If the OG'S aren't doing it why am I?

+1 with Allen and Adam

I go solo on the ocean from time to time and enjoy the solitude. I even did a solo moonlight paddle recently and it was really cool. All that said, 3 kayak anglers died this year in Norcal and all 3 were paddling alone in bad conditions. One died on the rockfish opener at Big Sur. I was down there that day with an experienced crew and none of us thought it was safe to launch and drove home. The point here is that even if he had a buddy, he probably would have died, probably 2 dead. Having a buddy will not save you from lack of skill and poor judgement in many situations.

One last comment on the buddy issue. In a worst case scenario, a crew of 3 has a lot more rescue options compared to a crew of 2. Depending on the height and weight of your buddy and what kind of yak you are paddling, you may not be able to paddle with another person on board in the offshore ditch scenario or a medical emergency. 

Scotty, you make some good points and with others who have posted I agree with the freedom of one's decision. However, when first posting this I was thinking of our members rather then those who go it alone with no experience.
I know members who go it alone who have the experience to know all the signs of the ocean which to most of us are obvious. For me it would be the unexpected that I couldn't count for. Like a rouge situation of Mother Nature. Weather it be a wave or seal or the landlord. All encounters I have either experienced or witnessed personally. Oh yeah and hooking into a whale by accident!
Safety is always foremost on my mind and I know my capabilities. I have beached it in the Big Sur area when others wanted to keep going. Thank goodness that for the others I was with and they had better endurance then I and helped me get back to the landing (walking out the Kayak).
That incident gave me faith in the guys that I paddle with and rely on when in harms way.
An OG has nothing to do with age but experience. The experience that I have today with these types of situations reminds me that I had better not give into my ego and let my pride decide for me. I found for myself that I must decide for myself (family) weather or not I can keep up with the people I am paddling with or they with me. This way I do the right thing again, for the whole rather then just myself.
If I misjudge going out single and have to ask for help I am putting others at risk. This is not the reason I do this sport, but I would rather have those with experience on my side then having to meet an unfortunate situation alone where the Coast Guard has to be called on to save my ass.
We all make our own decisions and that I understand and respect. But if a post like this can help just one of our members out then that is a what this is all about. I need to share with others not only the great days out there but also the fact that even those who "think" they know how to do this can and will get themselves in trouble.
So to all who are NCKA be smart, be safe and be ready for those situation that come up that aren't predictable.
 

The point here is that even if he had a buddy, he probably would have died, probably 2 dead. Having a buddy will not save you from lack of skill and poor judgement in many situations.

Having a buddy might have kept him onshore or taking other options.


Going out alone is not about Safety it's about Personnel Choice.

Little late to the conversation but... if there aren't any OG's out there... there's no fish there... period.

Freddie

Except for the day I slayed a 53inchWSB.

Umm...you were with me, buddy. Been here since before there was a here.

Oh sorry Dustin. Mt first kayak fish was in 1976. 34 years ago. I didnt know that you were an OG. Who all are OG's anyway. What are the requirements to be in the special group anyway?

I believe what most people here refer to as OG's are the core group of us that were here when NCKA was born. A lot of us came from Elric's Hotmail or Yahoo (I think) chat group before that.

Oh sorry Dustin. Mt first kayak fish was in 1976. 34 years ago. I didnt know that you were an OG. Who all are OG's anyway. What are the requirements to be in the special group anyway?

Ya - I was one year old then. You old bastard! 

Oh sorry Dustin. Mt first kayak fish was in 1976. 34 years ago. I didnt know that you were an OG. Who all are OG's anyway. What are the requirements to be in the special group anyway?

Well for me it was the people on this board who taught me the ends and outs of Kayak fishing and pretty much the culture of do's and do not's. I actually asked to hook up with them and they were kind enough to take me out and show me some proper skills.
I also  hired a guide that also filled me in on safety as well as taking
a safety class/lessons. Even though I had been out fishing back in the day. I needed to learn it properly and safely.
So I guess an OG is a person who shares and passes their knowledge around. Which can be anyone younger or older then me. This isn't a mine is bigger contest but, hopefully a way for Newbies to become asset's to our community and not afraid to ask someone about any particular question that they do not know. Who's an OG is evident to me. Not a clique or a group but those here with experience. I was hoping we wouldn't turn this into a pissing contest.

Pissing?

I'm gonna start a group called the OF's.  You in Craig?   

-Allen

Pissing?

  Okay how about rock throwing or skipping or spitting. Sorry for using pissing....

Allen, you better increase the font size of your last message a few 100% so that OF Craig can see it!    
   

I'm liking OF's more and more.....

Who's an OG is evident to me. Not a clique or a group. I was hoping we wouldn't turn this into a pissing contest.

Frank, I honestly believe you totally mean well but when you include the term OG in your thread title.....Then you create contention. We all know about the 'secret' and I personally could care less about it. But to say that the OG's are not a clique or a group is incorrect. That is all. jim

Hi I'm Craig and I'm an old fart. A dumb old fart at that.

Who's an OG is evident to me. Not a clique or a group. I was hoping we wouldn't turn this into a pissing contest.

Frank, I honestly believe you totally mean well but when you include the term OG in your thread title.....Then you create contention. We all know about the 'secret' and I personally could care less about it. But to say that the OG's are not a clique or a group is incorrect. That is all. jim

Jim, Your absolutely correct and I apologize for using this term OG that is creating a bitter pill for some of our members. I will tell the local kids to stop calling me an Old Gangster, Old Guy or Old Guard and OA (which I'll leave for the imagination). How about Veteran Kayakers from now on.
I was hoping to make this about safety and not a point of contention. We seem to get caught up and distracted by people, places and things that do not serve us well or should I say me instead. So again Jim I apologize for my using the term OG in hopes that we can keep to the topic at hand. Safety. Sincerely, Frank