YARD SALE @ AOP

  Welcome Aboard Odat   

 This site is all about sharing, the fact that you shared your experience is what this is all about.

 You have shown that the Bay is nothing to mess with and those reading this will think twice before

 "Chancing it"....

 Great Post, and we have all made mistakes,  Glad you will be around to post more.... 

  WttM....... 

Man that sounds rough, happy you're alright.

Welcome aboard, Odat.  You've been given a long list of good advice here, and I hope you take it to heart.  The lack of a leash was, I'd say, the #1 problem - like Dale said.  Not being able to get back on the yak is understandable since it was rough, but you've got to consider that in the future - as we all should.  Self-rescue is something that should be automatic in flat water, and I think it's really worth saying here that a big battleship like the X-Factor would've been something easier to get back on than whatever you're paddling.  Going out there solo in the crappy conditions is something I admire, but nothing to take lightly.  Going out there without your paddle leash...  I think Jay said it well - better to report on how you scuttled the trip due to that than to take your chances.

Sounds like you're well on your way to developing the skills to pay the bills, Bro.  Too bad those bills include replacement of gear, but it comes with the yak license.  Good luck and have fun.   

Lessons learned the hard way.
I have to agree with Polepole. With the lack of gear combined with the conditions and no partner you had no reason to be out there.
What kind of set up do you have for your anchor system???
A clean quick release is most important, especially in crap conditions.
Hit up Walmart and get a marine whistle. It comes with a lanyard and should be attached inside the pocket of your pfd AT ALL TIMES.
Just curious how many times you have actually practiced dumping your kayak and getting back on?
This sport has become so popular in the last few years that there is an incredible amount of information available. MUCH more than just a few years ago.
Always better to learn from the mistakes of others. I hope your post serves as a reminder how quickly things can go bad and how important it is to be prepared for the worst.
I am glad you made it out OK, sans the lost gear.

Odat, welcome & thanks for posting your (mis)adventure!
Hopefully, others will learn from it. Glad to hear it worked out in the end.

From your story it sounds like you haven't taken a basic kayak safety course. If you have, review & go out & practice - on a lake!
If you haven't, DO IT before going back out again.
Ideally, do a safety course geared toward sit-on-top kayaks. Inquire with certified instructors here like SBD or scallen. Otherwise, consider a course from places like Outback Adventures in Marin & SJ.

Also, I believe a whistle (or sound signaling device) is a Coast Guard required item. Required or not, it's considered essential. As others mentioned, get a VHF radio, too. Take a safety course & they'll cover all this.

Can't add anything that hasn't been said except for maybe "DOH!"

Oh, and welcome to the group! 

What a post, Odat!   Glad you are OK.   Thanks for the post.  IT serves as a great reminder to many of us of the respect we always must have for the elements.   Plenty of great advice too here from al the brethren on the board.   Welcome, and again, glad you came back to write about it.

were you scared? and even more importantly are you scared now?
because you almost made the news. maybe next time?

It was the great Coran Addison that said "Everybody swims, eventually."
Its just part of kayaking, or flailing about in a plastic boat, whichever is applicable.
The point is you have to be ready.
pick up a few books
D. Hutchinson "sea kayaking" and S Krauzer "kayaking"
are pretty solid for the basics.
Then take a class and get to the pool and do your time.
Unless your kayak is damaged or you are injured you shouldnt need help.

One thing that is nice to bring along that wasnt mentioned is your brain and preferably with the situational awareness accessory.

Glad you were ok and it take balls to post-up about screwing up.

Practicing a self-rescue is definitely something to do BEFORE you capsize in the bay.  Of all of the kinds of fishing on NCKA, sturgeon fishing is the second-most dangerous...not really new guy territory IMHO. As this site grows you new guys need to be mindful of where you are at in the game.  Strat out on some lakes and work your way up as your skills and shoulders grow.  The bay can be a real SOB.

Of all of the kinds of fishing on NCKA, sturgeon fishing is the second-most dangerous...

I have to ask the inevitable question..............

Of all of the kinds of fishing on NCKA, sturgeon fishing is the second-most dangerous...

I have to ask the inevitable question..............

River fishing?

-Allen

Without doubt river fishing on anchor is asking for trouble.  I pretty much started it, and still find myself having OH S*** moments.    

Moving water is great at killing people, cold moving water is REALLY great at killing people. Add in that most folks here have little idea how rivers work(ferry angles etc.), or how to do survive strainers etc...it is dangerous.

This guy got lucky.  If he had gotten separated from his boat in a ripping bay current with some slop it could be a LONG time in the water.  A long time in 40 something degree water frequently has an unhappy ending.

While Pole was harsh...he was right.  If you look at all of the OAP threads carefully you will see a lot of not so smart stuff going on right now and someone is eventually gonna get hurt.

Do you guys really think paddle leashes are necessary?  I keep an extra instead, rather than have more lines to deal with and possibly get tangled in a capsize.

Do you guys really think paddle leashes are necessary?  I keep an extra instead, rather than have more lines to deal with and possibly get tangled in a capsize.

An extra paddle sounds good too, assuming you have it secured in some fashion that it doesn't slide back into the very back recesses of your kayak where you can't reach it ...

-Allen

While Pole was harsh...he was right.  If you look at all of the OAP threads carefully you will see a lot of not so smart stuff going on right now and someone is eventually gonna get hurt.

Intentionally harsh to make a point.  And odat, for being the subject of my point, I'd like to invite you out on the water with me some day to practice deep water re-entry into your kayak.

-Allen

2009 ... the year of kayak safety