (see above) that discusses lee shore/weather shore for you, as you seem to have questions....

OK.

and a compendium of 'I WENT KAYAKING WITH A BUDDY' stories.

Here, these personal disasters are read for information on how not to disaster next time as surely next time will appear.

Over skills, the absolute necessity for conscious and ongoing questioning, observant, situation analysis effecting immediate action. NOW !

How how how does an 'experienced kayaker travel to Newfoundland without a drysuit ? Impossible. No beacon review and testing with backup ? An executive ? Incroyable.

If analysis is difficult that is several conclusions are reached without decision or no conclusions are made then could be time to put in arrived.

I conclude.

Anyone care to interpret that?

If anyone tries to interpret that then I recommend getting stoned first. That way you would be in the same mental state as the author at the time of writing.

After grinding on the 'intelligent appraoch to danger problem' during the 5-6 years post gleeful SK discovery, SK opening the subject as intended: I arrived at the 25 words preceeding.

If analysis is difficult that is several conclusions are reached without decision or no conclusions are made then could be time to put in arrived.

We are attempting a rational course of action . If you look over your situation choosing the conclusion " YES ! I HAVE THE SKILLS TO RUN VICTORIA FALLS... then do it Dude !

But if undecided or confused: put in. Do not allow the skills maze cloud the issue.

Chow

Okay.

Call this THE LINDEMANN APPRAOCH ! A nod to the San Juan County Park weenies.