Kayak adrift: Coast Guard and Sheriff called

I spent three days and two nights camping at Timber Cove. Day one went great. I kayak fished  and caught my personal best Cabezon plus landed a nice lingcod and a handful of rockfish. Day two was also a blast, I went clamming at a negative tide and got my first ever clams. Day three was supposed to be another fishing day. I woke up at 6 AM walked down the hill and quickly realized my kayak was missing. I was camping on top of the Bluff and kept my kayak pulled up high on the beach for the few days I was there. I was devastated. All of my fishing gear was still on top of my kayak, nice fishing poles, fishfinder, etc. I took my binoculars and checked the ocean in front of Timber Cove plus I drove north and south to outlooks to scan the ocean with my binoculars. I found nothing. I talked to Brenda, the property owner, and I tried calling the US Coast Guard, but my calls didn’t go through because of crappy cell reception. I reluctantly gave up and resolved that I had to replace everything. I packed up my camping gear and left Timber Cove headed south towards home in Oakland. By the time I got back in cell phone range, around bodega Bay, my phone was blowing up with messages and phone calls. I missed phone calls from Brenda the Camp host/owner, Sonoma County sherif deputies, and the US Coast Guard. After a lot of confusion and going back-and-forth, What I think happened is that the 8 foot high tide swept my kayak out early on day three. Private boaters on a crabbing and fishing trip found my kayak with all my gear and no people on it. They called the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard called the sheriff, the sheriff called Timber Cove boat launch where Brenda told them I was OK but missing my kayak. After I got in touch with the authorities and confirmed it was my kayak found, they realized it was not a man overboard or missing fisherman situation. The boaters pulled my kayak up on top of their boat, finished their fishing trip, and brought my kayak back to their slip in bodega Bay Harbor. I met them there and got all of my gear back. I am definitely relieved to have my kayak and gear back, but I’m also disappointed in myself for not securing my rig well enough. It was definitely a learning situation for me. to add insult to injury, I missed my last opportunity to fish for the year and came home without a full limit of fish. Oh well. I am safe, I have my gear, and some fish.

Now that's a fish tale...
 

That must have been stressful and glad you got everything back in the end.

Whew! Sounds like your boat had it's own adventure sans owner!

Man, you is lucky! I hope that is a lesson learned.
I learned the same lesson back when I started kayak fishing. I drifted the S. Fork Eel alone and took a beach break on a sand bar. It was very windy and I was taking pictures downstream and saw my kayak floating the same direction. The wind had blown it off the sand bar. It was headed towards some fast water and I was already considering it gone. As I said, it was windy and blowing upstream. That same wind kept my yak from hitting the fast water. It finally blew back enough that I could cast and snag it with a steelhead plug and pull it in. Talk about relief!

You got caught off guard by the large tides. I heard reports of a boaters looking for a kayaker. Luckily it turned out okay.

Super glad you everything back. I little over a year ago, I was going out for the first time in my new Stealth. We were at Fort Ross, and had our kayaks high up on the beach. Michael told me to keep an eye on them while he took his car to the parking area.

Soon after a huge wave came in, and picked up both our kayaks. The wave took them all the way to the creek, and they were on their way down steam back to the ocean. I scrambled to get them back on high ground. There was a guy trying to launch a PA14 at the same time, and he had a bad yard sale. Ended up with mild swells for the rest of the day. Just that one rogue wave can get you.

I read reports of the search on FB.  I'm glad it all turned out well and you're safe.

Glad you got all your gear back!  Phew!

Dang. Thanks for the lesson.  Sorry you went thru it.

Wow, You were lucky to ger your kayak and gear back.

Many years ago while walking up the hill at Fort Ross I watched a large wave take my kayak off the beach. By the time I reached shore it was way out in the foamy water by the south point. Like a scene out of BayWatch (wearing only my farmer johns) I ran down the beach and dove in head first. Swimming out to the kayak was chilling. The kayak was completely full of water...had it not been stuffed with pool noodles it would have been lost. I had to push the kayak from the back towards the south end of the cove where the waves were much taller than the northern end. Eventually I reached the beach and two friends help drag it up to higher ground. I now practice pulling the kayak higher up the beach and keeping my head on a swivel.....

I showed up out there and the coast guard chopper was circling and search and rescue was scanning from the cliffs. I got launched around 1015 and tried for a radio check a few times and got nothing. It was kinda creepy out there with the impending storm. Finally the boater who retrieved the kayak told me the story over the radio.

I can feel the heart ache in your novel. Glad you got all your gear back!

Glad you got your gear back - that was almost a much tougher lesson!