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Posted by Ted on 18:38:59 01/01/03
Well, all I can say is I learn more today on the water than any other day. 8 of us went in and 8 of us made it out.
It was gusty swirling winds to begin with, but at about 8:15 am it calmed down enough to lull everyone into a false sense of security. Around 10:00 a 20+ knot offshore wind hit us like a Brunswick strike. trying to tie down to kelp was difficult. I lost my hat and tried to snag it the sabiki but the wind balled my sibiki and Jerry picked up the hat. I was trying to set up my pole and decided the wind was getting bad as wind waves started to tease my open hatch. I broke off from the kelp again and was being blow out to the outer kelp. I put the poles in the holders and started the most difficult (in my life) paddle to the beach. I still had gear out but every time I tried to stop and secure it I either borke off from the kelp or could not get more than 3 strands. I made the decision to just battle paddle in to the wind. At this time Jerry and Dave were attempting the same strategy and Mike behind me joined our struggle to the beach.
I have to say the paddle was at least 30 to 45 minutes long. I didn't know if I could make it, but I knew that stopping was even worse. To make things even worse, I capsized after being broad sided by a gust and wind wave. I lost a pole, lures, a piece of squid, my sunglasses, a weight, two bottles of water and a spool 20lb P line leader. My unlashed bait pole stayed in the holder. I panicked at first. I easily righted my scupper pro tw, but I was in no-mans-land. I was too far behind Jerry and Dave for them to do anything but risk their own lives and Dennis, Lou, Jack and Rich had their own problems going on trying to hang on to the outer kelp. My first attempt to re-enter flipped my kayak again, and my bait pole still stayed in the holder un-lashed. I decided to take a breath and float next to my kayak with my paddle and get myself together. I got up and in and started back in. Dave and Jerry got closer and beached which gave me confidence that I could make it. I made it in gratefully crashing on the beach end over end and could not belive I made it. Mike followed up the rear and we had 4 out of 8 on the beach.
We were trying to figure out how Dennis, Lou, Jack and Rich were doing. We could not tell if they were fishing and waiting out the wind or if there was real trouble. The Lifeguards showed up and decided that they were going to bring in the waverunner and sendout a crew. Within minutes the State Parks Department and the Lifeguard had three trucks on the beach and were sending rescue out on the waverunner. Rich's kayak was swamped and sumbmerged. They called out Bay Watch and assisted, Jack, Lou, Rich and Dennis. They made sure everyone was able to paddle back on to the beach and even bailed Rich's kayak. We watched as the Lifeguard coordinated the safe return of our remaining four.
The wind came out of nowhere and we were stuck. We were all wearing Life Jackets. I had a VHF and was tempted to use it. Dennis, Lou, Jack and Rich had very level heads and throughout the whole ordeal and probably would have slowly made it back if Rich's kayak didn't get swamped.
Two funny things happened in it. When I capsized my baitrig must have let line out, because I had a smelt on when I was recovering my equipment on the beach. I didn't get skunked. The State Parks guys were asking us for our info and we all said no we don't want a bill. The State Parks guy said no bill just a report.
There will probably be more on this posted over at coastal kayak fishing.
-Ted
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