Random Act stupidity fallowed by an act of Kayak Kindess 8/8

last sunday was a day i will not forget. the day started out with an open water rescue of a fellow kayaker. if you would like the details read the cen coast tourny 8/8 post, http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,25776.0.html . although that was unforgettable in its self, the day was not over. this post is about what happened at the end of my day. it was time to head in and call it a day, i started my paddled to the beach with more worry about what happened early that day than the paddle ahead of me. with my guard down when i headed straight towards a ground swell that randomly breaks every 10 - 20 minutes about 500yrds off of the beach, yeah the one every one tells you about at that spot, in other words i knew better. unware of what was about to happen, i kept fighting the feeling of "i need to stow my stuff soon" and "i should be a little more west of here". instead i focused on, "im ready to go home" and "that was a crazy day". about that time i noticed the 2 kayakers next to me got quite a push from that last swell. then next thing i know, i hear "WATCH OUT" and i am almost at the top of a wave that is about to break, further more i am facing the wrong way. as i started my decent from the crest, there was a slight moment of im going to make it, fallowed by a yep im going in the drink. as i hit the water and i hoped that my kayak stayed upright, this hope was soon dashed the moment i open my eyes under water. if i was a stripper and my fishing gear was dollar bills, you could say that neptune was making it rain on me. for the kids out there this is not the best time to learn how to self rescue, thankfully i was a quick learner, but for the record i do not endorse this as a self rescue training method. i retrieved what gear of mine that i could and paddled in. the overwhelming feeling of stupidity, followed by the realization that with a new baby at the house, buying new fishing gear is a long shot. on the beach i explained what happen to the guys who didn't get to see me go for a swim. i also expressed that i would be hard pressed to replace gear i lost.

i am still having a hard time explaining how much what happened next, meant to me. i have not had a lot of good breaks this year, besides my beautiful baby girl and learning how to kayak fish. i recently lost a family member that was really close to my heart, and earlier this year i had a huge falling out with my father which left me unemployed, just to give you some highlights. this day looked like it was heading for a bad ending as well and possibly my season to. then a fellow kayaker at the tournament walks up and hands me his rod and reel. with a "hear, so you can keep fishing"  a guy that i have never seen before that day, handed me 7' shinmano clarus medium heavy with fast tip rod, with a Shimano 200 corsair reel. it hit me like a ton of bricks, i was more shocked than when i hit the water 20 minutes earlier. it was a completely selfless act of kindness that i will never forget, and neither will the other kayakers who where there. THANK YOU BRIAN for saving my day and season, like i said before it meant more than you could know and i will not forget what you did. i hope karma, pay it foreword, jesus, buddha, or what ever else is out there, pays you back ten fold.

i was humbled and had a better outlook towards others, not a bad day on the water.

clydeb

Thanks for sharing. Now do yourself a favor and tape some foam pipe insulation onto that pole, if it doesn't already have some, and Murphy won't have just cause.....to strike again.

i have no excuse, and trust me i will foam it up. my fish and dive can fit every thing in the hull, i had little to much gear as well. lost gear total- 3 rod, 3 reels, 2 3200 size tackle boxes, one with jigs, sabiki's, hooks, and swivels, the other with  2 of each 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 oz. swimbait jig heads, and a braid squid jig, a buck dive knife, l.e.d. flash light, and top of rod holder. mostly unused gear and i would say a conservative $250 loss. i have heard of a lot worse and even if i didn't get a pole out of it, i realize if you dance you have to pay the fiddler. i did not lose my life or get injured, that is what mattered. i hope my experience helps others.

clyde b

glad you are ok clyde, sometimes you just have to trust that gut feeling and stop and do it, and that fellow yaker will be getting karma points for a long time to come, cameron

Thanks for sharing that with us....kayak folks are the best kind!

After that morning brother, let alone the year you've had, you still got your beautiful little girl, wife, a kayak and rod ... as your fishing shirt says ... Life Is Good

Still wish I got you on video though  

Swing by the house tonight or tmrw and I'll get ya hooked up with swimbaits and jigs

Very moving post ClydeB. You really have a great attitude and I would like to nominate this guy "Brian" for kayak sainthood.  Ding!

Clyde, I am glad your around to tell the tale!

Thanks for sharing your experience and a heart warming story Clyde.

What is it with these kayak anglers selflessly helpin' each other out? good peeps, those guys. 

Sorry to hear about your tough times this year & thanks for the reminder to remain ever diligent on the water.

it was a completely selfless act of kindness that i will never forget, and neither will the other kayakers who where there. THANK YOU BRIAN for saving my day and season, like i said before it meant more than you could know and i will not forget what you did. i hope karma, pay it foreword, jesus, buddha, or what ever else is out there, pays you back ten fold.

i was humbled and had a better outlook towards others, not a bad day on the water.

Welcome to NCKA!

this hope was soon dashed the moment i open my eyes under water. if i was a stripper and my fishing gear was dollar bills, you could say that neptune was making it rain on me.

You've got a way with words!  

Now get out there and practice your self rescue!

Glad you came out in one piece.  You're already on a path of paying it forward by sharing your story here.  Well done.   

just another day in NCKA!

Glad to hear everything went well and only few gears was lost. Hang in there bro and good luck to you on your
job search.

Jedmo

wow, sorry to hear about the flip, but glad you came out safely, and even more, that you expierienced such a random act of kindness, that in the end will help you. that was awesome of that guy to give you some gear, i hope you catch many fish with it! GL out there.