Woman lost in surf trying to save dog

Another reason to keep your dog on a leash
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080217/NEWS/802170426/1033/NEWS01

Mickfish, your title should have read ANOTHER Woman lost in surf trying to save dog.

I know this will sound insensitive, but do they need to post a sign for these damn people that says "Turbulent Water, Stay Out - This Means Your Dog Too!"

I mean, what's it going to take?  I understand that neither were from the coast, but I'm not either and I know to stay out of the frigin water.  There is a part of me that lacks compassion for these people.

Michael

Makes me wonder how many dogs are lost, it only makes the news when the people are.
They say that you shouldn't try and save your dog if he is washed out, but I'm going in it wasn't the dogs decision to go to the beach and could you imagine what life would be like coming home and saying Honey your dog was washed out to Sea .

I believe the dogs in the earlier incident survived. The latest incident at Gualala doesn't say. I launch my kayak at the Gualala River mouth several times a year, it can be a treacherous area. Even on a good day, there's a chance your going to spin your kayak trying to get out.

It has a steep beach that develops a shore pound with any surf. It's really calm 20 feet out (on a normal surf day) but the challenge is trying to climb up the steep beach to get out of the way of the one foot of water that will come back down so fast and hard that it will pull you off the beach. A typical kayak dismount is to chase what you figure is the smallest wave into the beach, jump off the yak with a 20 foot line attached to the yak. Then run up the beach. Then the second wave hits and washes the yak up the beach and you get pushed from behind. Then the water passes you and comes back down. That's when you jam your hands and feet into the sand and just try to hold your spot.

If you do it right you are ready to scramble free about the time your yak comes drifting down past you. Then you race up the rest of the hill and wait for the next wave to push your yak back up and you reel it in. That's why I use my old double hatch kayak, to stow my gear for the roll and wash.

Now on a big surf day, I don't know if it's possible to get up that beach. A big wave would roll you up the  beach and even if you did have time to dig in the wash would be so much bigger I don't think you could get a good enough grip on the beach.

The latest incident at Gualala doesn't say.

Read further it does

They say that you shouldn't try and save your dog if he is washed out, but I'm going in it wasn't the dogs decision to go to the beach  .

I'd also go in after my dog if he gets tossed by a wave.  There's no way I'd just stand by and watch him drown.   

Another reminder that going to the beach here in NorCenCal is more about knowing the current ocean conditions, the general "personality" of the beach, and your pet's inclinations, than in some other places. I find that unless I have a pretty good grasp of all of these, I don't really relax unless my dog is leashed. These steep beaches around here can be treacherous.
That said, accidents happen. All we can ever do is try our best to avoid them & still have a life. Dogs love the beach & so do we.
And yes, I would definitely try to rescue my dog were she sucked out by a sneaker wave.

keeping your dog on a leash? that's like staying inside so you never get hurt.

I'd rather see my dog fly off a 50 foot cliff than wear a leash her whole life. oh yeah! she DID do that!  .

my dog is dead (not from the cliff, she survived that one), but when I get another, it's going to get to risk it's life and die nobly in the pursuit of canine happiness.

over-civilization and molly coddling of dog and woman are the problem here.

go spend 6 months in a third world country and come back and say you would risk your life for a dog.

it's crazy talk!

John

keeping your dog on a leash? that's like staying inside so you never get hurt.

Time and a place

I'd rather see my dog fly off a 50 foot cliff than wear a leash her whole life. oh yeah! she DID do that!  .

You wear a leash for saftey why not your dog?

it's going to get to risk it's life and die nobly in the pursuit of canine happiness.

I hope your smarter than your dog sometimes I wonder.

over-civilization and molly coddling of dog and woman are the problem here.

go spend 6 months in a third world country and come back and say you would risk your life for a dog.

Move.

keeping your dog on a leash? that's like staying inside so you never get hurt.

Time and a place

I'd rather see my dog fly off a 50 foot cliff than wear a leash her whole life. oh yeah! she DID do that!  .

You wear a leash for saftey why not you dog?

it's going to get to risk it's life and die nobly in the pursuit of canine happiness.

I hope your smarter than your dog sometimes I wonder.

over-civilization and molly coddling of dog and woman are the problem here.

go spend 6 months in a third world country and come back and say you would risk your life for a dog.

Move.

sounds like somebody wants to go steelhead fishing... 

Sounds like somebody can't go fishing Go play with your gear J

Sounds like somebody can't go fishing Go play with your gear J

So true, I got one kid with 103 fever, and me and the other one just came out of it. wife still to go.. 

meanwhile I got two of my engineers down in san diego on a job working today with a lot of $$$ at stake.

can't even surf and I know it was good today.

All I can do is talk on the cell phone and cast a plug in the driveway.

and go in and get in trouble on the general talk forum of NCKA...  (you'd think I'd know better there!)

good luck on monday and tuesday mickfish, I will be working then too, 

take some pictures for us.

J

Mickfish~

It's a dog for crying out loud. You and your wife didn't conceive it.
That woman and her family would be a lot better off than they are now if she ONLY had to explain that the dog drowned at the beach.

Hang in there J....

  Making me feel Ok about how busy and  how " Sicky " my Fam has been too,

 Ying and Yang,

 we'll get our time soon,  fishing has not been that great anyhoo,

 except for those Dam Monster planters Guys are catching

 Back to the thread,

 I thought all Sonoma county beaches were leash only,  which sucks,  I've only found a few where

 I can let her run... Muir, Half moon Bay and I heard Crissy Field..

anyone know of other Beaches you can let your dog run?

 Sorry,  not trying to jack the thread,

The Beaches are posted as Dangerous, but every year  about a dozen or so think they can handle it.

Mostly from the valley, it's so sad, especial when the kids get whacked because parents were just

 plain stupid.   But, have to agree that going in after the Dog is fool hardy.  The Dog has a far better

 chance of surviving.  That being said, if I was standing there, My Kids screaming,

 Tough Call

Ya, I'm in the Business of " life saving ", even in our profession though,  our safety comes first,  But

   Situations and Emotions take over, and that's when as Dirty Hairy would say...

  " A Man has to know his Limitations " .....

anyone know of other Beaches you can let your dog run?

Think Carmel State Beach was off-leash ok.  Even if not, tons of people do it anyway (not me).

Pebble/ stillwater is another good one, since it's spacially confined with sheer cliffs and very little break.  Your dog's more likely to get head trauma from a sliced golf ball than to perish by wave.