YARD SALE @ AOP

Hey Odat.  I think I found your failed anchor and float set-up.  If you can identify it, it's yours.

Not harping and harping how stupid it was

 Poor Odat has been the "Whipping Boy" 

 But, I Hope Odat realizes that we are Rallying to bring the point Home about being safe and paddling

 to ones ability...

 Were All Grateful that Your OK

   And For bringing this Subject up for us all to " Kick Around "

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?

There are some people up in Seattle that wait for storms to go out and have some fun.  But they are mostly hardcore kayakers with lots of training and experience.  There was an incident recently and the kayak community came out with some tough love, very similar to what you're seeing here.  It was all good, because everyone took it for what it was worth.  And there was a lot of dissecting of the incident with learning as the motive.  It's all good.

-Allen

In 1976 I got blown off my Mallotte Scout 2 by a rouge wave at Stillwater in Sonoma county. Paddling around the south corner we decided to cut between the rock that lies offshore about 100 yards. Timing the swell my buddy made it through. When I took off and was inline with the rock a large rouge wave about 13ft reared up behind the rock. All i could do was get the bow turned and then total whiteout. I was freakin and my pal was laughing his ass off. Those overturned scouts have no seals on the hatches so it was halfway full of water. I swam to it looking for the next wave. Towed the scout to the north a bit and bailed with my faceplate until it was relatively empty. We then proceeded south to ab dive at cemetary cove. That was a lesson well learned. If in doubt at all or feling just a tad uncomfortable I go the way of my own peace of mind. Iv'e been called a pussy by close friends for not getting into water that I deemed the other side of safe for me. But I have yet to be a statistic and don't plan on it either.

“We should come home from adventures, and perils, and discoveries every day with new experience and character”

-Henry David Thoreau

“To die will be an awfully big adventure.”

-Aristotle

The most invaluable lessons are almost always learned the hard way. My dad told me that 10 years ago, after I did something "stupid." And Yes, I learned my lesson. Sounds like you learned a lesson the hard way, odat. Use it to your advantage.
Thanks for sharing your story.

I was just gettin' ready to load up the car on Sunday, when I checked the weather report one last time:  "Small Craft Advisory on S.F. Bay until 6 P.M."

I guess I made the right choice and stayed home. Sorry you had trouble, Odat. Thanks for sharing tho, and all the lessons shared.

I was just gettin' ready to load up the car on Sunday, when I checked the weather report one last time:  "Small Craft Advisory on S.F. Bay until 6 P.M."

I guess I made the right choice and stayed home. Sorry you had trouble, Odat. Thanks for sharing tho, and all the lessons shared.

 This is what I mean. An informed choice with correct reasoning. Smart move. A dead heroe is still just dead.

For all the comments that were made that sounded harsh... "we yell because we care." 
Glad to be reading this as a report on our site and not in the Chronicle.

Z

Odat - Thanks for sharing your experience and I'm glad you walked away SAFE! Posts like these will keep future newbies in check so I'm really glad you posted this - I salute you 

My advice to all is: "Be a kayaker first and a fisherman second"

There seems to be a trend to where newbies buy kayaks with out having any thoughts of taking a safety class first. Believe me, I see it all the time at work.

oh, and yes, if you live close by, we do give lessons at Aquan Sports (yes, yet another shameless plug )

Last I heard Scott at Petaluma sport and dive has a cherry lighthall 18ft kick board for sale. I think he wants 350. Which seems hight but its so frickin cherry you wouldn't believe it.

by now odat must feel like he's being attacked by a pack of rabid old ladies

Yeah, its starting to get real pierfishy.com around here.  Time to get out there and get fishing people. 

Hey bluekayak, smoked sturgeon is as good as smoked salmon.  Where you at?  If you need to paddle 17 miles in a day before you catch a sturgeon, just do a couple laps around the bay.  Then, just find yourself a pack of rabid old ladies anchored up in the shipping channel and scoot right in.     JTF

I hate posts like this.  WTF were you doing out there?  It really sounds like you had no clue what was going on, and you just got lucky.

Tuff love ... nuff said.

-Allen

Ill be honest.  When I read this, I got a little pissed.  My first thought was: "take it easy, he messed up and he is fine"

As I read through, I saw the good in being harsh in a situation like this.  Sometimes a simple outing can turn bad, fast!  Some of us need to realize this and be prepared, always, not only for the more dangerous outings.

Odat: Thanks for sharing your experience and not being afraid to share with all of us your mistake.  It takes guts to admit that you effed up.  Keep participating in NCKA.  These people go out of their way constantly to help.  Look at PolePole.  He came swinging.  The next thing you know he is offering to personally help you.  

I don't have any advice except keep participating in NCKA.  You can get great advice.  You can meet outstanding people.  Best of all, you can share your experience.  Your experience made all kinds of people think about safety.  Most important, you didn't get hurt.  

Thanks for sharing.

Bluekayak, thanks for those old pics on that link. I recognized Stillwater( guy onthe scupper) Ocean cove  The fort. Sick stuff. Makes me feel young again. Old farts rule!

Hey Odat.  I think I found your failed anchor and float set-up.  If you can identify it, it's yours.

Its blue with my last name on it