Missing Kayaker off Gaviota State Beach

According to the newspaper story he was a newbie with no floatation divice and no wet/dry suit. Be safe.

http://www.ksby.com/news/missing-kayaker-wasnt-wearing-a-wet-suit/

I hope he's found, but I gotta say it...

Scary sh*t man. I can only imagine 

That is a gnarly place - I went there opening day and left without even pulling out a piece of gear and headed to Avila - the winds can be deadly - no pun intended.  A sobering reminder to all of us that safety should come first.

sad news but a few more of these & we'll be seeing stiffer regs for kayaks and/or CF #'s required.

This sucks. 

Bad times.  I hope he turns up.

The search was called off after five days, they found his yak and some gear but no sign of him.  he was a firefighter at vandenberg, avid surfer, and a water rescue specialist.  air force was out looking for him a long with almost every other agency in Santa Barbara County.   He was a local guy.  Really sad.  he went out alone in the afternoon at Gaviota, where it is almost always blowing 20+ knots by that time. 

I hadn't heard the newbie part, but being a water rescue specialist and an avid surfer means he certainly had some water skills.  The weather service guy said the wind was blowing from the south west, 10 to 20 mph., which would blow him down coast and onto the shore, not out to sea, since the coast there runs from east to west.  I think this is a tragedy and a mystery that will never be solved.
I have been surfing, diving, and fishing the Gaviota Coast/Hollister Ranch area since 1968, the last few years on my kayak.  This guy was not a candidate for a Darwin award, we don't really know what happened.

That's one at Gaviota and one at Mill Creek, just this year. Be careful out there.

That's one at Gaviota and one at Mill Creek, just this year. Be careful out there.

Ed,what happened at Mill Creek?

So the reports of no PFD and no wetsuit were wrong?

I would hope that a water rescue specialist would have those things.

Gaviota has the train track going across the beach doesn't it? and also a pier? If it is the same one I'm thinking of I fished there about two years ago by myself and am planning another trip there hopefully this summer. I can see the allure of that place and understand that anytime I fish by myself I am taking a risk.
This was a pro too! But a newbie on a yak. There are no guarantees out there. Rarely do I paddle alone but this place was one of those adventures...

That's one at Gaviota and one at Mill Creek, just this year. Be careful out there.

Ed,what happened at Mill Creek?

Another "odd" case. A guy disappeared after a few pretty rough weather days. Kids found his kayak, and rangers found his car. There was a lot of speculation as to whether or not he was a legitimate accident victim or if he staged it as an identity getaway.