YARD SALE @ AOP

So I guess you have some things to think about with all of this feedback and year's of experience coming your way. Take it in stride and be happy your alive to tell the story. The important thing is to take what you learned and apply it to the future--and don't second guess your gut, it generally keeps us out of trouble when we actually listen to it-something I am still trying to be better at myself. I carry a whistle, marine radio, and sharp 50/50 plain/serrated edge fixed blade on the chest attachment of my PFD. Some say this can get in the way when trying to get back into the kayak, but I say I like it at the ready for exactly the split second I have needed it.
The other piece of important safety equipment that I carry tucked away in my PFD, actually 2 of them, are the Skyblazer marine aerial flares. The flares are waterproof, small, and in a pinch you just twist the end cap off to reveal a small chain that is connected to the cap and flare. Point it up in a safe direction, turn your head and pull the chain. Up and away a bright red flare with parachute is launched and this will get someone's attention for a couple of miles. They are cheap insurance I hope I will never have to cash in on, but the ocean can be unforgiving in all her beauty. Practice the 7-P's. Good luck and be safe.
7p's>>Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance! 
Welcome aboard Mate
Cheers Mike

Glad to you made it and posted your chilling experience. This reminds me of respecting mother nature. 

I have been practicing self-rescue/recovery every summer, on nice calm lake water. Now, I may have to practice this skill on rough water but closer to shore, with a buddy.

My thoughts on a paddle leash are two fold. First off your not going to loose it, and second if you do take a dunk it'll act as a sea anchor to slow your now super light kayak from blowing away in a wind. These boats are like a styrofoam cup on the water. In a moderate wind they can drift faster than you can swim. What a bummer to come up and watch you yak float away... My vest has a knife, whistle, and waterproof VHF on it at all times and it's WORN ALL TIMES. If I'm wearing gortex waders belt,and jacket, I have all polypro underneath to maintain warmth even when wet. Or a wetsuit. Hypothermia is nothing to take lightly...It will sap the stregnth from the strongest of swimmers in a matter of minutes. Be safe out there folks. This thread developed a bunch of sound advise.

I probably have no business giving advice at this stage in the game, but I feel compelled to mention this, having been in a "situation" once myself...

Flares and whistles are fine, but the best plan is to be prepared to deal with every conceivable situation on your own...  or don't go out alone. 

What if a flare is your last resort and noone sees it?  A very real possibility when the nearest person is probably intently watching their rod tip.

Flares and whistles are fine, but the best plan is to be prepared to deal with every conceivable situation on your own...  or don't go out alone. 

Be prepared to deal with every conceivable situation ON YOUR OWN, or do NOT go out ... alone or OTHERWISE.  Please don't burden the group with your ineptitude's.  Know how to take care of yourself and be able to rely on yourself.  This isn't aimed at anyone in particular.  Nor does it mean that I won't help someone if they need it.  But please, I cannot stress this enough, the only person you should be able to rely on when you're out there, is YOURSELF, so be prepared.

Sorry if I keep sounding like a hardass on this topic.  But this is an important topic that I'll keep hounding on.

-Allen

Thanks, that should be a sticky at the top of the page.

I know I'm guilty of being out when I shouldn't have been.

Allen
dont appoligize for being the voice of reason.
In my line of work I have witnessed ,far too many times, the scenario where the "rescuer" becomes the next victim. I hear your message loud and clear and I appreciate the appropriate delivery.
It is my perception that the majority of the NCKA is made up of anglers that discovered that kayaks are a great way to find fish. With limited time away from work, family, other hobbies, ect. many may not want to take the time to learn what you can get away with on a kayak and what will send you swimming. Add that to folks witnessing what goes on here in the fishing reports and we will have more and more people grabing kayaks and rushing out for the big hook up totally unprepared.
Its really kind of spooky.
Still this is just my opinion. Im not a proffessional. Just a dude who spent the last 20 years playing in little plastic boats.
be safe

Red Fish? Is this the same Red Fish from PFIC? What were you doing out in those conditions? Glad to see you're back on the water.

  Practice  exiting and entering the yak somewhere  safe. I find that rather than trying to climb back in , depress one side and  reach across to the other and sort of pull the yak under you, essentially scrapping yourself out of the water as with a spatula. Works for me.
Probably plenty of advice on google etc.
    Get a skin diving knife on ebay.  I carry three knifes , bait, shorty rescue, and scuba. Imagine getting tangled in that line for instance.
     Welcome aboard.

My thoughts:

PLEASE TAKE A KAYAKING CLASS!

The motto here being "we are paddlers first, fishermen second"

A simple one-time paddling class that teaches basic self rescue, assisted rescue, and paddling instruction is the best start you can get. Forget the fishing stuff at the beginning.

I think Hydrospider is right in his thoughts.

And Odat, the reason some folks here are so passionate about safety is that as anglers & free ranging folk, we know that "some powers" out there would take any & every opportunity to shut down our fishing, and our paddling too, given "significant" reason (ie. paddling accidents). They don't need any extra ammo to peck away at us with. Hence our "be prepared" criticisms.
An intro to sea kayaking or SOT kayaking class is an invaluable investment if you think you are going to really get into this activity.

My thoughts:

PLEASE TAKE A KAYAKING CLASS!

Insert SHAMELESS PLUG HERE: Our 09 dates for FW101 and SW101 classes are on my site! 

http://www.greatwhitekayakcompany.com/yakfishuniversity.html

Holy crap! Dress for immersion, and remember fishing for sturgeon in the San Francisco bays on a kayak is the about the most dangerous thing a person could do, if it was easy, everyone would do it. Underwater logs bouncing down currant will sink you ina matter of seconds, and your yak might not come back up. All kinds of other things could go wrong too, we havnt hear of them all yet.
Glad you made it OK. It will make for good campfire stories for years to come! Ben

Thanks for sharing your experience Odat, it brings awareness of the dangers out there to light. Glad to hear you are OK. I am new to the sport and have been extremely timid to launch in the bay and the ocean so I have been boning up on all the information everyone has provided on this site, so every story, good or bad is extremely beneficial. There sure is a great bunch of guys on this site full of years of knowledge and experience. I hope to safely enter these fishing grounds sometime this year.

SBD...Thanks for the shameless plug. I have been seriously considering taking a class to gain the knowledge and confidence to enter the bay/ocean. What does a person need to bring with them to take your SW101 class?

Best Regards,
Ray

You can bring all your own gear, or we can supply it all.  If you have your own, its always better to be familiar with what your going to be actually using, but if not, it ok too.

We do lecture, surf, and self-rescue on day one.  Reading sonar and fishing day two.  Day two ends with beers and rockfish cerviche tostadas...mMMMmmm.

It looks like I will need to change the date for SW101 though til mid June.  I'll have the final dates up in a day or so.

Sailing,sailing over the bounding main. This may look very dangerous but it wasn't. Photos can be very decieving. I think the poor guy has probably heard it all by now. Don't you think?  I have read stories about guys up in the seattle area going out and cruising down the faces of 25ftwaves. Not me ever!Thats nutso. Polepole what do you think about those guys? The guy in Oakland made some huge errors. Now its time to offer some freindly advice. Not harping and harping how stupid it was.